Shanghai car hire

Compact cars are definitely the way to go for Shanghai car hire, as you will be grateful for the flexibility they provide in traffic and in parking. Shanghai is a big, crowded city and space is at a premium for urban transit. Smaller, manoeuvrable cars with good fuel economy will serve your needs better than larger, thirstier vehicles in Shanghai traffic.

The speed limit is 30 km/h on single-lane urban roads; you can drive up to 70 km/h on multi-lane city roads, 100 km/h on express roads and 120 km/h on the express freeway. There is usually a 10 km/h tolerance but violations above this are penalised and, as speed cameras are common, it is very likely that violations will be detected.

Parking in Shanghai can be a challenge, as there is high demand and limited supply for space. There is some free parking available, but it is not easy to find a free spot, so it is usually better to assume you will have to pay. There are several parking areas and multi-level car parks around the city and many operate on a 24-hour basis. On-street parking is also generally paid, and there are a number of guarded streets where you can leave your car for a fee. Illegal parking is almost always detected and almost always results in a fine, so it definitely doesn’t pay to park illegally.

The average price of fuel in Shanghai is R79,50 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of fuel costs between R954 and R1 272, depending on the car size.

Standard (Volkswagen Jetta or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Shanghai.

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

A Standard car hire in Shanghai costs R872 per day, on average.

A Compact car hire in Shanghai costs R794 per day, on average.

A Mini car hire in Shanghai costs R1 079 per day, on average.