Cross Border Car Rentals

[CroFlames]

One ways inter-province or inter-state are fine.

One ways cross-border are, in my experience, a hard NO from all rental companies. Which is pretty darn inconvenient for my line of work.

[Robbob]

I tried to do a cross border (provincial) and they were added a crap bunch for the one way. I never actually looked into it but I considered contacting Uhaul to see if they had any one way charges.

[bizaro86]

I do one way car rentals fairly often in the US, and it's udually cheap and no hassle. I recently booked a palm Springs pick up LAX return for something like $25/day.

The only time I've ever done it across an international border is when I rented in Belfast and returned in Dublin.

I wouldn't call, you likely get someone undertrained who days no by reflex. Try to book it online, preferably from the car rental agency itself.

[EldrickOnIce]

Just got a 3 day rental from YUL to ORD (Montreal Trudeau Airport to OHare Chicago).
Several places will go cross the US border. I used Alamo. It's not cheap though (and can only be airport to airport AFAIK), but I rented standard SUV (Nissan Pathfinder) so obviously far more expensive than standard car.
Was $1200CDN taxes in!

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Just got a 3 day rental from YUL to ORD (Montreal Trudeau Airport to OHare Chicago).
Several places will go cross the US border. I used Alamo. It's not cheap though (and can only be airport to airport AFAIK), but I rented standard SUV (Nissan Pathfinder) so obviously far more expensive than standard car.
Was $1200CDN taxes in!

I need to look into this more. I've been stranded a time or two in SLC, GEG and SEA and it would have been 1,000 times easier to just drive home (or to Vancouver BC). Every rental company I called (this is across several occasions) said it was a hard no on one-way to Canada.

I don't recall if I called Alamo or not though, but the reps I spoke to say that is industry-wide to not allow one-ways cross border.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I need to look into this more. I've been stranded a time or two in SLC, GEG and SEA and it would have been 1,000 times easier to just drive home (or to Vancouver BC). Every rental company I called (this is across several occasions) said it was a hard no on one-way to Canada.

I don't recall if I called Alamo or not though, but the reps I spoke to say that is industry-wide to not allow one-ways cross border.

Interesting.
I just tried to book again the same trip I did.
YUL to ORD is available.
ORD to YUL for same dates is not.
It might be much more difficult to bring a car from the US to Canada.
That said, I drove a vehicle with Minnesota plates from Montreal to Illinois, so it must happen enough.

[mrkajz44]

Wow - this is a 4.5 year bump of a thread and everyone is just continuing on like the conversation never stopped. Impressive.

[Fuzz]

I wonder if renting the smallest U-haul available would let you get around this. I assume they let you cross borders. Of course, then you have to drive a U-haul. Might be good in emergencies though.

[verda13]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I wonder if renting the smallest U-haul available would let you get around this. I assume they let you cross borders. Of course, then you have to drive a U-haul. Might be good in emergencies though.

U-Haul has 1/2 ton pickup trucks available, as well.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

Wow - this is a 4.5 year bump of a thread and everyone is just continuing on like the conversation never stopped. Impressive.

By a user who signed up in 2009 and decided to make his first post -- in this thread -- eight years later...

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I wonder if renting the smallest U-haul available would let you get around this. I assume they let you cross borders. Of course, then you have to drive a U-haul. Might be good in emergencies though.

Except U-haul is $0.49 a km not unlimited like the standard car rentals.

[billybob123]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Except U-haul is $0.49 a km not unlimited like the standard car rentals.

If you rent one way, they give you a certain number of miles. Which can be negotiated as well. And it's never measured in km, it's always miles. U-Haul trucks are all AZ plated and everything is Imperial.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by billybob123

If you rent one way, they give you a certain number of miles. Which can be negotiated as well. And it's never measured in km, it's always miles. U-Haul trucks are all AZ plated and everything is Imperial.

I just rented one two weeks ago. It was $0.49/km. All paperwork was km.

[billybob123]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

I just rented one two weeks ago. It was $0.49/km. All paperwork was km.

Where did you rent from? Brother in law and I did Edmonton to Calgary last month and it was all in miles.

Maybe it's franchise dependent? Both times I've done one way Uhaul, it was negotiable miles.

That being said I would never rent a Uhaul unless I was moving something large.

There used to be a customs restriction about renting vehicles in the US and driving them into Canada, thank goodness that stupid law is gone. We rented a truck in the US to move to Calgary and got turned around at the border. Annoying and frustrating!

ETA when I was in grad school and helping people move regularly, it was $0.99 per mile on weekends and cheaper during the week.