Some Poole car providers already include Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Theft Protection Waiver into the hire price but not all of them. We recommend always be aware of your coverage when hiring a car in Poole.
Keep in mind that car rental insurances often have a deductible clause, which is the amount you’ll have to pay if something happens during the time of your rental. If you want to avoid unwanted surprises, you should consider adding a no-deductible option to your Poole car rental.
The seaport town of Poole possesses an excellent bus network connecting it to several of its neighbouring towns and villages. Despite this, the easy convenience and flexibility of a car offers greater freedom and comfort. If you are travelling in a large group, car hire in Poole is a more affordable means of transport that offers infinite range beyond a bus or train. The city of Exeter is about 79 miles west along the A35, while historic Plymouth lies a further 45 miles down the coast along the same road.
The most expedient location to hire a car in Poole is at Bournemouth Airport (BON), which is less than 12 miles from the town centre. The airport has an on-site Car Hire Centre, which is about 10 minutes’ walk from the exit at the Arrivals Hall, near Car Park 3.
The A350 is the primary artery for inbound and outbound traffic into Poole and is subject to serious vehicular congestion during morning and evening rush hours, as it passes through the town centre. The B3068 has a multi-lane roundabout (The George) outside a large retail zone (Kingland Road), and these areas are also prone to high levels of cycle and motor traffic during the weekday rush. Poole quayside district attracts high levels of pedestrian traffic during the summer season.
Between 07:00 and 08:30 (morning rush hours) and from 18:00–20:30 (evening rush), you should avoid the interchange where the A350 crosses the B3068 as well as the stretch of the A350 as it crosses the Poole Lifting Bridge, as these are obvious magnets for potential gridlock. The Kingsland Road retail zone is also a troublesome area during the afternoon hours between 13:00 and 15:00 when lunch/retail activity is at its peak.
25% of our users found a car hire in Poole for £56 or less
Book your car hire in Poole at least 1 week before your trip in order to get a below-average price
Economy car hires in Poole are around 53% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about car rentals in Poole
Some car hire companies in Poole which have updated their car rental health and safety policies due to COVID-19 to make sure vehicles are clean and disinfected include Enterprise, Avis and Europcar
On average a hire car in Poole costs £73 per day.
In the past 72 hours, the cheapest car hires were found at Enterprise (£73/day). In the last 72 hours the cheapest hire car price was found at Enterprise 510 Ringwood Road BH12 3LY (2 miles from the city centre).
The average price of fuel in Poole is £7.12 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of fuel costs between £85 and £114, depending on the car size.
Economy (Hyundai Accent or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Poole.
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
A Economy car hire in Poole costs £33 per day, on average.
A Compact car hire in Poole costs £50 per day, on average.
A Mini car hire in Poole costs £62 per day, on average.
In Poole, cars are most frequently hired at Europcar Unit 2 520 Wallisdown Road (2 miles from city centre).
On average hiring a car in Poole costs £509 per week (£73 per day).
On average a car hire in Poole costs £2,183 per month (£73 per day).
If you’re unsure about what type of vehicle is best for getting around Poole or areas beyond, you should consider that smaller compacts and economy cars are more fuel efficient and affordable than larger intermediate 4x4s and saloons. However, larger vehicles offer more storage and passenger capacity, which will matter if there are four or five people in your party.
Within the town of Poole, the legal speed limit is 30mph, but there are a few zones (built-up areas, hospital and school districts) where this limit is reduced to 20mph. The A35 is divided between dual carriageways (60mph) and single carriageway (50mph) sections, while on secondary roads like the B3068, speeds of 40mph are acceptable.
Poole has a variety of public parking options, including on-street parking, surface and multi-storey car parks, as well as harbour/quayside parking zones. On-street parking is pay and display with a maximum limit of 4h and costs about £1 per hour between 08:00 and 22:00 Monday through Sunday. From 22:00–08:00, there is a flat rate of approx. £2 with no limit. Regular business hours and tariffs at surface and multi-storey car parks depend on the location, but follow the same general guidelines as on-street parking. At Poole quay and harbourside car parks, on-street and surface parking rates are about £0.80 for 1h and follow the same business hours, except that parking is free every day between 22:00 and 08:00. Hours of operation and rates for multi-storey car parks in this area are around £1 per hour between 08:00-18:00 from Monday–Sunday and a flat rate of around £2 for the period from 18:00–08:00.