Car Rental in Alajuela
If you travel to Alajuela in Costa Rica, it is best to rent a car. Renting a car in Alajuela will guarantee you safety, comfort and freedom on your trip. With a car you can move around all parts of the city quickly.
At the same time with a car you can visit other destinations and attractions that are well in Alajuela or nearby, such as Alajuela Beach, which stands out for its fine sands and crystal clear waters, from where you can go excursions and watch the whales in the Parque Nacional Marino Ballenas. You can also visit the Alajuela or Santa Lucía waterfalls, or contemplate the wonders of the fauna of Costa Rica in the Oro Verde biosphere reserve.
Renting a car in Alajuela avoids the inconvenience of traveling by public transport or by taxi. At the same time, a car will be very useful in an emergency or to transport your luggage or packages in case you go shopping.
Where to rent a car in Alajuela?
Requirements to rent a car in Alajuela
To rent a car in Alajuela you must be at least 25 years old, although it will depend on the agency where you rent your car, since some exceptions to this rule apply.
- Among the documents that you must present at the car rental office are:
- I.D
- In case you are a foreigner, you must bring your passport.
Credit card: The credit card is necessary to make the payment of the car rental in addition to making the deposit as a guarantee in case of accidents.
Best car rental in Alajuela
In Alajuela there are many car rental options. In most of the car rental companies in Alajuela you will find a wide variety of car models, for all tastes and needs.
If you are traveling as a family or with a group of friends, you should consider renting a Minivan or a Van, since they are very spacious cars, so it will be very useful to move all the personnel and luggage without space problems. The van, however, have the disadvantage of being more expensive.
So if you travel alone, as a couple or your group does not exceed 4 people, best car rental in Alajuela for you, will be a compact car, which will be much cheaper. Compact cars are the cheapest cars while being comfortable and ideal for traveling within the city.
If what you are looking for is an adventure trip and you intend to enter the jungle or mountainous areas or those with difficult access, then it is better to opt for a suv, a car with 4-wheel drive. These cars are more powerful and are built to ride on all types of terrain, so they are safer for this type of trip.
Rental cars options in Alajuela
- Intermediate
- Automatic
- 5
- 3
- Standard Size
- Automatic
- 5
- 3
- Compact
- Automatic
- 4
- 4
- Economy
- Automatic
- 4
- 3
- Compact
- Automatic
- 5
- 3
- Compact
- Manual
- 5
- 4
Tips for car rental in Alajuela
If you want to make your best car rental in Alajuela on your trip to Costa Rica, it is best to follow the following tips.
- Compare the prices of various Alajuela car rental companies online before deciding on one. Be sure to check the prices for the date you intend to travel, as prices vary from season to season depending on tourism demand.
- Check the offers. Car rental companies often launch offers for different reasons such as: cars that have low demand in a certain period, cars whose rental was canceled or simply for marketing reasons. These offers are the best opportunity to hunt down the lowest prices.
- Make sure there are no hidden taxes. For this, verify that the insurance and accessories you need are included in the total amount of the rent.
- Once you show up at the rental company's office, read the contract carefully and make sure the price matches the reservation you made online.
- Check the car well before taking it away. Check for scratches or dents. Check well the condition of the tires and that the accessories work correctly.
Car Rental Scams in Alajuela
Below we give a group of tips to avoid scams or deception in your car rental in Alajuela.
Make sure you pay for what they give you: Sometimes, especially if you rent a car in Alajuela online, you may see a surprisingly low price and make the rental. However, when you show up at the office and fill out the contract, they can surprise you with a much higher amount for your car rental.
But do not be scared, it is not something usual, but it happens. What happen? Some companies do not include insurance in their online form by default. In Costa Rica, Primary Civil Liability Insurance is mandatory by law, so it must be marked by default on the rental form.
To avoid this surprise then keep in mind to make sure that the PLI is marked on the reservation form when you make the reservation online.
Delay in the return of the deposit: When you sign the car rental contract at the company office they require you to make a deposit on your credit card. The amount varies depending on the insurance you hire. Normally the return of this amount must be made immediately upon the return of the car in case you have not suffered accidents. However, it may happen that the money is returned to you several days and even weeks later.
Check with the office staff for their policies on this before signing the contract.
Cheap car rental in Alajuela
Choose a compact. These cars, despite being smaller, are cheaper without compromising comfort. If you are skilled in driving cars then you might be better off renting a manual transmission car, as automatic transmission cars are slightly more expensive. Never rent at an airport. Renting a car at the airport will always be more expensive since the car rental companies that have stands at the airports always charge airport tax or extra charges, which will result in an increase in the amount of your car rental.
The low season to visit Ajalueja begins in May and ends in mid-December. This is the rainy season in Alajuela, so the number of foreign visitors decreases, which results in a decrease in prices.
High season is the best to enjoy a more pleasant climate, however it is the most expensive and runs from mid-December to April.
For advise about renting a cheap car in Alajuela see How to rent a car cheaper?Price Car Rental Considerations Alajuela
Faqs about car rental in Alajuela
Is it safe to rent a car in Alajuela?
Alajuela is a quiet city. The city is well signposted and drivers apply courtesy to the road. In the city there are a large number of companies where you can rent a car, several of them of an international nature that have a lot of prestige and are well known throughout the world, such as Hertz, Expidia, etc.
There are also several local car rental companies that have earned a well-deserved reputation and offer excellent service. So yes, it is safe to rent a car in Alajuela.
However, you must have the elementary security measures as if you were renting the car in any other part of the world.
- Respect traffic laws.
- Do not consume alcoholic beverages while driving.
- Avoid parking your car in unprotected areas, with little traffic or in poorly lit areas at night to avoid possible theft.