Car rental in New York
New York is the beating heart of Western culture. The city that was nicknamed "The Big Apple" is the eastern gateway to the USA.
It is one of the largest cultural, business, art, and entertainment centers in the world, packed year-round with tourists who turn its streets into a daily celebration of changing entertainment and attractions.
With numerous convenient flights to New York, it is an ideal starting and/or ending point for trips to the Northeast of the USA, including New England (known for its spectacular fall foliage) and Niagara Falls. It is also a perfect starting point for exploring the East Coast of the USA and visiting its main cities and states - Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, and maybe even parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Even if you plan to stay in the New York area only, renting a car in New York will make your vacation comfortable and pleasant, as you can choose to leave the city limits to the nearby areas, and enjoy a trip to nature, beautiful beaches, magical towns, museums, and historical sites. Areas that are suitable for a trip close to New York are, for example, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Cold Spring, Harriman Park, and more.
Three airports serve New York: Kennedy Airport (JFK), located near Brooklyn, La Guardia (LGA), north of Queens, and Newark Airport (EWR), located in New Jersey, a 30-minute drive from Manhattan. Ofran operates in the three airports through the rental companies Alamo and National, which also offer extensive rentals at other stations throughout Manhattan and near the main tourist sites. Alamo and National have a high availability of vehicles and the best layout of stations in the entire US, so that you can also combine different stations with affordable return fees.
Ofran operates in New York with the two brands from the largest rental company - Alamo and National - both companies are ranked first in consumer surveys year after year.
Alamo and National offer advanced 24/7 road services and one-way rentals on favorable terms, so that you can enjoy your trip comfortably with no worries.
These companies have thousands of car rental stations in central locations at all major airports, parks, tourist sites, and busy city centers. The vehicle groups offered are diverse and range from small, medium, family vehicles, SUVs, luxury vehicles, and minivans, all of which have automatic transmissions.
Working with the major companies in New York allows us to offer you a higher availability of vehicles; however, especially if you're planning to rent a car during summertime, please note it is recommended to book a car in advance, even more so if you're intending to rent a large vehicle, or a minivan.
FAQs about Car Rental in New York
In New York, there are several popular locations where you can rent a car through our service: John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Newark Airport (EWR), and downtown New York City.
The cost of renting a car in New York varies depending on the destination, rental duration, pick-up and drop-off times, and the relevant car category. Prices are dynamic and subject to constant changes based on the rates of the rental companies we collaborate with. We recommend booking your car in advance, especially during the summer and holiday seasons, or if you need a large car, minivan, or an automatic transmission vehicle.
We recommend booking your car rental as soon as possible, even right after booking your flight (particularly during summer and holidays). The earlier you reserve a car, the broader the selection of vehicles available to suit your needs, and the price will be lower and more attractive.
New York is composed of five boroughs: Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island, with a population of over 8 million residents. Millions more visit the city daily, making New York one of the busiest cities in the world. Aside from the downtown area, where streets are smaller and have unique names, Manhattan is laid out in a grid system of avenues and streets, which makes navigation very straightforward. For renters, this is a significant advantage despite the challenge of finding parking.
Feel free to read more under the "Driving Recommendations" section.
At Ofran, you’ll find car rentals in New York at particularly attractive prices.
While non-Israeli car rental booking websites may occasionally offer cheap rental options, it’s essential to verify what’s included in the offer. Ensure the deal is from a reputable and reliable rental company, includes unlimited mileage, and provides all the necessary coverages, allowing you to travel with peace of mind.
Ofran collaborates with several leading international car rental companies in New York, offering a wide selection and high availability of vehicles to suit your needs.
Additionally, Ofran provides customer service in Hebrew. Our phone support is available Sunday to Thursday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. You can also contact us via WhatsApp, email, or Messenger Sunday to Thursday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM and on Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Driving in New York can be somewhat challenging due to the high density and traffic congestion. However, this is nothing out of the ordinary for the Israeli driver. For those who opt for a rental car in New York, the city offers a significant advantage: easy orientation. Aside from the Downtown area, Manhattan is designed in a "grid" system (streets and avenues), making navigation simple and driver-friendly.
The true added value of renting a car in the United States, in general, and in New York specifically, is absolute freedom. Having your own vehicle provides total flexibility with your schedule, maximum convenience, and the ability to easily reach all five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island—on your own time.
