Transport Rental in Thailand

Choose a transport category, or go straight to a destination: each one has its own cars and motorbikes sections.

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Koh Samui · Thailand

Destinations in Thailand

Once you have chosen a destination, choose the type of vehicle for your trip: a car or a motorbike.

Main cities

The capital, two seaside towns on the Gulf of Thailand and the largest city of the north.

Andaman coast

Phuket island and Krabi province on the west coast, facing the Andaman Sea.

Gulf of Thailand islands

Koh Samui and its neighbour Koh Phangan, about 15 km further north, off Surat Thani province.

Each destination page shows what is published there right now. A link on this page does not mean that a vehicle is listed there.

Destinations on the map

Chiang Mai is in the north. Bangkok, Pattaya and Hua Hin lie around the top of the Gulf of Thailand, Phuket and Krabi face the Andaman Sea, and Koh Samui and Koh Phangan are islands in the Gulf. Select a point to open car rental there; the list has cars and motorbikes for every destination.

Map of Thailand: Chiang Mai in the north; Bangkok, Pattaya and Hua Hin around the top of the Gulf of Thailand; Phuket and Krabi on the Andaman Sea; Koh Samui and Koh Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand.Koh Samui — car rentalBangkok — car rentalPhuket — car rentalPattaya — car rentalHua Hin — car rentalKrabi — car rentalKoh Phangan — car rentalChiang Mai — car rental
A simplified map for orientation: it shows no roads, routes or ferries.

Choosing a destination and a vehicle

  • City and surroundings

    In Bangkok, a car is most useful for trips out of the city: traffic in the city is heavy, and the BTS SkyTrain and MRT metro serve many districts. Pattaya and Hua Hin are seaside resort towns: a motorbike suits short local trips and a car suits days out along the coast.

    Sources: TomTom Traffic Index, Bangkok 2025

  • Andaman coast

    Phuket is an island joined to the mainland by road bridges, and Krabi province is on the mainland across the bay. Beaches, viewpoints and piers are spread out on both, so your own car or motorbike means less reliance on taxis.

    Sources: Phuket Provincial Office (Thai)

  • Islands

    Car ferries run between the mainland and both Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. It is simplest to rent on the island where you stay and to choose a vehicle you are confident driving or riding.

    Sources: Raja Ferry, Seatran Ferry

  • The north

    Chiang Mai is the largest city of northern Thailand, and the province has mountain areas, including Doi Inthanon, the country’s highest point. A car is more comfortable for longer trips out of the city, and riding a motorbike in the mountains takes experience.

    Sources: Tourism Authority of Thailand: Chiang Mai

  • Where to pick up

    Each offer shows its own pick-up place — an office, an airport, a hotel or another agreed address — and whether delivery is possible. Compare the place and the hours with your arrival before you send a request.

Driving licence and documents

Thai law sets the same licence rules for every rental. A rental company can ask for more in its own terms — those are set in its offer and contract.

Required by law

Passport

Not a driving-licence requirement, but the police may ask for it to check your identity, and a rental company may ask to see it at pick-up. Keep it at hand.

Sources: Royal Thai Embassy, London

Set by the rental company

  • Minimum age and how long you must have held a licence.
  • Which documents you show at pick-up.
  • Deposit, insurance and where the vehicle may be taken.
  • Without proper documents, insurance may not cover you, and the company may decline to hand over the vehicle.

Sources: Tourism Authority of Thailand

A summary of the rules, not legal advice. Rules can change: check the sources before your trip.

Questions and answers

How do I search for a car or motorbike in Thailand?

In the search at the top, choose a car or a motorbike, the destination, and the pick-up and return dates and times, then start the search. The results page for that destination opens with your dates kept.

Should I rent a car or a motorbike?

A car suits families, luggage, longer distances and rainy days. A motorbike is handy for short trips in seaside towns and on the islands, but you need the motorcycle category on your licence, some riding experience and a helmet. Each destination page says what to consider there.

Where do I pick up and return the vehicle?

The pick-up and return place is part of each offer: an office, an airport, a hotel or another agreed address. Returning it somewhere else is possible only if the company agrees — check the offer before you send a request.

Which driving licence do I need?

A valid national licence; if it was not issued in an ASEAN country, add an International Driving Permit in the 1949 or 1968 format and carry both together. Details and official sources are in the licence section above.

Do I need a motorcycle category to rent a scooter?

Yes. A licence or IDP covers only the categories shown on it, and Thailand treats scooters and mopeds as motorcycles. Without the category you would be riding without a valid licence for that vehicle, and insurance may not cover you.

How do I pay for the rental?

GetnDrive does not take payment for the rental. The price, the deposit and how to pay are set by the rental company and shown in its offer; you pay the company at pick-up unless the offer states another arrangement.

Whose rental terms apply?

The terms of the local company that publishes the offer: price, deposit, insurance, documents and where you may drive. Read them in the offer before you send a request.

Can I drive a rented vehicle from one destination to another?

Only if the company allows it. Ask before you book, get the answer in writing and check how insurance applies outside the agreed area.

Can I take a rented car or motorbike to Koh Samui or Koh Phangan?

Car ferries run from the mainland to both islands, but a rented vehicle may go on a ferry only with the company’s permission. It is usually simpler to rent on the island: Koh Samui and Koh Phangan have their own pages.

The search shows no vehicles. What next?

No published offer matches this destination and these dates right now. Try other dates, the other vehicle type or a nearby destination. A link on this page does not mean that vehicles are listed there.

Is my booking confirmed when I send a request?

No. A request is not a confirmed booking: the company checks the vehicle and the dates and replies. The booking is confirmed only after the company accepts it.