This price is the cheapest per day rate found by a KAYAK user in the last 48 hours by searching for a car hire in Cologne with a pick-up date of 2/10 and drop-off date of 9/10. Fares are subject to change and may not be available at all agencies or on all dates of hire. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
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Cheap car hire in Cologne
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.
Best prices found by KAYAK users in the past 48 hours.
Booking Insights
Good to know
Most popular agency
Most popular car type
Average price
Good deal
Flex To Go
Economy
£30/day
£24/day
KAYAK’s insights & trends for Cologne car hire
Check out the latest trends and booking tips to hire a car in Cologne with confidence.
How far in advance should you book car hire in Cologne?
You should book your car hire in Cologne around 7 days before your trip in order to get a below-average price.
What is the cheapest car hire company in Cologne?
In the past 72 hours, the cheapest hire cars were found at Flex To Go (£11.43/day), Wheego (£19.63/day), and Alamo (£21.68/day). The cheapest car hire price was found at Flex To Go Mietwagenzentrum, Terminal 1, Köln, Germany (8.4 mi from city centre).
What is the best car hire company in Cologne?
Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car hire companies in Cologne are Budget (10.0, 1 review), Alamo (10.0, 1 review), and National (7.3, 1 review).
Intermediate cars (Peugeot 408 or similar) are the most popular type of vehicle to hire in Cologne. Intermediate cars in Cologne cost £27/day on average, though some users have found deals as low as £20/day.
What is the cheapest month to hire a car in Cologne?
The cheapest month to hire a car in Cologne is October at an average cost of £27/day. July is the most expensive month to hire a car in Cologne when prices are £38/day on average, which tends to be 11% above the yearly average hire price for Cologne.
What car hire company in Cologne has the most locations?
Sunnycars operates 24 locations in Cologne, more than any other car hire company.
City center is hard to find street parking, so avoid it and park in garages instead. Otherwise very beautiful city and countryside.
Verified travelerAug 2023
Give the people what they rented and the same price
KAYAK’s top tips for hiring a car in Cologne
With so many sights to see along the Rhine, car hire in Cologne is almost essential if you want to take in as many as possible, without having to rely on fixed public transport schedules and routes. A short drive from the centre to the north of the city is Cologne Botanical Garden, with its glass palace and tropical greenhouse. There are also too many museums to count, including the Fragrance Museum, which is the oldest of its kind still existent in the world.
Cologne has its own international airport, Cologne Bonn Airport. As a large European travel hub, it has convenient access to car hire facilities. Companies like Avis, Enterprise, Budget and Hertz can all be found in Terminal 2, in the public area outside D Arrivals. Once all your Cologne car hire necessities have been seen to, you’ll merely have to cross the road outside the terminal exit, Kennedystrasse, and the hire car parking area will be on your right. If you’re travelling from the airport directly to the centre of the city, it will take you about 15min to make the 17 km (10.5 miles) drive.
Cologne strives to be a very green city, and certain areas in the city require you to have a green environmental sticker on your windshield. This is known as the Cologne Low Emission Zone, and it is very clearly marked out. The required stickers should be supplied with any hire car you choose that has an Emission Group 4 rating, so make sure of it when you collect your car, otherwise you could find yourself unwittingly facing a fine. Alternatively, you can park your car outside the Low Emission Zone in one of the many city car parks and take one of the frequent buses into the zone.
Rush hours in Cologne can be every bit as congested as in any other major European city. The congestion starts to build up from about 07:30, with peak hour from 08:00 to 09:00. Expect the traffic in the afternoon to start building from around 16:00 and become densest at around 17:00. The busiest streets are the most central ones, like Hohestrasse and Schildergasse, which are both vibrant commercial and shopping districts. Plot your route to avoid travelling along these roads during rush hour.
Driving in Cologne is a pure pleasure, as the city has so much to show. It’s even more exciting to go off the beaten track and venture to the areas around the city; but getting lost is not fun, convenient or economical. For this reason, it is advised that you hire a GPS navigation system when you make your online booking. This way, you can obtain cheap car hire in Cologne and instantly be on the road with the shorter routes, easier navigation and even traffic jams highlighted for your drive ahead.
German cars often have a manual transmission for their gearboxes, making stick-shift driving necessary for many people in the country. For cheap car hire in Cologne, you should make sure you are comfortable driving a manual before you book, or double-check with the car hire company that they have automatic versions of your preferred vehicles available. They are much easier to drive but tend to get booked up fast, so try to plan as far in advance as you can.
If you are driving with children in your hire car, you will need to understand the rules of the road with regard to their safety. It is vital that babies are strapped in rear-facing car seats until 9 kg in weight, in forward-facing car seats until 18 kg in weight and then in a toddler or booster seat until they are 135 cm in height. Most Cologne car hire companies have car seats for hire and will even fit them for you.
25% of our users found a car hire in Cologne for £24 or less
Mini hire cars in Cologne are around 48% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about car hire in Cologne
What type of car is recommended for driving in Cologne?
Given the significant emphasis on green driving in this city, try to get as eco-friendly a vehicle as you can when you book car hire in Cologne. Look for the latest, most fuel-efficient models with small engine capacity and a low carbon emissions rating when browsing through the options. A small city car is all you’ll really need in the city, unless there are a few of you together, in which case a compact saloon will do nicely. Just remember to make sure that it has its green sticker when you collect it at the airport.
