Sydney Airport (8 km)
8 km
The airport is 8 km from the CBD. Companies use different return points by terminal, so check the Sydney Airport page before a one-way drop.
Sydney CBD car hire
Avis World Square (395 Pitt Street) is open 6am to 11pm daily, but the other CBD depots close earlier: Avis Circular Quay is open until 4pm on weekdays and 12pm on weekends, and Budget World Square until 4.30pm on weekdays and 12pm on weekends. Budget also has The Star at Pyrmont and Thrifty is in Darlinghurst. Parking is the hidden cost: City of Sydney meters charge $7 to $9 an hour.
Updated
Sydney CBD at a glance
- Avis World Square
- 395 Pitt Street, open 6am to 11pm seven days
- Avis Circular Quay
- Sydney Harbour Marriott, 30 Pitt Street; Mon to Fri 8am to 4pm, Sat and Sun 8am to 12pm
- Avis The Star (Darling Harbour)
- 55 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont; Mon to Fri 8am to 3pm, Sat 8am to 11am; 24 hour drop off
- Thrifty Sydney Downtown
- 95 Riley Street, Darlinghurst; Mon to Fri 7.30am to 5pm, Sat and Sun 8am to 4pm
- City of Sydney meters
- Area 1 $9 an hour, Area 2 $7 an hour, all times including public holidays
- Sydney Olympic Park casual parking
- $8 an hour up to $40 a day
Compare cars at Sydney city
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
Picking up in the CBD
These are the city-area branches shown on the companies' own Sydney location pages. Hours and addresses change, so confirm on your booking. Airport pick-ups are on the Sydney Airport page.
| Company | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Avis | Local depotWorld Square, 395 Pitt Street: 6am to 11pm daily. Circular Quay: Sydney Harbour Marriott, 30 Pitt Street. The Star, Pyrmont: 55 Pirrama Road. North Sydney: 100 Miller Street | World Square, 395 Pitt Street: 6am to 11pm daily. Circular Quay: Sydney Harbour Marriott, 30 Pitt Street. The Star, Pyrmont: 55 Pirrama Road. North Sydney: 100 Miller Street |
| Budget | Local depotWorld Square, 395 Pitt Street: Mon to Fri 8am to 4.30pm, Sat and Sun 8am to 12pm. The Star (Darling Harbour), 55 Pirrama Road: Mon to Fri 8am to 3pm, Sat 8am to 11am | World Square, 395 Pitt Street: Mon to Fri 8am to 4.30pm, Sat and Sun 8am to 12pm. The Star (Darling Harbour), 55 Pirrama Road: Mon to Fri 8am to 3pm, Sat 8am to 11am |
| Thrifty | Local depotSydney Downtown, 95 Riley Street (corner of William Street), Darlinghurst | Sydney Downtown, 95 Riley Street (corner of William Street), Darlinghurst |
Collecting the car
- 1
Choose the depot by address, not by suburb name. Circular Quay for Avis means the Sydney Harbour Marriott at 30 Pitt Street, not the ferry wharves, and Darling Harbour means The Star at 55 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont.
- 2
Check the day. The Circular Quay Avis branch is open Mon to Fri 8am to 4pm and Sat and Sun 8am to 12pm, and Budget's Pyrmont branch closes at 3pm on weekdays and 11am on Saturday.
- 3
Have your first night's parking sorted before you collect the car. City of Sydney meters cost $9 an hour in Area 1 and $7 in Area 2 at all times, so a hotel or car park is cheaper than a street bay overnight.
- 4
Bring your booking and licence. If you are heading out of the city on a tolled road, ask the counter about the company's toll option before you leave the car park.
Returning in the CBD
- 1
Avis offers 24-hour drop-off at The Star (Pyrmont) and North Sydney, but not at World Square or Circular Quay, so return those in opening hours.
- 2
Weekend returns are tight at Budget World Square, which closes at 12pm on Saturday and Sunday, and at Avis Circular Quay, which also closes at 12pm.
Drives from Sydney city
Distances are approximate and measured along the road.
Sydney Olympic Park
Casual parking is $8 an hour up to $40 a day, and there is a pre-book system for major events that closes at 11.59pm the day before. Street parking on Herb Elliott Avenue, Dawn Fraser Avenue and Showground Road is pay-and-display and can be closed during events.
Circular Quay and The Rocks
Do not plan to park at the Overseas Passenger Terminal on cruise days; there is no parking there. Paid street parking and Wilson car parks in The Rocks are the alternatives.