Despite the city's reputation for being crowded, you will find many options for parking in New York in the form of public parking garages or regulated on-street paid parking. To make the task easier, Ofran recommends utilizing technology and downloading parking apps such as parking.com. These apps allow you to locate available parking spaces in real-time, compare prices, and even reserve a spot in advance, saving you valuable time and ensuring a stress-free experience with your rental car in New York.
New York is an ideal starting point for a road trip from New York. Here are some of the most recommended destinations located within a relatively short driving distance:
Mohonk Preserve: Approximately an hour and a half drive from the city. Located in the Shawangunk Mountains, this preserve offers wild nature, hiking trails, horseback riding, and opportunities to observe the wide variety of local flora and fauna.
Cold Spring and the Hudson Valley: A historic and picturesque town situated on the banks of the Hudson River (about an hour and a half drive). It is a perfect destination for strolling through charming shops, cafes, and parks, especially during the summer months.
Long Island: An area featuring beautiful beaches, resort towns, historical sites, and lush green spaces that provide a wonderful escape from the urban hustle and bustle.
Additional Areas: A rental car in New York allows you to comfortably reach more distant destinations such as Philadelphia and Boston. It also serves as the perfect starting point for fall foliage tours in New England or a scenic drive to Niagara Falls.
New York consists of five boroughs: Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx and Staten Island, where more than 8 million inhabitants live. Many millions more come to the city every day and make New York one of the busiest cities in the world. With the exception of the downtown area, where small streets have names, Manhattan is divided into boulevards and streets that stretch horizontally and vertically, which makes the city very convenient for orientation. For car renters this is a very big advantage despite the difficulty of finding parking.
Map of car rental stations in New York
To make the booking process as convenient for you as possible, we have prepared a map showing the car rental stations of the companies we cooperate with.
Exclusive for rentals with Alamo
◾ The freedom to choose
In chosen airports the exclusive program called Choice is activated, offering the car renter a selection of models to choose from in each group. For the list of stations where the Choice option is available, click here.
◾ Save time
You can also speed up standing in line with the Save Time service that allows you to check in online in advance for the car rental and also at central stations you can get the rental voucher from a kiosk instead of standing in line! To check in online, click here.
◾ Tolls Rodes
In the USA there are many toll roads. In order to save unnecessary dealing with small change during your trip, the car rental stations offer renting a Tollpass device (similar to the Route 6 device) with which you can pass on these roads and receive the charge in a centralized manner from the rental company and pay via CC.
Please note that some toll roads are exempt by the TollPass device, for example in Montreal, Kansas and South Carolina. It is your responsibility to verify this before traveling on toll roads. Driving on a toll road without payment is subject to fines.
For more information about the included and excluded roads, visit the Tollpass Official website.
◾ Parking in New York
Despite the density of the city and the expected difficulty in finding parking there, it offers many parking options in the form of parking lots or paid parking. When you arrive in the city, after renting the car in New York, it is recommended to download parking apps such as: parking.com, apps of this type will make it very easy for you to find parking in the city at any given moment.
◾ Departure from New York
If you want to leave New York for a trip, it is recommended to take the rental car in New York at a station close to the main road where you need to travel. The exit to the west or south of Downtown Manhattan is done through the Holland Tunnel and for those in Midtown or the Upper West Side it is recommended to use the more northern Lincoln Tunnel. If you want to continue north along the east coast, it is worth considering taking a car at Kennedy Airport and from there get on the Van Wyck Expy (Interstate 678) cross the George Washington Bridge toll and continue on Route 95 towards Connecticut.
For those going north from Queens, it is recommended to use Clearview Expy and from there get on the Throgs Neck Bridge and connect to interstate 95. If you intend to take a car in Kennedy or Brooklyn and continue south towards Washington, it is recommended to get on interstate 278 out of the New York Bay to Staten Island and from there connect to road 95.
◾ Carpool
In the USA there are lanes that are designated for vehicles that carry a number of passengers according to the number indicated on the signage. Violation of the rules may result in a significant fine of tens or even hundreds of dollars.
