Search for car rental Wellington

One of New Zealand's most popular travel destinations, both for business and fun, Wellington/Te Whanganui a Tara is not only the nations capital, but the cultural capital as well. With exciting annual events like CubaDupa, Newtown Festival and World of Wearable Art, hiring a car in Wellington is a great way to see it all. With Airport Rentals, we bring together trusted car rental companies in one place for you to search, compare and book with. Bringing you great deals and an easy and secure booking experience, you'll be behind the wheel in no time.

Car rental companies in Wellington

There's no shortage for well known rental car brands in Wellington to choose from. Airport Rentals partners with these suppliers:

• Ace Car Rentals
• Apex Car Rentals
• Avis
• Bargain Rental Cars
• Big Value
• Budget
• Dollar
• Go Rentals
• Hertz
• Omega Rental Cars
• Thrifty

Once you have made a search, you'll be able to compare their vehicle availability, their range of vehicle options, and their prices, so that you can find your perfect rental car.

Picking up your Wellington car hire

When you are ready to pick up your vehicle, simply make your way to rental depot address outlined in your rental agreement. You can also check the map below for their addresses. You can either arrange your own transport to get the depot, or in some cases such as Ace Rental Cars, you can take advantage of their courtesy shuttle from the Ferry Terminal, or you central Wellington accommodation.

When you arrive at the depot, you'll need to have all drivers present with their drivers licenses. Staff will then provide the keys to the car and you'll be ready to go. Before you set off, make sure to document any marks or scratches that are already on the vehicle, so you have proof that they weren't caused by you.

Wellington car rental locations

Returning your Wellington hire car

At the end of your trip, you'll need to return your hire car to the same location you picked it up from. You can then hand over your completed rental contract and your keys to the staff at the depot. If you are returning your vehicle after hours, you'll first need to make sure that this is possible with your rental car provider. If it is, you will be able to park your car in a designated spot and then leave your keys in a drop box at the depot.

Make sure you return the car with a full tank of petrol to avoid any extra costs.

How much does it cost to hire a car in Wellington?

You can hire a car for around $40NZD per day for a small Economy vehicle, or up to $350NZD per day for a late model SUV. We recommend making a search to see live pricing and vehicle availability, as prices will fluctuate throughout the year.

Flying into Wellington Airport?

If you're flying into Wellington, you can hire a car from the airport. Find more information on our Wellington Airport car rental page.

Need help? Our customer service team is available 24/7

Have a question, or need help with your booking? You can contact us anytime and one of our expert customer service team will be here to get you on the road.

The main thing you need to know about driving in Wellington is that it has a few challenging features, namely some steep and narrow streets, a giant roundabout that is also a cricket ground, a tunnel underneath Mount Victoria, and one way streets and pedestrian only areas in the city centre. With a bit of planning, all of these things are easy to navigate.

Speed limits in Wellington

As with the rest of New Zealand, you'll find that most areas are 50kph in residential areas and 100kph on the motorway. In Wellington city centre it can drop to 30kph. Make sure to check signs at all times.

Places to see and things to do around Wellington

New Zealand's Capital City is choc full of things to see and do, whether you're travelling solo, with your partner, or with the whole family. Here are some of our favourites.

Food and drink

Wellington has so many options for dining out. You can find great Vietnamese food in Cuba Street, delicious Indian food in Newtown, or for a special occasion, fine dining at local icon Logan Brown. If you're a craft beer enthusiast, you'll have no shortage of options, including Garage Project on Aro Street, Goldings Free Dive tucked away behind Leeds Street and Heyday at the top of Cuba Street to name a few. Families can head to One Red Dog for pizza and pasta, Caffe L'Affare for delicious coffee and food, or Spruce Goose in Lyall Bay to enjoy sea views with your meal.

Culture

In addition to mainstays like Te Papa, New Zealand's National Museum, and the Beehive, NZ's parliamentary building, you can also enjoy the Weta Workshop Experience, where you will see behind the scenes of Lord of the Rings and other Weta marvels. Or why not learn more about Wellington's history with a harbour cruise that takes in local maritime history and a closer look at the natural environment.

Events

Barely a week goes by when there isn't something going on in Wellington. Here are some of the highlights:

• CubaDupa - A 2 day festival on Cuba Street celebrating this unique part of the city and everything that makes it special.

• Newtown Festival - With over 15 stages and numerous stalls, this lively festival brings together music, food and crafts that brings out the best in this Wellington suburb.

• World of Wearable Arts (WoW) - A New Zealand institution, WoW revolves around a wearable art competition culminating in a mix of theatre, performance and art.

Where to go after Wellington

As Wellington sits at the bottom of the North Island, you have lots of options if you're planning to drive your rental car out of Wellington, including hopping on a ferry to the South Island. Within short distance, you can enjoy the quaint villages of Martinborough, or the coastal beauty of the Kapiti Coast. Heading further north, you can reach Taupo by rental car in about 4 hours. The same goes for Napier on the East Coast.

If you are heading south, the Wellington Ferry will take you to Picton, which is near to Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds. You can also travel to Christchurch or Queenstown in your rental car, however these are bigger time commitments, especially taking into account the time to cross Cook Strait.