Renting a Car at the Orlando Station

[The Davy Crockett]

The last time I disembarked at the Orlando train station was 1989. At that time I don't believe renting a car there was an option, as I took a cab to the international airport (MCO) for a car rental. I'm planning a trip for February or March on one of the "Silvers" and I noticed that Amtrak offers Hertz rentals through the website. Has anyone rented a car at ORL recently? Or compared rental car options when arriving by train into ORL? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

All I can tell you is what I saw with my own two eyes. Namely, that there was nobody at the Hertz desk when we arrived on the Silver Meteor this last summer. We ended up negotiating a flat rate with a taxicab to the airport and then renting from there.

 

[jis]

I have picked up and returned a Hertz rental at Orlando Amtrak station many times. You have to make a reservation by phone or on the web stating Orlando Amtrak as the pickup point. When the train arrives a Hertz agent shows up with the rental folders and keys. Appropriate number of cars are parked in the Hertz reserved spaces at the station. The rental price is the same as available at MCO, which can be anything from quite reasonable to completely exorbitant given the season and how early you managed to reserve.

For returning just park the car at a reserved Hertz spot at the station and drop the key and the rental agreement in the drop box provided for such.

Indeed, I have also picked up a Hertz rental at MCO and returned it at ORL or vice versa. no additional drop off charges for doing so either.

 

[Tony]

Like jis, I have rented a Hertz car many times at Orlando. My comments would all be the same.

The only times the Hertz desk would be empty, is if there were no reservations for that train. They don't stock cars at the station, so they don't really support walk-ups.

When reserving a Hertz car, don't forget to try the Amtrak discount offer.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

THANKS for the information. I'll book the car in advance and use the Amtrak discount!

 

[Steve4031]

This is timely. I might do this some day.

 

[Pastor Dave]

It's been 4 years, but the last time we rented we had to go to the airport but could leave the car back at the tranin station.

 

[JoanieBlon]

Have you checked into renting a car from Enterprise and requesting their publicized free pick-up service? Their rates are usually pretty good.

"We'll pick you up!"

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Have you checked into renting a car from Enterprise and requesting their publicized free pick-up service? Their rates are usually pretty good.

"We'll pick you up!"

That is a great idea. Past experience makes me think that Enterprise could well be cheaper than Hertz. I'm not planning to arrive or depart on a Sunday, which can be a problem with Enterprise.

 

[pennyk]

Orlando is my home station, so I have no need to rent a car there, but most of the time I am in the station, the Hertz counter is staffed. My guess is that picking up a car there is less expensive than at the airport. I know that there is an Enterprise rental facility located at 35 E. Colonial Drive, which is about 3 miles from the Amtrak station (and walking distance from my home).

 

[jis]

My guess is that picking up a car there is less expensive than at the airport.

That may very well be the case. The base rate is the same at both places but typically at large airports a special airport user fee is tacked on to the base rate, which would not be the case for a car rented at ORL. I don't know what, if any, are the user fees for MCO on rental cars.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

My guess is that picking up a car there is less expensive than at the airport.

That may very well be the case.

My mid-sized car at MCO was less than $18 per day for a two day rental at MCO. After all the screw-the-tourist taxes, fees, and surcharges it was close to $30 per day, but still a good rate for a late notice add-on to our Florida trip.

 

[Tony]

My mid-sized car at MCO was less than $18 per day for a two day rental at MCO. After all the screw-the-tourist taxes, fees, and surcharges it was close to $30 per day, but still a good rate for a late notice add-on to our Florida trip.

My last trip to ORL, I got quotes from Hertz for a Toyota Corolla, with the Amtrak discount for $190/wk, and AGR discount for $172/wk. Obviously, I went with the AGR discount.

 

[Shanghai]

I reserved a car in Orlando from Enterprise yesterday. I first tried Hertz at the Amtrak station,

then compared to Enterprise. The Enterprise car was $60 less expensive for my rental period (2 weeks)

and type of car. The cab fare from Amtrak to the airport is $35. I must go the airport because the

downtown Enterprise office closes at noon on Saturday's and the Silver Meteor arrives at 12:55pm.

Enterprise told me I could return the car downtown and they would drive me to the Amtrak station.

 

[Idon'tFly]

I have rented from ORL Hertz last february…it was very convenient and the staff was friendly. I used AAA and got a huge discount, plus free use of a booster seat and free 2 car upgrade. We ended up with a brand-new (only 20 miles on the odometer) Honda Civic. I was so pleased to have my bags from baggage claim and the car keys in my hand in no time…we were on our merry way to Orlando!! The return was just as easy. You park in the Hertz designated spots and drop off the keys in the box. I happened to research the prices months in advance, then just modified my reservation when a coupon/discount came around. This was my 1st Amtrak trip and 1st car rental on my own…so I may of been just lucky.

