Cairns car rental reviews and directory
Enterprise![Enterprise]()
Best rated
9.6 Excellent (8 reviews)
2 locations in Cairns
Enterprise
Locations in Cairns
Shop 2, 51 Sheridan Street+61 740 312 707
| Monday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Tuesday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Wednesday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Thursday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Friday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Saturday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Sunday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
Terminal Building+61 740 349 052
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
8.0 Excellent25 Apr 2019
Pros: The car was clean and the staff was niceCons: Apparently I was too young to drive the car I rented (it wasn’t on the website) and it took very look until they came to an agreement.
10.0 Excellent22 Nov 2017
Great airport, great rentalPros: Great front desk guy, handy car pickup, no bus to deal with. Upgraded compact suv to overlander, no chargeCons: No issues, the usual attempt to upsell but no pressure. Just say no to what you don't want. Wish I had added the gps, but they asked. My bad.
10.0 Excellent24 May 2017
All goodPros: Easy pick up procedure and drop offCons: Nothing - fast, friendly -
10.0 Excellent18 May 2017
Satisfied CustomerPros: Fast friendly service. Didn't try and sleezy salesmen gimmicks on my family and I that you typically get from rental car places.
Hertz![agency]()
9.1 Excellent (16 reviews)
3 locations in Cairns
Hertz
Locations in Cairns
147 Lake St+61 740 385 690
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Cairns Apt+61 740 389 990
| Monday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Tuesday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Wednesday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Thursday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Friday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Saturday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Sunday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
Cairns Square, Abbott St+61 740 468 790
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
10.0 Excellent24 Feb 2019
Pros: Friendly staff. Easy pickup and drop off.
10.0 Excellent23 Dec 2018
Pros: very friendly employees, easy claim process initiating, flexible return.
8.0 Excellent19 Nov 2018
Pros: Easy pick up and return after pickupCons: Found out after pickup, we couldn't take it somewhere we wanted to go.
10.0 Excellent6 Sep 2018
They helped us a lotPros: We had a problem with the rent, and the women of the airport shop helped us to solve it.
5.6 Okay21 Nov 2017
Cons: I prepaid for a different drop off location and when I picked up the car I was asked to pay an additional fee for a that service. I was told its similar to adding a GPS or car seat to an existing reservation but I was unable to take the car without paying additional despite my reservation. I called the 800 number and was told this charge would drop off and was covered but just discovered three separate charges for this rental have been processed. I plan on calling customer service again to clear this matter up but the Cairns office was unhelpful and unwilling to listen to me about the reservation I booked.
9.6 Excellent9 Apr 2017
Pros: Everything was clean, simple, and very easy pick up and drop off.Cons: Just a little small for a family of five. Not what i would call a typical SUV.
9.2 Excellent4 Jan 2017
Pros: Pick-up and drop off were convenient. No extra charges. The car type/condition was a good choice for the area and driving conditions.Cons: Not sure the additional insurance I purchased when I made the rental reservation was necessary (as I was lead to believe at the time).
Alamo![Alamo]()
9 Excellent (6 reviews)
2 locations in Cairns
Alamo
Locations in Cairns
Term Building Airport Avenue+61 740 349 052
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Terminal Building Airport Ave+61 740 349 045
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
10.0 Excellent4 May 2018
Positive rental experiencePros: Clean car, easy pick up and return, upgrade since they were out of our size
9.6 Excellent21 Mar 2018
Pros: Staff were very good and the process was simple.Cons: All good.
East Coast Car Rentals![East Coast Car Rentals]()
8.9 Excellent (20 reviews)
2 locations in Cairns
East Coast Car Rentals
Locations in Cairns
411 Sheridan Street, Cairns1800 474 258
| Monday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Tuesday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Wednesday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Thursday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Friday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Terminal Building Airport Ave1800 474 258
10.0 Excellent10 Oct 2018
Excellent staff great rental experience.Pros: Good clean car. Airport transfer was efficient and driver was very friendly and well presented. Check in staff and check out staff was nice and professional which made our rental a positive experience. I’ll be using Kayak and east coast rentals again.
10.0 Excellent14 Jun 2018
Generally good valuePros: Appreciated the airport pickup and drop off included. Car was reasonable quality and condition, and was comfortable and reasonably new. Paper work was straightforward, especially on return (ie. none, if no outstanding issues).Cons: Tyre pressures weren't checked -- 2 were grossly under inflated, yet not punctured, so had no reason to be.
