Rent a Car at Bordeaux Train Station

What payment cards do you accept?

You must bring the payment card used to make your booking, displaying the same name/first name that the main driver's.

We accept:

• American Express (excluding American Express Traveller's Cheque cards)
• Diners cards
• Discover cards
• Visa credit cards
• Visa debit cards
• Mastercard credit cards
• Mastercard debit cards
• Budget-issued charge cards

We don't accept Maestro cards, Cirrus cards, JCB cards, any prepaid card or any other cards not listed above even if they carry the Visa or MasterCard logo.

We do not accept digital payment cards.

We accept cash, within the limit of applicable law, but we will need to carry out additional identity, security, driving licence and credit checks and will need to see proof of address.

Unless confirmed otherwise, the amount of the pre-authorisation taken on pick-up of the rental vehicle is calculated as follows:

(The vehicle rental price* + the fixed amount as specified in the Tariff conditions https://www.budget.fr/conditions-tarifaires** (or if applicable, the equivalent amount in your local currency) **) MINUS (Any sum you have already paid when making a "Pay Now" booking)

* The "vehicle rental price" includes the vehicle rental cost and all optional extras you've requested, calculated at the start of the rental based on the intended length of the rental. For the avoidance of any doubt, any "Pay at Location" amount you owe in relation to the vehicle rental (including any optional extras) will be included as part of the pre-authorisation and will be charged to you at the end of the rental (using the card provided for the purposes of the pre-authorisation, unless agreed otherwise).

** If you buy our "Fuel Up Front" product, we will reduce the fixed amount as specified in the Tariff conditions https://www.budget.fr/conditions-tarifairesby the amount we charge you for the "Fuel Up Front" product

The additional fixed amount specified in the Tariff conditions (https://www.budget.fr/conditions-tarifaires is included as part of the pre-authorisation in case we have to charge you at the end of the rental for any of the following:

i. costs to refuel the vehicle (where relevant);

ii. additional rental charges in circumstances where you fail to return the vehicle or any optional extras at the end of the agreed rental period or to the agreed return location;

iii. any additional charges or fines you incur relating to your use of the vehicle (which we have been notified of prior to you returning the vehicle, which will include, for example, charges relating to traffic violations); and/or

iv. costs incurred as a result of exceeding any relevant mileage restrictions.

Where the pre-authorisation we take does not cover the charges you incur, we will request you make a further payment for the additional amounts owed.

In relation to certain high value vehicles, we may require you to provide us with two payment cards for the purposes of the pre-authorisation. Where this is the case, this will be confirmed when making a booking.

If you'd like more details, please ask a member of our team.

Debit cards are accepted.

Requirement to bring the original of your valid driving licence in good conditions with you. We do not accept digital driving licences.
In France, all drivers must bring their valid driving licence with them.

If any of the following applies:

• their driving licence was issued in another European country,
• their driving licence was issued in a non-European country or
• their driving licence was issued in a non-roman alphabet language like Arabic, Greek, Russian, Hebrew or Japanese,

and we cannot confirm with certainty the details included within the driving licence, the driver will also need to provide either an international driving licence or an official English translation, by a notary, of their driving licence. If this might apply to you, please contact us (prior to your pick up date) as we would be pleased to confirm if an international licence or official translation will be required.

Minimum licence requirements

All drivers must have held their licences for at least 1 year from the date of pick-up.

If a licence does not show the driver has held it for the minimum period, then they must provide evidence, such as:

• previous driving licences; or
• a letter from their driving licence authority stating that they have held it for this minimum period.

Public liability insurance is in accordance with the insurance laws of the country.  Customer may inquire at the time of rental for additional information of the benefits, conditions and acceptance.

Note: Some credit cards provide insurance coverage, with certain limitations, as a benefit of using the card to rent vehicles.  The customer is advised to contact the card issuer before the rental.  Any waiver must be discussed directly with the location upon arrival.

Delivery and collection to and from railway stations in France is available for a fee of EUR 14.90. Please contact reservation center for details.

How old do I need to be to drive a rental vehicle?

