Five companies (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty) operate from Devonport Airport, but the airport is about 10 km from the town centre and the Spirit of Tasmania terminal is a separate place on the Esplanade in East Devonport. Opening hours are short and vary by company and day, with Avis closed on Saturdays, so match your ferry or flight arrival to the counter hours before you book.
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Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Before you book, open the offer and check where that company's desk or depot is, the bond, and what the agreement says about the roads you plan to drive.
Preparing live car hire search
Before booking, confirm your company's counter location and opening hours; airport hours may differ from the company's own. Devonport Airport counters are separate from the Spirit of Tasmania terminal, so if you arrive by ferry, arrange where and when to collect your car directly with your rental company.
| Company | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Avis | Desk in the terminalTerminal building. Listed hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm, Sun 1pm to 5pm, closed Saturday | Terminal building. Listed hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm, Sun 1pm to 5pm, closed Saturday |
| Budget | Desk in the terminalRental counter in the terminal, with a short walk to the car lot. Listed hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm, Sat and Sun 8am to 1pm | Rental counter in the terminal, with a short walk to the car lot. Listed hours: Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm, Sat and Sun 8am to 1pm |
| Europcar | Desk in the terminalTerminal building. Listed hours: 9am to 5pm daily; the site notes after hours (extra charges apply) | Terminal building. Listed hours: 9am to 5pm daily; the site notes after hours (extra charges apply) |
| Hertz | Listed by the airportAt Airport Road, Devonport | At Airport Road, Devonport |
| Thrifty | Listed by the airportAt Airport Road, Devonport | At Airport Road, Devonport |
Decide where you are arriving. Flights land at Devonport Airport, about 10 km from the town centre. The Spirit of Tasmania berths at the Esplanade in East Devonport.
Match your arrival time to your company's counter hours before booking: Budget's weekend hours end at 1pm, Avis is closed on Saturdays, and all airport counters close by 5pm.
If you arrive by ferry from Geelong as a foot passenger, contact your rental company beforehand to agree where and when it will hand over your car; airport car-rental counters are at Devonport Airport, not at the Spirit of Tasmania terminal.
From 31 October 2026, the Spirit of Tasmania schedule changes to night sailings only. If you travel on or after that date, check your arrival time against rental-counter hours before booking.
Follow your rental confirmation for the exact return address, parking area and key-drop instructions.
Check the closing time of your company's counter. Listed hours end at 5pm at the latest, and Budget closes at 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
If you are then boarding the ferry, note that check-in closes strictly 45 minutes before the scheduled departure.
Europcar's listing mentions after hours with extra charges.
Distances are approximate and measured along the road.
79 km · about 1 hour 20 minutes
The shortest run to Cradle Mountain of the three pick-up points. Private cars cannot use Dove Lake Road while the shuttle runs, so plan to use the shuttle ($15.50 per adult without an Icon Parks Pass).
100 km · about 1 hour 10 minutes
The link between the ferry port and the north-east, and where you would return the car if you fly out of Launceston Airport.
46 km · about 35 minutes
The north-west coast route. Smithton is 132 km from Devonport, about 1 hour 35 minutes.
280 km · about 3 hours 15 minutes
Crossing the island. Discover Tasmania notes you can do it in under 3.5 hours, but there are no major freeways.
197 km · about 2 hours 30 minutes
The entry to the west coast. The Road Safety Advisory Council suggests planning no more than 300 km a day.
Spirit of Tasmania says the new ships Spirit IV and V start on 31 October 2026 with the new Devonport terminal, and the schedule will only include night sailings. Your arrival time affects which rental counters are open.
Spirit of Tasmania takes cars and 4WDs and asks for the correct vehicle length and height at booking, but rental companies set their own rules on hire cars. Check your rental agreement before taking a hire car across.
All Tasmanian national parks need a parks pass. Buying a pass online before you have the car? Pick HIRE in the registration section. The 24-hour pass excludes Icon parks such as Cradle Mountain.
On the north-west roads out of Devonport, drop your speed at dawn and dusk when animals are on the move.
The default limit on gravel roads is 80 km/h. Check your rental agreement for what it says about unsealed roads.
Rental terms differ by company. Where an answer depends on your agreement, we say so.
Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty all hire cars at the airport. Avis, Budget and Europcar are in the terminal building; Hertz and Thrifty are at Airport Road, Devonport.
The airport list does not include the ferry terminal. Ask your rental company how it handles ferry arrivals, since the terminal is on the Esplanade in East Devonport and the airport is about 10 km from the town centre.
The ferry accepts cars and 4WDs, but hire car permission rests with the rental company. Check your rental company's agreement before booking.
Spirit of Tasmania IV and V start sailing with the new Devonport terminal, and the schedule will only include night sailings. Check your arrival time against rental counter hours.
Launceston is 100 km (about 1 hour 10 minutes) and Hobart is 280 km (about 3 hours 15 minutes) by road.
Hours differ. Budget is open 8am to 1pm on Saturday and Sunday, Avis is closed Saturdays and opens 1pm to 5pm Sundays, and Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty are open daily. Confirm with your company.
Search live prices in Australian dollars, then check the pickup point and conditions on the offer.