8.8 Excellent10 Jun 2018
Simple fuss free car rentalPros: Pick up from airport was efficient and friendly Picking car up was fast and lovely lady on desk explained everything Car was ready to go Absolutely no fuss at all A very streamlined serviceCons: Happy with service no complaints Would definitely use again
7.6 Good15 May 2018
Pros: Ease of booking online, pick up/return service from and to airport.Cons: Car could've been a little cleaner, but overall it was good.
10.0 Excellent10 May 2018
Pros: Good cars, very good customer service, no delays in car pickup.Cons: Nothing to mention!!
9.2 Excellent20 Mar 2018
Service with smilePros: Fast pick up and drop off, excess very,very high, car cleanCons: Excess too high so drivers must take insurance policy. Otherwise everything was OK
10.0 Excellent15 Jan 2018
Pros: Airport transfers
8.0 Excellent13 Jan 2018
Pros: The car was clean.Cons: The car had already done 45k klms and seemed in need of a tune up, at times there was a lag in acceleration and then a sudden lurch forward...could be dangerous for a less experienced driver. Excess on any damage was very high...$5k seemed excessive compared to other companies and was only apparent after confirmation of booking.
8.0 Excellent7 Jan 2018
Cons: Misleading when booked it stated airport pick up and drop off. instead a mini bus came and picked us up and took us into town to pick up our car.
Thrifty![Thrifty]()
8.8 Excellent (3 reviews)
2 locations in Cairns
Thrifty
Locations in Cairns
Cairns Ap+61 740 339 800
| Monday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Tuesday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Wednesday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Thursday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Friday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Saturday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Sunday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
Corner Of Sheridan And Aplin S+61 740 518 099
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
10.0 Excellent11 Dec 2016
great servicePros: I had a small fender bender on my car and Thrifty made it easy dealing with the problem and replacing the car. Very friendly personnel.
Budget
Locations in Cairns
153 Lake St+61 740 488 166
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Terminal Building+61 740 339 777
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
| Sunday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
10.0 Excellent28 Dec 2019
Pros: Very friendly agent, easy to rent, pick up, and return. Good process to log any known damage to car (we didn't have any).
6.8 Good1 Jul 2019
Pros: Clean and new carCons: No invoice of damadge on windscreen, just took a lot of money from my account without any notice.
9.2 Excellent18 Jun 2019
Pros: Friendly staffCons: More workers to help check-in
8.0 Excellent10 Jan 2019
Cairns To BrisbanePros: Nice car, very comfortable easy to drive. Rental desk at the airport in Cairns.Cons: Drop off and office not at the same address. Not clearly mentioned. Missed it the first time had to go around the block once again
10.0 Excellent21 Jul 2017
Pros: Near new vehicle. Really good rates
8.0 Excellent20 May 2017
Good but that insurance!Pros: I booked the car as soon as we landed at the Cairns airport and it was ready in 10 minutes. The car had under 1900km so pretty new. No problems during the week and the return was seem less.Cons: By far the insurance that they try to sell you and the scare tactics they use to get you to buy into it...
10.0 Excellent24 Oct 2016
Just rightPros: Nothing to add
10.0 Excellent15 Jul 2016
Good rentalPros: Seamless transaction, not a very long wait.Cons: They did try to up sell insurance, but that's quite normal of course. Was not worth the $49 per day unless you plan on wrecking.
10.0 Excellent25 May 2016
Pros: The entire process of checking in, getting our car and returning our rental was extremely fast, courteous and effortless - Great job, would highly recommend Budget for any rental need.
Sixt![Sixt]()
7.9 Good (4 reviews)
1 location in Cairns
Sixt
Locations in Cairns
411 Sheridan Street+61 755 558 908
| Monday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Tuesday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Wednesday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Thursday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Friday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Saturday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
| Sunday | 07:00 - 20:30 |
5.6 Okay15 Jul 2018
FalseCons: That said no hidden fees but still charge 1000$ or insurance forcefully similar car NO FOR 6 people they give us 2 people car argument over argument rude etc
10.0 Excellent25 Mar 2017
Easy and smooth servicePros: The service from Sixt in Cairns was brilliant, from the pick up service at the airport to the swift pick up of the car and drop off. All staff were very friendly and the car itself a dream to drive, making our experience in North Queensland brilliant.
Europcar
Locations in Cairns
Cairns Square+61 740 334 800
Terminal Building+61 740 349 088
10.0 Excellent4 Sep 2018
Pros: I appreciated the upgrade. The service provided at check in was excellent.