To drive our vehicles, you and all of your drivers need to be at least 21 years old and have held a full, valid driving license for at least 1 year at the start of your rental. For the rental of a selection of vehicles, if you have a Mou'v card, you and all of your drivers need to be at least 19 years old and have held a full, valid driving license for at least 1 year at the start of your rental. 

I am under 25 do I need to pay a young driver surcharge?

If you or any of your drivers are under 25 when you pick up the vehicle, you will each have to pay  a young driver surcharge. The cost for is 32,60 EUR per day, for each driver.
If you rent the vehicle for more than 10 days, you will only be charged for a maximum of 10 days and get cover for the duration of your rental, up to 30 days.

Are there any maximum age restrictions?

No, so long as you hold a full, valid driving license for at least 1 year.

Approximate total includes base rate, taxes, and surcharges. Items such as coupon discounts, registration fee, child safety seats and gas are NOT included in the estimated total. Optional coverages and one-way fees are subject to tax in certain locations. This tax is not reflected in the Estimated Total.

Estimated total is subject to change based upon exchange rates at the time of rental.

Should I bring the vehicle back with a full tank of fuel?
Yes. The vehicle will normally be supplied with a full tank of fuel. You must return it to us with the same amount of fuel it had in it when you picked it up usually a full tank as shown on the factory-installed fuel gauge.  We recommend you fill up as close to the return location as you can on the return date, and keep the receipt to show us. If you don't return the vehicle with a full tank and you can't show us a receipt for fuel we will charge you.Fuel Options

I plan to travel more than 120kilometres, and want peace of mind, do you have a fuel option for me?
Yes, with Fuel Up Front you pay for a full tank of fuel, based on the manufacturer's stated fuel tank capacity for your vehicle plus our costs of refueling the vehicle for you. Then you just return the vehicle with whatever's left in the tank (even if it's virtually empty) so long as the engine still runs.
How do I calculate the cost of Fuel Up Front?
Depending on where you’re renting, this cost could be up to 0.05 EUR per liter lower than the average fuel price at the start of your rental period as stated on this EU fuel index:. However, you don't get a refund for any fuel you don't use.
Can I get Fuel up Front at any time?
No, if you want to take advantage of Fuel Up Front, you must ask for it during the booking process or when you pick up the vehicle.
I plan to travel less than 120 kilometers, do I still need to fill up?
Yes, often the fuel gauges stills look "full" so we ask you to fill up the tank near to the return location and show us a copy of the receipt.  If you don't have time to fill up the tank, or can't show us a receipt, we will apply EZ Fuel to cover our costs of refueling the vehicle for you.  
How much is EZ Fuel?
Depending on where you're renting, you pay of fixed fee of between 14.50 EUR and 17.00 EUR.  

What are my options if I don't return the vehicle full and haven't bought Fuel up Front?
Pay on Return will apply if you have driven more than 120 kilometers and:

• Don't buy Fuel Up Front
• Don't return the vehicle with a full tank

How do I calculate the cost of Pay on Return?
You pay for fuel based on the factory installed fuel gauge rounded down to the nearest eighth (1/8) of a tank. This is based on the manufacturer's stated fuel tank capacity.
We charge between 1.5 and three times the average fuel price at the end of the rental period for France as stated on this EU fuel index: plus a service fee between 13 EUR and 15 EUR. The price per liter will be stated on your rental agreement. This charge covers our cost of driving to the nearest petrol station at short notice, and potentially delaying the next customer's rental.

Electric Vehicles

How much battery charge should I return an electric vehicle with?

You must return the vehicle with at least a 70% battery charge, or the same % battery charge as it had at the time of pick-up.

What am i charged if I fail to return an electric vehicle with the required 70% battery charge, or the same % battery charge as it had at the time of pick-up?

We charge a fixed amount dependent on the battery life showing on the factory-installed battery gauge. This is the Pay on Return rate. the amounts charged are set out below:

Can I let anyone else drive?
Yes, but only if we have approved them. You must not let anyone else drive the vehicle.
We charge a fee for every Additional Driver we allow to drive the vehicle. The price depends on the location you’re renting from, but you can expect it to be between 8 EUR and 9  EUR per day, per driver.
If you rent the vehicle for more than 12 days, you'll only be charged for a maximum of 12 days and get cover for the duration of your rental, up to 30 days.
All additional drivers must meet our age, driving license and ID requirements.

