We need to rent a car downtown Madrid. We will be driving around Spain for eleven days and dropping the car in Bilboa. Any suggestions besides Hertz which is very expensive?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Try kayak.com and see what it spits out. If the Bilbao drop is the kicker, you can scoot back to Madrid in less than four hours. You might change your mind anyway when you get down to figuring out trains and flights out of Bilbao.
Posted by
Tulsa, OK
355 posts
We have used Auto Europe for a number of years and have always been happy with the price and service. I know they have an office in Madrid. I would caution you about driving in Madrid. The traffic is pretty awful...
Posted by
LaGrange, Ga, USA
1178 posts
Suggest you do not rent a car in Madrid until you are ready to leave the city...impossible to drive and where to park!!...The subway, bus, and your two feet are the preferred mode of transportation in Madrid!!
Posted by
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
265 posts
H J is right. And don't forget forget those ridiculous tolls on the Spanish highways. All the rental car agencies are located in La Gran Via and Plaza de Espana area. Don't forget fuel at $8.00-$9.00 a gallon. You will also need an international Driving Permit. You can pick one up at AAA for a fee. Parking is ridiculous and expensive. Insurance? Getting around and not lost? Traffic? Don't spend your money on a rental car, unless it's absolutely the only way you can get there. Having a car in Europe is expensive. It could make your trip ridiculously expensive. Those are some of the pitfalls, but if you absolutely need to drive... I love mass transit (bus, metro, cabs and trains) in Spain, it's cheap and reliable. Even the HOP ON HOP OFF is a cheaper alternative.