North Charleston car rental information
| Pick-up location | North Charleston |
|---|---|
| Car types | Compact, Compact SUV, Economy, Full-size, Full-size SUV, Intermediate, Intermediate SUV, Pick-up truck, Standard, Supplier choice |
| Rental locations | 15 |
| Airport locations | 7 |
| Popular agencies | Ace, Thrifty, Dollar |
Cheap car rentals in North Charleston
| Economy | C$ 65/day |
| Compact | C$ 65/day |
| Intermediate | C$ 83/day |
| Standard | C$ 83/day |
| Full-size | C$ 84/day |
| Full-size SUV | C$ 206/day |
| Pick-up truck | C$ 138/day |
| Supplier choice | C$ 70/day |
| Intermediate SUV | C$ 86/day |
| Compact SUV | C$ 108/day |
Top tips for renting a car in North Charleston
- If you travel to North Charleston by train, you can enjoy the services offered by car rental companies in the city. However, you may need a provider who can pick you up at the train terminal in North Charleston Intermodal Transportation Center since there are no car rental facilities on site. Thus, calling the car rental company before you arrive is a great idea. If you prefer picking up your car from North Charleston car rentals, check out various offices a few miles from the train station.
- With a vehicle from cheap car rentals in North Charleston, exploring the numerous attractions in and around the city is easy and fun. If you need a spot where the whole family can enjoy, visit the North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center. The museum is approximately 2 miles from the city center and is accessible by car in less than 10min. You can also check out some attractions just outside the city. In Mount Pleasant, about 10 miles from North Charleston city center, you will find Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens, an outdoor haven. It takes about 15min to get there. Nearly 12 miles from North Charleston, Ladson city harbors an expansive golf course that hosts refreshing tournaments. Driving from North Charleston to Crowfield Golf Club takes less than 20min.
- Despite being South Carolina’s third-largest city, North Charleston has no toll roads. However, numerous toll-free highways allow travelers in and out of the city without coming across heavy traffic build-ups. Highway I-95 runs north to south, while I-26 cuts North Charleston from east to west. As for navigating through the city, well-serviced streets allow access to numerous destinations. You will find them to be wide enough such that driving a minivan or a standard SUV through North Charleston is not a daunting task.
- Getting assistance from North Charleston car rentals facilitates navigation around the city, making business and leisure trips more comfortable. You can visit several areas close to the town, such as the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. These lush grounds are about 12.8 miles from central North Charleston and include a zoo, making it suitable for trips with kids or friends. You can appreciate the area’s history by driving about 16 miles to the Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site in Summerville city. Conversely, you can go to the North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center on International Boulevard within the city center for a shorter ride.
- You arrive in North Charleston via the Charleston International Airport, situated approximately 3 miles from the town’s center. This airport conveniently incorporates a Rental Car Pavilion, which you can find past the baggage claim at the end of the terminal area, opposite the bus stop. Some of the car rentals in North Charleston’s city center include Alamo, Hertz, Enterprise, National, Budget, and Avis. You can also find services from Dollar and Thrifty, which offer a direct and free airport shuttle to their pick-up location. You can follow the shuttle signs in the terminal and board immediately outside the baggage claim across the street.
- North Charleston ensures you can move through the town and nearby cities and states using the well-developed and connected roads, like Rivers Avenue and the I-526 and I-26 that link to Charleston and Mount Pleasant. To prevent getting lost along the streets, you can opt to integrate a navigation system into your vehicle. You will want to keep a lookout for pedestrians throughout your drive in North Charleston because many residents travel by foot and commonly use the sidewalks and roadways.
- You will most likely find congested roads during the morning and evening commute hours along the main streets, including International Boulevard, Montague Avenue, and I-526. International Boulevard also services the airport, so you generally want to stay off the roads from around 6:30am to 9:30am and from about 5pm to 7pm. You can safely drive during the cold season since North Charleston usually experiences mild winters.
