Although Tenerife is criss-crossed with a network of bus routes, hiring a car will simply give you the greatest freedom. Especially if you want to discover the island's natural beauty, visit remote beaches, mountain treks and beautiful valleys, you can't avoid a rental car.
Where, when and how to book a car in Tenerife
There are dozens of different car rental companies on Tenerife, so the easiest option is to use one of the comparison engines that will sort the offers of all available car rental companies according to your criteria. In particular, we have long experience with booking.com's search engine.
Compare car rental prices on booking.com
For each offer, you will always see the specific car rental company where you will physically rent the car. The price in the comparison engine is usually the same or even better than on the rental company's website. We recommend avoiding offers from Goldcar and Rhodium due to their unreliability.
Car rental branches are mainly concentrated at the two Tenerife airports, but many companies have local branches in the resorts. Again, all the options will show up in the search engines above.
For car hire bookings, generally the earlier you book, the cheaper it will be. The ideal time to book a car is about 2-3 months before your trip.
Tenerife car rental prices
Due to the high competition, car rental prices in Tenerife are relatively low, at least compared to Western Europe. Even in high season you can get a small car from 26 eur per day. The price depends on the length of the rental, the longer the longer, the cheaper the daily price will be. Examples of prices during the summer holidays:
- 7-day rental - small car from 190 eur
- 4-day rental - small car from 105 eur
- Book a car at Tenerife Sur airport
- Book a car at Tenerife Norte Airport
Prices during the winter season are then up to half the price, especially if you book more in advance. See the current prices for car rental in Tenerife.
International driving licence and other documents
Tenerife is part of the European Union, so there's no need for an international driving licence. The rental company will also accept a national driving licence from any EU country.
If you hold a driving licence from a non-EU country, Norway, Switzerland or Iceland, get an international driving licence with your licence.
Car rental companies usually require a credit card to rent a car, and will often lend on a debit card, but either on less favourable terms or with a very high deposit often exceeding even 1 000 eur.
Petrol prices and parking in Tenerife
Petrol is generally cheaper in Tenerife than in mainland Europe. Typical prices for a litre of conventional 95 octane petrol range between 1,15 eur and 1,40 eur. The density of petrol stations is quite adequate, especially along the coast, where you will come across a petrol station every few kilometres.
Parking in Tenerife is mostly hassle-free. In every town you will always find at least one large car park near the centre or tourist attractions. On the plus side, most of these car parks are free.
Traffic and traffic regulations
Driving in Tenerife is relaxed and comfortable. The roads are in perfect condition, as are the signage. Virtually all but a short stretch in the north-west of the island is covered by a classic motorway, which takes you quickly from one end of the island to the other. The motorways to Tenerife are free.
High-quality asphalt roads lead to all tourist attractions, even in remote mountainous areas.
Traffic regulations are similar to those in other European countries. Driving on the right is classic here, seat belt use is compulsory and talking on the phone while driving is prohibited under heavy fines! Speed limits are as follows:
- 50 km/h in the village.
- outside the village: 100 km/h
- motorways and all roads with 2 lanes in one direction: 120 km/h