Albany car rentals
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Albany, NY, United States
10 Mar — 17 Mar
Same drop-off
Albany, NY, United States
Wed 10/3
Noon
Wed 17/3
Noon
Albany car rental information
| Pick-up location | Albany |
|---|---|
| Rental locations | 15 |
| Airport locations | 9 |
Albany car rental reviews and directory
Budget![agency]()
Best rated
7.2 Good (155 reviews)
2 locations in Albany
Budget
Locations in Albany
131 Colonie Center+1 518 459 2609
| Monday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Saturday | 10:00 - 16:00 |
| Sunday | 10:00 - 16:00 |
737 Albany Shaker Road+1 518 242 4450
| Monday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
8.0 Excellent26 Jan 2021
Cons: The e-z pass did not work consistently. I informed them of this at drop off and that I missed a toll due to that and not being able to back up to pay
4.0 Okay7 Jan 2021
Cons: Car was rented to me with very low tire pressure. Was travelling on the highway stop at 2 gas stations to fix tires air machines with broken and each one had to complete my trip with low tire pressure using way too much gas
6.0 Good17 Dec 2020
Pros: Staff was friendly and helpful at pick-up. Process was relatively quick. Nobody there for drop off so hopefully that went ok. I just dropped the keys in a box.Cons: Car stunk like cigarettes and then I found a pack under the seat. I guess that was missed by whoever cleaned the car
6.0 Good20 Oct 2020
Pros: carCons: staff were gone when I arrived
3.6 Mediocre23 Sep 2020
Pros: Convenience of picking up the vehicle close byCons: Vehicle could have been washed and cleaned. Vehicle had damage that I needed to report before taking the vehicle.
7.6 Good13 Sep 2020
Pros: staff in nyc was good. but they only had large suvs and trucks available. i only needed a small car. so gas was pricey and ride was a bit bumpy. also car only had a 1/2 tank of gas to start. and car had over 25,000 miles on it. but overall it was really fine. and worked out.Cons: would be better if they had the size of car available that one rented. the staff was really good at juggling but they just didn’t have cars ready. staff in albany airport was great.
9.6 Excellent6 Sep 2020
Cons: Car smelled like someone had smoked in it.
9.6 Excellent5 Sep 2020
Pros: Yes
10.0 Excellent11 Aug 2020
Pros: Staff was professional, helpful. He was alone and swamped, but kept his cool, found me a great car even though we were late getting in.Cons: Nothing; this was truly a great experience!
2.8 Mediocre10 Jul 2020
Pros: The staff was helpful but pretty impossible to find at the Albany location.Cons: The car was not what I signed up for - I had requested a smaller car and it was a huge jeep. The previous driver smoked cigarettes and the car reaked. I didn't get the sense that it was ever cleaned and it made me feel really uneasy.
Alamo![agency]()
9.1 Excellent (43 reviews)
1 location in Albany
Alamo
Locations in Albany
737 Albany Shaker Rd+1 844 366 2649
| Monday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Tuesday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Wednesday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Thursday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Friday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Saturday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Sunday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
6.0 Good23 May 2018
Why the switchPros: Car was well equipped with blind spot detection, especially useful driving in Boston.Cons: I had reserved a sedan but only SUVs and Mini-vans were available. When I said that I would not drive one of those types of vehicles, I was told that I would have to wait about half an hour. When I said that I would wait, within one minute a sedan was available. Interesting! This is similar to being seated at the worst table in a restaurant when there are no other people there. Is this common practice?
9.6 Excellent18 Mar 2018
Fast and easyPros: No issues on pick up or drop off. Albany is on site. I had to wait for attendant to show but only a couple of minutesCons: No signs for car rental returns at LaGuardia so you have to look up yourself.
10.0 Excellent27 Dec 2017
Pros: Price + Ease of Pick-up + Clean Car + Modern AmenitiesCons: Nothing.
10.0 Excellent5 Dec 2017
Quick and EasyPros: From the time I picked up to the time I left with the car was all of 15-20 minutes. No long drawn out process.Cons: Having to supply two phone numbers at the counter. I only have one number.
10.0 Excellent3 Dec 2017
Pros: Staff was very helpful and accommodating.price was reasonable and vehicle was in good condition and fully met our needs.
