Business trips often vary in purpose, duration and budget. Some will be for sales or business development, while others will be more focused on managing and sustaining existing relationships with suppliers, clients and partners. Navigating unfamiliar territories can be a challenge, particularly when you’ve never been to a certain city, country or region before. In this article, we’ll explore some of the main factors you should consider when thinking about whether hiring a car for your business trip is necessary or not.
Where is your destination?
Most importantly, your destination will be a major factor in whether you need to hire a vehicle for the duration of your visit. If you’re going to a predominantly metropolitan area, chances are that you’ll be better placed using public transport and/or private taxi services. For example, if you’re travelling to London, congestion is very common and much of the city centre is an Ultra Low Emission Zone – meaning that driving around the area incurs added costs for petrol and diesel vehicles. In this case, it’s a better idea to use public transport or taxis from your serviced apartment in London. If you’re heading to somewhere more rural, then opting for a hire car or lease is probably a more logical idea to help you move around the area.
How long is your visit?
Another factor is the length of your visit. It may make financial and practical sense to use other forms of transport for a shorter visit, but for an extended business trip, hiring a car could be more cost-effective and convenient than using taxis and public transport for a few weeks or months. You’re much more likely to do more than just business on an extended visit, so a hired car could assist you in doing more with your leisure time too.
How much will you need to move around?
You should also ask yourself – what sort of trip is it going to be and how much will I be moving around? If you’re going to be visiting a few different destinations on your trip, perhaps some inner and some outer city, hiring or leasing a car will give you that flexibility and convenience to travel between them freely. If you’re going to be based in one location for most of your trip, then the expense of a hire car may not be justifiable.
Hopefully, these factors will give you a better idea of whether you need a hire car or not. It largely comes down to the location, duration and schedule of your trip – so ensure you consider these financially and practically to get the best value for your money.