2.0 Mediocre25 Jul 2017
Don't waste your timeCons: I booked this for a reasonable price months in advance as diving the Great Barrier Reef was a bucket list item. When I landed though, europcar said that they had given my car away and had no other cars they could fulfill my reservation with as it was high tourism season. No offer to help, no sympathy. Of course I had my phone and checked online and found they indeed had multiple cars available immediately, but were asking double what I had booked mine for. How convenient... I got a car from a competitor instead, and will be avoiding Europcar going forward.
Avis
Locations in Cairns
153 Lake Street+61 225 561
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Terminal Building+61 225 561
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
| Sunday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
6.8 Good9 Dec 2019
Pros: Upgraded car.Cons: Drop off
8.4 Excellent3 Aug 2019
Cons: Seams like a lot of money
2.0 Mediocre25 Mar 2019
Cons: Cust service rep was miserable, rude, condescending, and short with answers. Should realize that without customer she is without employment. Train these people to understand they are providing a valuable service and not treat the people who pay their salary with obvious disdain
7.6 Good7 Jan 2019
Overall positivePros: Our car was not ready, we had to wait a bit. Avis discounted our rate a bot for the inconvenience. It was a very comfortable vehicle but front end maintenance needed signal beeped at us quite a bit which was a little unsettlingCons: See above
Sunnycars![Sunnycars]()
8 locations in Cairns
Sunnycars
Locations in Cairns
146 Sheridan Street
147 Lake Street
411 Sheridan Street
51 Sheridan Street
55 Dutton Street
Airport Avenue
Corner Schield and Abbott Street
Terminal Building
Recent reviews
Firefly![Firefly]()
3 locations in Cairns
Firefly
Locations in Cairns
147 Lake St+61 740 410 895
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Airport Ave+61 740 359 299
| Monday | 04:00 - 23:30 |
| Tuesday | 04:00 - 23:30 |
| Wednesday | 04:00 - 23:30 |
| Thursday | 04:00 - 23:30 |
| Friday | 04:00 - 23:30 |
| Saturday | 04:00 - 23:30 |
| Sunday | 04:00 - 23:30 |
Cairns Square, Abbott St+61 740 516 399
| Monday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Tuesday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Wednesday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Thursday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Friday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Recent reviews
National![National]()
3 locations in Cairns
National
Locations in Cairns
Serviced By Redspot Enterprise+61 740 312 707
| Monday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Tuesday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Wednesday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Thursday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Friday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Saturday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
| Sunday | 07:30 - 16:30 |
Terminal Buildinairport Avenue+61 740 349 045
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Terminalbuildingairport Avenue+61 740 349 052
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Recent reviews
Atlas Car & Truck Rental![Atlas Car & Truck Rental]()
2 locations in Cairns
Atlas Car & Truck Rental
Locations in Cairns
410 Sheridan Street Cairns, QLD1800 808 122
Shop 1, 51 Sheridan Street, Cairns City, QLD+61 383 366 100
Recent reviews
JUCY ![JUCY]()
2 locations in Cairns
JUCY
Locations in Cairns
55 Dutton Street
Cairns Off Airport Location
Recent reviews
keddy by Europcar![keddy by Europcar]()
2 locations in Cairns
keddy by Europcar
Locations in Cairns
Cairns Square, Corner Shield & Abbott Street+61 740 334 800
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Terminal Building+61 740 349 088
Recent reviews
Red Spot![Red Spot]()
2 locations in Cairns
Red Spot
Locations in Cairns
Cairns Airport Terminal 1 International
Cairns Airport Terminal 2 Domestic
Recent reviews
Ace Rental Cars![Ace Rental Cars]()
1 location in Cairns
Ace Rental Cars
Locations in Cairns
Cairns Domestic Airport
Recent reviews
Apex![Apex]()
1 location in Cairns
Apex
Locations in Cairns
396 Sheridan Street, Cairns North, Qld+61 740 532 896
Recent reviews
Atlas Choice![Atlas Choice]()
1 location in Cairns
Atlas Choice
Locations in Cairns
410 Sheradan Street1800 808 122
Recent reviews
Bargain Car Rentals![Bargain Car Rentals]()
1 location in Cairns
Bargain Car Rentals
Locations in Cairns
410, Sheridan Street
Recent reviews
Bargin Car Rentals![Bargin Car Rentals]()
1 location in Cairns
Bargin Car Rentals
Locations in Cairns
Terminal Building Airport Ave+61 403 608 943
Recent reviews
Dollar![Dollar]()
1 location in Cairns
Dollar
Locations in Cairns
Corner Of Sheridan And Aplin S+61 740 518 099
| Monday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 20:00 |
Recent reviews
Eagle Rent A Car![Eagle Rent A Car]()
1 location in Cairns
Eagle Rent A Car
Locations in Cairns
21 Sheridan Street
Recent reviews
Payless![Payless]()
1 location in Cairns
