KAYAK’s insights & trends for Columbia car rentals
Check out the latest trends and booking tips to rent a car in Columbia with confidence.
How far in advance should you book a rental car in Columbia?
You should book your rental car in Columbia around 2 days before your trip in order to get a below-average price.
What is the most popular rental car in Columbia?
Rentals in the SUV category (Class Standard SUV or similar) are the most popular option in Columbia, costing C$ 98/day on average. Some users have found deals as low as C$ 71/day.
What is the cheapest month to rent a car in Columbia?
The cheapest month to rent a car in Columbia is January at an average cost of C$ 66/day. April is the most expensive month to rent a car in Columbia when prices are C$ 107/day on average, which tends to be 63% above the yearly average rental price for Columbia.
What rental car company in Columbia has the most locations?
Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz each operate 7 locations in Columbia, more than any other rental company.
A historical city, Columbia has many cultural attractions and landmarks for tourists to visit. Having a rental car will let you tour these sights at your convenience. Additionally, you can drive to the ACE Basin or the nearby town of Beaufort with its Southern charm and historical architecture.
Columbia Metropolitan Airport is one of the major airports in South Carolina. It serves the cities of Columbia, Greenville, Lexington, and Clemson. Travelers flying out of this airport can enjoy a number of amenities including easy access to car rental agencies. Located close to baggage claim, Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, and Thrifty all operate out of this facility.
In Columbia you should always be on the lookout for animals that might suddenly run out into the road. This is especially a problem in the fall during deer hunting season. These animals can cause substantial damage to your rental car. Additionally, by law, if you are driving on the highway and see a tow truck loading a vehicle, you must move over to the other lane for safety reasons.
During your stay in Columbia, you might want to limit your driving during peak travel hours. This includes morning rush hour from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and in the afternoon from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Traffic is especially busy on highways like Interstate 26 and Highway 17, which lead into and out of the downtown district.
When visiting the historic capital of South Carolina, you'll probably want to see what the city has to offer its tourists. Naturalists will want a piece of the expansive Congaree National Park, while lovers of history will want to dig into the treasures of the city's museums. Cheap car rentals in Columbia make vacationing easier and more so if you visit the Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park, Riverbank Zoo and Garden, or William Brice Stadium, which is about 15 minutes drive from the city conveniently accessible by car. With several cheap car rentals in Columbia, you won't need to put up with unreliable public transport or overpriced cabs.
The largest and busiest airport in Columbia is the Columbia Metropolitan Airport which also serves three other cities, namely, Clemson, Greenville, and Lexington. After touchdown, proceed to the baggage claims area, where you will find several Columbia car rentals, including Hertz, Enterprise, Thrift, and Avis. These car rental companies conveniently have on-site offices where you can get your rental car and proceed to your destination. Besides the airport, there are more than 45 other car rental locations where you can still book your rental car through KAYAK.
Traffic jams on Columbia roadways get more intense during weekdays, especially in the morning and evening. If you want to cut down on time spent in traffic, avoid some of Columbia's notorious highways, especially highways 1, 48, 16, and 321, best known for heavy traffic congestion. Rush hours is another factor to consider. It would be best if you tried to avoid driving around 7 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 6 pm. The city isn't suitable for walking, and that's where cheap car rentals in Columbia come in. Driving a rental car allows you to visit as many places as you want and on your own schedule. While free parking is scarce in Columbia, several parking companies offer metered parking spaces and garages at flexible rates and hours.
Small rental cars in Columbia are around 17% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Columbia
What type of car is recommended for driving in Columbia?
You’ll find a wide variety of vehicles to choose from when renting a car in Columbia. Select from compact, luxury, or a sports utility vehicle (ideal if you plan to drive through the ACE Basin). Also, if you are traveling to Columbia in the summer months, be sure that the air conditioning system in your rental car works well because there can be many hot days.
What’s the speed limit in Columbia?
Because it is a big city, Columbia has many highways. When traveling on city freeways, you can travel at maximum speeds of 60 mph and on major roads around shopping districts the speed limit is 50 mph. However, on the interstate you can increase your speed to 70 mph. Inside residential neighborhoods, the maximum speed allowed is 30 mph.
Where are the best places to park in Columbia?
The City of Columbia has numerous metered parking spaces downtown. Street parking in Columbia is always free after 6 p.m. and on weekends. But, if you are willing to walk, drive down some nearby side roads to find non-metered parking spaces. Additionally there is the option of parking in a garage or lot. Note that some of these facilities are city-owned while others are privately owned and operated.
How much does a Medium car rental cost in Columbia?
A Medium car rental in Columbia costs C$ 102 per day, on average.
How much does a Small car rental cost in Columbia?
A Small car rental in Columbia costs C$ 173 per day, on average.
How much does a Luxury car rental cost in Columbia?
A Luxury car rental in Columbia costs C$ 118 per day, on average.
What is the average gas price in Columbia?
The average gas price in Columbia is $5.3 per gallon. So, while you can fuel your car at the airport, it is a bit costly compared to other locations. Gas stations like Murphy Express, Shell, and Costco have an average price of $4.4 to $4.8 per gallon.
What is the average speed limit in Columbia?
All visitors planning to use Columbia roadways must understand how fast they are allowed to drive on different highways. When driving around the city, keep your speed limit to a minimum of 25 mph unless otherwise specified on road signs. The speed limit for highways and suburban locations remains at 75 mph.
The location closed at 6 pm. I had to pick up at the airport.
2.0 Poor
Chas, Oct 2024
Intermediate SUV
They gave me a tiny crossover (Mazda CX) not an intermediate SUV. When questioned on it they offered a sedan (Nissan Sentra) instead, which I declined. Vehicle was filthy, had no GPS card, and smelled quite strongly.
2.0 Poor
s, Aug 2024
Minivan
Arrived at my time to get my minivan when we pulled up we noticed there was no minivans in the parking lot of the manager there said that she tried to call me on Sunday at 12:30. When I told her that I was in church, she giggled and said oh I didn’t know you go to church. And said that she gave my car away at 1:30 30 minutes before my schedule time to pick up the car that I had reserved three weeks in advance. her and her assistant, then proceeded to walk outside and get on the phone . Will not return.
Customer service was terrible. I’m still getting calls saying the vehicle wasn’t returned, when it was returned almost 2 weeks ago.
6.0 Okay
Cale, Oct 2021
Everyone is strapped for cars these days. Luckily Hertz had a car for me (had a reservation via Kayak). Others coming to the counter late at night were not so lucky. The lot was thin. I reserved a sedan, e.g. Chevy Malibu but received a GMC Acadia. Way too much car, but can't be to picky these days. No agent in the return lot, had to take keys to counter, but it was quick.
10.0 Wonderful
Anonymous, May 2021
Pros:
Ease of driving away in a car
Cons:
Nothing other than lower cost. Great experience
4.0 Mediocre
Anonymous, May 2021
Pros:
it was a fast check in and check out
Cons:
the car was dirty and it looked like they did not put any effort to clean the outside we were additional charges I had to pay for my husband to drive the car even though we are married and on the same policy
2.0 Poor
Anonymous, May 2021
Pros:
I didn’t like anything. They cancelled on me 4 hours before pick up saying they didn’t have the car available.
Cons:
Actual service from Hertz. Didn’t get the car rental because they cancelled
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