When you’re traveling and you’re going to be flying to your destination you have to consider how you’ll get around once you land. You have a few primary options, which include renting a car, taking a cab or using a rideshare service like Uber.
For most people, the decision boils down to rideshare or renting a car. Which is the best option, financially and logistically? Should you go ahead and rent a car, or should you go with a rideshare service?
The following are some things to consider.
Price Planning
If you’re traveling to a bigger city, you might not even be using any transportation that often when you’re there, other than to and from the airport. Or, you may be using public transportation primarily, and if you did rent a car, it might not be used often.
There are some things you can do ahead of time to calculate and compare pricing. First, think about your plans during your trip and use an Uber fare calculator to get estimates on the total you’ll spend. Then, you can calculate the cost of a rental car, but you also need to figure in gas and the cost to park it.
Location Logistics
How much will you be able to walk when you get to your destination. If you’re going to NYC as an example, you’re more than likely not going to rent a car because most places will be close to you, and if they’re not, it’s a short, inexpensive Uber ride.
If you want to be a little more precise in your estimates as to how much you can walk on your trip, use the Walkscore.com site.
Another location logistic to think about is whether or not parking is even going to be an option. Are there parking garages available at your hotel or nearby? If so, how much do they cost?
A third logistic to keep in mind is what else is going to be going on in your location while you’re there. If you’re traveling to a city and there’s a big event happening, Uber might enact surge pricing which can be many times more expensive than what the costs are normally. You may have no way to predict surge pricing, so you might prefer the stable and predictable pricing of a rental car.
Visit Length
How long do you plan to stay in your destination? If you’re only going to be at your destination for a weekend or a long weekend, you might want to opt for a rental car.
Since rental cars are charged by the day, pricing-wise you might come out on top if you go with this option for shorter trips. If you’re going somewhere for a longer visit, a rental car can get very expensive.
Finally, if you’re still unsure, call your hotel and ask them their thoughts on whether it’s better to rent a car or go with a rideshare service. They’ll be able to clue you in on what guests normally do and whether or not there are any local details to be aware of as you make your decision.