9.6 Excellent14 Aug 2017
Pros: Car was clean and I enjoyed driving it.Cons: Initial prepaid reservation was for Jeep SUV for 9 days at 449.00. When I called to change reservation to 7 days I was informed new cost would be approx. 1200.00. It took 2 more calls before someone suggested I change car to mid size which would result in price increase of approx. 100.00.
10.0 Excellent30 May 2017
Great servicePros: They gave me a nice car.
10.0 Excellent22 May 2017
Pros: The Hundai Sonata was a great car. Very quiet and easy to drive. Check-in and check-out was extremely fast and efficient. The ease of both at Albany airport is great.
10.0 Excellent19 Apr 2017
Fantastic service. Great vehicle.Pros: Customer Service was excellent.
10.0 Excellent26 Mar 2017
Nice peoplePros: The women at reception was very pleasant.
Enterprise![agency]()
9 Excellent (32 reviews)
3 locations in Albany
Enterprise
Locations in Albany
51 S. Pearl St./t.u. Center+1 518 472 1111
| Monday | 07:30 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 07:30 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 07:30 - 18:00 |
| Thursday | 07:30 - 18:00 |
| Friday | 07:30 - 18:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Sunday | 00:00 - 00:00 |
737 Albany Shaker Rd+1 844 934 1076
| Monday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Tuesday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Wednesday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Thursday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Friday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Saturday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Sunday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
900 Central Ave+1 518 453 6222
| Monday | 07:30 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 07:30 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 07:30 - 18:00 |
| Thursday | 07:30 - 18:00 |
| Friday | 07:30 - 18:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Sunday | 00:00 - 00:00 |
10.0 Excellent12 Mar 2020
Pros: Loved this car. Friendly staff
8.4 Excellent28 Aug 2017
Pros: The personalized service, along with Enterprise allowing their employees to make decisions,rather than being robots Absolutely fantastic!!!!!
7.2 Good14 Mar 2017
Pros: The car worked well. The staff were nice and made pick up and drop off easy.Cons: There were a lot of charges beyond the advertised daily price that were either disproportionately high or didn't make sense. Dropping a car off at a different location results in a $130+ fee (this is if you tell enterprise before hand. It is probably higher if you don't). It was cheaper for me to rent from Thursday to Monday than from Saturday to Monday.'
6.8 Good7 Mar 2017
Pros: I liked the final price and the choice of car.Cons: The pickup location listed on the itinerary was not the pickup location. It was the Enterprise gated lot where the inventory is kept, a mile away. The literal hike back to where I knew the Enterprise booth was at the airport (at a completely different address than was listed on my itinerary), was a complete waste of my time. I have had to take shuttles about a mile away from the airport in different locations to pickup rental cars in the past, so the initial directions taking me past the airport did not seem out of the ordinary for pickup at first. Once finally at the counter, the sales rep tried to tell me the insurance I could opt for at $9/day was $14/day. I had it right on the paper print out but he acted "surprised." I am smart enough to know that this was an attempted upsell. I am also aware that you do not even need this insurance, so I asked him to forget it all together. Then I was told that the car rate was going up because of this. Which annoys me. 1.) Because my rate was booked independent of the insurance I hadn't opted into yet, and 2.) Because this was Saturday morning. I was taking a car off his hands for the weekend that would otherwise badly affect his numbers. I almost cancelled all together because of this until miraculously I rented an upgraded car for a discounted rate (that was still an upsell for him) after explaining I know how this works. Way too much BS to go through especially when surrounded by other car rental services in the airport who are also trying to get rid of cars over the weekend. The lines at the other desks were the sole reason I rented with Enterprise.
10.0 Excellent15 Jan 2017
Excellent customer service and value for the pricePros: Received a free upgrade as my vehicle class was sold out Free pick-up to the agency Personable staff that actually treat you like a 'person' not solely a 'customer'Cons: N/A
10.0 Excellent4 Jan 2017
Pros: The staff were great. Helpful and professional.
10.0 Excellent3 Dec 2016
Pros: Friendly and helpful staff
10.0 Excellent7 Nov 2016
Pros: Cost.
