# Renting a Car in Phuket: A Tourist Guide Page URL: https://kolesio.com/en/guide/renting-a-car-in-phuket-tourist-guide/ To rent a car in Phuket as a tourist you need a passport, your national driving licence and an International Driving Permit, and the booking is done in chat: dates, delivery point and car class, then a fixed total for the whole period. Drivers holding a licence from an ASEAN country follow the ASEAN agreement instead, so the permit question works differently for them. **A week from 5 145 ฿ total** — economy car 735 ฿/day · crossover from 9 555 ฿ · refundable deposit from 5 000 ฿ · live search, 7 days from 2 November, pick-up in Patong. [Ask on WhatsApp: Renting a Car in Phuket: A Tourist Guide](https://kolesio.com/go/wa/?p=%2Fen%2Fguide%2Frenting-a-car-in-phuket-tourist-guide%2F) ## In short - Automatic — every car we deliver - Any hour — delivery to arrivals, hotel, villa or apartment - First-class commercial insurance — for the drivers listed in the agreement - Refundable deposit — returned when the car comes back Kolesio Car Rental Phuket — car rental in Phuket. Booking and support by Kolesio on WhatsApp +66 99 647 8676. Checked 19 October. ## Short answer This guide is a map of the whole rental, from the first message to the moment you hand back the keys. It is written for visitors who land in Phuket, want their own wheels for beaches and viewpoints, and have not rented a car in Thailand before. ### What the guide covers Each part below deals with one situation: which car to ask for, what to settle before the flight, what happens at handover, which papers keep the insurance valid, and what changes once you drive on the left. Where a single question has its own page, we point to it by name instead of repeating it here. ## What that means for the car Every car we deliver is an automatic, and that matters more than it sounds: you will be changing lanes on the other side of the road, and a free left hand keeps your attention on the mirrors rather than on a gear lever. Air conditioning is part of the handover check for a reason; a car that cools slowly at noon is worth flagging on the spot. Choose the class by luggage and passengers rather than by the look of the car. Two large suitcases and a pram fill a small hatchback quickly, while a family with surf gear needs a boot that closes without pushing. Look at the tyres too: hill roads to the viewpoints and sudden tropical rain are where tread shows its worth. We bring the car to arrivals, your hotel, villa or apartment anywhere in Phuket at any hour, check it with you on the spot and hand over the rental agreement: automatic, first-class commercial insurance, refundable deposit, the total for your dates fixed in chat. Send the dates on WhatsApp or use the booking form; the main offer is on the car rental in Phuket page. ## Step by step The rental splits into what you settle before the flight, what happens at handover and a few habits for the road. - Send dates, delivery point and car class in chat — the total for the whole period is fixed before you fly - Agree the deposit method in advance — cashless options are arranged before delivery, not at the car - Add a second driver before the trip — only listed drivers are covered - Pack passport, national licence and IDP together — they are checked at handover - Walk round the car with us — body, tyres, air conditioning and fuel go on the record - Read the sticker by the filler flap — the wrong fuel is paid for separately - Return the car with the recorded fuel level — the deposit comes back when the car does ## Documents and insurance The standard set is a passport, a national driving licence and an International Driving Permit. The IDP translates your licence rather than replacing it, so it is valid only when the national card travels with it. The page do I need an IDP to rent a car in Phuket covers the permit question on its own, and our driving licence rules go through it country by country. First-class commercial insurance comes with every rental and covers the drivers named in the agreement. What it covers in detail is on the page what insurance is included; the short version is that the cover follows the paperwork, so a friend who was not added in advance is not insured at the wheel. > An unlisted driver or a missing licence voids the insurance. If either happens and the car is damaged, the cost is no longer carried by the policy. ## Driving, fuel and parking Traffic in Thailand keeps to the left, and the first roundabout is where most visitors feel it. Give yourself a quiet first drive near the hotel before heading for busy beach roads; the left-hand driving guide lists what to watch in the first hours, and our notes on left-hand driving cover the island specifics. Fuel grades differ at the pump, so check the sticker by the filler flap before the first stop at a station. Parking deserves a plan too: in beach areas, decide where the car will stand before you arrive rather than circling at sunset, and leave it overnight where your accommodation allows. ### Handing the car back At return the same walk-round closes the rental: the car is compared with the handover record, the fuel level is checked against the start, and the refundable deposit goes back when the car does. Keep the rental agreement until then, since it holds the record you signed at the beginning. ## Related questions ### Is a car better than Grab? It depends on how much you move. For a stay in one bay with a few trips, taxis may be enough; for daily beaches and viewpoints, your own car saves the waiting. The comparison is on rent a car or use Grab in Phuket. ### What happens to the deposit? It is held at handover and returned when the car comes back in the recorded condition. The details are on how the deposit works. ## Cars for this question Cars from our fleet that fit this question: - [BYD Atto 2: an electric car for everyday driving](https://kolesio.com/en/cars/byd-atto-2-rental-phuket/) - [Mazda CX-3: a compact crossover for the island](https://kolesio.com/en/cars/mazda-cx-3-rental-phuket/) - [Nissan Almera: a sedan for island trips](https://kolesio.com/en/cars/nissan-almera-rental-phuket/) - [Honda HR-V: a crossover for hilly roads](https://kolesio.com/en/cars/honda-hr-v-rental-phuket/) ## FAQ ### How do I rent a car in Phuket as a tourist? Send your dates, delivery point and preferred class in chat, and the total for the whole period is fixed there. The car is brought to you, inspected together with you, and the rental agreement is handed over on the spot. ### What documents do tourists need to rent a car in Phuket? A passport, a national driving licence and an International Driving Permit. The IDP is valid only together with the national licence, and drivers from ASEAN countries follow the regional agreement. ### Are the rental cars automatic? Yes, every car we deliver is an automatic. That leaves your attention free for driving on the left. ### Is insurance included in the rental? First-class commercial insurance is included. It covers the drivers listed in the agreement, and an unlisted driver or a missing licence voids it. ### Can two people drive the same rental car? Yes, if the second driver is added in advance. They show the same documents as the main driver. ### Can I pay the deposit without cash? Cashless options exist and are agreed before delivery. Settle the method in chat when you send your dates. ### What insurance do I need for a rental car in Phuket? First-class commercial insurance is included in the rental: a policy with code 120 for commercial use, so the insurer accepts a claim involving a rental car, covering damage to third parties, other cars, motorcycles and injured people, up to 800,000 ฿. It applies to the drivers named in the agreement who carry a passport, a national licence and an International Driving Permit, and a copy of the policy is available on request. --- Source: kolesio, https://kolesio.com/en/guide/renting-a-car-in-phuket-tourist-guide/. The canonical version of this page is the HTML at this address.