Alamo Car Hire
in San Francisco

EASTER  45% OFF   

Hola Car Rentals is the only premium partner of the top car hire brands operating in San Francisco, giving you exclusive access to our All Inclusive+ rate. This rate includes benefits that no other company can match:

• Free liability coverage starting at US$ 300,000 in case of an accident (applies only to certain rates and itineraries)
• Toll cashback: recover up to 5% of the reservation's total value for toll charges incurred during your hire period
• Premium travel medical assistance providing up to US$ 150,000 in coverage for a maximum of 5 passengers in case of a medical emergency, excluding pre-existing conditions
• No Extra Charges© guarantee: if the counter charges you for something not listed on your confirmation and not an optional add-on you accepted, Hola Car Rentals will work to remove or reimburse the charge after verification

All of this comes at no extra cost, ensuring a fully protected car hire experience and peace of mind throughout your trip in San Francisco.

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking in San Francisco are clearly shown at the time of reservation and in your confirmation email, so you know exactly what you are paying before you arrive at the counter.

On top of that, every Hola Car Rentals booking includes the No Extra Charges© guarantee. This is a pricing guarantee (not insurance) that protects you if the counter in San Francisco charges you for something that was not listed on your confirmation and was not an optional add-on you accepted. If that happens, Hola Car Rentals will work with the hire partner to remove or reimburse the charge after verification.

The only costs outside this guarantee are:

• Optional add-ons you choose at the counter (GPS, child seats, prepaid fuel)
• Usage-based charges (tolls, fuel shortfall, traffic fines)

At San Francisco International Airport (SFO), the Alamo collection process is straightforward once you know where to go.

• After landing, follow signs to the AirTrain and board the Blue Line towards the Rental Car Centre (RCC). The AirTrain is free and operates 24/7 with frequent departures.
• The journey from any terminal to the Rental Car Centre takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes, plus short walks at each station.
• Exit at the Rental Car Centre station, then proceed to the Alamo counter inside the RCC to collect your hire agreement and vehicle keys.
• Do not go directly to the vehicle park before visiting the Alamo counter first.

The Alamo counter at San Francisco airport also offers an Accelerated Check-in option, where you can use a touch-screen kiosk to skip the queue, check in directly, and receive a printed hire agreement before heading to your vehicle. After-hours vehicle returns at SFO can be made at the 2nd floor return area of the Rental Car Centre at 780 North McDonnell Rd.

Bring your physical driving licence, booking confirmation, passport or government-issued photo ID, and a major credit card in the main driver’s name for the excess.

Alamo operates several locations in and around San Francisco, offering flexibility depending on where you are staying or arriving.

• San Francisco International Airport (SFO) at 780 North McDonnell Rd, San Francisco, CA 94128, accessible via the free AirTrain Blue Line.
• Union Square at 340 O'Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102. This city centre location offers a kiosk check-in system so you can skip the counter queue. Note that vehicles must be returned to 233 Ellis Street, San Francisco, not the pickup address. Operating hours are Thursday to Friday 07:30 to 18:00 and Saturday to Sunday 07:30 to 17:00. After-hours returns are not available at this location.
• Fisherman's Wharf at 350 Beach St, San Francisco, CA 94133. Hours are Thursday to Friday 07:30 to 17:00 and Saturday to Sunday 07:30 to 15:00.
• Moscone Centre at 687 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94107. Vehicle returns here are made in the car park at Level P1, with the entrance on St. Francis Place off 3rd Street.
• Oakland International Airport (OAK) at 7600 Earhart Rd, Oakland, CA 94621, for those arriving on the east side of the Bay.

If you are flying into San Francisco, the SFO Alamo location is the most convenient option. City centre locations can be a good choice if you are not arriving by plane, but check operating hours carefully before booking.

To collect your Alamo hire car in San Francisco, you must present the following physical documents at the counter. Digital copies are not accepted.

• A valid, unexpired driving licence in the main driver’s name. The licence must be a physical original, not a digital version on your phone.
• If your driving licence is not in the Latin (Roman) alphabet, for example if it uses Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script, you must also carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) as a translation. The IDP is not a standalone document and must be presented alongside your original licence.
• A passport or valid government-issued photo ID.
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher.
• A physical major credit card in the main driver’s name, with the driver’s name printed on the card, for the excess hold. Virtual cards, digital wallets, and prepaid cards are not accepted.

At the Alamo counter in San Francisco, all additional drivers must also be present at collection with their own physical driving licence and ID, and must sign the hire agreement. If you are adding an additional driver at the Alamo San Francisco location, note that a daily fee of US$15 plus taxes applies unless your rate explicitly includes an additional driver at no charge.

San Francisco and the wider Bay Area use California's FasTrak electronic toll system. All toll roads and bridges in the region are cashless, meaning you cannot pay with cash at the toll plaza. This affects every Alamo hire car driven in San Francisco.

Key toll costs to be aware of:

• Bay Bridge (San Francisco to Oakland): approximately US$8.50 per westbound crossing with FasTrak, higher without.
• Golden Gate Bridge: US$9.75 with FasTrak, US$10.75 at the invoice rate for southbound crossings.
• Express lanes on highways such as I-580 and I-680 also use FasTrak and require a transponder to avoid violations.

