Your quick travel guide to Manchester

Car Rental in Manchester: driving the city of lively atmosphere and cultural activities

Once the cornerstone of England’s industrial revolution, today Manchester is a thriving center of shopping, cultural activities, and student life. Visitors often say that it has all the charm of London with less of the hectic crush of people. Make the most of your visit to this beautiful and lively city by also exploring the countryside of Northern England. Book your rental car today.

For the best weather and the most offering in activities, visit Manchester between June and August.

English is the primary language of the countries that form the United Kingdom, though Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, Irish, and Scots are also spoken by inhabitants throughout the UK. Over 200 different languages are spoken by Manchester residents, however, making it one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world, with Urdu, Arabic, and Cantonese as the most widely spoken languages second to English.

Manchester is in the Greenwich Mean Time Zone, UTC+0.

The currency in the UK is the pound sterling. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATMs frequently available. If you are travelling from Northern Ireland or Scotland to Wales or England and the pound bills you received in the north are met with skepticism, you can exchange them free of charge at any bank.

Cheap car hire in Manchester is available in 14 locations, including Manchester International Airport (MAN), downtown, at Piccadilly, and at Trafford Park. Interested in car hire in Manchester City centre? It is also available!

Visa Regulations

At the time of writing, citizens of nations that comprise the EU and EEA, as well as Swiss nationals, do not require a visa to enter the UK. Citizens of a further 80 or so nations can enter with a valid passport and stay visa-free for up to six months. All other nationals will need to apply for a visa from a British embassy or consulate in their country of legal residence.

Driving in Manchester

Roads can be congested and parking difficult to find in Manchester, as in any large city. Central Manchester is easily navigable by foot and there are some excellent public transportation options, so you may want to save the stress of parking and the cost of renting a car by reserving your automobile hire only for the days you plan to drive outside the city.

Left-Hand Driving

  • Traffic drives on the left-hand side of the road throughout the British Isles.

Speed Limits

  • In the city: 30 miles per hour (48 km/h)
  • Single carriageway highways: 60 mph (96 km/h)
  • Dual carriageways and motorways: 70 mph (112 km/h)
  • Police monitor speeds, cell phone use (which is illegal while driving), and erratic behavior in both marked and unmarked cars throughout the UK.
  • While you won’t typically find yourself in stop-and-go traffic in Manchester, be sure to avoid morning and evening rush hours to keep your driving smooth. Morning rush hour typically lasts from 7-9:30 am. Evening rush hour typically lasts from 4-6:30 pm.

Other Regulations

    1. For short-term stays of an hour or so, take advantage of on-street parking in Manchester (whenever you can find it). Street parking is typically free after 6 pm and on Sundays. Cheaper car parks or parking garages are typically located near metro stations, such as the Manchester Victoria Station car park.
    2. Visitors to the UK can drive passenger vehicles with their domestic driver’s license alone for up to a full year.
    3. Toll roads in the UK are few and far between but include the M6 north of Birmingham, as well as a few bridges and tunnels.
    4. The minimum driving age in the UK is 17, though you will likely have to be 21 with a full year’s driving experience in order to rent a car.

    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester

    Car hire in Manchester typically starts at around $10 a day. Here are some of the best deals in Manchester:

    • Toyota Iq or similar (mini class) – $10/day
    • Volkswagen Polo or similar (economy class) – $11/day
    • Ford Focus or similar (compact class) – $12/day
    • Volvo V40 or similar (intermediate class) – $21/day
    • Ford Mondeo or similar (standard class) – $22/day

    Note that prices vary depending on the availability of each specific car and the season in which you rent. For the most accurate offers, use the search bar above.

    Tips for Renting a Car Inexpensively in Manchester

    There may be some seasonal variation in price in Manchester, though if you book well in advance from Manchester International Airport, you can find a car for $12 almost any month of the year. These deals are also available throughout the city, at locations such as Piccadilly and downtown, particularly with the help of 8 to 12% discounts.

    However, if you’re planning on travelling to Manchester in less popular months, try booking your car just one or two months in advance to get rental prices as low as $6 a day. Rental companies at Manchester International Airport, such as EasiRent.com and Green Motion, offer unbeatable prices for bookings made just one or two months in advance of your arrival.

    You can also typically save at least $2 a day by extending your rental period to over a week.

    Experience the top locations with car rental in Manchester

    Manchester Airport
    Green Motion
    7.7

    All car rental in Manchester

    Discover the cheapest car rental in Manchester

    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester Volkswagen Golf
    Volkswagen Golf
    5
    1
    5
    M
    From US$ 18.31 per day
    *
    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester Ford Fiesta 5door
    Ford Fiesta 5door
    5
    1
    5
    M
    From US$ 13.93 per day
    *
    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester Fiat 500
    Fiat 500
    4
    1
    3
    M
    From US$ 12.21 per day
    *
    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester NISSAN QASHQAI
    NISSAN QASHQAI
    5
    2
    A
    From US$ 55.56 per day
    *
    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester NISSAN QASHQAI
    NISSAN QASHQAI
    5
    2
    A
    From US$ 55.56 per day
    *
    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester Honda CRV
    Honda CRV
    5
    2
    5
    M
    From US$ 29.86 per day
    *
    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester FORD TOURNEO CUSTOM
    FORD TOURNEO CUSTOM
    9
    1
    M
    From US$ 103.79 per day
    *
    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester FORD TOURNEO CUSTOM
    FORD TOURNEO CUSTOM
    9
    1
    M
    From US$ 103.79 per day
    *
    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester MERCEDES C-CLASS
    MERCEDES C-CLASS
    5
    1
    4
    A
    From US$ 104.43 per day
    *
    Cheap Car Rental in Manchester Fiat 500 Electric Car
    Fiat 500 Electric Car
    4
    1
    3
    A
    Electric
    From US$ 35.16 per day
    *

    * Disclaimer: Prices displayed may not reflect today's rates.

    What our customers say

    Car rental companies in Manchester

    We have prepared a shortlist of top rental companies in Manchester. To save both time and money compare offers on EconomyBookings.com to find the best deal.

    Green Motion
    star
    7.7 /50 reviews
    Available in 1 location
    Time it took to drop your car off9.2
    Cleanliness of the car8.3
    Overall condition of the car8.6
    Time it took to pick your car up6.8
    EasiRent
    star
    7.5 /27 reviews
    Available in 1 location
    Time it took to drop your car off8.1
    Cleanliness of the car8.4
    Overall condition of the car8.1
    Time it took to pick your car up5.7
    Alamo
    star
    8.5 /26 reviews
    Available in 1 location
    Time it took to drop your car off9.7
    Cleanliness of the car8.4
    Overall condition of the car8.4
    Time it took to pick your car up7.5