What’s the speed limit in Cologne?
In the centre of the city and other built-up areas of Cologne, the speed limit is 50km/h (30mph). Once you get further out you can go up to 100km/h, which is just over 62mph. When you’re clear of any towns and are travelling on the large motorways you can push it to 130km/h (80mph).
Where are the best places to park in Cologne?
There are plenty of car parks and parking areas in Cologne city centre, with free Park and Ride parking areas towards the outskirts. For the latter, head to P+R Stammheim or P+R Welden West. The car parks in the inner areas include Parkhaus Am Dom and Parkhaus Gross Sankt Martin. The average cost is between €1.50 and €2.50 per hour (approx. £1.30 to £2.20).
How much does it cost to hire a car in Cologne?
On average a car hire in Cologne costs £30 per day.
Which car hire agencies are at Köln/Bonn airport (CGN)?
Car hire companies onsite at Köln/Bonn airport include Flex To Go, Alamo and Avis.
Which car hire companies will pick you up at Köln/Bonn airport (CGN)?
Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Köln/Bonn airport to off-airport locations include Alamo, Avis and Sixt.
How can I find car hires near me in Cologne?
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
How much does an Economy car hire cost in Cologne?
An Economy car hire in Cologne costs £28 per day, on average.
How much does a Standard car hire cost in Cologne?
A Standard car hire in Cologne costs £26 per day, on average.
How much does a Compact car hire cost in Cologne?
A Compact car hire in Cologne costs £30 per day, on average.
What is the most popular car hire location in Cologne?
In Cologne, cars are most frequently hired at Flex To Go Mietwagenzentrum, Terminal 1, Köln, Germany (8 miles from city centre).
Should I get insurance when hiring a car in Cologne?
Most car hire providers in Cologne offer insurance but the level of protection can differ substantially. If you're unsure whether to get extra protection for your car hire in Cologne, check out KAYAK's car hire insurance guide.
What are the available fuel policies for car hire in Cologne?
Consider your holiday or business itinerary before you choose the fuel policy for your hire car. It is not advisable to opt for the full tank policy if you are staying around the city and doing minimal driving, as you will pay for a full tank and not be refunded on unused fuel. Full-to-full is a great fuel policy for all drivers, as you pay for your fuel only as you use it, returning the vehicle with the same level that it was collected with.
What is the minimum age for car hire in Cologne?
To qualify for car hire in Cologne, you will find that some car hire companies will allow for the minimum age of hire to be just 18, while others will prefer 21 years of age. You may still be charged a youth driver's fee if you are under 25 years of age though, but it is usually quite low.
I liked that Kayak could find me a car to hire when all car hire companies in Cologne said none was available, including Budget/Avis. Online hire was easy and the lady in the hire outlet was very nice. Unlimited milage is a must as travelling is not restricted
The car was spotless and in a great condition in general. The staff was brilliant, very helpful and polite. Explained everything from how and where to pick the car to the a way of handing it back. I had a small mishap by leaving the car with an open window in the parking bay in front of my residence. The member of public spotted that and called the Police. Police have protected car by towing it away. The Alamo company was perfectly fine by that and after recovering the car the next day from the Police, they've decided not to charge me anything extra. Would recommend Alamo and its crew to everyone, they are an excellent team who care about their good name and the name of their company. Definitely a breathtaking experience you won't see everyday!
Car was terrible, seems it was a car from 80s. An employee who gave me this car was extremely rude. She made me feel like I'm bagging her to feed me. 3 times she said that I'm in Germany not at home. Disgusting
10.0 Wonderful
Travis, Feb 2024
Compact
Great desk agents
8.0 Very Good
Anonymous, Feb 2024
Economy
oil signed showed up and needed to get back to them and get oil by myself and added to the car.
I ended up paying more than I had banked on. I purchased insurance at the counter, which wasn't an option in the online booking, and turned out to be several times the rental. But the car was clean modern and easy to use, and the staff where helpfully.
4.0 Mediocre
Anonymous, Oct 2021
over charged me by 60 euros. Added all kinds of fees that were not on the original reservation...and apparently it's fair game because I paid at the counter...
Sixt confirmed my reservation and took my payment. But when I arrived to pick up my car, they said no cars were available. They have not yet refunded my money. Avoid Sixt!
Will not be hiring a vehicle through avis again. Hired 2 vehicles whilst in Europe and both times was overcharged. They have not sent me the rental documents for the final rental so I don't even know what I have been charged for. Very poor company not happy at all.
Our car broke down less than 5 km from Star Car. They did not help us at all, and we had to wait for the tow truck to take us and the car to the car dealership. They charged us extra and provided no help as we did not speak the language. Will never use them again. It ended up delaying our trip 7 hours and we missed our dinner and hotel reservation, again with no assistance from Star Car.
Some Cologne car providers already include Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Theft Protection Waiver into the hire price but not all of them. We recommend being aware of your coverage when hiring a car in Cologne.
Keep in mind that car hire insurances often have a deductible clause, which is the amount you’ll have to pay if something happens during the time of your hire. If you want to avoid unwanted surprises, you should consider adding a non-deductible option to your Cologne car hire.
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