Happy Travels!!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The cab fare from Amtrak to the airport is $35.

Taxi rates like that are a perverse joke in a car-centric country like America. Luckily you can negotiate a rate of $20 flat from ORL to MCO right from the window. Possibly less if you're good at haggling. Just make sure you start with the first car in the line so he has the right of first refusal.

I used AAA and got a huge discount, plus free use of a booster seat and free 2 car upgrade.

Do you remember the price you paid? It's hard to know how good the deal was without the including the cost.

 

[Meat Puppet]

Hertz rental prices run kind of like the bucket prices on Amtrak accomadations. The more demand for cars the higher the price.

Generally, local hertz is the cheapest followed by the airport then the station. However that can change depending on demand.

You can take a 5 min cab ride to the hertz at 3703 W Colonial Dr. That will be the cheapest location by about $10 a day out of all of them and you can return at the amtrak or airport for no extra charge.

If you are feeling adventurous you can take the lynx bus to the airport for $2 the downside is the bus stop is about a 10 min walk from the station.

If you detrain in Winterpark there is an enterprise 2 blocks from the amtrak station however you cannot return enterprise local rentals to the airport without a $50 fee.

If you want to rent a car at the orlando station and then return it to anywhere between Savannah and Boston you can do

so for $5 a day between April 24 and June 12, maximum keep time of 2 weeks.

It all depends on the date. Let me know your exact dates I will tell you the best rates, I did 28 seperate Hertz rentals alone last year.

 

[abcnews]

Great info on the one way car rental for $5 per day. That could be a perfect combo with a one way rail trip on the Star or Meteor.

*Also a quick point regarding Hertz Rental at Orlando. I was surprised to see a staffed counter when we caught the northbound Star back in August. Plus the bright "Hertz" signs around the station gave it more of a "busy" look which was nice.

I wish more stations had a full service car rental facility. So naturally, I would encourage others on this forum to try and support this, and perhaps reconsider using a competitor in ORL or anywhere that Hertz has set up shop inside a train station.. In other words - people vote with their pocketbooks, if you like seeing a rental agency at an Amtrak station, then try to support it, and the idea could grow to other stations.

If not, Hertz may decide to close their counter at the Orlando Station, if they think that most passengers look to go elsewhere.

Just a thought...

 

[Idon'tFly]

I used AAA and got a huge discount, plus free use of a booster seat and free 2 car upgrade.

Do you remember the price you paid? It's hard to know how good the deal was without the including the cost.

I paid a total (taxes & fees included) of $158/week… The main reason I choose AAA w/ Hertz, was the free booster seat (they charge an arm and a leg for that) and the convenience of the car waiting for me a the station.

 

[dedhd]

Have rented both from Hertz and enterprise from ORL. we had a rental our first time from Dollar I beleive but when we got to the station we saw what a hassle it would be to get to dollar and walked up to Hertz counter and asked about available cars. we were told to wait until he had finished with the reservations he had and he was sure he could accomodate, which he did. we did two one way rentals to Port Canaveral and back and it was a breeze.

This past December we rented from Enterprise on Christmas Eve for the same purpose. They did in fact pick us up, we were to call when we had our bags, but we cheated a bit and called when the bags were first brought out. They ferried us to their downtown location, and we were on our way within a half hour. That location was good because it is right near an entrance to the highway and super convenient for on off.

 

[June the Coach Rider]

This past December we rented from Enterprise on Christmas Eve for the same purpose. They did in fact pick us up, we were to call when we had our bags, but we cheated a bit and called when the bags were first brought out. They ferried us to their downtown location, and we were on our way within a half hour. That location was good because it is right near an entrance to the highway and super convenient for on off.

You don't happen to remember which location? :help: I have been trying to figure it out on their website and it looks like there are several downtown locations. I want the closest that will pick me up at the amtrak station.

 

[Shanghai]

I rented a carn from Enterprise in Orlando in August. Their office was about a few blocks

north of the train station near Penny's condo!! They picked us up and took us back to the

station upon return. Nice people at Enterprise.

 

[pennyk]

This past December we rented from Enterprise on Christmas Eve for the same purpose. They did in fact pick us up, we were to call when we had our bags, but we cheated a bit and called when the bags were first brought out. They ferried us to their downtown location, and we were on our way within a half hour. That location was good because it is right near an entrance to the highway and super convenient for on off.

You don't happen to remember which location? :help: I have been trying to figure it out on their website and it looks like there are several downtown locations. I want the closest that will pick me up at the amtrak station.

The location is on East Colonial Drive (either the 100 or 200 block - I think). As Shanghai mentioned, it is right down the street from my condo. However, I do not provide shuttle service. :lol: