Compare Wellington Ferry Rental Car Prices​

Wellington

Compare prices and book your Wellington Ferry rental car before you arrive.

Wellington ferry terminal is where you get the ferry from the North Island to the Picton in the South Island. You can take your rental car on the ferry however most hire car companies prefer if you drop off your car at the Wellington branch and pick up a fresh rental car in Picton when you arrive. Campervans are able to be taken from one island to the next and quite often the cost of the Interislander or Blue Bridge ferry crossing will be included in the rental price.

There are also rental car drop off points at the Wellington Airport if you are flying to the South Island and likewise if you are picking up a hire car you will find all branches at the airport and at the ferry terminal. Check out our Rental Car Ferry Guide.

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Picking up your rental car

Where are the car rental desks located at the wellington interislander ferry terminal

Major on-terminal suppliers like Hertz operate customer service kiosks directly inside the main terminal building on Aotea Quay. If you book with off-terminal providers like Ezi Car Rental or Apex Car Rentals, their depots are located just outside the port gates on Waterloo Quay or surrounding city streets. Off-terminal brands typically coordinate a shuttle service or require a very short taxi ride from the foot passenger arrivals area.

How does the vehicle collection process work if I am crossing from the South Island?

If your provider uses a "terminal-to-terminal" vehicle swap model (such as Hertz or Europcar), you will return your South Island car at the Picton terminal, cross the Cook Strait as a foot passenger, and collect a brand-new vehicle at the Wellington terminal desk once you disembark. If you are using a "drive-on" provider that allows cross-island transit, you will simply drive the exact same vehicle off the ferry structure and directly out of the vehicle lanes onto Aotea Quay without stopping at the terminal desk.

What specific rules apply to licensing and digital payments at the ferry desk?

You must present a valid, physical domestic driver's licence written entirely in English, or an approved International Driving Permit alongside your original native licence. For the mandatory security bond, you must present a physical credit card issued in the primary driver's name; mobile digital wallet payments (like Apple Pay or Google Pay) are strictly unaccepted for processing security holds at the counter.

Dropping off your rental car

What is the step-by-step process for returning a vehicle to the Wellington terminal?

Approach the waterfront via Aotea Quay and follow the overhead road signs directing traffic toward the Interislander Ferry Passenger Terminal. Look for the dedicated roadside markers pointing to the Rental Car Returns parking bays located adjacent to the main terminal building. Park inside your specific provider's designated bay, lock all doors, note your final mileage and fuel gauge readings, and hand the physical keys to the terminal counter staff.

How do I complete my return if I arrive for a sailing outside of standard office hours?

Park and lock the car in your provider's assigned terminal parking spaces exactly as you would during normal operating hours. Walk into the main terminal passenger hall—which stays open to accommodate scheduled ferry arrival and departure windows—and drop the keys securely into the branded, locked key drop slot integrated into the front of your provider's service counter.

Where is the most convenient place to refuel my rental car before drop-off?

There are no petrol stations inside the immediate port vehicle layout, so you must top off before entering the terminal queues. The closest and most convenient option is Z Waterloo Quay, situated just a 2-minute drive south of the terminal gates along the main quay. Top off the tank completely to prevent your provider from assessing a premium port-side refueling surcharge.