Cheap car rentals in Boston
| Mini |
| Economy |
| Compact |
| Intermediate |
| Standard |
| Full-size |
| Luxury |
| People mover |
| Passenger van |
| SUV |
| Commercial |
| Pick-up truck |
Top tips for hiring a car in Boston
- Rent a car during your stay in Boston and gain ultimate flexibility to explore not only the vibrant city but also the surrounding areas while you’re there, such as Connecticut or New Hampshire. Opting for a rental car will make trips to destinations further out of the city center far easier, for instance the Foxboro Football Stadium, which is 28 miles from Boston and by car can be conveniently reached in half an hour.
- Boston International Airport has a Car Rental Center which features a 4-level garage for the abundance of cars on offer and can be reached by the airport’s free shuttle service. The shuttle bus leaves from all terminals every 5-6 minutes. The buses can be found at the lower level of every terminal and are blue and white. In the Rental Center, there are various different rental services including Zipcar, Entertainment, Avis or E-Z Rent-A-Car, so it should be no hassle to find the perfect ride to further destinations.
- Boston has a lot of traffic and navigating yourself through the many intersections can be confusing at times, however navigation systems can be easily added to a rental car and this will help you reach further destinations without any problems. Boston’s pedestrians are known to jaywalk and cyclists regularly don’t adhere to the traffic light regulations, so paying extra attention and double-checking for pedestrians and cyclists while driving is very important.
- Boston is one of the cities with the worst rush hour in the US, so try to avoid it by going to your destination before or after (rush hour is most intense approximately between 5pm and 6pm on weekdays). Especially the intersections along Interstate 93 and the Route 128 are known to be clogged with traffic and should be avoided during rush hour times altogether if possible, as alternative side roads are also congested during these times. Also bear in mind that winters can bring snow and ice to Boston, and you should drive extra carefully.
- 25% of our users found rental cars in Boston for $79 or less
- Book your rental car in Boston at least 4 days before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Intermediate rental cars in Boston are around 42% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Boston
What type of car is recommended for driving in Boston?
As Boston is a city brimming with cars and limited parking spaces, driving a compact car is preferable to bulky vehicles. Boston’s streets are also very narrow in many places, so choosing a smaller car makes navigating the streets easier.
What’s the speed limit in Boston?
If you are driving through a school area, you must not go over 20mph. In popular areas with narrow streets and bends in the road the driving limit is 30mph, whereas you are allowed to drive at 40mph on the outskirts of the city where there is more space. On regular highways you can speed up to 50mph and 60mph on an interstate highway. All roads are marked with speed limit signs as well. Especially at intersections, there may be traffic cameras, so be sure to adhere to all road regulations.
Where are the best places to park in Boston?
Finding a parking space in Boston can be like finding a needle in a haystack and be mindful when you do find a park, that there are lots of parking meters around. Boston also has multiple parking garages like the Boston Common Parking Garage where you will pay around $11 per day, or the Post Office Square Garage for about $9 per day. Alternatively, there are also parking lots outside the city to avoid traffic altogether. Riverside Station Parking on Grove Street, has the green line subway which can take you into Boston in under an hour. Rote 128 in Westwood is another parking lot in the outskirts of Boston, where you can take the Franklin Line train into the city.
How much does it cost to hire a car in Boston?
On average a hire car in Boston costs $86 per day.
What is the best car hire company in Boston?
Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car hire companies in Boston are Alamo (8.7, 301 reviews), Enterprise Rent-A-Car (8.5, 287 reviews), and Advantage (6.9, 51 reviews).
How much is the price of fuel in Boston?
The average price of fuel in Boston is $6.98 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of uel costs between $84 and $112, depending on the car size.
What is the most popular car hire in Boston?
Intermediate (Chevrolet Bolt or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Boston.
Which hire car agencies are at Logan Intl airport (BOS)?
The only car hire company onsite at Logan Intl airport is Dollar.
Which hire car agencies will pick you up at Logan Intl airport (BOS)?
The only car hire company that offers shuttle or pick-up services from Logan Intl airport to off-airport locations is Dollar.
How can I find car hires near me in Boston?
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
How much does an Intermediate car hire cost in Boston?
An Intermediate car hire in Boston costs $70 per day, on average.
How much does an Economy car hire cost in Boston?
An Economy car hire in Boston costs $86 per day, on average.
How much does a Standard car hire cost in Boston?
A Standard car hire in Boston costs $191 per day, on average.
What is the most popular rental car location in Boston?
In Boston, cars are most frequently hired at Hertz 200 Hanscom Drive (22 km from city centre ).
How much does it cost to hire a car for a week in Boston?
On average a car hire in Boston costs $604 per week ($86 per day).
How much does it cost to hire a car long term for a month in Boston?
On average a car hire in Boston costs $2,588 per month ($86 per day).
Which car hire companies in Boston have updated their vehicle cleaning and safety policies because of coronavirus (COVID-19)?
