Car Rentals in India - A Guide on

renting cars in India

Information on: • Documents required for car rental in India • What to do in case of an accident on a rental car? • Should you select chauffeur driven or self driven car when renting

Car Rental Prices in India

Cost of renting a car in India varies on the type of car that is being rented and the place where it is being rented from. Car rental prices visitors should expect to pay for daily rental for air conditioned car with chauffeur, including fuel and taxes. Cars in India when rented for a day, means the rental is for 8 hours and 80 kilometers. If time or mileage exceeds this limit a per kilometer charge is added to the daily rate. While you can’t bargain with multinational rental companies, if you rent from the corner car rental garage, you can bargain rates down as there is a lot of competition. Here is what you can expect to pay approximately . . . Tata Indica $17 - $20 per day. Honda City $40 - $45 Toyota Camry $60 - $65 Toyota Innova $35 - $40

How to rent a car in India - Car

rental method in India

The traditional way of renting a car that is common in the western countries is not popular in India. In most western countries rental cars are available at just about every airport location. Even if you don’t have a prior reservation there is always a chance to get a car rental at most airports. However India has no such widespread car rental network facility yet, especially when it comes to self driven rental cars. So don’t plan on renting a car on arrival at most Indian airports.

Renting car in India.

Renting a car in India usually includes a driver. This suits most visitors as no one would want to drive in difficult traffic conditions anyway. In case a car without a driver is required, then rental companies require a hefty deposit. In the event any damage is done to the car the deposit is forfeited. Furthermore in India, liability waiver and collision waivers are not easily available, insurance companies do not offer this type of protection in India. In case of a minor accident even, for a self driven vehicle the renter is fully liable. To rent a car without a chauffeur. You need to submit a photocopy of your Driving License, Credit Card and Passport. In case you do not have a passport, any other acceptable proof of your identification needs to be submitted. The best option if you want to avoid all the hassles is to rent a car with a chauffeur. The car rental company will provide the chauffeur.

Cost of renting cars in India

There are many taxi stands in major cities that rent cars, either for the day or to destinations all over India. While prices will depend on the type of car you rent. To give you an example, The 'Tata Indica' ( seats 5 ) air conditioned car should cost not more than $20 - $25 per day. Local residents can talk the price down to about $16 only. This should include a chauffeur as well as the cost of the fuel, insurance etc. Normally the rental is for 8 hours and 80 kilometers in major cities like Delhi. International car rental companies will of course charge more. When renting a chauffeur driven car you do not need to provide copies of passport. Self driven cars will require that you provide documentation.

International car rental companies

in India

If you feel comfortable renting from an internationally known company, then Hertz does have car rental locations in some major India cities; Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune. Hertz does not offer self driven vehicles in all their locations. In case you opt to drive the car yourself then a deposit is required and this can be anywhere from $750 to $3000 depending on the car that is being rented. In case the car suffers any damage then the deposit if forfeited. While cost may be higher for chauffeur driven cars, you need not leave a deposit, there is also no need to worry about the unruly traffic in India or parking problems. Here are some frequently asked questions/answers from a leading car rental company Hertz. This information is provided for information purposes, do confirm rules and regulations before renting from car companies in India as rules and regulations periodically change.

