East Coast Car Rentals lists airport branches in 11 Australian cities and towns, as well as city locations in Brisbane, Melbourne and Newcastle. Some airport branches use off-airport depots, so customers take a shuttle instead of collecting their car at a terminal desk.
Published age, licence, excess, bond and payment rules have exceptions. Check the vehicle-specific quote and rental agreement before booking.
East Coast locations in Australia
As listed on the company’s Australian locations pages on 15 October 2026, East Coast has airport-labelled branches at Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Perth, Sunshine Coast and Sydney. Its city locations are Brisbane, Melbourne’s Collins Street and Newcastle. The network spans Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania.
A branch listed at an airport can operate from a nearby depot rather than a terminal counter. East Coast describes its airport shuttle as a free transfer from the terminal to a nearby depot. Its Adelaide branch page identifies that depot as off-airport. At Brisbane Airport, the branch gives shuttle directions for both terminals. Follow the pickup instructions for your booked branch rather than looking for a terminal desk by default.
East Coast age and licence rules
East Coast’s general rental information sets the minimum age at 21 and says a surcharge applies to drivers aged 21 to 24. The Adelaide branch page lists a surcharge of AUD $16.50 per day for each driver under 25. That is a published Adelaide amount, not a confirmed rate for every branch. The same page sets a minimum age of 25 for its 12-seat minibus.
The rental terms generally require a full, current, unrestricted licence that remains valid for the rental period and covers the vehicle. International renters need a licence in English, or an international licence translated into English. East Coast’s booking terms also describe an exception for some provisional, or P-plate, drivers: they must have held the provisional licence for at least 12 months and display the plate. They must also follow its restrictions and buy the highest Loss Damage Waiver cover. Learner drivers are not permitted. Because the provisional-driver conditions differ from the general licence wording, confirm eligibility and cover for the specific vehicle before booking.
Excess, bond and payment
The excess is the amount a renter may have to pay for damage or loss covered by the rental agreement. East Coast’s published figures vary by vehicle and cover option. Its Fees and Charges Guide describes Standard Loss Damage Waiver as reducing the excess to AUD $550–$1,000, depending on vehicle category, and Premium Loss Damage Waiver as reducing it to AUD $0, where that option is available. The cover price is quoted at booking.
East Coast’s booking terms give further examples: they describe a maximum excess of AUD $5,500 for smaller vehicles and AUD $6,600 for larger vehicles, reduced to zero with Premium cover. Standard cover is generally described as reducing the maximum excess to AUD $550, with exceptions including an AUD $1,000 excess for a 12-seat van. These descriptions do not produce one reliable figure for every booking. Use the excess and cover price shown for the selected vehicle, and check that they match the rental agreement.
A bond is a temporary card hold, called a pre-authorisation, rather than a payment for the hire. East Coast’s booking terms set the maximum hold at AUD $1,000; the bond amount is advised when booking and may be lower if the renter reduces the excess. The renter’s financial institution controls how quickly the hold is released. A separate local-renter policy calls for a AUD $1,000 bond and proof of address for first-time renters who live within 150 kilometres of the collection counter. It requires a utility bill dated within the previous three months that matches the licence address. The policy says returning renters do not need to provide that bill.
East Coast lists several payment methods, including credit cards, Visa and Mastercard debit cards, American Express and JCB. Customers can also pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal. Payments are processed in Australian dollars. Card surcharges may apply, while online prepaid bookings made on East Coast’s website are stated to have no credit-card surcharge. Pay-on-arrival bookings are payable in full at collection. Cash is not accepted for the rental payment or bond, and prepaid cards or vouchers cannot be used for the bond. Bring an accepted payment method to pickup; for prepaid bookings, the booking and payment details must match the authorised driver. The company’s terms describe UnionPay differently across pages, so confirm its acceptance with the branch before relying on it.
Airport pickup and returns
At an East Coast airport branch, collect your luggage and call the location to request the shuttle to the depot. Check the branch page and booking confirmation for the pickup point, opening hours, shuttle availability and return procedure. These details vary by location. For example, the Adelaide branch says after-hours returns are possible, but its shuttle does not run outside operating hours. The Brisbane branch directs customers to allow extra time when returning a vehicle before a flight.
East Coast offers one-way rentals between locations, including interstate routes, subject to availability and a service fee. Tasmania is excluded from interstate one-way travel under the company’s published information. The fee depends on the return location and should appear in the reservation or be advised when a different return is arranged. Check the specific route in the quote rather than assuming a standard charge.
Sydney Airport pickup options
For Sydney Airport, the airport operator’s rental-car information lists Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty, Dollar, Redspot and SIXT. Its information covers terminal desks and airport-designated parking or shuttle arrangements for those providers. East Coast also lists a Sydney Airport branch, but its own pickup instructions determine where East Coast customers meet the shuttle and collect the vehicle.
| Provider or group | Published Sydney Airport arrangement |
|---|---|
| East Coast Car Rentals | Airport branch with pickup instructions set by East Coast; check the booking for the shuttle meeting point and depot procedure. |
| Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty, Dollar, Redspot and SIXT | Listed by Sydney Airport with terminal desk and/or airport-designated parking or shuttle arrangements. |
This comparison describes Sydney Airport arrangements only. It does not establish prices, service quality or which brands operate at other airports. Compare the total booking quote, including any cover, one-way fee and other applicable charges, and account for the time needed to reach the pickup point and return the car.