Arriving in Alicante by train and wondering how to arrange car rental at Alicante train station? You have two distinct routes: collect from a desk inside or beside the RENFE terminal, or have a car delivered directly to you at the station entrance. Both work; they suit different trips, budgets and travel styles, and the logistics are different enough to be worth understanding before you book.
About Alicante train station
Alicante-Terminal (also signed as Alacant-Terminal in Valencian) is the main RENFE railway station serving the city. It sits on Avenida Salamanca, close to the city centre, and is the endpoint for high-speed and long-distance services from Madrid, Valencia, Murcia, Cartagena and other Spanish cities. It is also served by Cercanias and Media Distancia regional services. The city additionally has a separate tram network (TRAM Metropolita d'Alacant) with stops in the centre for coastal towns north of Alicante.
If you are arriving by train and plan to drive onward to the Costa Blanca, the station is a practical handover point: the city is compact, the motorway network is accessible within minutes, and car hire is available either at the terminal itself or very close by.
Rental desks at and near Alicante RENFE station
Unlike Alicante airport, where a large group of international brands operates from a purpose-built terminal, the station area has a smaller presence. Several well-known companies do maintain a location here or within a very short walk. Based on publicly available information in mid-2026:
- Avis: Has a desk inside the RENFE terminal building.
- SIXT: Located at Avenida Salamanca 1, immediately adjacent to the station entrance.
- Record Go: Office on Avenida de la Estacion, about one minute on foot from the main entrance.
- Europcar: Has a city-centre branch serving the station area.
- Alamo and Enterprise: Also list the RENFE station as a rental location.
Opening hours at station desks are generally shorter than at the airport and vary by company and day of the week. Check the specific desk schedule before booking. If your train arrives in the evening or on a Sunday, confirm that the office will be open when you land, rather than discovering a closed shutter with your luggage beside you.
Station branches also tend to operate with a smaller fleet than the airport. In July and August availability sells out earlier than at the airport, so booking ahead is more important than at other times of year.
Your options at a glance
| Option | Pickup point | Deposit | Debit card | After-hours | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station desk (chain) | Inside terminal or 1-2 min walk | Several hundred to over 1,000 EUR blocked on a credit card | Usually not accepted | Depends on desk hours - check first | Credit card holders, standard needs, widest fleet |
| Car delivery to station | Station entrance or agreed point in Alicante | 0 EUR with full cover tier; refundable hold on basic tiers | Accepted | Available; 50 EUR outside 08:00-20:00 | Debit card users, families, those wanting a fixed total |
What the station desk option means in practice
Booking with a chain at the RENFE terminal follows the same model as at the airport: you collect the car from their desk, sign the contract on the spot, and drive away. The practical advantage is immediacy. If your train runs on time and the desk is open, you can walk off the platform and be in a car within twenty to thirty minutes, with no pre-arranged meeting point and no waiting on a phone call.
The deposit and card rules at station desks are the same as at the airport desks for the same brand. Most large chains require a credit card in the main driver's name for the security deposit, and the blocked amount can be several hundred euros. Debit cards are commonly refused. If you travel with a debit card or a prepaid card, confirm in writing what the branch accepts before you book. Our debit card car rental guide for Spain covers this in detail, including which types of card tend to cause problems at desks and what the alternatives are.
Chain desks also tend to offer a wider choice in terms of fleet categories: seven-seaters, vans and specific model guarantees are available from some brands, while local companies typically concentrate on economy and compact cars. If you need a specific vehicle type, a chain is the right call.
The delivery alternative: car brought to the station
Several local rental companies in Alicante deliver cars directly to customers rather than operating a static desk. This is the model we use at WeOneRent: you book online, agree a meeting point at Alicante train station (or any address within the city), and we bring the car to you at the time your train arrives.
For handovers within the Alicante city area between 08:00 and 20:00, the delivery service is free. If your train arrives outside those hours, an after-hours fee of 50 EUR applies. The handover itself takes place at the station entrance: you receive the car, complete a brief walk-around, sign digitally and go. No desk queue, no waiting for a shuttle and no separate parking lot to navigate to.
The deposit position with a local delivery company is often different from that at a station chain. With our full cover insurance tier there is a 0 EUR deposit. On the basic and mid tiers a refundable hold applies, and the exact amount is shown on the booking page before you pay. Debit cards are accepted. Young drivers under 25 pay 9 EUR per day, compared to the 15 to 25 EUR per day that is common at larger chains - a meaningful difference on a week-long rental. You can see the full fleet and check live prices at weonerent.es.
The honest limitations of the delivery model: fleet choice is narrower. Our cars at WeOneRent are economy and compact - Opel Astra, Peugeot 208 and 308, Hyundai Ioniq and Lexus CT200h hybrids, and a VW Tiguan as the single SUV. One-way rentals to other regions are not available. If you need a van, a seven-seater or a guaranteed specific model outside that list, a station desk chain is the better option for your trip. Browse the fleet to confirm availability before booking.
Station desk or delivery: which to choose
The choice comes down to three factors: your payment card, your arrival time and your total budget.
Choose a station desk if you arrive during desk hours, hold a credit card with sufficient available credit for the deposit block, and need the widest fleet choice or a one-way rental to another region of Spain. Also choose a desk if your return is early in the morning and a delivery pickup at that hour would be impractical.
