Car Rental - Bristol
Car rental in Bristol is your gateway to an iconic harborside city in the south-west of England - a creative hub with a fascinating history of engineering and trade. The vibrant, forward-thinking approach of the destination have seen it become famous for its innovative music, shopping and street art. This is one of the most exciting places in Britain to visit.
We have several pickup locations across the city, including one at Bristol Airport and the railway station. As the gateway to England’s West Country, car rental in Bristol will allow you to explore all the region has to offer with the city as your base.
Check out our car collection now and reserve the right vehicle for your trip. Whether business, city break, family vacation or road trip, you’re sure to find one that fits the bill. With no hidden extras, the price you see is the price you pay.
Bristol Locations
A Quick Guide to Bristol
The home of Banksy – the incognito street artist – and award-winning music bands Portishead and Massive Attack, it’s unsurprising that Bristol is a place full of art and entertainment. Holiday and business car rentals help you use a vehicle that fits the purpose of your visit.
It’s the ideal destination for an English city break, and a great base for exploring nearby Bath, Somerset, and South Wales. From bustling markets in the center to family attractions on the outskirts, a trip to Bristol is a joy.
City of Culture
When in Bristol, checking out the city’s port district is a must. Park up your car rental and enjoy the epicenter of the town - restaurants, shops, cafes and more. However, the culinary highlight of the week is the harborside market, which springs into action along the waterfront every Saturday and Sunday, attracting bustling crowds from all over the city to taste the delicious menus on offer.
Fresh lemonade, steamed dumplings, decadent pizzas – you’ll find flavors from all over the world served up by a range of stalls, pop-ups and food trucks at this weekly fixture.
Walk along Nelson Street, a color-splashed stretch of boutiques and independent shops and pick up a quirky souvenir of your time in the city. Less than 10 minutes’ drive away with your Bristol car rental, you can admire the magnificent, thousand-year-old Bristol Cathedral, overlooking the spacious College Green.
In this area, you’ll also find the Bristol Aquarium and with just a short drive out to the suburb of Clifton Village, you can also pay a visit to the Bristol Zoo. Whatever your preference, Bristol offers plenty of attractions for solo travelers and families alike.
Feats of Engineering
After dark, make sure you visit the Clifton Suspension Bridge. This iconic railway bridge, built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the 19th Century, towers over the city at 245 feet, dramatically set against the backdrop of the Avon Gorge cliffs.
If you’re not free in the evening, you can make an equally memorable trip during the day by joining the one-hour guided tour from the toll booth on the Bristol side. Renting a car lets you avoid public transport.
Admire more of Brunel's genius with a trip to the SS Great Britain, a majestic ship berthed at the Great Western Dockyard. The prolific Victorian engineer was also behind this innovative and luxurious vessel – one of the most important passenger ships of its time.
Day Trips From Bristol
In such a beautiful corner of the country, a road trip beckons. Bath is only 45 minutes away from Bristol by car rental along the A4. The Georgian university town is one of the most beautiful places in the UK, with an equally fascinating history, from Roman Baths to Jane Austen. For a relaxing pit-stop, park up outside the Thermae Bath Spa and enjoy the natural spring-waters just like the Romans once did nearby.
If you’re looking for a quintessentially English experience, head west along the M5 to Weston-Super-Mare. In just 45 minutes you’ll arrive in the classic seaside town with ice cream and fish ‘n’ chips to be enjoyed. From here you can continue west towards Somerset and Devon to lap up the natural beauty of the English countryside.
Bristol is a fantastic destination – a sociable center of art and culture with the wider south-west region within easy reach. Whether you’re traveling for a Banksy pilgrimage or enjoying a seaside break, car rental in Bristol will let you do it in comfort.
Driving In and Around Bristol
Arriving in Bristol, you have a wonderful and unique city to enjoy, but also access to the West Country, one of England’s most appealing areas. Explore Bristol all at your leisure with a Hertz car rental.
First-time visitors should be aware of the driving rules in the United Kingdom. You drive on the left-hand side of the road and the speed limit on the major highways – called motorways – is 70mph, which is the same for divided highways.
White signs with a black diagonal strip indicate that roads are designated as national speed limit, which is 60mph. This falls in more urban areas, down to 30mph and even 20mph in residential areas. As always, keep a close eye on the roadside signs.
The center of Bristol is exceptionally compact and relatively straightforward to navigate. You can park your car rental vehicle for 30 minutes free of charge using a pay and display ticket or pay £1 an hour for up to three hours. Outside the center, you can find parking lots offering pre-paid tickets which last for up to 24 hours.
From Bristol, you’re only an hour’s drive from the historic city of Bath – the birthplace of celebrated author Jane Austen. Here, Regency-era terraces complement the Roman baths and spas which gave the town its name. Renting a car makes it easier to travel to other cities nearby Bristol.
If you want to pack up the Bristol car rental and enjoy a couple of days in another destination, head southwest to the counties of Somerset and Devon – reached in less than two hours – and continue to Cornwall for laid-back vibes and sandy beaches.