Your Alamo hire vehicle in San Francisco will already have an electronic toll device or plate-based billing system installed. At the Alamo counter you can choose between two options:

• Unlimited toll package: a fixed daily rate of approximately US$11 to US$25 per day, covering all toll usage during the hire.
• Pay per use: if you decline the package, Alamo will charge you the actual toll amounts plus administrative processing fees, billed to your card after the hire ends, sometimes weeks later.

You can also opt out and pay tolls directly through the FasTrak website or app, but you must inform the Alamo counter agent so they can deactivate the vehicle's default device and avoid duplicate charges.

Yes, a physical major credit card in the main driver’s name is required to hire from Alamo in San Francisco. This applies even if you have already prepaid your booking online.

The credit card is used to place a temporary authorisation hold at collection. For most standard vehicles at Alamo locations in the United States, including San Francisco, the typical hold is approximately US$300 to US$400. This is not a charge but reduces your available credit until the hire is closed and your bank releases the authorisation, which can take up to 15 business days.

Important requirements for the card:

• Must be a physical card, not a virtual card or digital wallet such as Apple Pay or Google Pay.
• The driver’s name must be printed on the card.
• Must have sufficient available credit to cover the hold plus any expected charges.
• Debit cards and prepaid cards are not accepted for the deposit at the Alamo San Francisco counter.

If your primary card is declined, you may use a second credit card in your own name. A third-party’s card is not permitted. It is advisable to notify your bank of your travel plans before arriving in San Francisco to prevent fraud blocks on in-person authorisations.

Yes, all Hola Car Rentals bookings include Tolls Cashback, which lets you recover up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your Alamo hire in San Francisco.

San Francisco and the Bay Area have significant toll exposure, particularly on the Bay Bridge (approximately US$8.50 per westbound crossing) and the Golden Gate Bridge (US$9.75 with FasTrak). If you cross these bridges regularly during your Alamo hire, the cashback can add up meaningfully.

How to claim your Tolls Cashback:

• Email [email protected] within 30 days of returning your Alamo vehicle in San Francisco.
• Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback - followed by your reservation confirmation number.
• Attach your Hola Car Rentals booking confirmation, the signed hire agreement from the Alamo counter, and a toll receipt or statement showing the charges paid during your hire.
• Include your full name, travel dates, and the last 4 digits of the card used for your booking.

Refunds are processed to the original payment method and typically arrive within 7 to 10 business days after approval. Note that the cashback reimburses the lesser of your actual toll costs or 5% of your booking total. Late submissions received after 30 days are not accepted.

Yes, driving an Alamo hire car in San Francisco involves several road features that are genuinely unusual compared to most other U.S. cities, and they can catch first-time visitors off guard.

Key things to watch for:

• Neckdowns: San Francisco uses temporary road narrowings that reduce two-way streets to a single lane at certain intersections. There are no clear signals indicating who has the right of way, so drivers must yield and alternate turns. For example, on Kirkham Street between 9th and 10th Avenues, eastbound traffic yields to westbound. These are part of the city's Slow Streets programme.
• One-way conversions: Some streets have recently been changed to one-way only, such as Lenox Way, which is now southbound only. These changes include narrowed lanes and added red curbs, and may not yet appear on all navigation apps.
• Golden Gate Park: Certain entrances and exits are one-way only. JFK Drive sections within the park are closed on weekends and holidays, removing lanes that would otherwise be available.
• Bike-priority intersections: Intersections such as 2nd Street at Folsom have dedicated cycle tracks that require drivers to yield to cyclists in ways that differ from standard U.S. driving norms.

When driving your Alamo hire in San Francisco, use a current navigation app and allow extra time in residential neighbourhoods where these calming measures are most common.

Yes, drivers under 25 years old are subject to a young driver surcharge when hiring from Alamo in San Francisco. In the United States, the minimum age to hire without additional fees is 25.

For Alamo hires in San Francisco, drivers aged 21 to 24 can hire but will pay a daily young driver surcharge in addition to the base hire rate. This fee is charged at the Alamo counter at collection and is not included in your prepaid booking total.

Additional restrictions that apply to under-25 renters at Alamo San Francisco:

• Most premium, full-size, luxury, and speciality vehicle classes are restricted to renters aged 25 and older.
• Eligible vehicle classes for younger drivers are typically limited to economy, compact, and intermediate categories.
• The surcharge applies per hire day and is paid locally at the Alamo counter.

Note that the Union Square Alamo location in San Francisco (340 O'Farrell St) may also apply a senior driver fee for renters over 70. If you are unsure whether the surcharge applies to your specific booking, review your confirmation details or contact customer support before arriving at the Alamo counter in San Francisco.

Most Hola Car Rentals bookings, including Alamo hires in San Francisco, include travel assistance cover provided by Terrawind Global Protection. This benefit is particularly useful if you experience an emergency whilst driving in the Bay Area, on a motorway, or in a more remote part of Northern California.

