NZ Time 05 Jun 2026, 05:16 AM

Affordable, reliable rental cars in Christchurch NZ

Trusted by locals and travellers for over 30 years.
Honest prices. No hidden fees. Family owned since 1994.
ENQUIRE NOW

For over 30 years Shoestring Rentals has been providing visitors with rental cars in Christchurch NZ.

Free Airport/Hotel Pickup

(Anytime)

Fastest Getaway

at Christchurch Airport

Anytime Drop Off

(No Charge)

Great Reviews

4.95 out of 5

No Breakdown Guarantee

No claims in 9 years

A small company that's BIG on service

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Speedy, cheap car rental pickup and drop-off at Christchurch Airport

Shoestring Rentals has the fastest pickup and drop-off Airport service. You get picked up in your rental car 3 mins after your call and you can be on your way 7 mins later. Dropping off at our Christchurch airport base can be anytime, with just a 4 min walk to the terminal.

What you will be driving

from

$36

per day

Small

1.3 - 1.5 LITRE
Suitable for 2 -3 People
Automatic, Air Bags
Air Conditioned, Bluetooth Audio

from

$38

per day

Medium

1.5 - 1.8 LITRE
Suitable for 3 -4 People
Automatic, Air Bags
Air Conditioned, Bluetooth Audio

from

$41

per day

Large

1.8 - 2.2 LITRE
Suitable for 4 -5 People
Automatic, Air Bags
Air Conditioned, Bluetooth Audio
SEE ALL CARS
* Prices are based on 7 day hires outside our Peak season

Get a quote

Online Enquiry
Please note we are based at Christchurch Airport only and do not allow one way hires at the moment.

We’ll keep you on the road
That’s our guarantee!

We are very confident in the quality of our rental cars in Christchurch, and all are constantly maintained to ensure they don’t have any problems. But in the event of a breakdown, we promise to have the problem resolved, or to provide replacement car hire within 24 hours. If we don’t, we’ll offer you a full refund!

Save money with
part day hire options

Unlike others, Shoestring Rental Cars doesn't charge for the first 3 hours of the next day. After that, it is only a half day charge for the first 8 hours.

3 reasons we can offer cheap car rentals

We offer late model rental cars that are great brands, and fastidiously maintained by our cheerful Japanese mechanic “Mr Cede”.

Our depot is 400m from the terminal so we don’t pay extra parking costs for car hire. Christchurch Airport also charges extra for companies that have kiosks in the terminal. We’ll meet you at the airport just 3 minutes after your call.

Because we offer a Christchurch to Christchurch service, we don’t need multiple depots. Why pay for what you are not using?

What our customers say

  • "I have used Shoestring Rentals on numerous occasions. They are always on time, professional & greet you with a warm engaging smile and make the paperwork quick & simple. I have no hesitation recommending them to everyone."
    Sir Henry van der Heyden
  • "This is a family owned company that provided excellent service at a very reasonable price. Communication was excellent, overall I think we had a better experience than we would have had with a big corporate chain. Cameron went above and beyond to help us when we made a silly mistake with the car key at 8pm, he came to our rescue within ten minutes!"
    Sue-Li Tasker Yeo
  • "Fantastic service, very friendly and efficient. I have rented cars a number of times in NZ, Australia and the UK and I was very happy with the car (clean and easy to drive model of car) and the price. I will certainly book with them again."
    Kelly Olsen
  • "Mr. Cameron such a lovely and helpful person. All bookings were made with zero hassle. The cars that we rented are in good condition. Highly recommended!"
    Neena Anuar
  • "I found Shoestring's service excellent - prompt and efficient. The cars are functional, no problems there. Meeting and drop off procedures very smooth and hassle free."
    Carol Stigley

Ready to explore the South Island with confidence?

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