If any additional driver is outside of our age restrictions, we will also charge a driver surcharge.

Do you offer a 'meet and greet' service? Yes, in some of our airport and train station rental locations.
The 'meet and greet' fee is 20 EUR.
You must give us at least 24 hours' notice to organize a 'meet and greet' pick up. We may be able to provide the service at shorter notice, but you will need to check with the Reservations team.

Can I pick up the vehicle outside your normal opening hours?
Yes, some airport and train station rental locations offer an out of hour's pick-up service where you can collect the vehicle and any optional extras outside the rental location's normal opening hours.
The out of hour's pick up fee is 40 EUR.
You must give us at least 24 hours' notice to organize out of hour's pick-up. We may be able to provide the service at shorter notice, but you will need to check with the Reservations team.

My rental has a mileage allowance.  I have driven more than the allowance, how much will I pay for excess mileage
Many of our vehicles are provided with unlimited mileage. If a mileage allowance applies, it will be stated on your rental agreement and in your booking confirmation email. If you go over the mileage allowance, the price depends on the vehicle and location but you can expect it to costs between 0.75 EUR and 1.21 EUR for every kilometer you’ve driven over the allowance. Your excess mileage charge will be stated on your rental agreement.

Can I smoke in the vehicle?
No, it is against the law to smoke in public places in France. The vehicle is considered a public place so you are not allowed to smoke in it. If we believe anyone has smoked in the vehicle during the rental period, a specialist cleaning charge will apply.

Are there any roads or zones where I need to pay a fee before I can enter?
Yes, certain areas, such as the centre of London, have congestion charging zones meaning you need to pay a fee if you wish to drive in certain areas, on certain days and during certain times.  In addition, there are toll roads and toll bridges which require you to pay a fee if you wish to use them.  If you do not pay these charges before you enter such areas or use such roads or bridges, you will incur a fine. 

We recommend you check the Internet to find out about any restricted areas before you travel.  Websites such as www.urbanaccessregulations.eu provide useful information.  If the rental location is in or near a restricted area, we will tell you about it when you pick up the vehicle.  We are unable to tell you about any other restricted areas.

I have been caught speeding, and didn't pay a parking charge, what will I have to pay?
You are responsible for all fines and charges issued as a result of you or your additional drivers using the vehicle. Fines and charges could include:

• All parking fines or charges
• Toll charges
• Towing charges especially following an immobilization of the vehicle within the frame of the Mountain law (See Tariff conditions)
• Clamping costs
• Traffic fines or charges
• Speeding fines
• Fines or charges related to a non-compliance with the vehicle equipment obligations in the areas concerned by the Mountain law
• And any other charges or fines

If a fine or charge is sent to us because you haven't paid a charge or complied with the law, we will take payment for:

• Our adminstration fee for each fine or charge which will be charged in the currency of the country where the fine occured
• Plus the fine or charge if we have to pay it

The administration fees for France are sprcified in our tariff conditions.

I've left the interior of the vehicle very dirty and made it smell.  Will I be charged to clean it?
Yes, if the interior of the vehicle is especially muddy, dirty, stained or smelly, and our standard cleaning procedure will not fix it, you will be charged a Specialist Cleaning Charge of 120 EUR.

Roadside Assistance

What happens if I break down because of a mechanical failure?
All our vehicles are maintained to the manufacturer's standards, and they're roadworthy when you pick them up so mechanical failure in our vehicles is rare. So long as you're using the vehicle in a country we've agreed to, we provide roadside assistance or recovery free of charge. You can only use our roadside assistance provider to help you. You'll find their contact details inside the vehicle.
 