One car hire company which has updated their car hire health and safety policies due to COVID-19 to make sure vehicles are clean and disinfected is Dollar
Boston car rental reviews and directory
Alamo
8.7
Very Good
755 reviewsCleanliness
8.8
Comfort
8.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.6
Value for money
8.3
2 locations in Boston
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Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Requested a suburban but we got a Navigator L. We wanted max cargo space from the Suburban but the Navigator was okay even though less space. Super luxurious.10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Annmarie at the check-in counter was very niceCons:
Can’t think of anything8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Pros:
Drop off was easy but odometer reading was incorrect.Cons:
A more thorough cleaning of the car is needed. There was a piece of chicken wedged between the front passenger seat.8.0 Very Good
Apr 2021
Pros:
Car was new, and cleanCons:
Price, the price was extremely high for the car that I got10.0 Wonderful
Mar 2021
Pros:
The minivan was amazing!!!! Loved the comfort for everyoneCons:
Nothing6.0 Okay
Mar 2021
Pros:
Pickup and drop off was great.Cons:
I never get the car I pick. Ever. And the lady at the counter tried to change my reservation to compact when I paid for premium. I ended up with an suv and I didn’t really like it.Enterprise Rent-A-Car
8.5
Very Good
815 reviewsCleanliness
8.7
Comfort
8.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.4
Value for money
8.0
14 locations in Boston
Locations in Boston
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10.0 Wonderful
Sep 2022
8.0 Very Good
Apr 2021
Pros:
Staff was very friendly. Easy in and out.8.0 Very Good
Mar 2021
Cons:
Advertised car was unavailable10.0 Wonderful
Feb 2021
Pros:
Drop off extremely easy.Cons:
The value is not good.10.0 Wonderful
Jan 2021
Pros:
Quick service, brand new car10.0 Wonderful
Dec 2020
Pros:
The staff was friendly and professional at both Boston and Trenton. I encountered some issues locating the proper pick up and drop off locations, otherwise everything went fine.Cons:
A better description of the pickup location (in this case, which floor and building at Logan Airport) and how to drop off the car (in this case, that you have to get a ticket at the Trenton Airport parking lot and then bring it, the keys, and the mileage to the counter)Hertz
6.8
Okay
295 reviewsCleanliness
7.4
Comfort
7.4
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.5
Value for money
6.8
4 locations in Boston
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10.0 Wonderful
Oct 2022
4.0 Mediocre
Oct 2022
6.0 Okay
Oct 2022
8.0 Very Good
Oct 2022
10.0 Wonderful
Jan 2022
2.0 Poor
Dec 2022
Avis
6.7
Okay
329 reviewsCleanliness
7.2
Comfort
7.4
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.6
Value for money
6.6
7 locations in Boston
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10.0 Wonderful
May 2023
8.0 Very Good
Oct 2022
2.0 Poor
Oct 2022
2.0 Poor
Sep 2022
10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Great staff at this location and super easy to get in and out.6.0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
Desk staff was helpful.Cons:
Car wasn't clean, Lot attendant was not very friendly. seemed annoyed we had to report a scratch on the car and didnt know the exit process at this location We'd been told car had EZ pass enabled, but most tolls showed it unpaid. Hoping we didn't rack up a lot of fines.Budget
6.7
Okay
799 reviewsCleanliness
7.4
Comfort
7.4
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.5
Value for money
6.8
7 locations in Boston
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Reviews
2.0 Poor
Sep 2023
6.0 Okay
Sep 2023
10.0 Wonderful
Sep 2023
8.0 Very Good
Oct 2022
2.0 Poor
Oct 2022
10.0 Wonderful
Oct 2022
Payless
6.4
Okay
342 reviewsCleanliness
7.6
Comfort
7.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.0
Value for money
6.6
One location in Boston
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10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Vehicle, drop-off, friendly staffCons:
Long line for pick-up10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Staff was friendly and drop off was greatCons:
Only 3 agents working pickup for 3 companies. Took a long time to get car2.0 Poor
May 2021
Cons:
The pick up in Boston was horrendous. Waited 30mins for the shuttle which by then was packed even by pre-COVID standards. ZERO safety protocols in place. Then it took another TWO hours in line to get a filthy car with multiple warning lights activated. No thanks.4.0 Mediocre
Apr 2021
Pros:
Check out was quickCons:
The car smelled like cigarettes. The agent gave me the car that had been given to another customer prior. It took a long time at the airport to pick up the car due to the unorganized system.2.0 Poor
Mar 2021
Pros:
I need a refund, as my plane arrived late and the car rental company was closed.Cons:
Pay refund to customers quickly and not hold their money with no services offered4.0 Mediocre
Nov 2020
Pros:
Easy drop offCons:
Be careful - the car I got smelled like Marijuana because i guarantee you someone smoked in it recently.Thrifty
6.1
Okay
464 reviewsCleanliness
6.8
Comfort
6.8
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.9
Value for money
5.9
2 locations in Boston
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Reviews
2.0 Poor
Jun 2021
Pros:
Nothing. They booked a cer for over 20 people in my flight and when we got to the pickup area there were no cars available.Cons:
Know what is in inventory so you dont over sell and leave people stranded for hours at an airport.4.0 Mediocre
Jun 2021
Cons:
The pickup experience was miserable. Line took over an hour and then another 30 minutes for them to get the car.2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
The car didn't break down.Cons:
Adequate staff. The line was 2 hours long one person working while all the other rental companies had an average of 3 people working with no lines. The car provided was not as ordered , we ordered a fill size SUV and was given a 7 passenger kia with no room for luggage and could barely accommodate three car seats. After standing in line for 2 hours I took the car as we still had a 2-hour drive ahead of us. When I called 50 they were closed. I called them the next day and was put on hold for 1 hr and 15 min trying to get them to deliver me a different car. I never spoke to anyone and the call was dropped after waiting that long . We never got the car as ordered and they are still trying to charge me for the full size SUV. I will never rent from them again or Dollar.8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Pros:
Dropoff was dpainless.Cons:
30,000 mile car needed new wipers.4.0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
I liked the car.Cons:
I waited over 2 hours to get my car6.0 Okay
May 2021
Cons:
We waited 90 minutes for a car after check in at the rental car counter. The car was not clean.Dollar
5.9
Fair
656 reviewsCleanliness
6.8
Comfort
6.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.8
Value for money
5.9
3 locations in Boston
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4.0 Mediocre
Sep 2023
2.0 Poor
Sep 2023
2.0 Poor
Sep 2023
1.9 Poor
Jun 2021
2.0 Poor
Jun 2021
Pros:
Car was clean, and manager at drop-off was kind enough to compensate us for the issues we ran into with the car.Cons:
Agent at the counter tried to deceptively add a hefty insurance charge to the trip. Car clearly had not been serviced in a while because it developed major engine issues just a few days into our trip (including the engine shutting off while traveling through the mountains, we needed to engage the parking brake to stop the car), and exchanging it was a very difficult and laborious process.4.0 Mediocre
Jun 2021
Cons:
The agent at the counter printed out the contract that was three times more expensive than what I expected to pay. I had to explain to him multiple times that I didn’t want the more expensive insurance. Eventually he corrected the contract and charged me what I was supposed to pay. The overall experience of renting a car is absolutely terrible. You always end up paying for more than what you quoted.National
8.8
Very Good
73 reviewsCleanliness
8.8
Comfort
8.9
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.5
Value for money
8.0
3 locations in Boston
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8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Pros:
Excellent staff at pick up and drop off.Cons:
Car smelled like cigarette smoke and wasn't very clean. Line to pick up car at the airport was VERY long, took over an hour to get the car.8.0 Very Good
May 2021
Pros:
Easy pick up and drop off for the most part at the airport except the National employees weren’t at the counter when flights got in making a great many people standing in line for both National and Alamo so the Alamo people could help us.Cons:
Car smelled like something had been either in the car and got moldy or a wet animal had been inside causing the first day to be almost Unbearable to drive in.10.0 Wonderful
Dec 2021
Cons:
No one at counter at BOS upon arrival at 10:30pm. No sign saying to go up to where cars are. Finally found my way there. After saying they didn’t have the 8 seat suburban available that I had reserved, they eventually found one. Everything was great after that.2.0 Poor
Aug 2020
Pros:
The staff incorrectly filled out my paperwork and then over charged me for my rental. I have yet to hear back from them to correct it.Cons:
The staff incorrectly filled out my paperwork and then over charged me for my rental. I have yet to hear back from them to correct it.6.4 Okay
Aug 2020
Pros:
They had issues with their credit card reader/computer and I had to wait for them to call my credit card company to verify it. This was at 1100pm after a long day of travel.... so it was a little annoying.Cons:
The car was pretty beat up on the exterior and interior. Good news was they didn’t charge me for the condition of the car. I would have spent most of the rest of night circling things on the form otherwise.8.4 Very Good
Dec 2019
Pros:
Easy to pick up and drop off and the shuttle was also expedient to and from the airport. Car was new with 300 miles.Cons:
The cost was higher than quoted after all the incidental tax was added. Probably a state issue but should have been an up front cost quote.Sixt
6.4
Okay
13 reviewsCleanliness
7.4
Comfort
6.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.8
Value for money
6.0
2 locations in Boston
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Reviews
8.0 Very Good
Sep 2023
10.0 Wonderful
Sep 2023
10.0 Wonderful
Sep 2023
2.0 Poor
Aug 2023
2.0 Poor
Jul 2023
2.0 Poor
Jul 2023
Easirent
4.7
Mediocre
No reviews available
One location in Boston
Elita Rent A Car
4.0
Mediocre
No reviews available
One location in Boston