Car rental in Berkeley

Car Rental in Berkeley: a quirky college town in California

Home to an internationally renowned branch of the University of California, Berkeley is a quirky and fun city located across the Bay from San Francisco. While the city’s radical roots are still visible and worth exploring, there are also excellent shopping opportunities throughout the area. Make the most of your visit to Berkeley by hiring a car. Book yours today!

Temperature doesn’t vary much in Berkeley. Like San Francisco, summers typically remain fairly cool—around room temperature—and winters rarely drop below 6 degrees Celsius (43 degrees Fahrenheit), so are rarely below freezing. Fog is typical in the morning and evening, while afternoons tend to be sunny.

The de facto national language of the United States is English, which is also the native language of most residents of Berkeley, though about 7% of the population speaks native Spanish and 6% speaks native Chinese. Chochenyo was the primary indigenous language spoken in and around the area that is now Berkeley.

Berkeley is in the Pacific Time Zone, UTC-8.

The currency throughout the United States is the dollar. ATMs are frequent and currency exchange is readily available at airports and popular tourist destinations. Credit cards are accepted at the vast majority of businesses.

Car hire is available in 4 locations throughout Berkeley: downtown, El Cerrito, north, and south.

To get out of the city and taste some of the excellent wines of the region, head north to Highway 29, which leads into Napa Valley, about 50 miles from Berkeley. For a shorter outdoor adventure, head 30 miles west along Highway 24 to Mount Diablo State Park.

Visa Regulations

38 nationalities can enter the United States as tourists without applying for a visa, though if you are among these nationalities, you are still required to fill out the ESTA in advance. Visit esta.us for more information. Visitors to the United States will be fingerprinted and biometrically photographed upon entry. If your nationality is not included in the visa-waiver program, you will be required to apply for a B-1 or B-2 visa in advance of your arrival.

Driving in Berkeley

Though parking can be difficult to find downtown—except in parking garages, where prices are typically high—driving your own car is truly the most convenient and comfortable way to explore Berkeley, particularly if you plan to visit the city’s neighborhoods. Make the most of your visit to the beautiful Bay Area by planning some road trips into Berkeley’s natural surroundings as well!

Right-Hand Driving

• Traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road throughout North America.

Speed Limits

• In the city: 25 miles per hour (40 km/h)
• On urban highways: 45 to 55 mph (72 to 88 km/h)
• On rural highways: 65 to 70 mph (104 to 112 km/h)
• To make the most of your time on the road, avoid driving during rush hours. Morning rush hour typically spans from 7:30 to 10 am and traffic can be congested in the afternoon and evening from 2:30 to 7:30 pm.

Other Regulations

1. Parking is primarily available near the university or in downtown Berkeley via parking garages, where prices can be quite high. If you’re headed to shop along Telegraph Avenue, however, make sure you ask the local shops for parking validation to reduce your rates at the Telegraph Channing Garage. Street parking is regulated by time and fee, though it is typically free after 6 pm.
2. Your domestic driver’s license is sufficient for driving in California.
3. All of the bridges in the Berkeley area are tolled. Ask your rental company if your car has been outfitted with a FasTrak transponder to receive reduced toll rates.
4. Californians can legally drive as young as 16 with driver’s education, but most rental agencies will require you to be at least 21, and you can expect to pay young driver surcharges until the age of 25.

Cheap Car Rental in Berkeley

Car hire in Berkeley typically starts at around $50 a day. Here are some of the best deals in Berkeley:

• Chevrolet Spark (economy class) - $48 per day
• Nissan Versa (compact class) - $52 per day
• Toyota Corolla (intermediate class) - $54 per day
• Volkswagen Jetta (standard class) - $59 per day
• Chrysler 200 (fullsize class) - $60 per 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 Berkeley

There is no seasonal variation in price for rental cars in Berkeley, where Hertz is the primary rental car agency. The best way to save money on rental cars in Berkeley is to extend your rental period to beyond a week. Prices drop by around $20 a day when you extend your rental period!

Keep an eye out for the occasional discount, which makes hiring a car in Berkeley even cheaper.

For the most availability of rental cars regardless of when you plan to arrive, book your car from Hertz’s location in north Berkeley.