Your quick travel guide to Plymouth

Car Rental in Plymouth: Your Home Base for a Self-Drive Tour of Devon and Cornwall

Plymouth is an excellent city in which to pick up your English car hire and from which to base your travels of Devon and Cornwall, particularly if you can book accommodation that also provides you complementary off-street parking. A beautiful city with many nearby sights, Plymouth feels like a home away from home, in that it offers a lot to see and do without the feeling of being a tourist trap. Make the most of your visit and get the best deals on car hire in Plymouth by following this brief guide!

Left-Hand Driving

  • When you pick up your Plymouth car hire, remember that traffic drives on the left-hand side of the road.

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Rental cars in Plymouth are available in three locations: at the port, downtown, and at the central railway station. Car hire in Plymouth typically starts at €21 a day.

Tips for Cheap Car Hire in Plymouth

For the most availability and cheapest car rentals in Plymouth, book your car from the central railway station or downtown, but make sure to check the prices at both locations before you book! Depending on the season and how far in advance you book your rental car, car hire in Plymouth is cheaper at one or the other location. At the railway station, Keddy by Europcar typically offers the best auto hire prices, while Firefly offers economy rental cars for excellent prices in downtown Plymouth.

Particularly if you are visiting Plymouth during the popular summer months, plan to book your rental car at least three months in advance in order to ensure you receive the best auto hire prices.

Tips for Safe and Easy Travels after You Pick Up Your Car Hire in Plymouth

Speed limits in Plymouth:

  • Unless otherwise marked, the speed limit within Plymouth city limits is 30 miles per hour (48 kilometres per hour).

Parking in Plymouth:

  1. There are 50 car parks and over 5,200 parking spaces throughout Plymouth. Particularly in the city centre, you will find that parking is regulated by both time and fee.
  2. Street parking typically costs around £1.50 an hour during business hours, seven days a week in central Plymouth. You will purchase a ticket at a pay and display ticketing machine along the sidewalk by which you have parked your Plymouth rental car.
  3. There are also plentiful car parks throughout the city and along the waterfront, though you are likely to find that the waterfront car parks fill quickly. There is also street parking available along the Hoe waterfront.

The only tolled road in the Plymouth area is the Tamar Bridge 6 miles northwest of Plymouth on the Devon Expressway. In 2018, the toll for a passenger car is £1.50.

Car and passenger ferries are available from the port of Plymouth to both Roscoff, France (travel time is 6 to 8 hours) and Santander, Spain (travel time is 20 hours). Before you make any plans to travel via ferry with your rental car, be sure to speak with your car hire company! Ferry travel with a rental car is often prohibited or may be permitted only with significant surcharges.

Exploring Southwestern England with Your Plymouth Car Hire

Southwestern England has so much to offer in terms of sights and experiences, particularly for travellers who stay mobile and flexible via car hire. Here are some ideas for full- or half-day road trips in the Plymouth area:

  • Dartmoor National Park: with rolling hills, moors, crags, and cairns aplenty, a hike or drive through Dartmoor is a must during your visit to Plymouth. Get out of the city and enjoy this unique part of the English countryside. Dartmoor National Park begins just 6 miles north of Plymouth and is well worth spending the day driving in and through. Be sure to stop often and get out of the car to get the most thorough Dartmoor experience!
  • Cornwall, especially the Cornish Riviera: though Plymouth is located in the district of Devon, it borders Cornwall, which is renowned for its beautiful coastline. For an enjoyable day-long road trip, consider driving to Land’s End, the southernmost tip of Cornwall, located just under 100 miles away from Plymouth. Be sure to make numerous stops along the way, whether you drive the southern route along the A390, through the middle of the peninsula along the A30, or along the northern route of the A39. If you choose to drive the A30, consider stopping at the unique Eden Project, 36 west miles from Plymouth. Alternatively, drive north to the A39 in order to visit the famous Tintagel Castle on your way to Land’s End. The castle is located 44 miles north of Plymouth.