With a car rental in Fairfax, you will have many options for day trips and excursions that would be out of reach without one. Situated on the crest of the greater Washington, D.C. area, the city serves as a launching pad surrounded by a well-integrated network of major roadways. A rental offers quick access to areas like the nation’s capital, Alexandria, and Baltimore. What’s more, having a vehicle at your disposal allows you to dictate the terms of your travel. Rather than orchestrating your trip to work around the availability and schedules of public transportation, you’ll have the autonomy to determine departure and arrival times—not to mention you’ll have a place to put your shopping bags while you’re out for lunch or dinner.
There are several locations from which you can pick up your Fairfax car rental. You can find a Budget and an Avis at Fair Oaks Mall, a Hertz on Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy., and an Enterprise on Nutley St. There is also a wide range of options available to you from Dulles International Airport (IAD), including National, Dollar, Thrifty, Sixt and Alamo, to name a few. To find the rental car desks, head to the arrivals level (baggage claim level) of the main terminal and exit to ground transportation—just outside, on the far roadway, there are free shuttles that will take you to the rental car locations.
Fairfax has a fun downtown area replete with restaurants and bars, which means you will want to keep an eye out for pedestrians crossing the road in these areas. While there are designated crosswalks, people don’t always stick to these spots, so be prepared to yield, especially on the weekends.
The northern part of Virginia close to Washington, D.C., which includes Fairfax, is known for having heavier traffic. However, you can expect commute times to increase most significantly during the hours before and after the typical workday. Morning rush hour will usually start as early as about 6:30am and last until as late as 10am. In the evening, you can expect to find the roads quite congested between about 6pm and 9pm.
Reckless driving is highly discouraged in Fairfax, and drivers can be charged for breaking driving rules. Always keep on the right side of the road when driving car rentals in Fairfax. It is also important to always have your seatbelt on when driving in Fairfax. In addition, remember to turn on your indicator lights when making a turn. Drunk driving is highly prohibited, and if you have alcohol, avoid driving. When driving cheap car rentals in Fairfax, pay attention to traffic signs along the road. Distracted driving is also highly prohibited, so ensure you follow the driving regulations.
The rush hour in Fairfax typically starts at 6 am and ends around 10 am. It starts back up from 3 pm to 6 pm. Drivers out to avoid traffic can always take advantage of the 10 am to 3 pm window or after 6 pm. However, if you must drive during the rush hours, avoid driving SR 286, 236, and 127, as they are the busiest roads in the city.
Fairfax is a busy city, and it is no surprise to find a lot of cyclists and pedestrians along the routes. Always stop for pedestrians when approaching crosswalks when driving your cheap car rental in Fairfax. In addition, it is important to look before opening the vehicle door. Also, when driving your Fairfax cheap car rentals, allow three feet when passing cyclists. To avoid issues with your rental car, respect the rights of pedestrians and cyclists.
Book your rental car in Fairfax at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
Standard rental cars in Fairfax are around 43% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Fairfax
What type of car is recommended for driving in Fairfax?
With congested city streets and multiple other vehicles on the road, a suitable option for your car rental in Fairfax is a compact or economy car. These types of vehicles tend to be cost-effective options because they typically get better gas mileage than larger sedans and SUVs. Compact and economy cars also offer greater agility on busy streets.
What’s the speed limit in Fairfax?
Speed limits in Fairfax will shift depending on the type of region within which you’re driving. For instance, on residential streets speed limits are typically posted around 30mph. In areas that are more business-centric, you’ll find that the posted limits are raised to about 35mph, and up to 45mph. On major state roads, you can expect to see speeds posted around 55mph. Finally, on highways, such as the I-66, which runs east and west across the north of Fairfax, the limit can jump to about 65mph.
Where are the best places to park in Fairfax?
For parking that keeps you centrally located in the city, try the public parking garage in Old Town Plaza, which is accessible from University Dr., close to Chair Bridge Rd. and North Rd. You can expect parking rates to be around $1 per hour.