Payless
Locations in Cairns
Cairns Airport
| Monday | 04:30 - 23:59 00:00 - 01:30 |
| Tuesday | 04:30 - 23:59 00:00 - 01:30 |
| Wednesday | 04:30 - 23:59 00:00 - 01:30 |
| Thursday | 04:30 - 23:59 00:00 - 01:30 |
| Friday | 04:30 - 23:59 00:00 - 01:30 |
| Saturday | 04:30 - 23:59 00:00 - 01:30 |
| Sunday | 04:30 - 23:59 00:00 - 01:30 |
Recent reviews
88 travellers who rented a car in Cairns gave the car agency they used an average rating of 8.7
Car rental locations in or near Cairns
Good to know
Most popular agency | Avis |
|---|---|
Most popular car type | Economy |
Average price | S$ 72/day |
Good deal | S$ 65/day |
When to book a rental car in Cairns
Average daily price per month
Rental car prices as pick-up date approaches
Top tips for renting a car in Cairns
- A trip to Australia is simply not complete without a road trip, particularly a trip to the northern parts of the country. With a personal vehicle at hand, you can travel all over Queensland with Cairns as your home base. For instance, some of the great locales that are perfect day trips for visitors of Cairns include Port Douglas, Kuranda, and Palm Cove. Even better, all of these destinations are within an hour’s drive of Cairns.
- Would-be car renters with flights to Cairns Airport will be happy to hear that hire car desks are available in both terminals of the airport. All hire car counters can be found in the respective Arrivals Hall of both Terminals 1 and 2.
- Worried about rush hour putting a damper on your trip to Cairns? Fortunately for drivers, the congestion in Cairns is only a minor affair that is easily avoided. However, there is still some traffic during the peak hours of rush hour in the morning from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and in the afternoon from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Drivers should especially avoid the A1 during rush hour, as many drivers use it to go to and from work.
- Make sure to never leave valuables in your car unattended in the summer months -- not because theft is a problem, but because the heat is. Cairns can experience extreme temperatures during the warmer parts of the year and sensitive items like food, electronics, and many other goods will not do well after having been left in a scorching car.
- 25% of our users found rental cars in Cairns for S$ 65 or less
- Book your rental car in Cairns at least 2 weeks before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Compact rental cars in Cairns are around 36% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Cairns
Some car rental companies in Cairns which have updated their car rental health and safety policies due to COVID-19 to make sure vehicles are clean and disinfected include Avis, Europcar and Budget
On average a rental car in Cairns costs S$ 72 per day.
The average price of fuel in Cairns is S$ 1.67 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of fuel costs between S$ 20 and S$ 27, depending on the car size.
Economy (Hyundai Accent or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in Cairns.
Car hire companies onsite at Cairns airport include Avis, Europcar and Budget.
Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Cairns airport to off-airport locations include Avis, Europcar and Budget.
Take a look at our extensive car rental location map to find the best rental cars near you.
A Economy car rental in Cairns costs S$ 59 per day, on average.
A Compact car rental in Cairns costs S$ 66 per day, on average.
A Full-size car rental in Cairns costs S$ 55 per day, on average.
On average a rental car in Cairns costs S$ 506 per week (S$ 72 per day).
On average a rental car in Cairns costs S$ 2,169 per month (S$ 72 per day).
Cairns is not the biggest of cities, so drivers will find that most vehicles -- even large SUVs -- will be comfortable to drive in Cairns. However, sedans and compacts are certainly the most popular vehicles in both Cairns and Australia in general. So, perhaps it is best to follow common practice and stick to a smaller vehicle. Streetside parking will certainly be more manageable in a smaller vehicle.
Speed limits in Cairns, and in the state of Queensland in general, run between 40 km/h (25 mph) and 50 km/h (31 mph) in built-up areas, unless otherwise specified. On rural roads the speed limit is 100 km/h (62 mph) and on highways and motorways it is 110 km/h (68 mph).
Drivers will be sad to hear that petrol prices in Cairns are slightly higher than the average prices seen in other cities in Australia like Melbourne and Sydney. For the most part, drivers will see an average cost of AU$1.60 ($1.16) per liter, which comes out to about AU$6.05 ($4.39) per gallon. It is also important to note that all prices will be posted in liters, not gallons.
Fortunately for visitors to Cairns, parking is widely available and easy to find throughout the city. Streetside parking is abundant, albeit more suited for smaller vehicles rather than large ones. There is also plenty of private parking in garages and lots. Drivers should have no issues finding parking, even in the central business district.