If you don’t want to spend too much money on renting a car, it is recommended that you choose a local car rental company, since international companies charge very high rates.
Local companies are reliable and affordable. Some of them require foreigners to have a local guarantee for them, but the bigger companies on the market don’t need that. Some even allow you to choose and book a car online or over the phone, and they offer an English-speaking service.
In order to rent a car, you will need to present the following documents a few days before you actually need the car (or in the case of online booking, you will have to email them):
- Your passport (page with your personal information)
- Your residence permit page on your passport
- Your Chinese driver’s license
On the day you go to pick-up the car you need to have with you:
- Your passport
- Your Chinese driver’s license
- Credit Card or Debit Card with enough money to cover the rental price as well as an amount that can be “frozen” by the car company in case of car damage.
Picking a nationwide operating company increases the chances of it having collection points all around the country.
Keep in mind that a rented car may have a mileage limit, which you should try and keep, otherwise you may have to pay extra.