What happens if I break down because of a non-mechanical failure or in another country?
You must tell us if you break down or have an accident.  If you need roadside assistance, we will arrange this for you but you will have to pay for it.  You will also be charged for any costs we incur getting the vehicle back on the road in the country of rental.  This may include, but is not limited to:

• Call out and recovery costs of around 168 EUR 
• Repair costs
• Loss of use, including on the ground vehcile idle time fee, as per our tariff conditions
• Repatriation costs
• An administration fee of 65 EUR.
• Any costs to take you, and/or any of your passengers to another location
• Electrical Charge for EV Vehicles (Where the cable is in working order)

What products do you have to protect me if I break down because of a non-mechanical problem?
Roadside Assistance Plus provides roadside assistance if you break down as a result of:

• Flat batteries
• Flat tires
• Keys locked in the vehicle
• Running out of fuel

Provided you are using the vehicle in a country we have agreed to. You will only need to pay for the costs of any additional items needed to get the vehicle back on the road like fuel or tires.

How much does Roadside Assistance Plus cost?
The price will depend on where you're renting but you can expect it to be between 4.10 EUR and 4.90 EUR a day.

What happens if I don't return the incident report form or European accident form?
If you are involved in an accident, or the vehicle, keys, any accessories, any vehicle documents or any optional extras are damaged, lost or stolen; you must complete and return an incident report form and if available, the European accident report form. 

Can I pick up the vehicle from one rental location and return it to another?

Yes, some rental locations let you collect the vehicle and any optional extras from one rental location and return them to another.

How much is the One-Way fee?

The price depends on the rental location. If you want to pick up the vehicle and return it to a different location in the same country, you can expect it to be between 35 EUR and 75 EUR. If you want to pick up the vehicle in one country and drop it off in another country, you can expect it to be between 75 EUR and 6,000 EUR.

How do I get a One-Way rental?
You can request a one-way rental when you book or you can ask for it when you get to the rental location.
If you asked for a one-way rental when you booked, the fee will be included in your rental price.

How much will it cost if I did not request a One-Way rental but return the vehicle to a different location?

You will be charged a one-way fee at the pay at location, prices available on the day you return the vehicle, according to the Tariff conditions.

For categories of vehicles fitted with winter tires, a specific fee will apply.

Car seats
We offer baby, infant, child and booster seats. 
A baby seat is typically suitable for a child from birth to 12 months old and weighing no more than 13 kilos. 
An infant seat is typically suitable for a child aged 9 months to 4 years old and weighing between 9 and 18 kilos.
A child seat is typically suitable for a child aged 4 to 11 years old and weighing between 15 and 36 kilos. 
A booster seat is typically suitable for a child aged 8 to 11 years and weighing between 20 and 45 kilos.

In some rental locations, we may arrange for a third party to fit the seat for you. But remember, it is always your responsibility to check the seat is fitted correctly before you drive away.

Please note: In France children must normally use a child car seat until they're 10 years old. Please refer to https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F628 

The fee for renting a seat is indicated in our Tariff conditions https://www.avis.fr/conditions-tarifaires 
If you rent the vehicle for more than 7 days, you'll only be charged a maximum of 7 days and get to use the seat for the duration of the rental, up to 28 days.

If the seat is damaged, lost or stolen, you will have to pay for a replacement. 

All weather tyres.
If the rental location youre hiring from is in an area where it is illegal to drive without all-weather tyres at certain times of the year, the vehicle will automatically be supplied with them and the fee will be included in your rental fee or contract.

If any all-weather tyre is damaged, lost or stolen, and if you are responsible for that, you will have to pay for a replacement pair.

In the event that your rental does not already contain all-weather tyres and you want to have these tyres, please notify us at least 24 hours in advance.

Snow chains
In most of the French mountain municipalities (Alps, Corsica, Massif Central, Jura Montains, Pyrenees, Vosges Montains), it is mandatory in winter, under the Mountain Law, to have snow chains in the boot of the vehicle or to drive a vehicle equipped with winter tires. You can consult the list of municipalities affected by this obligation at the following link: https://www.securite-routiere.gouv.fr/chacun-son-mode-de-deplacement/dangers-de-la-route-en-voiture/equipement-de-la-voiture/nouveaux. The rental locations in these regions will offer you these different options depending on availability.
Your vehicle may in some cases be provided with snow chains on board. If you did not request snow chains and your vehicle is automatically equipped with them, they will only be charged when returning the vehicle if used during the rental. If you plan to drive in the municipalities affected by the mandatory equipment under the Mountain Law, for your safety and to comply with the regulations, we recommend that you subscribe this option when booking.
Snow chains may also be available from other rental agencies. The rental fees for snow chains are indicated in our Tariff conditions: https://www.avis.fr/a-propos-d-avis/conditions-tarifaires.
We cannot mount fit chains for you, and we cannot arrange for them to be fitted.