Cover typically includes:

• Travel insurance with medical cover for up to 5 passengers.
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident.
• Compensation for luggage lost by the airline.
• Flight cancellation insurance.

Important: this benefit applies only to non-North American customers. Residents of the United States and Canada do not qualify for this travel assistance cover.

If you need to use the assistance during your Alamo hire in San Francisco, contact Terrawind 24/7:

• Phone (toll-free or collect): +1 888 980 9992
• WhatsApp: +1 208 910 1001
• Email: [email protected]

When you call, have your full name, your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number (for example, HOLA1000000), your current location in San Francisco or elsewhere, and a brief description of the situation ready. Always follow the coordinator's instructions before incurring expenses, as some reimbursements require prior authorisation. Check your booking confirmation for the exact terms and coverage limits that apply to your reservation.

It depends on which Alamo location in San Francisco you are returning to, so it is important to check before your hire ends.

• SFO Airport: After-hours returns are available. You can return your Alamo vehicle at the 2nd floor return area of the Rental Car Centre at 780 North McDonnell Rd. Signage inside the RCC will direct you. The AirTrain Blue Line runs 24/7, so access is not an issue.
• Union Square (340 O'Farrell St): After-hours returns are not available at this location. You must return the vehicle during standard operating hours, which are Thursday to Friday 07:30 to 18:00 and Saturday to Sunday 07:30 to 17:00. Also note that the return address for Union Square hires is 233 Ellis Street, San Francisco, not the collection address.
• Fisherman's Wharf (350 Beach St): Operating hours are Thursday to Friday 07:30 to 17:00 and Saturday to Sunday 07:30 to 15:00. After-hours return availability is not confirmed for this location.
• Moscone Centre (687 Folsom St): Returns are made in the car park at Level P1, with the entrance on St. Francis Place off 3rd Street.

If you are flying out of San Francisco and need flexibility, the SFO Alamo location is the safest choice for after-hours returns. Always confirm the return address and hours on your hire agreement before your trip ends.

The insurance included in your Alamo hire in San Francisco depends on the rate plan you selected when booking through Hola Car Rentals. It is important to review your confirmation carefully before arriving at the Alamo counter.

Common cover options available for Alamo hires in San Francisco:

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW): reduces your financial liability for damage to the Alamo hire vehicle from a collision, theft, or vandalism. A deductible may apply unless your confirmation states zero deductible. CDW and LDW do not cover damage you cause to other vehicles or people.
• Third-Party Liability (LIS/ALI/SLI): covers bodily injury and property damage you may cause to others whilst driving the Alamo hire in San Francisco. In California, state-minimum liability is not always automatically included, so it is strongly recommended to add supplementary liability cover up to US$300,000.

What is not covered by standard CDW or LDW:

• Tires, wheels, undercarriage, and roof damage are often excluded.
• Damage caused by prohibited use such as off-road driving or driving under the influence.
• Personal injuries to you or your passengers (covered by Personal Accident Insurance if purchased).

At the Alamo counter in San Francisco, review the hire agreement carefully before signing to confirm which covers are active and what deductible applies.

Yes, Alamo supports one-way hires from San Francisco locations, allowing you to pick up at one location and return the vehicle in a different city or airport.

Key things to know about one-way Alamo hires from San Francisco:

• A drop-off fee applies for most one-way routes. The amount varies depending on the destination, vehicle class, and season. This fee is shown during the booking process under the "To pay at destination" section and will also appear on your booking confirmation.
• Same-city routes, such as collecting at SFO airport and returning at the Alamo Union Square location in San Francisco, may not incur a drop-off fee, but always verify during checkout.
• Long-distance one-ways, such as San Francisco to Los Angeles, typically carry a drop-off fee that varies by route and vehicle class.
• Cross-border one-ways, such as driving from San Francisco into Mexico or Canada, may be restricted or require special authorisation. Check your hire agreement and confirm with the Alamo counter before departure.

The drop-off fee cannot be prepaid and is not covered by No Extra Charges© unless it was not disclosed on your confirmation. If the Alamo counter in San Francisco charges a different amount than what appeared on your booking confirmation, keep all paperwork and contact Hola Car Rentals support after the hire ends.

Alamo hires in San Francisco follow a Full-to-Full fuel policy by default. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges.

How to handle fuel correctly during your San Francisco hire:

• At collection, check the fuel gauge with the Alamo agent and confirm the starting level is recorded on the hire agreement. Take a photo of the dashboard showing the odometer and gauge.
• During the hire, use the correct fuel type. Using the wrong fuel is not covered by the fuel policy and may generate additional charges.
• Before returning the vehicle, refuel within approximately 10 miles or 15 km of the return location so the gauge does not drop below full before you arrive.
• Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address as proof of refuelling.

If you return the Alamo vehicle in San Francisco with less than a full tank, you may be charged for the fuel shortfall at the partner's refuelling rate, which is typically higher than the local pump price, plus a refuelling service fee.

Some Alamo counter locations in San Francisco may offer a Prepaid Fuel option at collection. If you accept it, the policy changes to Full-to-Empty and any unused fuel is generally non-refundable. This option is usually not the best value unless you are certain you will use the full tank.