India car rentals

Compact (Suzuki Swift Dzire or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in India.

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

Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to hire a car in India are New Delhi (64% of total searches of users looking to hire a car in India), Chennai (9%) and Bengaluru (5%).

Road conditions can vary greatly, and cities are subject to immense traffic congestion. It is also important to watch out for hazards, such as potholes, landslides, and animals on the road, especially when straying away from the major cities. Driving is on the left in India, and there are several regulations to observe in terms of turning, intersections, and traffic lights.

The minimum age to rent a car in India is 18 years, with popular companies like Avis sticking to this limit. Some companies, however, have a higher age limit of 21 or 23 years. To rent a car in India you must present an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) and passport; the driver should also have held his or her domestic license for at least 1 year.

Petrol prices in India can fluctuate considerably and are also subject to significant variation from city to city. On average, however, you can expect to pay around 75 INR (1.10 USD) for a liter of petrol and 65 INR (0.95 USD) for a liter of diesel; this is around 4.16 USD per gallon of petrol and 3.59 USD for a gallon of diesel. Petrol stations are usually open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm and are far more common in urban areas.

Speed limits in India vary greatly from province to province, so it is essential to always carefully observe local signposts. As a general rule, you can expect to be limited to 50 km/h (31 mph) in urban areas and 80 km/h (50 mph) on both single-lane highways and national expressways.