renting a car in Sydney

[cerros]

I'm from the U.S. Will I need an international drivers licence to rent a car in Sydney? Also, I've heard that they really get you on the insurance there. Not excepting your credit card coverage. What experiences have you had there. I want to be prepared. :confused:

[moyaroo]

No need for IDL (assuming your DL is in English) You can waive the coverage, but yes they will give a hard sell, but be sure you really have coverage as not all credit cards will give coverage in Australia and some don't do it at all anymore. I would not drive without some form of coverage as they are no fault so if you get hit and have no coverage the new car is on you.:eek:

[moyaroo]

I meant to add to the last post that I was sitting at a stop sign in Devonport Tasmania and that is what happened to me. I was hit while sitting still. The insurance took care of it and I was on my way. It seemed worth it at the time for sure! so be sure that you are covered somehow and if self coverage is your thing go for it. Driving is easy as Australians are very good drivers (the roads aren't always the best, but the drivers are) Do not Speed and do not run red lights the cameras will get you and you will be billed.

 

speed and carelessness just do not pay in Oz.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

What experiences have you had there. I want to be prepared. :confused:

 

Drive in Sydney???

How long are you going to be there?

The only time I would rent a car there is to get out of it and go interstate.

The public transport there is excellent and taxis are everywhere and very inexpensive.

If you rented a car for just a day you would spend all day trying to find somewhere to park it.:eek:

[Landth]

If you rented a car for just a day you would spend all day trying to find somewhere to park it.:eek:

 

Amen :)

[Australian family]

Drive in Sydney???

How long are you going to be there?

The only time I would rent a car there is to get out of it and go interstate.

The public transport there is excellent and taxis are everywhere and very inexpensive.

If you rented a car for just a day you would spend all day trying to find somewhere to park it.:eek:

 

Sydney has a very good public transport system, for buses, trains & ferries, why would you want to rent a car to drive in Sydney.

[donaldsc]

If I remember correctly, the standard coverage was $6000 deductible. I paid the extra for full insurance. Didn't like to but I figured that it was a good investment.

 

DON

[cerros]

Thank you. I just checked with my credit card company and they said they would only stand as a second in Australia. This is good information for other traveling here to know. So I will get the additional insurance when I rent the car there. As for those worried about me driving in Sydney.... I am going to pick up the car and drive about New South Wales for a week "a walk about". Then I am going to turn the car in and stay car less in Sydney for 3 more days. This is not my first time away from home but thanks for caring.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

As for those worried about me driving in Sydney.... I am going to pick up the car and drive about New South Wales for a week "a walk about". Then I am going to turn the car in and stay car less in Sydney for 3 more days.

 

Falling into place now.

That sounds like a wonderful trip.

If you get the chance head down to the Jervis Bay area.

I am told it is delightful.

All the best for your "walkabout"

[Australian family]

Also do the Blue Mountains which is beautiful.

[moyaroo]

Falling into place now.

That sounds like a wonderful trip.

If you get the chance head down to the Jervis Bay area.

I am told it is delightful.

All the best for your "walkabout"

 

Jervis Bay area is really nice. For a great Band B near but not at Jervis Look to Kangatoo Valley and Crystal Creek Meadows. They are really swell people and a fantastic property.

[jerseysmom]

We are sailing on Rhapsody on Jan 8. We fly in on Jan 7 and stay on the ship overnight. We were thinking about renting a car on the 7th and going to Blue Mtns on the 8th. Are there any car parks near the dock where we can leave the rental car overnight?

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

We are sailing on Rhapsody on Jan 8. We fly in on Jan 7 and stay on the ship overnight. We were thinking about renting a car on the 7th and going to Blue Mtns on the 8th. Are there any car parks near the dock where we can leave the rental car overnight?

 

Are you there for only one day? I personally wouldn't hire a car to drive to the Blue Mountains for the day. I would catch a train. Much more relaxed and faster if you take the express train than driving. It will probably take you up to about 3 hours to drive to the Blue Mountains, heck it will take you more than an hour just to get out of Sydney, during peak hour. :eek:

 

http://www.bluemts.com.au/tourist/about/HowToGetHere.asp

 

http://www.cityrail.info/

 

 

If you do hire a car - might I suggest a trip to Jenolan Caves - fantastic.

 

http://www.bluemts.com.au/business/default.asp?ID=653

 

There is a tour that does both Katoomba and Jenolan Caves - if you are in town long enough.

 

http://www.sydney.com.au/jenolan-caves.htm

 

Whatever you decide to do - enjoy your stay.

[Landth]

 

If you do hire a car - might I suggest a trip to Jenolan Caves - fantastic.

 

http://www.bluemts.com.au/business/default.asp?ID=653

 

There is a tour that does both Katoomba and Jenolan Caves - if you are in town long enough.

 

http://www.sydney.com.au/jenolan-caves.htm

 

Whatever you decide to do - enjoy your stay.

 

Plus one on this idea, we go once a year and we live in Sydney :)

[barnstormer]

IMHO

 

We were in Sydney and Melbourne last May and rented cars at both locations. I recall we added insurance after checking with my stateside agent. However, the cost of the insurance was very low compared to the fines I "earned". One was in Sydney where we were returning from a great drive to the wine country. The road lead me back to a bridge that had no exits, but a sign that said: "No cash booths, electronic payments only" - or something close to that. By the time we were on the road and the signs were present there were no exits without toll booths. So after running a toll, seeing the flash of the light in my mirror I asked Hertz what to do. They gave me a number to call to use my cc to cover it after the fact. I think it was in the mid $30 range and gave me a 24 hour grace period.