9.2 Excellent26 Oct 2016
Rental Team was GreatPros: The Enterprise staff was extremely helpful, friendly and jovial. They gave me an upgrade to an SUV.Cons: The place was super busy when I arrived to pick-up the car so there was a slightly longer wait than usual. A prior renter of the car I had must have smoked in it. When the fan was on there was a faint smell of Cigarette or more likely cigar. There were two empty bottles under the seats (OJ and Gatorade)
8.4 Excellent10 Oct 2016
Why do You keep sending surveys after I already fiPros: My quick pick up due to a phone I placed prior to coming.Cons: The vehicle its self. I asked for a economy car and was offered a camera for $10 extra a day, an SUV, which I declined both to be give the Chevy bubble. Wasn't thrilled but I drive a jeep so I didn't think it'd be that bad but I do not prefer it, that is for sure!
Dollar![agency]()
8.2 Excellent (64 reviews)
1 location in Albany
Dollar
Locations in Albany
737 Albany Shaker Road+1 518 464 7601
| Monday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Tuesday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Wednesday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Thursday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Friday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Saturday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Sunday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
5.6 Okay19 Nov 2020
Pros: Staff remained professional and friendly in poor working conditionsCons: Leave the pick up inside the airport and have someone deliver the cars to the door or have a golf cart to take the customer out to the car, it is very difficult dragging all your luggage out to a garage not knowing where your going. A handicapped person (me) will not do it again because I have bad legs and was so sore and tired when I finally got in the car I should not have been driving especially a car I’m not used to. And no there was nobody around to offer help just a sign saying go outside where our staff is working in a dark dingy shack !
10.0 Excellent1 Oct 2020
Pros: Yes
8.0 Excellent29 Sep 2020
Pros: Yes to both the questions. Staff was freindly.Cons: Car check over could have been done better. The driver's side mirror would not stay in place and I had to rely on the yellow warning lights on the mirror that a vehicle was near me at times.
8.4 Excellent28 May 2020
Pros: Dropoff went smoothlyCons: Pickup could have been better but was crowded
10.0 Excellent14 Feb 2020
Pros: Quick and easy.Cons: A little more information, instruction, location, etc.
9.6 Excellent3 Feb 2020
Pros: Easy drop off
3.6 Mediocre30 Dec 2019
Cons: The charge ended up being much higher than what we were told. Upfront pricing was what we had expected but we had to pay double what we saw. There were issues with drop off where they claimed we were given the wrong car and our account had been closed prematurely so we had to go to the main office for them to review and then they didn't clear anything up. They just made us stick around for 20 minutes while not keeping us in the loop and we never received a final receipt so it felt pretty obvious that there were overcharges being covered up. Will not be renting again.
5.2 Okay26 Dec 2019
Cons: Person working at the counter at pick up was rude and impatient. He was very irritated that I had questions about the rental and he rolled his eyes as I spoke.
7.2 Good16 Dec 2019
Pros: Staff was friendly. Drop off was easy.Cons: Oil might have been in need of a change. Power steering should be checked. Also information on where basic controls are would have been nice. It took me a while yo figure out how to pop the trunk and gas cover.
10.0 Excellent6 Nov 2019
Pros: cheap!!
Avis![agency]()
7.9 Good (48 reviews)
2 locations in Albany
Avis
Locations in Albany
131 Colonie Center+1 518 459 3179
| Monday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Saturday | 10:00 - 16:00 |
| Sunday | 10:00 - 16:00 |
737 Albany Shaker Road+1 518 242 4440
| Monday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
2.0 Mediocre1 Jan 2021
Cons: They did not honor the price that I reserved it for. I had to pay more
2.4 Mediocre17 Jun 2020
Pros: Staff at counter was friendlyCons: --Staff at counter was unable to be reached by phone. Drove 3 1/2 hours each way (NYC --> Albany) to drop off old rental and pick up a new one, then was told at counter that I needn't have made the drive in the first place and I could've just kept the original rental. --Car smelled of cigarettes. Was told to just write down the issue on my rental agreement. --Staff at counter was unable to be reached by phone a second time (and I called over 20 times). This became an issue when I had to extend my new rental. --Toll-free customer service was completely useless when I contacted them to voice my concerns. --In a word, Avis = terrible. I've been an Enterprise customer for 12 years, and I'm kicking myself for using Avis this time.
