Car Hire in Fuerteventura

Car hire in Fuerteventura is recommended in order to get around the island and see the magnificent Fuerteventura beaches.  There are various options, including hiring a car for the duration of your holiday, hiring for a few days or even hiring for just one day.  Driving in Fuerteventura is easy compared to elsewhere in Europe because there are very few roads, the roads are in very good condition, and off of the main routes then traffic is quiet.  With a hire car you will have flexibilty to travel where and when you like, and go to find all the excellent Fuerteventura beaches.


Car Hire In Fuerteventura - some legal requirements:

• As in most European countries then you drive on the right, and overtake on the left side.  It is easy to adjust to this, although having the steering wheel on the left, and changing gear with your right hand does take a bit of getting used to.

• There are some legal requirements regarding what you need to have in your possession should you get stopped by the police - these are passport, EU driving license, and rental paperwork including evidence of insurance cover.  It is also a legal requirement to carry a fluorescent jacket  and two warning triangles in case of a breakdown.  children are not allowed to travel in the front passenger seat and should be seated on a booster or baby seat depending on their age.

• All roads on Fuerteventura have speed restrictions, which are usually 90kph maximum, and sometimes 70, 50 and 30kph.  There is one section of dual carriageway on the FV-2 road in the south of the island that has a maximum speed of 110kph.  It is most important that you observe all speed limits as there are some fixed speed cameras, and more likely, mobile radar speed traps.  These mobile radars are usually located in unmarked cars at places where the speed limit drops quickly in a short distance. Speeding fines can be issued on the spot or sent through the post via the car hire company.

• Wearing bluetooth headsets or earphones are not permitted, and you are only allowed to speak on a mobile phone if you have a hands-free kit.

• While driving on Fuerteventura it is highly likely that you will be pulled over at a routine police check at some time.  The police could ask to see your documents and other paperwork, check that you are wearing a seatbelt, or ask you to blow into a breathalyser or take a drugs test.

Fuerteventura Driving Tips

i. There aren't many main roads on Fuerteventura.  The main roads are on the east side of the island.  The FV-1 links the capital, Puerto del Rosario with Corralejo; and the FV-2 goes from Puerto del Rosario, past the airport, to the southern town of Morro Jable. Traffic moves freely along these roads, and there are no traffic lights!  Elsewhere on the island there are excellent minor roads that link all the main towns and villages.  These are all in very good condition and are usually very quiet.

ii. Be prepared for the unexpected at the many roundabouts.  Use of indicators is not common and cars will stay in the outside lane to go round a rounabout if they are going to turn right, rather than go in the inside lane of a roundabout.  

iii. As mentioned, there are no traffic lights on the island, althogh light-controlled pedestrian crossings are now appearing on main roads in some of the larger villages.  There are also pedestrian crossings, so you should stop when someone is waiting at a crossing in order for them to cross.

iv. There are very few parking restrictions on Fuerteventura, so there is a lot of on-street parking.  Just remember not to park on yellow lines where parking is prohibited. In the capital, Puerto del Rosario, there are streets in the center which are marked out with blue lines.  In these areas you have to get a ticket from a machine to pay for parking during the morning and early afternoon.  It is a cheap rate and you pay for the amount of time you are going to be parked.  The ticket has to be displayed inside the windscreen.

v. Don't leave personal belongings on display in your car.

vi. Wear seatbelts at all times

vii. Don't drink and drive - the legal limit here is only 0.5 grams per litre, which is only the equivalent of a small glass of beer.


Car Hire in Fuerteventura: How to Book It

Car hire in Fuerteventura can be booked in resort or online.  There are some companies that have offices in the airport terminal, and car pick up and drop off is within the airport car parking area.  Other companies have offices and pick up points which are away from the airport, and require you to go in the company minibus to get your car.  The larger hire companies also have offices in the larger tourist resorts of corralejo, Caleta de Fuste and Jandia.  In these resorts there are also smaller car hire companies.

A big advantage of hiring a car from the airport is that you will be able to drive directly to your accomodation and save time, instead of waiting for a transfer. Also if you are sel-catering then you can call in at a supermarket and get your holiday shopping.

When booking car hire in Fuerteventura, always make sure that you check all details before booking.  Make sure that you know the total cost of the car hire before paying. You need to avoid companies that appear to be cheap, but when you pick up the car they inform you of extra insurance charges and high fuel costs.  Goldcar are a company that gets very bad reviews on TripAdvisor for this kind of practice.

It is always recommended to book car hire in Fuerteventura in advance.  This will ensure that a car will be available, as at certain times of the year all available hire cars are booked out. It is recommended to use www.rentalcars.com as you get a comparison of most of the different companies that do car hire in Fuerteventura, and you have the opportunity to get the best deal.


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