Cheap car hire in Raleigh
| Mini |
| Economy |
| Compact |
| Intermediate |
| Standard |
| Full-size |
| Luxury |
| People carrier |
| Passenger van |
| SUV |
| Commercial |
| Pick-up truck |
Top tips for hiring a car in Raleigh
- Need to rent a car for your trip to Raleigh? Visitors with flights landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport can reach the airport’s hire car center via shuttle buses leaving from Zone 5 outside of Terminal 1 and from Zone 18 outside of Terminal 2.
- Fog is quite common in Raleigh so drivers should be careful, especially in the early morning hours. Drivers not used to fog should remember that, while headlights should be used to illuminate the road, drivers should only use low beams rather than their high beams. The reason for this is that fog actually reflects light, thus, the brighter the light used, the more it reflects. So if you use your high beams, you may actually reduce road visibility rather than improve it.
- Rush hour traffic is no fun no matter what city you are in. However, drivers will be happy to hear that rush hour isn’t too fierce in Raleigh. The morning rush hour tends to pick up around 7:30 a.m. and lasts till 9:00 a.m., while the afternoon and evening rush hour starts around 4:00 p.m. and finishes up around 6:00 p.m. The main areas to avoid during rush hour are the highways leading in and out of the city, in particular I-40.
- In many ways, renting a car is imperative if you plan on getting the most out of your time in Raleigh. Like many cities in the U.S., Raleigh is a car town and many of its attractions are most accessible via personal vehicle. For instance, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina Museum of Art are just 15 minutes away from each other by car, but are close to 45 minutes away from each other via public transportation.
- 25% of our users found a car hire in Raleigh for R2 203 or less
- Book your car hire in Raleigh at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Full-size car hire in Raleigh are around -122% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about hiring a car in Raleigh
What type of car is recommended for driving in Raleigh?
All sizes of vehicles will have an easy time driving in Raleigh. The streets are fairly wide and streetside parking spaces are large enough for a range of vehicles. However, if you plan on visiting the mountains in North Carolina, it may be worth it to consider a mid-sized vehicle just to make sure you have enough torque for mountainous terrain.
What’s the speed limit in Raleigh?
City roads in Raleigh and throughout North Carolina normally stick to a base speed limit of 35 mph except in cases when signage specifies otherwise. In rural areas the speed limit jumps up to 55 mph and on highways it goes up again to 70 mph.
Where are the best places to park in Raleigh?
Parking is an absolute cinch in Raleigh. Both streetside and garage parking are widely available throughout the city. For the downtown areas, parking can fill up during peak times, but for the most part it shouldn’t be an issue for drivers. At worst, you will have to park a block or two away from your final destination.
How much does it cost to hire a car in Raleigh?
On average a car hire in Raleigh costs R2 204 per day.
What is the best car hire company in Raleigh?
Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car hire companies in Raleigh are Enterprise Rent-A-Car (8,2, 90 reviews), and Hertz (6,0, 71 reviews).
How much is the price of fuel in Raleigh?
The average price of fuel in Raleigh is R78,73 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of fuel costs between R945 and R1 260, depending on the car size.
What is the most popular car hire in Raleigh?
Full-size (Chevrolet Suburban or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Raleigh.
Which car hire agencies are at Raleigh-Durham airport (RDU)?
The only car hire company onsite at Raleigh-Durham airport is Hertz.
Which car hire companies will pick you up at Raleigh-Durham airport (RDU)?
The only car hire company that offers shuttle or pick-up services from Raleigh-Durham airport to off-airport locations is Hertz.
How can I find car hires near me in Raleigh?
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
How much does a Full Size car hire cost in Raleigh?
A Full Size car hire in Raleigh costs R2 237 per day, on average.
How much does a Standard car hire cost in Raleigh?
A Standard car hire in Raleigh costs R984 per day, on average.
How much does an Economy car hire cost in Raleigh?
An Economy car hire in Raleigh costs R653 per day, on average.
What is the most popular car hire location in Raleigh?
In Raleigh, cars are most frequently hired at Budget 1000 Rental Car Drive (18 km from city centre ).
How much does it cost to hire a car for a week in Raleigh?
On average a car hire in Raleigh costs R15 431 per week (R2 204 per day).
How much does it cost to hire a car long term for a month in Raleigh?
On average a car hire in Raleigh costs R66 135 per month (R2 204 per day).
Which car hire companies in Raleigh have updated their vehicle cleaning and safety policies because of coronavirus (COVID-19)?
