Galway car hire

Driver's age: 26-65

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Cheap car rentals in Galway

Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates
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Economy car
Economy
M
Compact car
Compact
M
Intermediate car
Intermediate
M
Standard car
Standard
M
Full-size car
Full-size
M
Luxury car
Luxury
M
People mover car
People mover
M
Passenger van car
Passenger van
M
Commercial car
Commercial
M
Pick-up truck car
Pick-up truck
M

Galway car hire experiences: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travellers who hired a car in Galway 
Verified travelerDec 2023
Print your reservation as soon as it is made.
DavidJul 2023
It was fine once you get used to it. Takes a few hours to get used to being on left side of the road.

KAYAK’s top tips for hiring a car in Galway

  • Car hire in Galway is a good idea, not only to get around the town but to enable you to see the countryside and venture further afield. There are some beautiful, scenic drives in the Galway region, including the Inagh Valley route to Killary Harbor, the drive to the seaside village of Clifden and its Sky Road and the route via Oughterard and Maam Cross to Cong, where the film ‘The Quiet Man’ was set.
  • Car hire in Galway can be done in town, but if you are flying in, you fly into either Ireland West Airport (NOC) or Shannon Airport (SNN). Both are about an hour’s drive from Galway. Ireland West Airport has various car hire kiosks, which are all located in the terminal, to the left as you enter the arrivals hall. At Shannon Airport, the kiosks that are in the arrivals hall are operated by Thrifty, Budget, Europcar, Avis, Hertz and Enterprise. Other companies offer a transfer to their depot from the airport.
  • Galway is a small, medieval city with many one-way streets and narrow roads; but car hire in Galway does not need to be daunting. The roads have different coding: M stands for motorway toll roads, N for national roads and R for regional roads. L roads refer to local roads and are often tiny roads that are more like lanes. There are also some roundabouts. The general rule is to yield to cars already in the roundabout, but keep an eye on cars coming from your right, as they often think they have the right of way.
  • Galway has quite a bit of traffic, so where possible, drive at off-peak hours of the day. When you use a satellite navigation system, it doesn’t always pick up on the L roads, so it’s a good idea to invest in a paper map to complement your GPS to avoid ending up on a tiny lane behind a tractor. The very centre of the city is walkable and has a great atmosphere, so it’s a good idea to park nearby and continue on foot.
  • Book your rental car in Galway at least 3 days before your trip in order to get a below-average price
  • Economy rental cars in Galway are around 3% cheaper than other car types, on average
See more tips

FAQs about renting a car in Galway

  • What type of car is recommended for driving in Galway?

    Get the smallest possible car you can that will fit your luggage and yourselves. Ireland and Galway are notorious for their tiny little roads, and the smaller the car, the easier it is to navigate. Most cars from Galway car hire companies are manual; if you can only drive an automatic, be sure to book well in advance. A smaller car will also be more fuel efficient.

  • What’s the speed limit in Galway?

    The speed limit on motorways in Ireland is 120 km/h. On national roads, it is 100 km/h; it's 80 km/h on regional roads; in urban areas, it is 50 km/h; and in certain zones, such as school zones, it is 30 km/h. The speed signs always override the general rules, so be sure to pay attention to these. It’s likely you will be driving slower than the speed limit on the windy regional roads as well as through the centre of Galway due to traffic.

  • Where are the best places to park in Galway?

    On-street parking is available throughout Galway, and they operate a pay-and-display system Monday-Saturday from 08:30 to 18:30. Outside of these times, the parking is free. Be sure to check the signs when parking to ensure you understand the rules and fees. There are also numerous covered car parks, which start at about £ 2.30 (A$ 4.25) per hour. It’s best to book these online ahead of time to get discounted rates.

  • How much is the price of fuel in Galway?

    The average price of fuel in Galway is $12.61 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of uel costs between $151 and $202, depending on the car size.

  • What is the most popular car hire in Galway?

    Economy (Volkswagen Polo or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Galway.

  • How can I find car hires near me in Galway?

    Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.

  • How much does an Economy car hire cost in Galway?

    An Economy car hire in Galway costs $124 per day, on average.

