Toronto Airport Car Rentals
Rental Car Options
There are several main roads that run near the Pearson airport and it is directly accessible from both Highway 427 and Highway 409. There are two roads that provide local access to the airport, as well. At the airport itself, there are over 12,000 parking spaces that you can park your car or a rental car if you need it. There are parking garages located near both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 along with other minor parking structures located around the airport.
As for car rentals, there are several car rentals companies that operate out of the airport so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one to use at the airport. You can rent a car from a company at the airport itself or choose to rent one from a company that doesn’t have a rental office at the airport. You can get to these offices by using the Link Train or another transportation service that gets you to where you need to go.
Car Rental Companies
Avis: Tel: 1-800-TRY-AVIS (1-800-879-2847)
– Terminal 1 and 3: (905) 676-1100
Budget: Tel: 1-800-268-8900
– Terminal 1 and 3: (905) 676-1500
Dollar Thrifty: Tel (Dollar): 1-800-800-4000 Tel (Thrifty): 1-800-THRIFTY (1-800-847-4389)
– Terminal 1 – (905) 676-9127
– Terminal 3 – (905) 547-6022
Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Tel: 1-800-RENT-ACAR
– Terminal 1: (905) 676-5885
– Terminal 3: (905) 676-4185
Hertz: Tel: 1-800-263-0600 Terminal 1 and 3 – (416) 674-2020
National / Alamo: Tel: 1-800-CAR-RENT or 1-800-GO-ALAMO
– Terminal 1: (905) 676-5871
– Terminal 3: (905) 676-4171
Tips On Renting And Driving Across The Country
Canada is a popular place for tourists to visit because it has the perfect mix of major cities like Vancouver and Toronto coupled with millions of square miles of wilderness that are perfect for nature lovers and those looking to enjoy water sports and other events in the great outdoors. While public transportation is good for getting visitors around the cities, renting a car and driving yourself around can be a great way to explore more of the country at your own leisure.
If you’re planning to be behind the wheel of your own vehicle when in Canada, there are two important things to learn about before heading on your vacation; the first is how to go about renting cars in the country, and the second is how to drive on Canadian roads. Read the guide below for some quick tips on both to make sure your trip starts in the right gear.
• Renting Cars In Canada
Many of the major rental car companies have kiosks at airports throughout Canada, and the vast majority of tourists visit the country by flying there. So when you land at your airport, simply follow the signs to the rental car area and you should be able to choose from top rental companies including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty.
You can also book a rental car in advance online by looking up the website of any of the above companies, where you can browse vehicles and book based on size and model. The price you pay for the car will depend on the type of automobile and for how long you need it.
The minimum age for driving a rental car is typically 21, although certain larger vehicles suck as trucks can sometimes have a higher minimum age, so check before purchasing.
To drive in Canada, you must posses a valid driver’s license from your home country that will not expire for at least another year. Tourists are strongly urged to consider obtaining and international license, which can make the process of renting much simpler.
In order to complete a rental purchase you will also need to buy insurance; this covers both you and the rental company in the unfortunate event of an accident or other problem.
• Driving In Canada
Once you have your rental car it’s important to memorize some basic rules about driving in Canada, which might be different from the rules of the road in your home country.
Remember that Canada’s climate can produce major snowfall and ice, particularly in the winter months, so exercise caution when driving as conditions might be difficult.
Seatbelts are required to be worn at all times by the driver and all passengers. If you have infants or other small children that weigh less than 40 pounds, they must be in car seats.
Cars drive on the right side of the road, just as in the United States.
If you’re a smoker, please note that several major provinces of Canada have issued total bans on smoking in an automobile if minors are also in the car with you.
As in many other countries around the world, drinking and driving is a major crime and will be treated as such by the local police. If you are intoxicated and found driving in Canada you risk having your driver’s license suspended, as well as possible arrest and having the rental car taking to a policy pound. It’s not worth the risk, because being caught for drunk driving will stay on your record in Canada and can be used as a reason to deny you entry in the future.
Talkative tourists should be wary of the fact that you are not allowed to drive and hold a mobile phone at any time. The only way that you are authorized to make phone calls when driving in Canada is if you use a device that is hands free, no exceptions.
If you’re fluent in both English and French then you are in great luck for when it comes to reading the signs of the road. In many locations, particularly in the large cities, you can expect to see road signs that are written in both French (which many Canadians speak) and English. But note that in certain provinces, in particular Quebec, the road signs might be written solely in French, so you might have to rely somewhat on GPS or plan out your trip in advance with maps.
Canada’s speed limits on the road are signed using the metric system, so it’s useful to know the difference between kilometers and miles for your trip. In the major cities you can expect the speed limit to be 50 kilometers (31 miles) per hour, whereas it’s higher at 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour on highways with two lanes, and up to 100 kilometers (62) miles per hour on the largest highways. Police enforce the speed limits, so take care not to exceed them.
In a few of the Canadian provinces you will find High Occupancy Vehicle lanes, commonly known as HOV lanes, that are designed to help reduce traffic congestion one some of the busiest urban roads. The goal is to encourage people to share rides to cut down on the number of vehicles on the road. Cars that have a minimum of two people inside them are able to use the HOV lanes, which often move much quicker than regular lanes. Typically the HOV lanes will be clearly designated by road signs, often with the symbol of a diamond.
Unlike the United States, tolls where you must pay a fee to access certain roads are not common in Canada. In only a handful of places will you find toll roads, including for some of the bridges that connect Canada to the United States. There is also a toll road in Nova Scotia, and another in Ontario known as the 407 that was designed to try and reduce congestion on the roads. If you find you have to use the 407 then paying the toll is a simple automated process, as a camera records your car’s license plate and the toll is charged to your final car rental fee.
Throughout most of Canada you can make a right turn when there is a red light, but please note that in Montreal this is not allowed.
Finally, in the event that your car breaks down, contact the Canadian Automobile Association for emergency help at 1-800-222-4357.