- Book your rental car in North Charleston at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Intermediate rental cars in North Charleston are around 23% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in North Charleston
North Charleston car rental reviews and directory
Hertz
8.0
Very good
286 reviewsBest rated
Cleanliness
8.2
Comfort
8.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.2
Value for money
7.4
3 locations in North Charleston
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Reviews
8.0 Very good
Nov. 2021
10.0 Wonderful
Nov. 2021
4.0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
The car drove fineCons:
When I picked up my car the check engine light came on, so they swapped my car out. When they did, they put in the wrong drop-off point (wrong state!), so when I called to change it back to the original drop-off, they said there was nothing they could do. I wasted half my afternoon on the phone with people that “couldn’t help”.8.0 Very good
May 2021
Cons:
There was a sticky substance below the gas peddle that did not dry. Made it an unpleasant drive as your foot would get stuck frequently.10.0 Wonderful
May 2021
Pros:
Excellent staff, easy drop offCons:
EXPENSIVE8.0 Very good
Apr. 2021
Pros:
Easy to pick up and drop off.Cons:
The car key was not automatic and it was difficult to work. After opening the door you had to hurry up and start the car before the alarm went off.Thrifty
6.0
Okay
271 reviewsCleanliness
6.5
Comfort
6.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.5
Value for money
5.9
One location in North Charleston
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Reviews
2.0 Poor
May 2021
Pros:
Staff was friendly. Pick up car on site.Cons:
Slow check in, 1 car option, no receipt sent and don’t answer phone when call and Vm is full.4.0 Mediocre
Apr. 2021
Pros:
The vehicle was comfortable.Cons:
Waited in line for an hour. Only one person working behind the counter until 15 min before my turn. I did not ask for a giant Dodge Ram truck. I signed up for an economy size car. Was told I had the Managers Special. BS. Parking lot very poorly marked it was difficult to get to where the vehicle was, it was too far. Signage unclear as to where to leave the vehicle.10.0 Wonderful
Apr. 2021
Pros:
Yes and yes!Cons:
I was going for a bottle of water from the desk agent4.0 Mediocre
Apr. 2021
Cons:
I had to wait an hour for a car to be available. Then it was a huge car when I had reserved a small one. Gas price was double what I would have paid. No attendant at the return with only a very small sign to tell you where to go with keys.6.0 Okay
Feb. 2021
Pros:
The reservation was there. The drop off after-hours was simple.Cons:
The vehicle I reserved was not available and I was given a much larger vehicle (pick-up truck). I waited in line for 30 minutes with only two people in front of me. It took the representative 10-15 minutes per customer. I was not able to do submit the walk-around information because the agent did not answer the phone.6.0 Okay
Feb. 2021
Pros:
I really enjoy using Priceline, but certainly hope I NEVER have to use Thrifty again. Had to wait in line for over an hour waiting to return the keys. Had to wait an hour to pick up the car the previous day.Cons:
There needs to be faster service at the check in and check out at the Charleston Airport location. There was one person behind the counter with about 10 guest in line. No other car rental dealer had that many and they did not take that long to process the customer. Need to have more employees and a faster process especially when the customer has a reservation already. The employer behind the desk was working as fast as she could but she needed help!Dollar
5.5
Fair
96 reviewsCleanliness
6.0
Comfort
6.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.1
Value for money
5.8
2 locations in North Charleston
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Reviews
2.0 Poor
May 2021
Cons:
Requested large SUV. Kayak said that the reservation was for a Nissan Armada. On arrival , no armadas or similarly sized vehicles were ever available at location. FIX THIS8.0 Very good
May 2021
Pros:
Fast and easy service4.0 Mediocre
May 2021
Cons:
You can never reach anyone at the desk by phone. They rarely pickup and you can’t leave any messages because the mailbox is full. There’s also no one manning the pickup or drop off kiosk.4.0 Mediocre
May 2021
Cons:
The manager wasted time with two other customers and we could hear all of their conversation. Very unpleasant for us while waiting. When it was our turn, she insisted there was a block on my debit card which I checked before making the trip which was okay for the rental company to use. She said if we didn't want the car we could go to another car rental. We produced another card and suddenly it was okay and cost us extra. I checked with my bank the next morning and said there was not any block on my card. This lasted with her for a half hour. Very unprofessional for a manager as she stated she was. Makes me think twice about wanting to rent again from them.2.0 Poor
Apr. 2021
Pros:
Yes, staff was friendlyCons:
They could have had a car available for us. We just put in a 14 hour day of travel. We are sorry we have no cars available, just does not cut it. We will not rent a car from Dollar/Thrifty again. Unreliable.8.0 Very good
Apr. 2021
Pros:
The rental was quick. The car was better than expected.Cons:
Employees did not go out of their way to do anything. They did their job. At times I felt a nuisance to them. It was quite inconvenient that the rental place was not at the airport or did not provide a shuttle.Enterprise Rent-A-Car
8.0
Very good
12 reviewsCleanliness
7.7
Comfort
8.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.7
Value for money
7.7
3 locations in North Charleston
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Reviews
2.0 Poor
Jul. 2020
Cons:
They let me reserve a pickup truck that none of the local offices had in stock.10.0 Wonderful
Feb. 2020
Pros:
Good service as usual.Cons:
Did not have a compact for me as requested. Had to drive a family van9.2 Wonderful
Sep. 2018
Pros:
Pick up location.Cons:
After purchasing the 3rd party protection insursnce, the Enterprise agents said it wasnt the best idea to go that route. They offered (wanted me to purchase) their in-store insurance, which I did. They advised to cancel the 3rd party I insurance. Of course all of this is happening as I'm dealing with everthing else and i never got around to calling the 3rd party to cancel. So basically I paid for two sets of coverage. My point here is if you are going to purchase the additional insurance, wait until at the counter; it was basically the same price.8.0 Very good
Oct. 2016
Cons:
I reserved a sedan and when I went to pick up all they had was an SUV. I end up paying about $100 more in gas for my road trip as a result.10.0 Wonderful
Oct. 2016
Pros:
The staff at Enterprise are always so good at staying positive and handling things quickly and efficiently. The crew at this location were no different! I had to put my car in the shop unexpectedly and I needed a vehicle capable of handling the duties of my small business for several days (delivery of small goods to several locations). Chuck and Ray were on point with their customer service and made everything a breeze, from picking me up before my rental to dropping me off after, I couldn't have asked for better service.Cons:
Not applicable!2.0 Poor
Mar. 2023
Budget
8.0
Very good
10 reviewsCleanliness
8.2
Comfort
8.2
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.1
Value for money
8.2
One location in North Charleston
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10.0 Wonderful
Jun. 2019
Pros:
Didn’t have car I ordered so upgraded but kept the same cost!9.2 Wonderful
Oct. 2018
Pros:
The inside of the car was clean.Cons:
The car should have been washed better on the outside.2.0 Poor
Jan. 2018
Cons:
When I reserved the car, the web site mentioned that they also accepted debit cards. When I went to pick up the car, the clerk told me that without a major credit card that they had to run a credit check on me. That was not mentioned in my confirmation email. I know that my credit rating is not very good. I realize I had to put a deposit and had the funds in my account to cover it. It was a big inconvenience for me to not be able to rent the car.2.0 Poor
Oct. 2017
Cons:
There were no cars available and they did not notify us. We were unable to get a rental car period. They were rude and told us we should not have booked through anyone but them.2.0 Poor
Nov. 2016
Pros:
NOT one thingCons:
made a reservation..when i got there they said they needed a credit card.. didnt have one on me so i was unable to get a car. Terribke customer service10.0 Wonderful
Jun. 2022
Avis
5.9
Fair
7 reviewsCleanliness
5.6
Comfort
6.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.0
Value for money
6.0
One location in North Charleston
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2.0 Poor
Apr. 2021
Pros:
Nothing because they bailed on the reservation.Cons:
The staff texted me 3 days after the rental reservation and two days before I needed the car to tell me they were overbooked and they wouldn't have anything available for me. I had to contact Priceline to get my insurance deposit back again. Definitely wasn't helpful to have the car pulled out via a non official text message on Saturday when I needed the car Monday. I ended up renting from Hertz directly from their website instead of using Kayak or Priceline.2.0 Poor
Mar. 2021
Pros:
The staff was rude and unfriendly. I think the owner is racist.Cons:
New management and someone who has had customer service training.2.0 Poor
Dec. 2018
Cons:
Extremely rude and unhelpful. The Avis rental car location in North Charleston, SC is not where you want to go. The owner actually raised his voice to customers complaining of his bad day as if it was their fault. Left shaking without renting a car.6.8 Okay
Aug. 2017
Pros:
Car was clean. Attendants were polite and accommodating.Cons:
Actual rate was higher than kayak posted rate. Reservation was not made at location selected on kayak. Car wheel well was falling off. Not sure if location and rate are kayak issues or Avis.Ace
4.0
Mediocre
7 reviewsCleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
4.0
Value for money
5.1
One location in North Charleston
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Reviews
4.0 Mediocre
May 2023
4.0 Mediocre
Apr. 2023
2.0 Poor
Apr. 2023
2.0 Poor
Mar. 2023
2.0 Poor
Mar. 2023
VIPCars Recommendation
No score available yet
2 locations in North Charleston
Ace Rental Cars
No score available yet
One location in North Charleston
689 travellers who rented a car in North Charleston gave the car agency they used an average rating of 6.9
Car rental locations in or near North Charleston
Good to know
Most popular car type | Intermediate |
|---|
When to book a rental car in North Charleston
Average daily price per month
Rental car prices as pick-up date approaches