Alicante Car Rental Guide: Tips, Reliable Car Rentals, No Hidden Fees

Renting a car in Alicante is one of the best ways to discover the hidden gems of the Costa Blanca and explore its charming nearby towns. In this guide, you’ll find all the essential information for a smooth and hassle-free car rental experience.

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Car Rental at Alicante Airport – Overview

Many car rental guides suggest booking through comparison websites or brokers. However, these articles are often written by content creators focused on driving traffic rather than providing real, firsthand advice. As a result, they might not always offer reliable insights and often overlook common pitfalls travelers may face.

Unlike those sources, our recommendations are based on our personal experiences, ensuring that you get practical and trustworthy advice for renting a car in Alicante.

Is renting a car in Alicante worth it?

If you only plan to visit Alicante’s main attractions and local beaches, public transport might be a convenient option. However, if you also want to visit the region’s stunning attractions—such as the picturesque Guadalest Castle, the dazzling Fuentes del Algar waterfalls, or the iconic Calpe Rock—renting a car will make your journey much easier while providing greater freedom and comfort.

Why rent a car in Alicante?

✅ Flexibility: explore the Costa Blanca at your own pace.

✅ Discover hidden wonders: you can get to places that are difficult to reach by public transport.

✅ Convenience: no need to adapt to schedules.

✅ Beach hiking: the beaches of Benidorm, Altea, Moraira are quickly and conveniently accessible by car.

Essential Alicante Car Rental Tips

Book in advance to get the best deals and secure the type of car you want.
Check prices every 1–2 weeks, as we’ve often seen prices drop after booking. If you find a lower rate, you can cancel and rebook for free.
Taking out comprehensive insurance is recommended, as the parking habits of locals, tight parking spaces and large numbers of tourists can put you at increased risk of damage to your car.
If you book directly with comprehensive insurance, you don’t have to worry about photography and video.
Use our guides at each destinations for all the important information you need about picking up and dropping off your car.
Use our coupon codes which you can find in the discounts section.

How to Choose the Best Car Rental Option in Alicante?

If you want a hassle-free and trouble-free holiday, you should book directly with a reliable car hire company. This is a safer option as you can avoid hidden charges on comparison sites or missing services. Extra fees on aggregators can easily increase the final price, which can lead to unpleasant surprises during your trip.

Don’t focus only on the base price when renting a car! It’s important to check in detail which provider offers the best value for money, taking into account any hidden charges and extra services. It’s also worth checking the reliability of the rental company, the condition of the cars and how convenient and flexible the pick-up and drop-off facilities are.

Collection sites

Direct rental

We offer three car hire companies in Alicante where you can hire a car with full insurance and no hidden costs. Based on our own experience, after repeated car rentals, we can confidently say that these companies provide a reliable service, so you can enjoy your trip without having to worry about extra fees or unpleasant surprises. You can read more about these rental companies later.

Why is Full Insurance Essential for Rental Cars in Alicante?

Alicante is an amazing destination for a road trip, but the busy city center, tight parking spaces, and crowded tourist areas increase the risk of minor accidents, scratches, and dents. This is why taking out the right insurance when renting a car is not only recommended, it is practically essential for a relaxed journey.

Various aggregator sites or airline websites – also offer insurance with your car rental. However, these offers can be fraught with pitfalls. One of the biggest disadvantages is that such insurance almost always requires a deposit, which can only be paid by credit card.

Important to know: insurance purchased on a bundle site is not valid directly with the car rental company. If there is damage to the car:

The rental company will automatically deduct the excess from the deposit.
You will have to submit the claim to the collection site, which can be a long and complicated process and there is no guarantee that you will get the full amount back.

Furthermore, the car rental company may not hand over the car until you have taken out the insurance they offer on the spot. This means that you will have to pay again, despite having taken out insurance in advance on the collection site, so the final cost may be much higher than you had planned.

By taking out insurance directly with the rental company, you can avoid credit card and deposit issues. This makes renting a car simpler and safer. Although the price of renting a car can be 20-30% higher, in return you get a range of extra services that offer real value.

What is covered by comprehensive insurance?

🚗 Wiber Rent a Car ( All Inclusive and Smart Car packages)
🟢 Vehicle theft and all damage cover
🟢 Windscreen, tyre and chassis damage

🚗 Centauro ( Premium package)
🟢 Vehicle theft and all damage cover
🟢 Windscreen, tyre and chassis damage

🚗 Record Go ( Just Go package)
🟢 Vehicle theft and all damage cover
🟢 Windscreen, tyre and chassis damage

Reliable Car Rentals in Alicante Without Credit Card or Deposit – Proven Excellent Service

Based on our multiple rental experiences, we recommend three car rental companies in Alicante that stand out for their reliability and excellent service.

Wiber – Excellent value for money and fast service, minimising waiting time at pick-up with Wikey Smart Box or Smart Car.

Centauro – A popular but not overcrowded rental company that provides a convenient and smooth car rental experience.

Record go – Car rental with competitive rates and a wide selection of cars.

