Darwin car hire

Compact cars offer fantastic prices and fuel efficiency, making them a popular choice for visitors planning to travel out of Darwin. Smaller models of hire cars will also navigate the inner-city streets best, though you won’t have to handle many tight alleyways or corners.

Unless otherwise indicated by signage, the default speed limit is 60 km/h. Many streets in Darwin’s city centre are, however, reduced to 40 km/h, which is the same limit for school zones between 08:00–17:00. The maximum speed outside of built-up areas is 110 km/h.

Paid parking spaces are metered in the city centre from 08:00–17:00 on weekdays, with hourly fees at roughly A$ 2. State Square Car Park is a short walk from the waterfront precinct and has flat daily rates of about A$ 11, open 24h. Parking throughout the CBD is free and unrestricted on weekends and public holidays.

The average price of fuel in Darwin is R74,46 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of fuel costs between R893 and R1 191, depending on the car size.

Economy (Hyundai Accent or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Darwin.

Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.

An Economy car hire in Darwin costs R470 per day, on average.

A Mini car hire in Darwin costs R895 per day, on average.

There are a number of EV charging stations in Darwin's city centre as well as the surrounding suburbs. While EV charging stations will be harder to find if you're heading out of the major towns, there are also stations outside many national parks in the area.

While you'll find most companies offering cheap car hire in Darwin at the airport, a number also have offices in the city centre. You'll find most close to the Waterfront Precinct, with Enterprise offices on The Esplanade. Hertz, Thrifty and Europcar all have offices on Mitchell Street, just a few blocks back from The Esplanade.