Cambridge car hires from £16/day

Because of the denser traffic in the centre of Cambridge, and on the main arterials to and through the city, you’ll probably want to avoid getting too big a vehicle if you’re going to be spending a lot of time there. A compact city car or a small saloon will do you nicely. Feel free to choose pretty much anything for rural roads – if you choose a 4x4, just be aware of environmental impact restrictions in some areas. Otherwise, something like an MPV or SUV will be just the ticket.

Be on your toes with speed limits in Cambridge – the city centre has a 20mph limit, which differs from the 30mph in other UK cities. Once you drive out into the suburbs, standard UK speed limits apply, going from 30mph up to 40mph on the wider feeder roads in the area.

You’ll need a visitor permit to park in Cambridge. You can get these at a cost of £12, which will allow you five visits to the city’s central parking areas. You can use these credits any time you like for up to a year. There are several multi-storey car parks that you can choose from, such as the Grafton East and West car parks, and the Grand Arcade car park.

On average a car hire in Cambridge costs £34 per day.

Car hire companies onsite at Heathrow airport include GREEN MOTION, Avis, U-Save, SURPRICE CAR RENTAL, Arnold Clark, EZ Drive Car Rentals and Routes Car & Truck Rentals.

Car hire companies onsite at Gatwick airport include U-Save and Routes Car & Truck Rentals.

Car hire companies onsite at Stansted airport include GREEN MOTION and Routes Car & Truck Rentals.

Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Heathrow airport to off-airport locations include GREEN MOTION and Avis.

Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Gatwick airport to off-airport locations include GREEN MOTION and Avis.

Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Stansted airport to off-airport locations include GREEN MOTION and Avis.

Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.

An Economy car hire in Cambridge costs £48 per day, on average.

A Mini car hire in Cambridge costs £30 per day, on average.

A Full Size car hire in Cambridge costs £139 per day, on average.

In Cambridge, cars are most frequently hired at GREEN MOTION Novotel London Stansted Hotel Round Coppice Road (23 miles from city centre).

Most car hire providers in Cambridge offer insurance but the level of protection can differ substantially. If you're unsure whether to get extra protection for your car hire in Cambridge, check out KAYAK's car hire insurance guide.

While the UK is one of the easiest countries to drive in when it comes to road maintenance and signage, the road networks can still be pretty complicated. It is absolutely beneficial to hire a GPS with your car hire to navigate roads, find the shortest routes and avoid traffic jams. You will also save fuel by not getting lost. Check your car for a spare tyre and basic tool kit as well. This should come free.

While most car hire companies will allow you to hire a car from 21 years of age, there are a few that prefer you to be 23 and older. There may also be a young driver's surcharge fee, which usually applies to under 25s from select agencies. There is not usually an upper limit in the UK but this is at the discretion of the car hire company.