How much is gas price in Fairfax?
The average gas price in Fairfax is C$ 4.70 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a gas tank costs between C$ 56 and C$ 75, depending on the car size.
What is the most popular rental car in Fairfax?
Mini (Dodge Grand Caravan or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in Fairfax.
Which car rental companies are at Baltimore/Washington airport (BWI)?
The only car rental company onsite at Baltimore/Washington airport is Hertz.
Which car rental companies are at Reagan-National airport (DCA)?
The only car rental company onsite at Reagan-National airport is Thrifty.
Which car rental companies will pick you up at Dulles Intl airport (IAD)?
Car rental companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Dulles Intl airport to off-airport locations include Thrifty and Budget.
Which car rental companies will pick you up at Baltimore/Washington airport (BWI)?
Car rental companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Baltimore/Washington airport to off-airport locations include NextCar, Thrifty and Hertz.
Which car rental companies will pick you up at Reagan-National airport (DCA)?
Car rental companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Reagan-National airport to off-airport locations include Thrifty and Budget.
A Mini car rental in Fairfax costs C$ 130 per day, on average.
How much does an Intermediate car rental cost in Fairfax?
An Intermediate car rental in Fairfax costs C$ 64 per day, on average.
How much does a Special car rental cost in Fairfax?
A Special car rental in Fairfax costs C$ 47 per day, on average.
Where are the parking lots in Fairfax?
Fairfax has some parking areas you can park the rental city car. The most popular and busiest parking area is downtown. There is no metered parking in the city, but patrol officers often enforce parking violations. Parking is charged six days a week between 9 am to 6 pm. If you do not wish to park your cheap car rental in the Fairfax downtown area, you can get underground parking in various city establishments. Alternatively, you can opt to park in the business district which has posted signs of the parking time limits. Some parking zones, like residential areas, allow parking for 72 continuous hours or less.
What is the speed limit in Fairfax?
Keep an eye out for speed limit signs, often posted in different areas. However, if you cannot find a signpost, the speed limit is usually 55mph. When driving cheap car rentals in Fairfax, the smaller roads in residential areas have a speed limit of 25mph. Driving too fast can get you pulled over by a traffic officer, and you can also get in trouble for going too slowly on a speed road.
I liked everything, but it would be great to have after hours drop off.
10.0 Wonderful
Anonymous, Jan 2021
Pros:
The staff was very friendly, professional, and helpful. The inside of the car was very clean. it was very thoughtful to see a note that special care was given to COVID19 cleanliness.
Cons:
I do like a clean car on the outside. The car was not washed on the outside. However, we did have a few wet days prior to me renting the car.
Car I booked was not available and so I had to cancel the trip entirely.
10.0 Wonderful
Anonymous, Nov 2024
Standard SUV
Staff were friendly and helpful, location easy to access, car clean and what I reserved, will definitely go back.
10.0 Wonderful
Anonymous, Oct 2024
Intermediate
The agent went above and beyond to make sure our rental experience was a good one.
4.0 Mediocre
Anonymous, May 2021
Pros:
The drop off was not easy at all. Was able to pick a time slot to drop off the car at 6pm not knowing the location actually closed at 4pm. Staff did not tell us the procedures for the after hours drop off. My husband went all the way there, then had to come back and we had to call the Enterprise help line to have them tell us how to drop off the car after hours.
Cons:
Communication with staff about drop off procedures especially after hours.
The staff were very friendly and accommodating but the car they had for me was way too small and definitely not in the class I rented. Hertz needs to reassess the classification given to cars that have recently gone through “updates.” A 2020 Ford Escape is NOT the same as a 2015 Ford Escape.
2.0 Poor
Anonymous, Dec 2021
Hertz called me 9 hours before I was supposed to pick up my car to tell me they had overbooked by 200 cars and were unable to honor my reservation. There was no attempt by Hertz to resolve the huge problem they had just created for me, I was on my own. Fortunately, their competitor Avis took a same day reservation and provided me with a car that afternoon.
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