 

That was minor compared to when I got home and a week or teo later received a letter with a $220AU fine for speeding in the Melbourne area. At that time with the conversion the fine cost me about $187. I hope someday to return to this wonderful country and since they are strict with visas they would have had this on my record.

 

Traffic cameras all around, very few police cars like here in the states. One rental car had a GPS, with a warning feature for cameras - but just on the main highways, not were I was caught. In the week we were there (with an estimated 1000 US miles driven) I saw one patrol officer on a cycle and none on the roads. The cameras save a lot of money as it costs big bucks to have the police cruise (and park at coffee shops). However cameras cut no slack and from my observation they don't allow much grace like here in the states.

[turtlemichael]

oops, already answered by people more knowledgeable than me :)

[Globaliser]

However cameras cut no slack and from my observation they don't allow much grace like here in the states.

Don't worry, the live police officers don't allow much grace either. Not for nothing are they regarded as rent collectors for the privilege of using the roads. I am much more cautious about sticking to the speed limit in Australia than I would be here at home.

 

What anyone does with their speeding fines will, of course, depend on their conscience and their appetite for risk. However, it is easy to over-state the joined-up-ness of the various agencies in Australia, particularly for something that appears to be pursued as a civil debt. ;) But I have heard it said that one should not try to ignore a speeding fine imposed in Canberra, or elsewhere by the Australian Federal Police.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Don't worry, the live police officers don't allow much grace either. Not for nothing are they regarded as rent collectors for the privilege of using the roads. I am much more cautious about sticking to the speed limit in Australia than I would be here at home.

 

What anyone does with their speeding fines will, of course, depend on their conscience and their appetite for risk. However, it is easy to over-state the joined-up-ness of the various agencies in Australia, particularly for something that appears to be pursued as a civil debt. ;) But I have heard it said that one should not try to ignore a speeding fine imposed in Canberra, or elsewhere by the Australian Federal Police.

 

You don't avoid them anywhere in Australia. Next time you get pulled over they will lock you up until someone pays your fine!

[Globaliser]

That's OK ... as long as I can still get into the country first. ;)

[mochuck]

Thank you. I just checked with my credit card company and they said they would only stand as a second in Australia. This is good information for other traveling here to know. So I will get the additional insurance when I rent the car there. As for those worried about me driving in Sydney.... I am going to pick up the car and drive about New South Wales for a week "a walk about". Then I am going to turn the car in and stay car less in Sydney for 3 more days. This is not my first time away from home but thanks for caring.

 

Hi Cerros,

we recently did a similar thing in the States. We hired a car in San Fran to drive to Monterey - the hardest bit was getting out of the parking garage without hitting anything. You do adjust quite quickly but driving on the curly ramps I was sure hubby was going to scrape the side of the wall (my side). Then he hit a collapisble bollard with the passenger mirror as he was exiting the garage. That was a bit of a wake up call to him - he was happy to rely on me when I though he was too close to things on my side until he got used to it.

 

We had a GPS which helped get us out of the city - but I would say Sydney is much harder to get out of than SF and once we were on the open road we were sweet. Did I mention we were in a convertible? ;)

[captainron]

Drive in Sydney???

How long are you going to be there?

The only time I would rent a car there is to get out of it and go interstate.

The public transport there is excellent and taxis are everywhere and very inexpensive.

If you rented a car for just a day you would spend all day trying to find somewhere to park it.:eek:

 

Use the ferries, Sydney Explorer, Bondi Explorer, buses, monorail, light rail or a combination thereof. It's easy to get around.

 

Get on Google and check out SYDNEY transportation. Here's the link:

 

http://www.131500.com.au/

 

Ciao for now!!!

[monicajay]

Just got back from renting in Melbourne and returning to Sydney. No drop fee with Hertz, booked with on-line site Drivenow. Upgraded from manual to automatic for free when the agent saw we were from North America. He said I already had enough to worry about driving on the wrong side of the road that I didn't need to worry about gears and a clutch too.

 

Got a rock from a truck and put a chip in the windshield. Called Visa ( I had checked and my CC covered so I had declined insurance) No problem then said although I do have many documents to send them.

 

To the poster who wanted to drive to Blue mountains. Don't bother, take train. Tons of traffic and it took about 2 hours to drive the 55 miles.

[jerseysmom]

Thanks to all about the info to take the train to the Blue Mtns. Done a lot of checking and DH loves the idea of not driving on the other side of road (almost killed us in Nassau!). Looks like a great idea. If we take the train to Katoomba how far is it to Echo Point/3 Sisters? Should we walk or take a bus from the train?

[monicajay]

Thanks to all about the info to take the train to the Blue Mtns. Done a lot of checking and DH loves the idea of not driving on the other side of road (almost killed us in Nassau!). Looks like a great idea. If we take the train to Katoomba how far is it to Echo Point/3 Sisters? Should we walk or take a bus from the train?

 

There is a package which includes return train ticket and hop on hop off explorer bus ( I know, some hate these buses but they are easy and practical). Or, you could walk from the train station to the edge of the gorge (where the 3 sisters are) in about 20 minutes (a good mile) but you would miss some of the other great viewing spots.

[monicajay]

just found the link for the package train ticket and bus tour.

 

http://www.cityrail.info/tickets/link_131500.jsp

 

If you buy the Sydney train and bus package you might not need this and just buy the explorer bus ticket separately.

 

Enjoy your trip!