FAQ - Car Rentals India

What are the documents that are required for renting a chauffeur driven car? Unless you are a credit client (duly approved by us with an identification number) you require to have a valid credit card with adequate credit limit to cover the rental charges How do I pay for the vehicle? The payments can be made by one of the following ways: 1. Credit Card Payment 2. Cash Payment, in case you are an approved credit client, the payment will be made as per agreed payment process/terms. Can I use my debit card for payments? Yes, you can use debit card for payment purposes but please note that the same will be charged at start of rental for the rental charges. Can I reserve a specific model of car? Effort is made to provide model requested, however, it is sometimes difficult to guarantee a particular model. In case you do not get your preferred choice, you will receive a car within the same car category. Can I have the vehicle from one of your locations and return it elsewhere in the country? We provide one-way rental services i.e. give you the flexibility to rent a car in one location and return it at another in selected cities. Please check details of this service availability while renting your car and confirm the drop location/charges for this service etc. carefully. Who pays for the cost of fuel? The cost of fuel/oil is included in the rental charges. What other taxes do I need to pay? You need to pay service tax, sales tax and other government liability levies extra as applicable. What if I take the vehicle out of the state limits? If the vehicle is taken out of the state limits from where the car is rented, the border taxes are charged extra. How much deposit do I have to leave to hire a car? There is no security deposit in case of renting a chauffeur driven car. What do I need to pay in case I travel outside the state? In case of outstation usage, a minimum billing of 225 km per day will be applicable and rate per km as per our rates for chauffeur drive will be considered. You will also have to pay for chauffeur halt charges. Is there any option of unlimited mileage? There is no unlimited mileage option in chauffeur drive. All rentals are for specific time/mileage packages. What is the shortest time in which I can book a car before I travel? Car rental bookings should be made at least 24 hours prior to travel. If a car doesn’t reach a pickup point or is late, what do I do? We ensure that the car reaches your pickup point before time. We also make every effort to provide you the car number/chauffeur name and chauffeur mobile phone before hand so that in such situations, you can locate the chauffeur by calling on his mobile directly. However, in case you are unable to locate our chauffeur, please dial the number of the local office or call us on our toll free lines. What will happen in case my flight gets delayed? Will the chauffeur wait for me? Will I be charged? We always ask for an incoming flight number in order to track your flight in case of delay. Your rental vehicle will be kept for you if your flight is delayed. The chauffeur will only wait one hour after the scheduled time. In case the flight is delayed by more than an hour, arrangements can be made for someone to meet you but this will incur extra charges. What are the cancellation charges for reservation? Cancellation 6 hours prior to pick up will attract cancellation charges equivalent to the full amount for first day’s rental.

Self Drive Cars

How old do I need to be to drive one of your cars? You should have attained the age of 25 years, should possess valid Indian driving license or International driving permit. The Indian driving license should be at least 3 years old without any endorsement. What are the documents that are required for renting a self drive car? You need to submit a photocopy of your Driving License, Credit Card and Passport. In case you do not have a passport, any other acceptable proof of your identification needs to be submitted. How do I pay for the vehicle? All the payments must be made by credit cards only. Is there any Security deposit for hiring a self drive car ? There is a refundable security deposit which is blocked in the credit card of the renter at the time of start rental. This deposit would be based on the category of the car hired. What happens if the car is damaged? There is a pre and post rental inspection conducted in the presence of the renter, which has to be signed by the renter. The initial deposit is forfeited if there is any damage found in the car at the end of the rental. Who pays for the cost of fuel? The cost of fuel/oil will be borne by the renter. The car will be supplied with a full tank, and is to be returned with a full tank. A service charge of 10% on fuel cost will be applicable if the renting company refuels the tank. Can I use another person’s credit card for payment of my rental? Credit cards must be in the hirer’s name that should be embossed on the front of the card. The signature of the card holder must appear on the reverse. Can I use my company credit card for my rental? A company credit card with the name and signature of the card holder on the front and back is acceptable. Can I use my debit card/cash for payment? You can use a debit card/cash for upfront payment and security deposit but you must have a credit card with adequate limit to cover the rental and security deposit and approval on same will be taken towards security deposit. What are the payment terms? All self-drive payments are to be made in advance at the time of renting a car. Can I have the vehicle from one of your locations and return it elsewhere in the country? We provide one-way rental services i.e. give you the flexibility to rent a car in one location and return it at another in selected cities. Please check details of this service availability while renting your car and confirm the drop location/charges for this service etc. carefully. What happens if I have an accident? In case of accidents, the renter should inform our nearest office and get the first information report from the nearest police station. What other taxes do I need to pay? The renter needs to pay service tax, sales tax / VAT and other government liability levies extra as applicable. What if I take the vehicle out of the state limits? If the vehicle is taken out of the state limits from where the car is rented, the border taxes will have to be paid by the renter while entering other state. Is there any option of unlimited mileage? Unlimited mileage is available if the car is hired for 3 days and above. What are the options in case I rent a car for less than 3 days? If you rent a car for less than 3 days, limited mileage of 150 km per calendar day is available and any extra km will be charged as per applicable tariff. What is the shortest time in which I can book a car before I travel? Car rental bookings should be made at least 24 hours prior to travel