  • How much does a Compact car hire cost in Galway?

    A Compact car hire in Galway costs $115 per day, on average.

  • How much does an Intermediate car hire cost in Galway?

    An Intermediate car hire in Galway costs $105 per day, on average.

See more FAQs

Galway car rental reviews and directory 
All ratings and reviews are collected from KAYAK users with a verified car rental booking. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.

Budget

10.0

Best rated

Cleanliness

10.0

Comfort

10.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

10.0

Value for money

9.1

One location in Galway

Show locations

Locations in Galway

12 Eyre Square

+353 91 566 376

Monday09:00 - 18:00
Tuesday09:00 - 18:00
Wednesday09:00 - 18:00
Thursday09:00 - 18:00
Friday09:00 - 18:00
Saturday09:00 - 18:00
Sunday09:00 - 18:00

Filters

Reviews

10.0 Wonderful

Konrad, Jan 2025

Standard

KAYAK
Excellent service

10.0 Wonderful

Shannon, Oct 2022

KAYAK
The man at the counter was incredibly helpful and very kind. He gave me the information I needed, and was professional throughout. Would absolutely rent there again. Cars are a short walk from the rental place, and easy to get in and out of the parking structure.

10.0 Wonderful

Colleen, Aug 2022

KAYAK
We were reluctant to rent a car outside the US, but our concerns were unfounded. The process was easy, the car was clean and comfortable.

1 out of 2

Europcar

10.0

Wonderful

Read 1 review

Cleanliness

10.0

Comfort

10.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

10.0

Value for money

10.0

One location in Galway

Show locations

Locations in Galway

MOTOR PARK, 3rd EXIT OFF KIRWAN RB

+353 91 396 555

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

8.0

Very Good

Cleanliness

8.5

Comfort

8.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

8.0

Value for money

7.5

2 locations in Galway

Show locations

Locations in Galway

Ballybane Industrial Estate

+353 91 758 468

Monday08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday08:00 - 17:00
Thursday08:00 - 17:00
Friday08:00 - 17:00
Saturday09:00 - 18:00
Sunday11:00 - 14:00

Kilrush Rd, V95Y074

+353 1 429 0200

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Payless

Cleanliness

7.2

Comfort

7.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

6.8

Value for money

5.2

One location in Galway

Show locations

Locations in Galway

12 Eyre Sq

+353 91 394 374

Monday09:00 - 18:00
Tuesday09:00 - 18:00
Wednesday09:00 - 18:00
Thursday09:00 - 18:00
Friday09:00 - 18:00
Saturday09:00 - 18:00
Sunday09:00 - 18:00

Filters

Reviews

8.0 Very Good

Anonymous, Dec 2023

Intermediate

KAYAK
Overall, the car was great. We did have a problem as we were renting it, though. I reserved an automatic transmission car, and, fortunately, I printed the reservation as soon as it was completed. When I went to pick the car up, they had changed the reservation to manual transmission.. As we were sitting there waiting for our car, a customer came in with the same exact issue. She went to get in her car and start driving and it was a manual transmission even though she had reserved an automatic transmission. This is a major problem for people who don’t know how to drive manual. it makes me wonder why this company doesn’t just keep more automatic transmission cars in stock if that’s what tourists need.

1 out of 2

keddy by Europcar

9.2

Wonderful

One location in Galway

Show locations

Locations in Galway

Motor Park, 3Rd Exit Off Kirwan Rb

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

CARHIRE.ie

5.1

Fair

One location in Galway

Show locations

Locations in Galway

Motor Park

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Sunnycars

No score available yet

3 locations in Galway

Locations in Galway

12 Eyre Square

Opening times not available

Tuam Road

Opening times not available

kilrush rd

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

22 travellers who rented a car in Galway gave the car agency they used an average rating of 7.4

Car hire locations in or near Galway

Travelling to a place near Galway?

Hire a car at Galway if you plan to visit one of these locations
Clifden
Doolin

Good to know

Most popular car type

Economy

When to book a car hire in Galway

Average daily price per month
Car hire prices as pick-up date approaches

Galway car hire information

Pick-up locationGalway
Car types
Hire locations8
Airport locations0

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