OT: One-way car rental from Quebec to the Maritimes
 

Hoping someone can help me here. I'm planning my honeymoon trip and have run into a snag... :(

My plan was to fly to Montreal, spend a few days there, rent a car and drive east. Would like to hit Nova Scotia (Halifax, Cabot Trail) and Newfoundland (Gros Morne Nat'l Park, St. John's). Would then fly back from YYT.

Flights aren't a problem but car rental is: the price for a one-way rental (p/u Montreal, d/o St. John's) is a jaw-dropping $2000.00 per week! :eek: :eek: :eek: Dropping off at YHZ doesn't help much: price is still in the $1000+ range per week (due to the exhorbitant drop-off surcharges).

Any ideas on where to look for reasonably priced one-way car rentals?

ml

You have PM.

YUL-YHZ is 12+ hrs by car. There are many sites to see along the way (I am a native NB-er), but you might want to fly YUL to YFC, YMQ or YSJ before picking up the car.
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13F

Several problems with your route:

1. Anything past YHZ will be very expensive.
2. Rentals in QC seem to be a lot more than elsewhere in Canada.
3. Large airports are usually the best place for one-way rentals.

Currently, www.goALAMO.com is showing YYZ (not YUL) to YHZ (not YYT) for CAD $896 base rate for a standard car (Monte Carlo.) With the $225 drop charge and other taxes and fees, the total would be a little under $1500. Not great but a lot better than $2000/week.

I'd suggest trying individual web sites, trying off airport locations to avoid usurious airport charges, and then try phoning specific locations. Sometimes phoning the 1-800 rental numbers works, as the agents can sometimes figure out a better way to make the booking.

But I think goint to YYT is going to be a problem.

I suppose if you were really brave, you could fly to YUL then skulk around the car rental garage looking for NL plates. They'd probably give you a great deal on repatriating the car.

Thanks for the replies, folks. Our honeymoon is in June so I expected prices to be somewhat high, but sheesh! :rolleyes:

My fiancée and I met in Halifax so there are sentimental reasons for heading to the Maritimes. Also, lots of people keep telling me that NFLD is beautiful, so I thought that'd be a nice add on. Didn't expect renting a car to be 3x the price of flying!

Are car rental prices in NFLD usually higher than on "the mainland"?

ml

Have you considered how long it will take to drive from HFX to YYT? During a honeymoon, that time could be put to much better use.
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13F

It certainly is a long time on the boat, which is not really all that cheap either. Perhaps fly from YHZ to YYT (or YDF - Deer Lake) instead, and just rent the car on The Rock?

Well, no luck so far. Got a few good tips but haven't been able to find anything lower than $900/wk.

I agree that it's a bit of drive from YHZ to YYT, but thought it'd be fun in a "just married, let's go on a roadtrip" kind-of-way. Guess I was getting a bit romantic. (Which is what you're supposed to do on your honeymoon, no?) ;)

Maybe we'll go to the Caribbean instead... :confused:

ml

I recommend that you consider taking the train to YHZ, spend some time in halifax and then take a rental car to Charlottetown, where you can get a beach house if it is summer, or get one of the fantastic B&Bs in Charlottetown (Elmwood or Inns on Great George).

One-Way rental to YYT is probably very prohibitive for the rental company because of distance and the ferry, which is long and expensive, they would spend a fortune getting it back.

One way rates to YQB are comparatively much more reasonable. If you don't mind driving the car back there from the Maritimes (6 hrs?).

Car rentals in the Atlantic Provinces are always higher than the major markets. and one way rentals almost anywhere in the world are really killers. I suggest you forget this idea unless you have lots of disposable cash or points.

The advice you have been given above is good,you are best to fly to YFC or YSJ or YHZ and rent a car there to tool around in for a few days. I too am originally from NB and it is a great province that is totally overlooked and frankly I think that is just fine!!! The coast from St Andrews to Saint John is excellent if you get off the main highways, also the coast from Shediac to Caraquet and on to Campbellton is wonderful but less rugged than the southern coast.

PEI has its charms too but the pace is so slow there, and the infrastructure is quite disappointing.

Forget the ferry ride to Nfld, you will be sorry you took it... you are obviously a romantic but once on board you will realize it is more like a prison! Frankly all the ferries in the Atlantic are terrible, including Digby to Saint John, Yarmouth to Bar Harbour, etc. The food is inedible and the conditions are not up to par on any of them.

Cheers, and I hope you have a great visit to the atlantic provinces.

Try reversing the trip & pricing a 1-way westbound!
Also, enjoy VIA Easterly Class between Montréal or Québec City & Halifax. Should be more romantic than driving that part.