Dover car hire

Driver's age: 26-65

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Cheap car hire in Dover

Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.
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Economy car
Economy
M
Compact car
Compact
M
Intermediate car
Intermediate
M
Standard car
Standard
M
Full-size car
Full-size
M
Luxury car
Luxury
M
People carrier car
People carrier
M
Passenger van car
Passenger van
M
Commercial car
Commercial
M
Pick-up truck car
Pick-up truck
M

Dover car hire experiences: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travellers who hired a car in Dover 
TurboSept 2024
Enterprise is small in Dover. They have a very limited amount of cars. Be on time. Communicate directly with the local staff if you will be delayed.
GeorgeJun 2023
Be careful driving on left side

KAYAK’s top tips for hiring a car in Dover

  • Car hire in Dover will allow you to take full advantage of all the tourist attractions in the coastal region of Kent, including the famous White Cliffs, with their seemingly endless view over the English Channel from South Foreland Lighthouse. You’ll also be able to drive out to Castle Hill where Dover Castle stands, built in the 12th century. Drive 4 miles out from Dover to St. Margaret’s Bay to enjoy 6 acres of sustainable landscaped gardens in Pines Garden.
  • You’ll land at Southend Airport if you’re flying to Dover, and you’ll immediately appreciate the freedom of a hire car, as it’s just over a 40-mile drive from there to the town itself. The airport has a dedicated car hire centre inside the terminal, on the landside, next to where the coffee shops are. To collect your car you won’t need to take a shuttle bus, as you can simply walk a couple of minutes to the airport’s on-site parking area.
  • The main thing to take into account with Dover car hire is that it’s one of Europe’s busiest ports, so there is a lot of traffic that supports this ecosystem, whether it be commuters who work there or cargo being transported. This leads to a variety of different vehicles going at different speeds on the roads, with lorries being plentiful among them. The town is also a tourist attraction in itself, with thousands of people coming to see its iconic cliffs.
  • Expect a proper rush hour in Dover every morning and evening due to all the port activity. This can last from around 07:30 till 09:00 in the morning and usually starts from around 16:00, peaking at 17:00 in the afternoon. The M2 is the major road that links Dover with London, so that obviously gets very busy. The same can be said for the A20, especially where it meets the A2 from Canterbury. The recommended alternative routes are the A258, the A256 or the B2011. Also try to avoid the Whitfield roundabout during rush hours.
  • Book your car hire in Dover at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
  • Mini hire cars in Dover are around 32% cheaper than other car types, on average
See more tips

FAQs about hiring a car in Dover

  • What type of car is recommended for driving in Dover?

    The type of car hire in Dover to choose will be dictated by the amount of traffic in the area where you’re intending to stay. If you prefer to be in the centre of town, then a city car or a compact saloon or saloon are the obvious choices, along with a smallish MPV. Once you’re driving on the B roads around the countryside your choices open up: you could get a larger SUV or 4x4, or treat yourself to a luxury or sports model.

  • What’s the speed limit in Dover?

    Speed limits in Dover vary quite extensively depending on the traffic and pedestrian density in the different parts of the town. There are zones here: in the city centre and built-up areas it’s generally 30mph, with some roads marked as 20mph zones. On the more outlying roads you can go up to 40mph, while the larger carriageways that flow in and out of the city have a limit of 50mph.

  • Where are the best places to park in Dover?

    The council provides free parking all over Dover. Main car parks include the two at Kearsney Abbey, and St Martin’s Battery. However you’ll have to take public transport from the adjacent bus stops, as these are around an hour’s walk from the centre of town. You can expect to pay around £2.60 for 2h at car parks like the one on Maison Dieu Road (a 3-minute walk to the town centre) and Ladywell, 5min away.

  • How much is the price of fuel in Dover?

    The average price of fuel in Dover is R119,35 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of fuel costs between R1 432 and R1 910, depending on the car size.

  • What is the most popular car hire in Dover?

    Compact (Nissan Juke or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Dover.

  • Which car hire agencies are at Heathrow airport (LHR)?

    Car hire companies onsite at Heathrow airport include SURPRICE CAR RENTAL, GREEN MOTION, Europcar, U-Save, keddy by Europcar, Allegiance, Arnold Clark and Budget.

  • Which car hire agencies are at Gatwick airport (LGW)?

    Car hire companies onsite at Gatwick airport include U-Save, keddy by Europcar and Budget.

  • Which car hire agencies are at Stansted airport (STN)?

    Car hire companies onsite at Stansted airport include DRIVALIA, GREEN MOTION, Alamo, keddy by Europcar and Budget.

  • Which car hire companies will pick you up at Heathrow airport (LHR)?

    Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Heathrow airport to off-airport locations include GREEN MOTION, Europcar, Alamo and Budget.

  • Which car hire companies will pick you up at Gatwick airport (LGW)?

    Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Gatwick airport to off-airport locations include GREEN MOTION, Europcar, Alamo, keddy by Europcar and Budget.

  • Which car hire companies will pick you up at Stansted airport (STN)?

    Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Stansted airport to off-airport locations include GREEN MOTION, Europcar, Alamo, keddy by Europcar and Budget.

  • How can I find car hires near me in Dover?

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

  • How much does a Compact car hire cost in Dover?

    A Compact car hire in Dover costs R572 per day, on average.

  • How much does an Economy car hire cost in Dover?

    An Economy car hire in Dover costs R809 per day, on average.

  • How much does a Mini car hire cost in Dover?

    A Mini car hire in Dover costs R490 per day, on average.

See more FAQs

Dover car rental reviews and directory 
All ratings and reviews are collected from KAYAK users with a verified car hire booking. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.

Europcar

Cleanliness

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

7.2

Value for money

7.2

One location in Dover

Show locations

Locations in Dover

116 Snargate Street

+44 371 384 3490

Opening times not available

Filters

Reviews

10,0 Wonderful

Anonymous, Apr 2024

Intermediate SUV

KAYAK
Very friendly and helpful. Great car. Rental could not have been better or easier. I would definitely rent from this location again.

2,0 Poor

Anonymous, Feb 2024

Intermediate SUV

KAYAK
Terrible service. Clearly hate dealing with customers. So bad I had to cancel my booking and rebook with Enterprise.

1 out of 2

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Cleanliness

2.0

Comfort

2.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

2.0

Value for money

2.0

One location in Dover

Show locations

Locations in Dover

Townwall Street

+44 1304 242526

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday09:00 - 12:00
Sunday00:00 - 00:00

Filters

Reviews

2,0 Poor

Turbo, Sept 2024

Intermediate SUV

KAYAK
They gave away our car. As such, we sis not use the reservation. Admittedly, we were late in arriving. The site manager reported the info they received from Kayak was lacking (no email and the wrong country code on cell) resulting in Enterprise not being able to reach us. It was a disappointing interaction with with Kayak and with Enterprise. Although, the manager (Lionel) did what he could to help the next day. I likely will not use Kayak again for this type of reservation.

1 out of 1

Avis

7,4

Good

Best rated

One location in Dover

Show locations

Locations in Dover

Arrivals Hall, Ferry Port

+44 344 544 6055

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00

Filters

No reviews available

Budget

7,3

Good

One location in Dover

Show locations

Locations in Dover

Eastern Docks

+44 344 544 3948

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00

Filters

No reviews available

Hertz

6,9

Okay

One location in Dover

Show locations

Locations in Dover

173-177 Snargate Street

+44 843 309 3023

Monday08:30 - 17:30
Tuesday08:30 - 17:30
Wednesday08:30 - 17:30
Thursday08:30 - 17:30
Friday08:30 - 17:30
Saturday09:30 - 12:30

Filters

No reviews available

keddy by Europcar

6,9

Okay

One location in Dover

Show locations

Locations in Dover

116 Snargate Street

+44 371 384 3490

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday08:00 - 17:00

Filters

No reviews available

Routes Car & Truck Rentals

3,7

Poor

One location in Dover

Locations in Dover

116 Snargate Street

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Firefly

No score available yet

One location in Dover

Locations in Dover

173-177 Snargate Street

+44 843 309 3023

Monday08:30 - 17:30
Tuesday08:30 - 17:30
Wednesday08:30 - 17:30
Thursday08:30 - 17:30
Friday08:30 - 17:30
Saturday09:00 - 12:00

Filters

No reviews available

Free2Move

No score available yet

One location in Dover

Locations in Dover

Honeywood Parkway

+44 1304 827500

Monday08:00 - 17:0013:00 - 17:30
Tuesday08:00 - 17:0013:00 - 17:30
Wednesday08:00 - 17:0013:00 - 17:30
Thursday08:00 - 17:0013:00 - 17:30
Friday08:00 - 17:0013:00 - 17:30
Saturday08:00 - 17:0013:00 - 17:30

Filters

No reviews available

Sunnycars

No score available yet

One location in Dover

Locations in Dover

116 Snargate Street

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

6 travellers who hired a car in Dover gave the car agency they used an average rating of 6.9

Car hire locations in or near Dover

Good to know

Most popular car type

Compact

When to book a car hire in Dover

Average daily price per month
Car hire prices as pick-up date approaches

Dover car hire information

Pick-up locationDover
Car types
Hire locations12
Airport locations0

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