◾ Credit cards in the USA
Please note - the rental companies in the USA do not allow Diners or Debit credit cards to be presented as a deposit credit card. An international credit card in the name of the driver of other credit companies must be presented.
Find more tips on renting a car in the USA.
Renting a car in New York with Ofran will allow you to explore this amazing cultural city, in the pace that's comfortable to you and experience New York in comfort and ease. We will be happy to stand by your side and accompany your trip in New York, while making sure to rent a car of the highest standards.
Ofran wishes you a safe and pleasant trip with your rental car in New York
Mohonk Preserve
The Mohonk Reserve is about an hour and a half drive from New York City. It is located near a town called New Paltz, on the slopes of the Shawangunk Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountain Range. It is about 8000 dunams of nature, which include dense forests, cliffs, streams and rivers.
Arriving there you will find plenty of options for hiking trails, horse riding, cycling and other types of sports for the whole family.
Mountaineers from all over the world visit the place every year, as it has over 1000 climbing possibilities.
The reserve aims to promote environmental education, and has over 1400 species of plants and animals, some of which are in danger of extinction.
Cold Spring, Hudson Valley
Cold Spring is a lovely town in the Hudson Valley, also about an hour and a half drive from Manhattan.
Its historic and picturesque center was built along the Hudson River, surrounded by a variety of restaurants, boutique and antique shops. The visit here is especially recommended in the summer when you can sit and drink coffee or dine by the river and often also enjoy live music playing in the background.
Near the river there is a park full of trees and plants, where you can walk, ride a bike and enjoy a quiet walk to the sound of the lapping of the water.
Renting a car in New York allows easy access to Cold Spring in the Hudson Valley, and in the summer months you can also visit the Shakespeare Festival held near the town.
Buffalo
Buffalo is the second largest city in New York State.
It is located on the US-Canada border, near Niagara Falls. The city itself has experienced a touristic rejuvenation in recent years, due to changes and works that were done in it with the aim of bringing visitors back to it, and it certainly worked. Historic architectural sites were renovated and restored, and the food scene that it developed, today is attracting Foodies from all over the world (Buffalo is the capital of "wings", and you've probably already heard the term Buffalo Wings).
Renting a car in Buffalo allows easy access to Niagara Falls, which are about half an hour's drive from the city.
If you plan to cross the border and continue to Canada, you must plan the trip according to where you return the vehicle.
Culture and entertainment in the city
For art lovers, New York is undoubtedly the place to be. Dozens of museums in almost every subject and field are spread across the city, headed by the massive Metropolitan, the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), and the Guggenheim.
As for entertainment, on Broadway you can find the best theaters, in Times Square is an intoxicating bustle and in Rockefeller Center and in Central Park you can rest and even sunbathe as if without knowing that you are in the heart of one of the busiest cities in the world.
Shopping in New York
You can't talk about New York without talking about shopping.
From the sales at Macy's and Bloomingdales, through the pampering indoor markets of Chelsea Market to the Schwartz toy store - every child's temple. From the food and souvenir stands of China Down to the luxury and glamor of Fifth Avenue.
Garden State New Jersey
The mall that is especially worth to check is located outside of New York City, but renting a car in New York allows you to get to the mall very quickly and conveniently, in addition to the fact that you will have a car in which you’ll be able to transport all the worthwhile purchases back to the hotel or the airport.
In the mall there are over 300 shops, restaurants and movie theaters and you will probably find everything you are looking for at extremely affordable prices.
New York with children
The city with endless possibilities offers a variety of exciting attractions especially for children and the whole family, and you will probably be able to realize only a small percentage of the multitude of options that will be in front of you for a family experience that you will remember forever.
Staten Island Ferry Staten Island Ferry
One of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, but for good reason. The ferry ride will give you the best view of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor. The cruise is about 25 minutes long and that's exactly the time you'll need to keep the little ones alert and curious.
Please note that with most rental companies you cannot board the ferry with the rental car.
Central Park
Besides a picnic in the park on a sunny day, or a trip along its length and width, there are several attractions in the park that will make the children especially happy. One of them is the historic carousel, which for the adults in the family can at least provide a perfect photo opportunity.
The Belvedere Castle is a structure that is entirely intended for the enjoyment of visitors (especially the young ones, who will enjoy the urban visit to the "Castle). It is also a great observation point for the entire park.