One car hire company which has updated their car hire health and safety policies due to COVID-19 to make sure vehicles are clean and disinfected is Hertz
Raleigh car rental reviews and directory
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
8,2
Very Good
157 reviewsCleanliness
8.0
Comfort
8.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.4
Value for money
7.9
10 locations in Raleigh
Locations in Raleigh
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Reviews
4,0 Mediocre
Sep 2023
8,0 Very Good
May 2021
Cons:
The car smell old10,0 Wonderful
May 2021
Cons:
Everything went well2,0 Poor
Mar 2021
Pros:
Reservation & Confirmation was useless at check-in when I find there is no car available to rent.Cons:
Actually have a car to rent before confirmation of my reservation!5,2 Fair
Oct 2020
Pros:
Drop off was difficult and unclear. There was only a small sign saying that budget was closed and to return car to avis. this should have been told to me at the time of pickup to avoid complications catching my flightCons:
they should have disclosed that they would not be "open" during my return hours and how to return the vehicle to prevent issues when trying to catch my flight after spending 30 minutes driving around the rental area and airport trying to figure it out for myself9,6 Wonderful
Sep 2020
Pros:
The gal that escorted us to our vehicle was excellent. Made a nice upgrade gesture that significantly enhanced our trip.Cons:
I should have been told during my order placement that u were offering a 3rd party insurance company where u would have required me to use my deductible...then “I” would have to get reimbursed from the insurance company. Sneaky!Hertz
6,0
Okay
179 reviewsCleanliness
6.6
Comfort
6.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.9
Value for money
6.0
5 locations in Raleigh
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Reviews
10,0 Wonderful
Sep 2023
2,0 Poor
Nov 2022
6,0 Okay
Dec 2022
2,0 Poor
Dec 2021
4,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
Staff were patient and pleasant.Cons:
The car was absolutely filthy inside and out. Apparently they did not have the staff to clean it. The interior was so bad I cleaned it myself that afternoon - smell, everything was covered in accumulated grime; the steering wheel was actually sticky (cloths used to clean came out black). Rented a premium model and it was at least 3/4 years old with dents and scratches. Also it was the lowest type of model in that category. Overall I was very disappointed with Hertz as it should be a premium rental agency. Will not use again as have had far better experience with ‘lower tier’ rental agencies4,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
Not enough staff to take care of the amount of customers. Long wait when we already had a reservation. Exterior of the car already had damage and was very dirty.Cons:
Cleanliness of the exterior; not having the urg to take a pic of every little scratch damage on the car.Budget
5,3
Fair
78 reviewsCleanliness
5.5
Comfort
5.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.1
Value for money
5.3
3 locations in Raleigh
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Reviews
2,0 Poor
Sep 2023
2,0 Poor
Oct 2022
2,0 Poor
Sep 2022
8,0 Very Good
May 2021
Pros:
The car was new so that was nice.Cons:
Pickup and drop off in a shopping mall was not ideal. And the car had clearly not been cleaned before we received it.10,0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Customer service was really friendly2,0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
Cancellation of rental was very easy and simple. The customer service representative was very nice and helpful and apologized for the situation.Cons:
We scheduled our rental pick-up for 7pm. We didn’t know that the pick-up location closed at 7pm. We were unable to receive our rental. If closing time is at 7pm, then the last rental for the evening needs to be at 6:30pm.Avis
4,3
Mediocre
46 reviewsCleanliness
4.6
Comfort
5.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
3.9
Value for money
4.5
3 locations in Raleigh
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Reviews
2,0 Poor
Oct 2022
2,0 Poor
Jun 2021
Pros:
One manager seemed helpfulCons:
Priceline booked us at an off-site location which was closed when we landed. Avis and Priceline both blamed each other when a $50 no-show fee was assessed and neither would take responsibility for assessing or removing it. Priceline did the same thing on another future rental so we cancelled it. We will no longer use Kayak for rental cars.2,0 Poor
Mar 2021
Cons:
The day before the reservation, I got a call informing me that there were no cars available and they they would be cancelling my reservation. No alternate options were provided.8,0 Very Good
Dec 2020
Pros:
Both gals who helped me with pick up and then drop off were super.Cons:
The pick up at the Raleigh NC mall 5 days before Christmas was very chaotic. I couldn't find the car once I had the keys, and the woman working was all alone so couldn't leave the desk inside the mall to help me find it. That was very time consuming and took much longer than it should have. Having dedicated and labeled Avis spots in the mall parking lot are a necessity, especially if Avis isn't going to hire extra help. She had to leave her post and help me find the car. She didn't know where it was either in the chaos of a mall parking lot before Christmas.9,2 Wonderful
Dec 2019
Pros:
Great car selectionCons:
Mall location had a lot of traffic to navigate though. Not sure how this could be improved.6,4 Okay
Jul 2019
Pros:
I like how Avis stretched the definition of a "midsize" booking to include a Nissan Sentra. That's very creative.Cons:
Leave lots of extra time to drop a car at the Wilmington (NC) airport. You have to find a parking space, unload your belongings, walk into the airport, and wait at the rental counter. And all of that counts against your return time. If that makes you "late" to return your car, it's an extra $30-50.Easirent
3,9
Poor
No reviews available
One location in Raleigh
Europcar
5,6
Fair
No reviews available
One location in Raleigh
keddy by Europcar
6,0
Okay
No reviews available
One location in Raleigh
Advance Car And Truck Rental
No score available yet
One location in Raleigh
Sunnycars
No score available yet
One location in Raleigh
Car hire locations in or near Raleigh
Good to know
Most popular agency | Hertz |
|---|---|
Most popular car type | Full-size |
Average price | R2 204/day |
Good deal | R2 203/day |