Wiber

All inclusive

No deposit
No credit card required
Full insurance
Unlimited mileage
No deposit required for fuel
Express line
Complete roadside assistance
Wikey smart box
10% discount code: FIESTA10

Centauro

Premium

No deposit
No credit card required
Full insurance
Unlimited mileage
Deposit required for fuel -90-180€
Express line
First additional driver
Fast key

Record go

Just go

Prices

You can rent a car in Alicante at a great price with full insurance, no deposit and no credit card required. The average price is around €20-25 per day in low season and €35 per day in high season.

Wiber Rent a Car Tips:

Book after 9pm on weekdays or at weekends (the time is for booking, not picking up the car) – you may find better rates.
Choose the “pay on collection” option: this makes it easier to rebook. You can pay 1-2 days before your trip to get the extra 2% discount.
Use the coupon code FIESTA10: 10% discount.
Online check-in and Wikey Smart Box: faster and more convenient pick-up.

How to Handle Unexpected Situations?

When renting a car, unexpected situations may occur, such as a minor accident, injury or technical problem. It’s important to be prepared for these and know what to do if something goes wrong.

What should you do if you get a puncture?
- The quickest solution is to replace the damaged wheel with a spare yourself.
- If you can’t manage it, call the roadside assistance service, who will help you quickly. Your rental company’s customer service can also give you guidance on what to do in such a situation.

Keep the contact details of the rental company handy
You will find the telephone number of the rental company’s customer service/roadside assistance service in the documents you received when you rented your car. Make a note of this number and contact them immediately in case of an emergency.

Calm down and act carefully
Do not panic if an unexpected problem occurs. The rental company’s customer service is helpful and will provide a quick solution, especially if you rent directly from them.

Police report
In the event of a serious accident, always call the police and ask for a report to document the incident. This is essential for settling insurance claims.
If you have hired directly and your car hire is fully insured, there is virtually nothing you can do about minor damage or scratches, for example when you were not with the car. Comprehensive insurance covers such damage, so you don’t have to worry about the cost or the hassle. All you have to do is report the damage to the rental company when you drop off the car and they will handle the situation smoothly.
If you have rented through a collection site and have minor damage or scratches, for example when you were not with the car, it is important to document all the details. Take photos of the damage and note the location and time.

Important rules

Minimum age:

You must be at least 18 years old to drive in Spain, regardless of the fact that you may be able to obtain a driving licence earlier in other countries.

Driving licence validity:
Visitors from European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) countries can drive with a driving licence issued in their own country.

Car rental age limit:

Most car hire companies allow drivers aged 21 or over to rent a car and often require at least 1-2 years driving experience.
Young drivers (21-25 years old) may be charged a surcharge.

Wiber car rental:

Minimum age: 21 years
For drivers between 21 and 24 years old: Young driver surcharge.

Centauro car hire:

Minimum age: 19 years
For drivers aged between 19 and 24: Young driver surcharge.

Record go car hire:

Minimum age: 19 years
Young driver surcharge: drivers under 25 years old will be charged a daily surcharge.

The main speed limits for passenger cars in Spain are:

Inside built-up areas:
- 50 km/h on main roads
- 30 km/h on one-way or one-lane streets
- 20 km/h in residential-recreational areas
Outside built-up areas:
- 90 km/h on motorways
- 80 km/h if there is no central dividing lane
On motorways:
- 120 km/h for cars

Important: in rain, speed limits may be lower and traffic rules are strictly enforced.

Road tolls:

In the province of Alicante, tolls (Spanish: peajes) are mainly incurred on motorways (AP – “Autopista”), but fortunately in recent years several toll sections have been made free.

Important information about tolls in Alicante:

Free and toll motorways:
- The AP-7 motorway (Autopista del Mediterráneo), which runs along the Costa Blanca, used to be toll-free, but since 2020 the section between Alicante and neighbouring provinces has been free.
- Most of the main routes between Alicante-Valencia and Alicante-Murcia are toll-free, with the A-7 (Autovía del Mediterráneo) providing a free alternative.
Which sections remain toll-free?
- The section of the AP-7 between Torrevieja and Cartagena remains toll roads.
- The AP-36 (towards Alicante-Albacete) remains toll road.
- Some major bridges, tunnels and certain bypasses may be toll roads.
How to pay:
- Tolls can be paid by cash, credit card or electronic toll payment device (VIA-T), which will automatically deduct the amount from your balance.
Alternative toll-free journeys:
- The ‘A’ roads (such as the A-31 between Alicante and Madrid) are free and in good condition, although they can be busier, especially in the summer season.

Tip: If you want to avoid the toll-free sections, it is a good idea to set the “toll-free route” option in your navigation apps (Google Maps, Waze).

Overall, if you are driving in and around Alicante, most important places are easily accessible without toll roads.

Drinking limits:

In Spain, the maximum permitted blood alcohol level for experienced drivers is 0.05%, while the limit for newly licensed and professional drivers is lower, at just 0.03%. However, for safety reasons, it is best to avoid alcohol consumption altogether if you plan to drive.

Child seats:
Children under the age of 12 or less than 135 cm must use a child seat that meets safety standards.

Learn More About the Best Car Rental Companies in Alicante

Wiber

Easy car rental, hassle-free travel.....

Centauro

Rent a car quickly and easily.....

Record go

Popular car mechanics.....

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