Car rentals in Valencia

Part of our guide to car hire in Spain.

Reviewed by the eCarBookers Editorial Team. Last updated 25 October 2026.

Driving and Parking in Valencia: What You Need to Know

• Getting here: The AP-7 Mediterranean motorway runs along the coast and links Valencia with the national network, and it connects to the A-23 towards Sagunto and Aragon and to the A-3, the road from Madrid. Valencia Airport (VLC) is in Manises, about 8 km west of the city centre, and a taxi from the airport is listed at 15 to 20 minutes, which is a fair guide to the drive in normal traffic.
• City centre driving: The historic centre, Ciutat Vella, is a priority residential area. Only authorised vehicles and public transport may enter, and the access points are monitored by camera, so a hire car should be left at a car park on the edge of the old town and the centre explored on foot. Your navigation app may route through the area, so check the restricted streets before you set off.
• Low emission zone: Valencia's low emission zone (ZBE) is being introduced in stages from 2025 to 2028. It restricts vehicles without a DGT environmental label, which in practice means petrol cars registered before about 2000 and diesel cars registered before about 2006. A recent hire car carries a label and is not affected. One report gives the fine for unauthorised entry as 200 euros, reduced to 100 euros if paid promptly, and the phasing dates differ slightly between sources, so confirm the current position with the city council before you travel.
• Street parking: The regulated ORA zones operate from 9:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 20:00, Monday to Saturday, with a maximum stay listed at two hours. Blue spaces are open to everyone, orange spaces cost more, and green spaces are for residents only. Meters accept cash and card, and you will need your registration number to start a session.
• Car parks: In the old town, the Plaza de Brujas car park is beside the Central Market, and the Plaza de la Reina car park is beside the Cathedral. Both are listed as open around the clock, so check their current status before relying on either. In the Ensanche, the Mercado de Colón car park sits at the edge of the shopping streets. At the City of Arts and Sciences, car parks under the Umbracle and at the Oceanogràfic are listed with a flat daily rate when you hold a ticket to one of the buildings.
• Tolls: The AP-7 is the main toll road for day trips, and the northern section towards Peñíscola has toll barriers. Reports of the total for that journey range from about 8 to 12 euros, so keep a card to hand at the barrier. The free N-340 runs the same way more slowly.
• Best time to drive: Early morning and mid-afternoon are the easiest times to move around the city. The roads to the Albufera and the beaches south of the city fill on Sunday evenings, and during Fallas in March many streets close to traffic.

Top Places to Visit from Valencia by Car

• The Albufera and El Palmar — about 10 to 15 km south of the city on the CV-500, roughly 20 to 25 minutes to El Palmar, the village on the lagoon where most of the rice restaurants are. The park has no entrance fee or gate. Parking in El Palmar is listed as tight at weekends from April to September, so arrive before lunch. For El Saler beach, leave the City of Arts and Sciences roundabout on the V-15, join the CV-500 and follow it for about 10 km.
• Sagunto — about 25 to 30 km north of the city. The Roman theatre and the hilltop castle give a view over the coast and the plain, and the town centre is quiet outside the main holiday dates. Sagunto also has its own low emission zone with its own rules, so check them if you plan to drive into the centre.
• Cullera — about 40 km south along the coast, roughly 45 minutes by car on one listing. The town lies on the southern edge of the Albufera Natural Park, with a castle on the hill above the beach.
• Xàtiva — about 55 to 60 km to the south-west, roughly 50 minutes by car. The two castles above the old town and the historic centre make it a full half day, and the car saves the wait for the train home.
• Peñíscola — about 140 km north on the AP-7 toll motorway, roughly 1 hour 30 minutes without stops. One guide names exit 45 for the town. The free N-340 is the slower alternative.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Valencia?

Peak season: July and August are the busiest months, with the highest prices and the heaviest beach traffic. The other peak is Fallas, which runs from 1 to 19 March, with the main events between 15 and 19 March. The mascletà fires daily at 2 pm in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, and the monuments are burned on the night of 19 March. Many streets close to traffic during these days, so collect the car on the day you plan to leave the city rather than keeping it in the centre.

Shoulder season: April to June and September to November are the most comfortable months for the Albufera and for the longer drives to Xàtiva and Peñíscola, with lighter traffic and easier parking.

Low season: December to February is the quietest period. Daylight is shorter, and some El Palmar restaurants keep reduced hours, so plan lagoon visits around lunch.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for the summer and for the Fallas dates, and earlier for automatic cars or larger vehicles. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty.

How Payment Works for Car Hire in Valencia

A rental prepayment confirms your booking online with Instant Confirmation, and you pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival, when you collect the car. The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk, and cancellation is free. The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit.

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Valencia

Green Motion and Surprice supply car hire in Valencia through eCarBookers. Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the car rental desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Zero-excess cover is an option you can select from the supplier at the desk, and you should always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys. Photograph the vehicle thoroughly at collection and again at return, so that you hold a dated record of its condition.

• Valencia Airport (VLC) — your booking voucher shows where and when the car is collected and returned, and it is the definitive source for the meeting point.
• Valencia Downtown — the voucher confirms the pick-up point and the opening hours for your date.
• Valencia Joaquín Sorolla Station — the voucher confirms the pick-up point and the opening hours for your date.