The question comes up on almost every holiday: should we hire a car, or just use taxis and public transport? The answer is less obvious than most people think — and it changes significantly depending on destination, group size and itinerary.
When car hire wins
Car hire is almost always the better value in these situations:
- Groups of 3 or more — costs divide between passengers, while taxi fares don't scale as favourably
- Rural areas or islands — Greek islands, rural Portugal, the New Zealand countryside — public transport is limited or non-existent
- Flexible itineraries — if you want to stop wherever you want, stay as long as you like and explore off the beaten path
- Luggage-heavy travel — families with pushchairs, ski equipment or large suitcases
- Trips of 5+ days — the fixed daily hire cost becomes more economical over time
When public transport wins
- Major cities — driving in Paris, Rome or Tokyo is expensive (parking, tolls, congestion charges) and stressful. The metro is faster and cheaper.
- Solo travellers — a single person rarely saves money hiring versus trains and buses
- Short trips — 2–3 day city breaks rarely justify the cost of hire plus parking
- Countries with excellent rail — Japan, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands have rail networks that beat cars on both cost and speed
When taxis/rideshare wins
- Airport transfers when you're staying in a central hotel with good transport links
- Evening trips when you want to drink
- Destinations with very cheap local taxis — Southeast Asia particularly
Real example: A family of four in the south of Spain for 10 days. Car hire from Malaga airport: ~£280 total. Equivalent taxi journeys between beaches, restaurants and attractions: £600+. Car hire wins easily.
The hybrid approach
Many travellers do this best: fly in, take public transport to a city hotel for a night or two, then hire a car from a city centre location (cheaper than airport pickup) for the road trip portion of the holiday, returning it before flying home.
Compare car hire prices now to see what hiring would actually cost for your trip.