Renting a car in South Africa offers flexibility, allowing you to explore at your own pace, customize your itinerary, make spontaneous stops, and venture off the beaten path without relying on public transportation schedules. The country’s well-maintained road network enhances the safety and convenience of road travel.
South Africa is full of mind-blowing landscapes, walking trails and awesome activities spread around the country. Between its capital, Johannesburg and Cape Town there’s the Garden Route, a 300-kilometre stretch full of hiking trails, eco-tourism activities, and amazing flora and fauna – it’s the ultimate road trip destination!
With that in mind, as driving around is going to be a huge aspect of your trip, picking a good rental car is essential. To make the overwhelming choice of a car rental company in South Africa a little easier, I’ve put together this list of the market leaders in the industry.
I also added their contact details and opening hours of their offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
- Avis
- Bidvest
- Budget
- Dollar
- Europcar
- Firefly
- First
- Hertz
- Tempest
- Sani
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RentalCars.com: the best online search engine to rent a car
This website will search for the best price between all the companies. After you enter the dates when you want to pick-up and drop-off the car, the locations, and the type of car, it will show you which company offers the best price.
1. Avis car rental
Avis is an American car rental company headquartered in New Jersey, United States. Avis, Budget Rent a Car, Budget Truck Rental and Zipcar are all units of Avis Budget Group.
Founded in 1946, it has approximately 5,500 locations in more than 165 countries.
- Website: avis.co.za
- Email: reservations@avis.co.za
- Phone: +27 11 387 8431
Johannesburg
- Or Tambo International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Johannesburg City Center: 5 Loveday Street, Marshalltown (Monday to Friday 7:30 to 17:30, Saturday 8:00 to 15:00, and Sunday closed).
Cape Town
- Cape Town International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Cape Town City Center: 123 Strand Street (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 15:00).
2. Bidvest car rental
Bidvest Car Rental operates in over 120 network locations in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana making it a truly ‘Proudly South African’ vehicle rental company. It has a fleet of 13,500 vehicles.
- Website: bidvestcarrental.co.za
- Email: reservations@bidvestcarrental.co.za
- Phone: +27 86 101 7722
Johannesburg
- Or Tambo International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Johannesburg City Center: 130 Main St (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:00, Saturday 8:00 to 13:00, and Sunday closed).
Cape Town
- Cape Town International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Cape Town City center: 33 Bree St. (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 14:00).
3. Budget car rental
Budget Rent a Car is an American car rental company that was founded in 1958 in Los Angeles, California. It is part of Avis.
- Website: budget.co.za
- Email: reservations@budget.co.za
- Phone: +27 11 387 8432
Johannesburg
- Or Tambo International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Johannesburg City Center: 5 Loveday Street (Monday to Friday 7:30 to 17:30, Saturday 8:00 to 15:00, and Sunday closed).
Cape Town
- Cape Town International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Cape Town City center: 123 Strand St. (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 15:00).
4. Dollar Rent A Car
Dollar is a global rental car company with headquarters in Florida. Operating as a subsidiary of Hertz Corporation, it shares 840 company-owned locations in the United States and Canada and over 1,500 franchise locations in 70 countries with Thrifty Car Rental.
- Website: dollar.com
- Email: customercare@thrifty.co.za
- Phone: +27 21 418 4137
Johannesburg
Offices only in Standton, Lanseria Airport, and Pretoria.
Cape Town
- Cape Town International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Cape Town City center: 24 Chiappini St, Green Point (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:00, Saturday 7:00 to 14:00 and Sunday 7:00 to 13:00).
5. Europcar
Europcar Mobility Group is a French car rental company founded in 1949 in Paris. It operates in 140 countries covering Europe, North America, Western Asia, and Africa.
- Website: europcar.co.za
- Email: info@europcar.co.za
- Phone: +27 (0) 21 421 5190
Johannesburg
- Or Tambo International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Johannesburg City Center: Parkstation, Rissik Street Mezzanine Level Transit Centre (Monday to Friday 7:30 to 17:30, Saturday 8:00 to 12:00, and Sunday closed).
Cape Town
- Cape Town International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Cape Town City center: Shop No. 2 Quayside, 34 Prestwich Street, Cnr Buitengracht Street (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 14:00).
6. Firefly Car Rental
Firefly Car Rental is a low cost car rental brand owned by Hertz. It has over 100 locations in 13 countries.
- Website: fireflycarrental.co.za
- Email: res@fireflycarrental.co.za
- Phone: +27 861 600 136
Johannesburg
- Or Tambo International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Johannesburg City Center: no offices nearby.
Cape Town
- Cape Town International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Cape Town City center: 40 Loop Street (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 16:00).
7. First Car Rental
First Car Rental is a South African car rental company that has 51 branches and over 6,000 rental vehicles in use in South Africa.
- Website: firstcarrental.co.za
- Email: firstcptdt@cmh.co.za, fcrctapt@cmh.co.za
- Phone: +27 214 221 480 , +27 219 347 499
Johannesburg
- Or Tambo International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Johannesburg City Center: Rissik Street Shop D03, Mezzanine Level Johannesburg Park Station – Braamfontein (Monday to Friday 7:30 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 12:00).
Cape Town
- Cape Town International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Cape Town City center: 49 Loop Street (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 13:00).
8. Hertz Car Rental
Hertz is an American car rental company based in Florida that operates 10,200 corporate and franchisee locations internationally. It operates in 150 countries, and owns Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Rent A Car.
- Website: hertz.co.za
- Email: res@hertz.co.za
- Phone: 0861 600 136
Johannesburg
- Or Tambo International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Johannesburg City Center: no office in the city center.
Cape Town
- Cape Town International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Cape Town City center: 40 Loop Street (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 16:00).
9. Tempest Car Hire
Tempest Car Hire is a leading South African car rental company. Founded in 1986 it has now a fleet of over 3,000 vehicles and operates only in South Africa.
- Website: tempestcarhire.co.za
- Email: queries@tempestcarhire.co.za
- Phone: +27 861 836 737
Johannesburg
- Or Tambo International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Johannesburg City Center: JHB Park Station, Corner Wolmerans & Rissik, Shop M2, Braamfontein (Monday to Friday 8:00 to 17:00, Saturday 8:00 to 13:00 and Sunday closed).
Cape Town
- Cape Town International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Cape Town City center: 26 Chiappini St, De Waterkant (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 13:00).
10. Sani Car Rental
Sani car rental (previously Thrifty) is a South African homegrown car rental company with 35+ years of experience in the industry.
- Website: sani.co.za
- Email: bookings@sani.co.za
- Phone: +27 11 230 5000
Johannesburg
- Or Tambo International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Johannesburg City Center: no offices in the city center.
Cape Town
- Cape Town International Airport (Monday to Sunday open 24 hrs.)
- Cape Town City center: 10 Hospital Street, De Waterkant, Green Point, (Monday to Friday 7:00 to 19:00, Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 15:00).
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Biggin Hill Airport Transfer
Biggin Hill Airport (IATA: BQH, ICAO: EGKB) is a general aviation airport at Biggin Hill located 14 miles or 22 km southeast of Central London. Formerly the Royal Air Force station RAF Biggin Hill specialises in general aviation, handling traffic from private aviation to large business jets.
Biggin Hill Airport Executive Car Transfers
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