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Washington DC
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SIXT Car Rental in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States, is well known for its architecture, monuments, and world-class museums. The best way to maximize sightseeing is with a rental car in Washington, D.C.
SIXT offers a fleet of vehicles from top brands, many of which are under three months old. Whether you’re flying to town or taking the train to Union Station, SIXT offers three convenient branches in D.C. In town on business? SIXT also offers long-term car rentals in Washington.
Driving Tips for Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., hosts many commuters from neighboring Virginia and Maryland, so be strategic about the timing of your drives for the most enjoyable visit.
- Grid system Washington’s streets north-south street are numbered, whereas the streets running east-west are lettered.
- Parking Paid parking is typical in D.C., which hosts visitors and conventions year-round. Metered street spots, which range from around $4.60 to $5.10 per hour, can be in short supply. Parking garages will cost around $10–30.00 or more, depending on the duration and if there's an event.
- Tolls The Washington, D.C., metro area has many toll roads. Make your rental experience stress free with SIXT’s prepaid tolling option.
- Rush hours As a major commuter city, Washington’s rush hours are most congested on the interstates within and around the city. Time your travels around the city carefully to avoid major delays.
- Share the road Washington, D.C., attracts many tourists, and it's a bike-friendly city. Be mindful of pedestrians and cyclists, especially when turning, and around major tourist attractions.
Best places to visit in and around Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., hosts a myriad of sights to take in, ranging from history to shopping and dining. The region is also accessible to many other forms of recreation outside the city limits. Rent a car in Washington, D.C., to explore a range of interesting sights.
- Baltimore Less than an hour away, Baltimore, Maryland, is one of the most popular D.C. road trips, known for its aquarium and festive Inner Harbor.
- Great Falls National Park Under an hour drive from Washington proper, Great Falls National Park offers views of the falls, hiking, and rock climbing.
- Luray Caverns Located two hours from Washington in Luray, Virginia, these are the largest caverns in the eastern United States. Spend the day marveling at the incredible stalactite and stalagmite formations.
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*Our Customer Excitement Score is based on a survey sent to all customers who booked in Washington DC. The score is an average of all customer responses.
Good to know when renting in Washington DC
If your plans are uncertain, choose the “pay later” options when booking. You can cancel your rental for free if your plans change.
Some SIXT locations allow rental with a debit card and 2 forms of government-issued ID. It is best to ask about the payment policies at the branch you wish to rent from before booking.
You can rent a car from the age of 21 with SIXT in the US. An underage fee applies to drivers under 25, however. Some car categories have a minimum age of 25.
Yes. SIXT places a temporary hold on your credit card at pickup for the amount of the deposit. For payments with debit cards, please refer to our rental information for more details about deposits. The amount depends on the location and vehicle. Please check for more details on payment information in this article.
In the U.S., generally a minimum of $200 will be charged to the payment method for security purposes. The deposit for high-value vehicles may be higher. Non-airport locations in Texas, Colorado, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Illinois have higher minimum authorization amounts. Additional details on the deposit can be found in this article.
Reservations are by vehicle category (“or similar”), not by an exact model. When a "guaranteed model" option is shown for your dates and location, selecting it reserves that specific model. Otherwise, you’ll receive a comparable car in the same group with similar size and performance subject to availability.
The exact mileage policy for your booking is shown during the reservation process, so you’ll know what’s included before pickup.
Vehicles rented at most SIXT locations in the contiguous United States may be driven throughout the contiguous states. Travel into Canada must be in accordance with our geographical restrictions, which can be found in our rental information. Travel to Mexico is not allowed. If you drive outside authorized areas, a fee of $0.50 per mile will apply.
All renters and authorized drivers must present a valid, unexpired, original driver’s license at the time of rental. Renters with a non-U.S. driver's license may also need to provide a valid passport or other government-issued ID. Licenses in non-Roman alphabets (e.g., Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Cyrillic) must be accompanied by an international driver’s license. If the license is from a country not in the international driver’s license treaty, an official translation is required. See our rental information for full driver’s license and age requirements.