4.4 Okay15 May 2020
Pros: PriceCons: No ability to contact local agent, no store front or signage indicating pickup location, only a guy in a car with a sign. My rental was given away to someone else because I was late getting my car because I couldnt find the location, despite calling the national number they assured me everything was OK
6.0 Good29 Jan 2020
Pros: Staff was very friendly and helpful.Cons: We had a reservation but there wasn't a car available. We had one option. A 15 passenger van.
9.6 Excellent23 Oct 2019
Pros: staff fine at both locations I appreciate that they do not try to push me to take insuranceCons: car is far from office at pickup site and I had trouble finding the Albany office
10.0 Excellent21 Oct 2019
Pros: Yes! The guy was great, upgraded us! We were there fir a funeral and had a 14 hour drive back so it was greatly appreciated.Cons: Nothing.
5.2 Okay26 Aug 2019
Cons: The price was ridiculously expensive.
2.0 Mediocre17 Jul 2019
Cons: There were no cars available when I arrived to the Avis counter. I was unable to rent a car despite having a reservation number. Unacceptable!
7.2 Good23 Apr 2019
Cons: Car could have been cleaner.
7.6 Good18 Mar 2019
Cons: The inside of the car was dirty, looked like a spilled soda all over the center console.
Hertz![agency]()
7.9 Good (87 reviews)
3 locations in Albany
Hertz
Locations in Albany
40 Lodge St+1 518 434 6911
| Monday | 12:00 - 17:00 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 12:00 - 17:00 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 12:00 - 17:00 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Thursday | 12:00 - 17:00 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Friday | 12:00 - 17:00 08:00 - 18:00 |
737 Albany Shaker Rd.+1 518 456 1777
| Monday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Tuesday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Wednesday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Thursday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Friday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Saturday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Sunday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
818 Central Avenue+1 518 454 9701
| Monday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 - 13:00 |
6.0 Good23 Nov 2020
Cons: Location was closed and no one contacted me before. I had to take a $15 cab to another location to get the car with a promise of reimbursement that never materialized. A huge hassle.
6.0 Good22 Sep 2020
Pros: Newer vehicles, lots of extrasCons: Car had obviously not been cleaned or sanitized since previous person rented it. Nothing vacuumed or wiped down, garbage still in it. These things are a must, especially in today’s environment. I had to clean and sanitize it when I got it home before I would let any of my family get in it, not very happy about that...
2.0 Mediocre14 Jul 2020
Pros: You cancelled my reservation at the last minute! Thanks for wrecking my vacation plan.
2.0 Mediocre6 Apr 2020
Cons: Consider working together with travel purveyors (travelocity, kayak, expedia, et al) to more fairly compensate customers for unavoidable changes in travel plans during a pandemic. By "more fairly," I mean don't leave them SOL.
5.2 Okay19 Oct 2019
Pros: Car was okCons: Car not very clean inside and out. Pick up location not very convenient. Check in cumbersome with unexpected additional charges. Drop off very strange; it so happened car was dropped off two days earlier. Attendant said he would take care of necessary paperwork and I would receive the proper credit. I requested a receipt attendant was adamant that I did not needed he would take care of all the needs. This is the first time I dealt with rentals at Albany NY and with Hertz. Since I was pressed for time I moved on. Btw I still do not have correspondence from Hertz
2.0 Mediocre25 Aug 2019
Cons: Initial staff was rude. Unable to obtain rental since we did not have the original credit card on us that was used at the time the rental was booked. Had my credit card for the same MasterCard on me but was unable to use this even though reservation was for 9/9 and my card was charged 7/25.
4.8 Okay26 Jul 2019
Pros: The car was ok.Cons: Office was closed when we arrived. it's hidden around corner from garage w/ he cars. Lousy way-finding signage. Office closed between 11 and 12 w/o warning. Only 1 employee who must leave the office to go a block to garage with a customer to get/return a car. Nearly missed our train and were frantic
10.0 Excellent11 Jul 2019
Pros: Friendly staff easy pick up and drop offCons: Nothing
4.4 Okay7 Jun 2019
3rd Party rentalCons: The clerk working the counter was surly and seemed bothered by completing our rental. When we exited the parking garage, it said we had to pay $48. My husband ran back to the office to see why, her response was, “just push the assistance button.” When asked why she didn’t tell us about this issue, she just shrugged. The inside of the windows were so dirty that we had to stop and clean them to drive safely.
8.0 Excellent20 May 2019
Pros: Staff was friendly, drop off when closed and was easy. I rented a pickup but when I got there they said they didn't have one, however they put me in a vehicle the worked for what I wanted.
National![National]()
10 Excellent (2 reviews)
1 location in Albany
National
Locations in Albany
737 Albany Shaker Rd+1 844 366 2648
| Monday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Tuesday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Wednesday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Thursday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Friday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Saturday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
| Sunday | 06:00 - 23:59 |
Easirent![Easirent]()
1 location in Albany
Easirent
Locations in Albany
Albany County Airport
| Monday | Invalid date - 23:59 |
| Tuesday | Invalid date - 23:59 |
| Wednesday | Invalid date - 23:59 |
| Thursday | Invalid date - 23:59 |
| Friday | Invalid date - 23:59 |
| Saturday | Invalid date - 23:59 |
Recent reviews
Sunnycars![Sunnycars]()
1 location in Albany
Sunnycars
Locations in Albany
859 Albany Shaker Road
Recent reviews
437 travellers who rented a car in Albany gave the car agency they used an average rating of 7.9
Car rental locations in or near Albany
Good to know
Most popular car type | Compact |
|---|
When to book a rental car in Albany
Average daily price per month
Rental car prices as pick-up date approaches
Top tips for renting a car in Albany
- Like many cities in the U.S., Albany is best explored with a car. There simply is no better way to get around town, especially if you plan on going out and taking in the sights. For instance, if you are staying outside of downtown Albany and you want to get downtown, it is a simple 10 to 15-minute drive, but via public transportation it can easily take 30 or 40 minutes. This is especially the case at night when bus service slows down.
- Planning on beginning your trip in Albany with a stop at the hire car counter? For travelers with flights landing at Albany International Airport, you will find the hire car offices located next to Baggage Claim and the cars themselves in the airport parking garage.
- Albany’s downtown area is chock full of pedestrians and bikers. This is particularly the case during evenings in the summer when the weather is especially pleasant. During such times, jaywalking can become very common and traffic has to slow down as a result. This is also because Albany has a high density of attractions in the downtown area, so people often walk between them.
- Rush hour in Albany, while not as severe as it is in New York City, can still pack a punch. The morning rush hour usually starts up at 6:00 a.m. and lasts until 9:00 a.m. The afternoon rush hour is when the real traffic builds up, though, and drivers are advised to avoid many of the major avenues and highways from 4:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., when traffic begins to die back down.
- Book your rental car in Albany at least 3 weeks before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Compact rental cars in Albany are around 16% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Albany
Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car rental companies in Albany are Enterprise (8.9, 121 reviews), Alamo (8.8, 174 reviews), and Dollar (8.2, 70 reviews).
The average price of fuel in Albany is $5.59 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of fuel costs between $67 and $89, depending on the car size.
Compact (Ford Focus or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in Albany.
Take a look at our extensive car rental location map to find the best rental cars near you.
A Compact car rental in Albany costs $118 per day, on average.
A Economy car rental in Albany costs $141 per day, on average.
Albany’s streets are similar to many others in the Northeast in that many of them predate the automobile. As a result, the roads can often be winding and rather small, and because of this, smaller vehicles are recommended for would-be renters. Larger cars will fit on the roads, of course, but they may sometimes be tough to park, and you may have to stop to let others pass on the narrower roads.
Drivers can expect speed limits ranging from 25 to 45 mph on residential streets and from 35 to 55 mph on larger urban roads. Highways and freeways in Albany, on the other hand, typically feature speed limits of 55 mph in urban areas and 65 mph in rural areas in between cities.
On average, drivers will pay about $2.60 per gallon for petrol in Albany. This is right within the average for the state of New York, as petrol is around $2.60 per gallon in New York City and $2.50 per gallon in Syracuse.
Parking garages are plentifully available in Albany and drivers should have no issue finding spots in them. Additionally, parallel streetside parking is highly available throughout the city. In general, drivers will find that streetside parking is predominantly popular in the less dense urban areas and peripheral residential areas of Albany.