Choose delivery if you travel with a debit card, want to avoid a large credit block on your account, are travelling with children and child seat logistics are a factor, or your priority is a fixed, transparent total rather than a low anchor rate with extras added at the desk. Delivery also suits travellers with delayed trains: a person waiting with the car is more forgiving than a desk with a closing time. The broader comparison between local companies and chains is laid out in our guide to car rental companies in Alicante.
Deposits and cards: the detail that matters most
The deposit situation is the detail that catches travellers off guard most often. At a standard tier with a major chain, a hold of several hundred to over 1,000 EUR is blocked on a credit card for the duration of the rental and sometimes for several days after return. This is not a charge, but it reduces your available credit. If you arrive at the desk with only a debit card, the booking may simply be cancelled on the spot.
Two paths lead to a lower deposit at the station. The first is to take the chain's own full cover tier, which typically removes the excess and the deposit requirement but carries a higher daily rate. The second is to book a local delivery company that accepts debit cards and offers a genuine zero-deposit tier, as we do. Our no-deposit car rental Alicante guide explains how each model works in practice. The insurance page details what is covered under each of our four tiers and what the deposit position is at each level.
Late trains and after-hours arrivals
If your RENFE service arrives after 20:00 or before 08:00, your options narrow at the station. City-centre desk hours are generally shorter than at the airport. Some branches close at around 21:00 on weekdays and earlier on weekends and public holidays. Check the exact desk schedule for the day of your arrival when you make the booking, not in general terms on the company website.
With car delivery, the 50 EUR after-hours fee covers handovers outside 08:00 to 20:00. This is a flat per-event charge, not hourly. For a late evening arrival on a regional Cercanias, compare the full picture: the after-hours delivery fee plus our total rental cost against the chain's desk rate with deposit, card requirements and their desk hours for that day. In many cases the delivered option still works out at the same or lower total, particularly for travellers without a credit card.
What to have ready at pickup or delivery
Whether you collect from a desk or receive a delivery at the station, the documents required are the same:
- Driving licence - valid, and valid for use in Spain. EU licences are accepted directly. Non-EU licence holders should check whether an International Driving Permit is required for their country of issue before travelling. UK licence holders should check the most current guidance; our guide to driving in Spain with a UK licence covers the current position.
- Passport or national identity card
- Payment card matching what the company confirmed it accepts
- Booking confirmation with the rental reference number
For a delivery handover, it also helps to have your phone available for the digital contract and walk-around. The process is straightforward and takes about ten minutes.
Getting around from Alicante: is a car worth it from the station?
If your final destination is Alicante city centre, many hotels and the beach are within walking distance of the RENFE terminal and a car is not strictly necessary for a city break. The TRAM network handles coastal towns north of the city reasonably well.
For the Costa Blanca south - Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa, Guardamar, Santa Pola - a car makes a substantial difference in flexibility and is often more practical than a sequence of local buses. If you are heading directly to a villa, urbanisation or small inland town, renting at the station and driving is usually the most efficient option. The Costa Blanca car rental hub lists options town by town if you want to compare pickup and delivery options for your specific destination.
FAQ: car hire near Alicante train station
Which car rental companies are at Alicante RENFE station?
Based on mid-2026 information: Avis has a desk inside the terminal building, SIXT is at Avenida Salamanca 1 directly beside the station, and Record Go is on Avenida de la Estacion about one minute on foot from the entrance. Europcar, Alamo and Enterprise also list the station as a rental location. Always verify current desk hours with the company before your trip, as city branches have shorter and variable operating times.
Can I rent a car at Alicante train station without a credit card?
At most major chains, a credit card in the driver's name is required for the deposit hold. With a debit card, your realistic options are: choose the chain's full cover tier (which typically removes the deposit requirement), or book a local delivery company that accepts debit cards. At WeOneRent we accept debit cards, and the deposit position at each insurance tier is shown clearly before payment. More detail in our debit card rental guide.
Is there a no-deposit car rental option near the station?
At a chain desk, a zero-deposit outcome is usually achieved by taking the top insurance tier, which removes the excess and the deposit block at a higher daily rate. With a local delivery company like WeOneRent the full cover tier carries 0 EUR deposit as standard. Check the final numbers for your specific dates on both models before deciding which total is lower.
How long does pickup take at the RENFE station desk?
At a well-staffed desk with no queue, typically 15 to 30 minutes for document check, deposit authorisation and vehicle walk-around. In peak summer season or if the desk handles multiple brands, it can take longer. A delivery handover at the station entrance is typically quicker because you are the only transaction at that moment.
What if my train is delayed and I arrive after the desk closes?
At a station desk, a late-running train risks arriving after closing time. Always ask the company explicitly what happens if you arrive later than the desk is open. With a car delivery, a short delay is manageable with a phone call. For arrivals outside 08:00 to 20:00 with WeOneRent, the after-hours fee applies; for significant delays it is worth calling ahead to confirm the handover time.
Can WeOneRent deliver a car to Alicante train station?
Yes. Delivery to Alicante train station is included in our free delivery zone for handovers between 08:00 and 20:00. Outside those hours a 50 EUR per-event fee applies. Book online at weonerent.es, select the station as the delivery address, and we bring the car to you. No desk queue, no shuttle and no off-site lot to find.
Ready to check prices for your arrival date? Use the booking widget at weonerent.es to see live rates and the no-deposit full cover option. If a desk at the RENFE terminal suits your trip better after reading this, you now know exactly what desk hours and card requirements to confirm before your train departs.
%20(800%20x%20120%20px)%20(1600%20x%20200%20px).avif){kind=small}