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Researching car rental options in Tenerife, I was surprised to find out most apparently ban ferry-hopping between islands, even though all of them are within Spain and the Schengen area. E.g. this quote from Tripadvisor:

Generally the hire companies wont allow you to take a car from one island to another without incurring an additional (and expensive) fee. You are normally better off hiring a car on each island.

Are there any car rentals which allow you to do that free of charge or for a small fee?

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    I do wonder how car hire companies enforce such rules as this, how would they know you took the ferry to another island, unless they have spies on the dock?
    – Crazymoomin
    Commented Jul 17, 2016 at 22:59
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    @Crazymoomin they could have an agreement with the ferry companies not to let rental cars through without special permission
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Jul 17, 2016 at 23:02
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    I do wonder why you would want to do this, since generally the cost of bringing a car (any car) on a ferry greatly exceeds the cost for a foot passenger.
    – Greg Hewgill
    Commented Jul 18, 2016 at 1:04
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    Convenience. Get into port by car, leave the port by car. Spread over 4 people the ferry crossing wouldn't be too expensive.
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Jul 18, 2016 at 7:33
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    inter-island travel without rental car isnt always convenient or cheaper. there are many good reasons for wishing to keep one rental car for several islands. we´re no longer young and fit and arriving / waiting at the ferry terminals as foot passenger is not always "relaxing" to put it mildly. just think of the baggage (loading and unlaoding) alone. baggage containers aren´t taken to bus stand or taxi stand. there are no luggage trollies...soooo...you have to carry it all yourself. have done this several times and it´s a pain! you cant always drop car at port whci then involves taxis. the ferr
    – lorraine
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 18:06

3 Answers 3

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I have checked with Cicar, one of the cheapest and reliable companies in Canary Island, and they told me that you can take the car to other island as long as you return it in the same island where you rented it. You don't have to pay extra money for this but you have to ask them for an authorization.

This is what they answered to me about you question. This is the answer they gave me. It is in Spanish but basically It says what I told you.

From: <[email protected]> (sent by [email protected])

Buenos días,

Usted puede alquilar un coche en una isla y pasarlo a otra, siempre y cuando devuelva el coche en la misma isla que lo recogió, sin cargo extra. Además deberá pedir la autorización a nuestra oficina para que conste en su contrato y tenga una cobertura total.

Gracias

Saludos

On the other hand, Cicar is an inexpensive company and they have offices in every dock so you can take a new car as soon as you arrive to the next destination. This option can be the cheapest since you don't have to pay for the car transportation when you move between islands, which is not usually cheap.

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  • So it's possible to ferry the car free of charge with all rental companies?
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Jul 17, 2016 at 23:01
  • Yes, I have checked directly with CIcar and they told me that you don't have to pay anything as far as you return the car in the same island. However you have to ask for an authorization just in case you have an accident in another island. I'm am going to update the answer with this new information.
    – JCalcines
    Commented Jul 19, 2016 at 10:00
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    @JonathanReez as I read it this is only valid for the mentioned Cicar, there is no answer on possible other companies, you would have to specify one that you intend to rent from. +1 on Q & A
    – mts
    Commented Jul 21, 2016 at 9:56
  • @mts my question was if such a company exists, this answered it perfectly. Maybe a different question is needed for other companies.
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Jul 21, 2016 at 11:46
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I want to inform that in many cases, boarding Armas or Fred Olsen's ferries with a car is LESS expensive than without the car. Othertimes the price is the same. Seems silly but this is due to special family offers that includes 3-4 persons and a car. Just check their sites.

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I work for www.airportcarhire.com and here is the 2022 updated T&C's for taking rental cars from Tenerife to another island. Most car hire companies in Tenerife will not allow cars to be taken to the other islands except for Goldcar who have the following terms & conditions.

Vehicles collected in the Canary Islands may travel to other Canary Islands as long as the customer contracts the Cross-Border cover. If this Cross-Border cover is not contracted by the customer then the basic cover included in every rental will only be valid on the island where the vehicle was collected.

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