Guides for trips from Sydney city
NSW car ferries with a hire carWisemans Ferry and the Mortlake Putney Punt carry vehicles without a ferry fareBlue Mountains by carDrive from Sydney to Katoomba in about 90 minutes, then use sealed 2WD roads to Echo PointGrand Pacific Drive itineraryGrand Pacific Drive from Sydney: where it starts and ends, the Royal National Park entry fee, Sea Cliff Bridge, Kiama, drive times and one-way hire car options.Sydney to Brisbane driveSydney to Brisbane is around 10 hours on the Pacific Highway, now dual carriagewaySydney to Byron Bay driveSydney to Byron Bay takes over eight hours without sightseeingSydney to Canberra driveSydney Airport to Canberra is 273 km and about 2 hours 50 minutesSydney to Melbourne via the Hume HighwayPlan the Sydney to Melbourne Hume Highway drive: about 880 km and at least nine hoursSydney tolls in a hire car: costs and paymentCalculate Sydney toll costs for your route, check rental-company payment against an eMU pass, and plan Harbour Bridge and airport journeys before driving.Hunter Valley by carThe Hunter Valley is about 170 km from Sydney
Driving around Sydney city
Cruise-ship days at Circular Quay
There is no parking at the Overseas Passenger Terminal on cruise days and no waiting bays for pick-ups. Drop-off is at the lower roadway at Circular Quay West via George Street, and you may stop for no more than two minutes.
Overseas Passenger Terminal parking on non-cruise days
When there is no ship in, the car park is open 5am to 1am. Rates listed by the Port Authority are $19 for the first hour, $36 for two hours, $49 for three and $64 for three or more, with a $25 night rate and $25 weekend rate. It cannot be pre-booked.
Meters
About a quarter of Sydney's on-street parking is metered. Meters accept coins and Visa, MasterCard and Amex, and tap-and-go does not work with Amex. You must display a printed ticket on the dashboard at pay-and-display meters.
Tolls in and out of the CBD
The tolled roads on Linkt's Sydney list include the Cross City Tunnel, Eastern Distributor and the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel. Ask the rental counter which toll option covers your route.
E-Toll casual pass and hire cars
You can link an eMU Casual Pass to a rental plate for Sydney toll roads. Check the agency's payment setup first, then decide whether a separate pass is useful and ask what charges the rental agreement adds.
Sydney CBD car hire questions
Rental terms differ by company. Where an answer depends on your agreement, we say so.
Where can I hire a car in Sydney CBD?
The companies' own location pages list Avis at World Square (395 Pitt Street), on Pitt Street at Circular Quay, and at The Star in Pyrmont; Budget at World Square and The Star; and Thrifty at 95 Riley Street, Darlinghurst.
Where is car hire at Circular Quay?
Avis has a branch at the Sydney Harbour Marriott, 30 Pitt Street, Circular Quay, open Mon to Fri 8am to 4pm and Sat and Sun 8am to 12pm. It is not on the wharf itself.
Can I park at the cruise terminal on a cruise day?
No. There is no parking at the Overseas Passenger Terminal on cruise ship days. On non-cruise days it is open 5am to 1am.
Is there car hire at Sydney Olympic Park?
For an Avis pickup near Sydney Olympic Park, check its western branch at 610 to 614 Church Street, North Parramatta. If you are driving to Olympic Park, casual parking is $8 an hour up to $40 a day.
How much is parking in the Sydney CBD?
City of Sydney meters are $9 an hour in Area 1 and $7 an hour in Area 2 at all times, including public holidays. Private car parks set their own rates.
Is the CBD a good place to start a road trip?
Check the hours first. Avis Circular Quay and Budget World Square close at 12pm on weekends, and only Avis World Square is open until 11pm. The airport has eight companies listed on the airport's own page; see the Sydney Airport page.
Nearby and often combined
Sydney AirportKingsford Smith desks and the motorway exitsWollongongIllawarra coast south of SydneyCanberra AirportCapital, snowfields and South CoastWestern Sydney International AirportLuddenham terminal; passenger flights from 25 October 2026New South Wales & ACT car hireEvery New South Wales & ACT pickup, road rules and seasonsCar hire in AustraliaLicences, tolls and where to fly in, state by state
Compare Sydney city car hire
Search live prices in Australian dollars, then check the pickup point and conditions on the offer.