Cheap Car Rental in Austin

Texas State Capital: Austin

Language: EN

Currency: USD

Drive on: Right Side

Tips for renting a car inexpensively in Austin

Need a cheap car rental in Austin? With Economybookings, you can easily compare multiple providers to find the best possible deal in Texas. With so much to see and do across Central Texas, a quick comparison can save you time and money on a car that will help you reach it all.

• Compare pickup locations – Select the broader city instead of a specific location to unlock more deal options, including off-airport savings.
• Slightly adjust pickup times and dates – Even changing your booking by an hour can reveal lower rates.
• Choose economy or compact cars – Unless you’re planning a longer road trip deep into Hill Country or other backcountry regions, a compact car is probably all you need to get around the Austin metro area.
• Book early – Austin is a year-round destination, but rental demand spikes during popular travel times like the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in March, the Austin City Limits music festival in October, and other large events like sports games and business conventions. Booking in advance helps secure lower prices and better vehicle selection.

Tips When Renting and Driving a Car in Austin

• Rent a car if you plan to explore anywhere away from Austin’s urban core, where public transport options tend to be quite limited.
• Avoid rush hour traffic on the I-35, Loop 1 (Mopac Expressway), US 183, SH 130, US 290, and SH 71 highways.
• You can pick up your car at Austin–Bergstrom International (AUS) Airport and various storefronts in and around town.
• Choose a small car for better mileage and easier parking around town.
• Pick a car with four-wheel drive for longer drives into rural areas.
• Inspect the car and take photos before and after rental.

Driving Tips in Austin

• Drive on the right side of the road, and prepare to wait your turn when you need to turn left.
• Look out for stop lights—green means go, yellow signals that you must prepare to stop, and red is stop. At most intersections with stop lights, there will also be dedicated stop lights for left-turn lanes.
• In recent years, Austin has been converting more neighbourhood street intersections into roundabouts. To navigate these roundabouts, give way to traffic coming from the left.
• Texas law requires nighttime headlight use, as well as whenever visibility falls below 1,000 feet.
• Horn use should be reserved for emergencies or warnings.
• Traffic usually moves faster in the left lanes on highways.
• Expect to pay around $2 per hour for parking downtown and in Austin’s other central neighbourhoods. When in the city, you can use the Park ATX or Way.com smartphone app for contactless payment.
• NEVER cross a set of double yellow lines.
• Try the GasBuddy app to locate area gas stations and check prices. If you have a Costco membership, you can refuel there and take advantage of their very cheap gas.
• Keep your driver’s license, rental papers, and proof of insurance with you at all times.
• The US 183, SH 71, and SH 360 highways generally encircle the city, while I-35 is the central north-south interstate highway, and SH 130 is an alternative north-south route to reach San Antonio and Austin’s northern suburbs. These major highways can be useful for reaching more of Central Texas, but expect heavy traffic during weekday rush hours (6:30 to 9:30 AM, and 4:00 to 7:00 PM).

Speed Limits

In recent years, Texas has rolled out variable speed limits, where local authorities can quickly adjust highway speed limits based on real-time road conditions. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to pay close attention to the signs for official updates on road conditions.

Otherwise, Texas speed limits are typically 15 mph (24 km/h) on city alleys, 30 mph (48 km/h) on city streets, 60-65 mph (97-105 km/h) on various regional highways, and 70 mph (112 km/h) on multi-lane interstate highways.

Road Signs

U.S. road signs are typically noticeable and well-placed. They are almost always in English and use symbols for quick understanding. Speed limit signs are in miles per hour (mph). In Austin, look out for signs marking dedicated rail crossings, bus lanes, bike lanes, and school lanes, which may have special speed limits and other restrictions.

Tolls, Fees, and Restrictions

Over the years, Central Texas has grown a vast collection of toll roads. Major toll routes include SH 130 connecting Austin’s eastern and northern suburbs, SH 45 connecting northern suburbs like Round Rock and Cedar Park, Loop 1 from South Austin to Round Rock, and the 183A toll road connecting the standard SH 183 lanes at Cedar Park to Liberty Hill.

