Car Rental and Transfer

Recommendations and information for a car rental and transfer for holidays in Sardinia

If you want to spend your holidays in Sardinia we recommend to have a car, because it gives you more flexibility and freedom and is the best way to discover the beauties of the island, not only the amazing coast line with long sand beaches and hidden coves, but also the fascinating interior with green plains and high mountains.

So if you arrive with the airplane at Olbia, Cagliari or Alghero, there are numerous car rentals in the airports, where you can book easy from home online and in advance a car. Among them, of course, known companies as Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, and smaller (mainly national) rentals such as b-rent, Sunny Cars, Trifthy and Sicily by car.

Some of the low-cost car rentals have their offices not directly in the airport, but nearby: they will pick you up with a free shuttle service and accompany you to their car rental station.

Especially when you stay in a hotel or a residence, there is no need to hire a car for the whole stay, so you can opt for daily car rentals to make some excursions to the main sights in the surroundings.

There are available (sometimes local) car rentals in the main holiday destinations in Sardinia, i. e. in Costa Smeralda, San Teodoro, Orosei, Arbatax, Villasimius, Costa Rei, Chia, Sant’Antioco, Oristano, Bosa and Porto Torres.

Good to know when hiring a car in Sardinia

There are a lot of car rental suppliers for hiring online a car or a van. If you want to stay in Sardinia in high season (July or August), it is better to book the vehicle in advance, especially the cheaper and smaller ones are in great demand. Remember that automatics in Italy often have a limited availability, and usually cost more.

The minimum age to rent a car is 21 years old, and drivers under 25 must pay in general an additional supplement.

If you don’t want to waste time of your precious holidays once arrived in Sardinia, standing in a long waiting line and prefer to skip the line in front of the car rental supplier’s desk, we recommend to book either a more expensive company such as Sixt or Europcar, join that company’s rewards program or to add during the online booking procedure an extra service called Skip the Counter which allows you to pick-up the car in Sardinia with priority.

Other recommendations are to use the credit card with the main driver’s name on it, print out the documents concerning the car rental, read all the information with attention and don’t forget them when you leave for your holidays.

What do you need to pick-up the car in Sardinia

To pick-up the car in Sardinia a state-issued and valid international driver’s license is required together with a valid ID. In addition you need a credit card with the main driver’s name on it with a large credit limit to block or charge the security amount. Please note: prepaid cards are generally NOT accepted.

The amount of the security deposit can vary between 400 and 2,500 euros and depends on both, the car rental company and the vehicle’s category. Make sure you have sufficient credit card coverage, since in the worst case the rental can be refused and you still have to bear the costs.

The security deposit is temporarily and will be re-credited automatically a few days after the return of the car (if no damage has been reported ).

What is a damage or loss waiver and how does it work

Rental cars are generally insured against damage caused by theft, f

e and natural forces. With this basic protection, the costs are up to 1,500 euros in the case of damages and up to 3,000 euros for theft (costs may vary).

If you prefer to travel without worries you can limit your liability by paying an additional insurance to obtain total coverage (we recommend to read the suppliers conditions carefully to understand what damages are included and checking that you have not already added a total coverage when booking the vehicle online).

If the car is finally delivered to you by company employee, check carefully and calmly the outside and the inside and report any small damages, including scratches. This is the only way to prevent nasty surprises.

Roads and driving rules in Sardinia: what you need to know

First of all: Italians and therefore also Sardinians drive on the right side of the road!

Don’t turn right, when the traffic lights are red: it is NOT allowed!

If you see a street sign (especially in Cagliari) with Zona traffico limitato, it indicates street which are closed for cars in certain times.

In Sardinia you travel on freeways, there are no toll motorways. The freeways are the SS131 from Porto Torres in the northwest to Cagliari in the south (also called Carlo Felice), the SS131 dcn from Olbia in the northeast via Nuoro to Abbasanta to connect to the SS131, and the SS130, which leads from Cagliari to Iglesias in the southwest.

To explore as best the beauties of Sardinia, there are a lot of panoramic roads along the amazing coast, and some winding roads through the hinterland and the mountains.

The speed limit in Italy is measured in kilomertes, not miles, and the limits are: 110 km/h on freeways, between 70 and 90 km/h on secondary roads and 50 km/h within built up areas. All over Sardinia there are a lot of cameras measuring a car’s speed, automatically issuing a ticket. This will be sent to the car rental agency, and the cost automatically taken from your credit card.

Concerning drink-driving in Italy, the blood alcohol limit is 0,5 g/l.

Book your transfer in Sardinia with us – Comfort, Punctuality, and Courtesy

If you’re arriving by plane but don’t need a rental car, we’ll organize your customized private transfer to and from airports, ports, hotels, villas, beaches, and any other destination on the island.

Contact us for a personalized quote and to book your transfer!