When you rent, you remain responsible for the snow chains made available with the vehicle. If snow chains are damaged, lost or stolen, you will be charged a replacement pair.

Ski Racks
Some rental locations offer ski racks. The fee for ski racks depends on where you’re renting please see our Tariff conditions https://www.budget.fr/conditions-tarifaires 

Ski racks cannot be fitted to all our vehicles, so you may need to upgrade if you need one. This may increase the price of the vehicle and any excess you may have to pay 

If the ski rack is damaged, lost or stolen, you’ll have to pay for a replacement. 

Please give us at least 24 hours' notice if you want to hire a ski rack. If you need it at shorter notice, please call the Reservations team.

Travel Partner
This service provides assistance from language translation to lost property services and much more. We provide this service on behalf of a third party and will provide you with details when you pick up the vehicle. Travel Partner is available at the price indicated in our Tariff conditions: https://www.avis.fr/conditions-tarifaires. 

* If you can show the damage or loss was not in any way your fault or due to your negligence, we will refund this cost to you.

I want to keep the vehicle for longer, what should I do?

If you want to extend the rental please contact us as soon as possible. At the latest, this should be before the end date and time on your rental agreement. Extra days will be charged at pay at location prices.

What happens if I don't extend the rental?

If you fail to extend your rental and are late returning the vehicle, we will charge you for an extra day's rental plus a late return administration fee for each day or part of a day until the vehicle is returned.
If you fail to extend your rental and are late returning the vehicle, we will on the third day after your agreed return date pre-authorise payment for an additional 5 days rental charge on your debit card, ord 10 days if you are using a credit card, at pay at locations prices. If you return the vehicle within those 5 or 10 days (whichever applies), you will only be charged for your actual rental days, plus any other charges you owe us.

If you fail to return your vehicle as agreed, we will also charge you a late return administration fee of each day or part of a day until the vehicle is returned.

The late return administration fee is invoiced as stated in or tariff conditions.

You are covered by third party liability insurance only when you use the vehicle in the country listed on the insurance green card.
Your additional coverages only apply when you use the vehicle in the following countries:

• Andorra
• Austria
• Belgium
• Denmark
• Finland 
• Metropolitan France
• Monaco
• Germany
• Italy 
• Luxembourg 
• Netherlands 
• Norway 
• Portugal 
• Spain (continental)
• Sweden
• Switzerland (exception for vans) 

When you pick up your vehicle at a location located on the mainland, you are not authorised to leave the mainland with the vehicle rented for an island (e.g. Corsica). Similarly, vehicles rented in Corsica are not authorised to leave Corsica. 

On the condition of paying the cross border fee set out below when you cross the borders of France (as defined above) into one or more of the permitted countries, your rental will be subject to a cross border fee which amount is set out in the tariff conditions available on budget.fr. The cross-border fee will apply only once for the duration of your rental, no matter how many times you cross borders between permitted countries.

Please refer to the section "Where Can You Drive?" in the Rental Conditions for details on costs associated with failure to declare that you are driving the vehicle outside the country of rental.
Any country not listed as a permitted country is an unpermitted country. 

Rentals that start in France (as defined above) cannot be taken into an unpermitted country, unless we expressly agree otherwise beforehand. 

If it has come to our knowledge, at any time, that your rental vehicle has been taken into an unpermitted country without our prior agreement, we may, at our discretion, apply the fee set out in our tariff conditions, and void your selected optional extras where there is a claim (such as roadside assistance) that takes place in an unpermitted country. 

Please note that if you are permitted to take the vehicle outside of France (as defined above), it is your responsibility to make sure you comply with legal requirements applicable in the relevant country/countries you travel in.