Amsterdam car rental
Car rental agreement tips
Make sure you understand what is included in your Amsterdam car rental agreement. Check the insurance inclusions or exclusions and fuel policy. There may also be other surcharges such as renting your car from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, oneway fees, additional drivers and young drivers.
If you are planning a trip outside the Netherlands, you may need to pay a cross border fee. Some suppliers may have restrictions on driving vehicles abroad. Please arrange crossborder details before you depart to avoid disappointment.
Please check the fuel policy carefully and the fuel level before leaving the rental location.If you have a full fuel option, fill the car before dropoff, as refuelling can be very expensive. However, if you choose to prepay for the fuel, you may want to return the car the least amount of fuel possible.
Car rental insurance tips
Read your excess responsibility carefully. Every reservation includes basic car rental insurance for any third party damage. Usually, there is also responsibility in the form of an excess for any damage caused by the main driver. You will need to check the Terms and Conditions of your agreement. Consider if it is a zero excess car rental, and the amount that will be blocked on your credit card.
It may be worth purchasing full insurance to waive excess responsibility in case the main driver causes any damage to a vehicle. In the event of damaging a car, you will not be responsible for any excess, so the deposit on your credit card will not be at risk. There are competitive rates and packages offered by the various Amsterdam car rental companies.
Car insurance in the Netherlands will be invalid in the case of negligence or breaking the rental agreement terms. In the event that the driver has behaved recklessly or negligently, such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you could be liable for the full cost.
Rented vehicle tips
When you get to the pickup location in Amsterdam, it is highly recommended to check the car properly for any scratches or damages. Record any issues on the checkin documentation. You can also take photos to show the condition of your Amsterdam rental car before you have hired it.
Upon returning your car, check the vehicle again to see if it is in the same condition. It is recommended to take photos of your car upon drop off, just in case any damage claims arise later. If you have damage excess insurance, you will be covered for any unexpected scratches or dents. Otherwise, the local supplier has the right to deduct the amount of the damage from your credit card deposit, providing the damage is caused by the driver/s under rental agreement.
Documents needed for car rental
Check that you have all the required documents such as passport/ID, driving licence, credit card, and rental confirmation. Also check the expiry date on these documents.
Make sure you have all contact details in case of any emergencies. If you have any road accidents, you must inform your Amsterdam car rental provider. As per the Terms and Conditions, you are obliged to contact local police and request an accident report in a case of third party damage.
Make sure that your credit card is embossed, has enough availability to cover the deposit (usually the excess amount plus a tank of fuel), and has an adequate daily limit. You may have to arrange a higher credit limit.
General car rental tips
In many cases, the closer it is to your trip, the more expensive it will be to rent a car in Amsterdam. Book a car at a cheaper fee at least few weeks earlier. Plan your trip in advance.
If you can bring your own child seat or other needed accessories you might save some money. These additions, when rented from a car rental company, may be more expensive then expected.
Car rental companies at Schiphol
This is a list of companies that vahe car rental service at Amsterdam airport Schiphol.
To see their offers in an easy to compare way use the form at the start of this page.
- Avis Budget
- Enterprise Rent-a-Car
- Europcar
- Hertz
- Sixt