Austin area toll roads accept several payment options, with the Texas-based TollTag and EZ Tag electronic transponders being the most widely accepted. Typically, drivers without a transponder can pay online by providing their license plate number in advance or within five days of driving. However you plan to begin your Austin trip, check with your rental car agency in advance to see if they provide a TollTag or EZ Tag transponder, and ask about their toll road coverage policies.

Discover Austin by Car

Over the years, Austin has grown and evolved from “merely” Texas’ state capital into a multi-layered epicenter of the U.S. tech economy, art and music, and Texas culinary culture. With a rental car, you can reach more places without having to stress over limited bus service and pricey Uber and Lyft rides.

Whether you're planning a day trip to explore the Texas Hill Country or hop around the city’s best barbeque joints, or you fancy a longer road trip to Waco, San Antonio, or Houston, a car offers flexibility and freedom to discover hidden spots that are much harder to reach via public transportation in the U.S.

When to Visit

While Austin is generally considered a year-round destination, keep in mind that Central Texas’ unique location between the vast prairies and farmlands of the Great Plains, the great deserts of the American Southwest, and the lush, humid expanses of the Gulf Coast means that it can experience some harsh weather throughout the year. In winter, sub-freezing temperatures and the occasional snow and ice storms can lead to terrible road conditions across the region. On the flip side, hot summer weather also means the potential for severe heatwaves and thunderstorms.

Though overall winter weather tends to stay mild, it’s always a good idea to prepare by packing warm clothes, and by staying off the roads if a major Texas snowstorm reaches south into Austin. And whenever you plan to go, always check road conditions in advance for potential closures.

Languages & Communication

English is spoken nearly everywhere in and around Austin. At the same time, this is also a multicultural city, so you may also hear Spanish, Hindi, Vietnamese, and Chinese in certain neighbourhoods. Most signage is in English, and visitors rarely face language barriers.

Currency & Payments

Since Texas is part of the United States, the U.S. dollar ($, or USD) is used everywhere. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, and contactless payments are pretty commonplace across Austin. ATMs are easy to find throughout the city and suburbs, but keep in mind that ATMs will charge extra fees if they are not affiliated with your bank.

Top Driving Routes in and Around Austin

• Even if you’re not staying at a downtown hotel, it’s still worth a drive to Downtown Austin to shop the unique boutiques on Second Street, stop at the Texas State Capitol, and experience the famed Sixth Street entertainment district (with plenty of restaurants, bars, and clubs)
• University of Texas – Directly north of downtown, the University of Texas at Austin (UT) has several of the city’s top cultural institutions, including the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Presidential Library, the Blanton Museum of Art, and the Texas Science & Natural History Museum
• East Austin – East of downtown, these fast-growing neighbourhoods have a vast array of multicultural restaurants, lively bars hosting live music performances, and cultural centers showcasing the many contributions of local Black and Hispanic communities
• South Congress – Across the Colorado River/Lady Bird Lake from downtown, this neighbourhood abounds in classic blues music clubs, globally inspired restaurants, and local fashion boutiques
• West Austin – About 30-60 minutes west of downtown; this side of town is where you will find natural treasures like Barton Creek Wilderness Park, Emma Long Metropolitan Park, and the shores of Lake Austin and Lake Travis (along the Colorado River), as well as some high-end resorts and vacation rentals
• North Austin & Round Rock – About 30-70 minutes north; the northern suburbs may be best known for their tech-heavy corporate campuses, but this area also has plenty of walkable and family-friendly dining and entertainment complexes, including the brand-name offerings at The Domain and the more charming streets of Downtown Round Rock
• Texas Hill Country – About 40-70 minutes southwest; drive here for highly acclaimed Texas barbeque restaurants like The Salt Lick, a burgeoning wine country region full of local wineries, and cute small towns like Dripping Springs and Wimberley

When driving around Austin and Central Texas, it’s understandable if you feel a little intimidated by the area’s massive highways and complex network of toll roads. Follow the instructions provided by whichever navigation app you’re using, but ultimately it pays to simply pay attention to the road and avoid being thrown off by roadside distractions.