Car Rental in Chongqing (2026) - Driving Guide & Best Rates
Rent a car in Chongqing to explore the city's impressive skyline and nearby attractions with ease, compare top rental options and hit the road today.
Driving Requirements
Traffic law allows tourists to drive on a foreign license for up to 90 days from date of entry, provided the license is accompanied by an International Driving Permit (IDP). After 90 days, or if the license is not in Chinese, a local temporary or full Chinese license is required.
The legal minimum age to drive any car in China is 18. Rental companies typically set their own higher thresholds, many require drivers to be 21 or even 25 for certain vehicle classes, so check individual policies before booking.
Chinese law requires at least Compulsory Traffic Accident Liability Insurance (CTPL) on every vehicle. Rental firms usually bundle CTPL and offer additional collision-damage or theft coverage. Review what is included and what remains your personal liability.
Most rental companies require a credit card in the main driver's name for a pre-authorization deposit that can range from economy to premium levels depending on vehicle class. Debit cards or cash deposits are rarely accepted.
Traffic keeps to the right-hand side. Right turns on red are generally prohibited unless a signposted otherwise. At uncontrolled intersections, vehicles already inside the junction usually have priority. But expect dense traffic and frequent scooter filtering. Defensive driving is essential.
Helpful Tips
Pick up at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (CKG) for the widest fleet choice and direct highway access. But expect anCNY 20, 30 toll to reach central Yuzhong; city-center depots near Jiefangbei save the toll yet close earlier (typically 18:00, 19:00).
During pick-up photograph every panel and alloy wheel, Chongqing's steep, narrow lanes invite scrapes, and confirm whether your contract includes full CDW or only basic third-party; some local renters default to the latter unless you ask.
Google Maps works for routing but lacks real-time traffic in tunnels. Preload Baidu Maps or Amap (高德地图) in English mode and download offline Chongqing maps, because GPS can drop inside the Yangtze and Jialing river bridges.
All rental cars use unleaded 92 or 95; stations are plentiful on ring roads but scarce on hilly peninsula streets, return full-to-full as prepaid fuel is rarely refunded, and attendants expect cash or mobile pay, not foreign cards.
Daytime parking under shopping malls like Raffles City or IFS is plentiful (hourly paid zones), yet overnight street parking in Yuzhong requires a resident permit. Choose hotels with free basement garages or expect overnight lots near Hongya Cave to charge until 07:00.
Driving Warnings
Right turns on red are strictly prohibited citywide, cameras at major junctions like Jiefangbei and Guanyinqiao will issue automatic fines.
From June through September, sudden mountain fog rolls in on the G75 Ba-Yu Expressway between Shapingba and Beibei, dropping visibility to under 50 m without warning.
Morning rush locks the Yangtze River Bridge (Shibanpo) and the entire Inner Ring Road from 07:30, 09:30; expect 30, 45 min to crawl 5 km.
Police conduct on-the-spot license checks at the Huanghuayuan Tunnel entrance, carry your original driving permit and passport or face an immediate 200 RMB penalty.