---
title: "Renting a car in San Francisco Union Square"
site: "The Quiet Vacationer"
site_url: https://quietvacationer.com/
url: https://quietvacationer.com/2026/06/22/renting-a-car-in-san-francisco-union-square/
date_published: 2026-06-22
date_modified: 2026-06-25
author: "The Quiet Vacationer"
categories:
  - "Stories"
tags:
  - "United States"
---

# Renting a car in San Francisco Union Square

I have a slightly complicated relationship with renting cars in big American cities.

On one hand, it is often the easiest way to get around once you want to leave the immediate downtown area. The United States is built for cars in a way that can still feel mildly absurd if you are coming from Singapore, where even a fairly annoying Grab fare usually looks reasonable next to the cost of parking in San Francisco.

On the other hand, renting a car in San Francisco is not as straightforward as looking at the daily rate and deciding whether it is cheap. The headline rental price is only one part of the story. Parking can be expensive in the city. City rental locations may close early. Cars can sell out. And while the situation has improved in recent years, San Francisco still has enough of a reputation for car break-ins that I would not be comfortable treating street parking as a casual afterthought.

We were in San Francisco for work, and arrived on a Saturday morning, which gave us some spare time over the weekend. Initially, I considered renting directly from SFO for the entire period. That would have been the most convenient option on paper: land, collect the car, drive off, and keep it until we were done.

The problem was parking. Once I started looking at overnight parking costs around Union Square, the math became less attractive. Paying for a rental car is one thing. Paying to let that rental car sit overnight in a garage near the hotel is another. In the end, I decided against keeping a car from the airport and instead made two separate city rentals: one with Hertz on the first day, and one with Alamo on the second.

That turned out to be a useful little experiment.

## Why I did not rent from SFO

Renting from SFO would have been the simpler choice, especially after a long flight. Airport rental centres usually have a larger fleet, longer operating hours, and more infrastructure for handling big waves of arrivals. If you are landing in San Francisco and immediately driving to Napa, Yosemite, Monterey, Silicon Valley, or anywhere outside the city, I would still look at a rental rental at SFO first.

Our situation was different. We were staying in the city, and only needed the car for short periods. Keeping a car for the entire stay would have meant paying for days when we were not really using it, then adding parking on top.

This is where city rentals can make sense. You avoid unnecessary rental days, and if your itinerary is planned properly, you can collect the car in the morning and return it before the rental office closes. The trade-off is that city locations are smaller, inventory can be tighter, and opening hours may be much shorter than at the airport.

For San Francisco, I think this distinction matters. A cheap car rental can become less cheap once you add a night of parking in Union Square.

## Booking two separate rentals

I ended up booking two separate rentals. The first was with Hertz, where I went for the cheapest basic car that made sense. The second was with Alamo, where I booked a premium SUV because the price was quite okay.

This was not because I had some grand car rental strategy. It was mostly a case of shopping around, comparing prices across Sixt, Alamo, and Hertz, and seeing what looked sensible for each day. I did also have Hertz President’s Circle, which would normally be relevant in the United States, but there was a catch: this was my first Hertz rental after the status match, and I was told the matched status would only apply from the second rental onwards.

## Day one: Hertz and a basic Kia K4

The first rental was with Hertz, and it was about as straightforward as a rental can be.

![Hertz San Francisco Union Square](https://cdn.quietvacationer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/sf-city-rental-1.jpg)
*Hertz San Francisco Union Square*

I paid US$56 all-in, did not add any extras, and received a Kia K4 with roughly 5,700 miles on it. The car was new enough, clean enough, and completely fine for what we needed that day.

![Kia K4 from Hertz San Francisco Union Square](https://cdn.quietvacationer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/sf-city-rental-3.jpg)
*Kia K4 from Hertz San Francisco Union Square*

I know that a “basic car from Hertz” does not sound especially exciting, but that was also the point. For a short city rental, I did not need anything fancy. I wanted something affordable from a reputable car rental agency. I did not have any issues with Hertz, despite its reviews on Google Maps.

![Kia K4 from Hertz San Francisco Union Square](https://cdn.quietvacationer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/sf-city-rental-2.jpg)
*Kia K4 from Hertz San Francisco Union Square*

The pickup process was normal, with no meaningful drama and no special treatment. Since the Hertz status match did not help here, there was also no expectation of an upgrade or anything like that. I booked a cheap car, and I got a cheap car. For US$56, I had no complaints.

## Day two: Alamo and a Mercedes-Benz GLS 450

The second rental was much more interesting. Alamo had a

![Alamo San Francisco Union Square](https://cdn.quietvacationer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/sf-city-rental-5.jpg)
*Alamo San Francisco Union Square*

![Alamo San Francisco Union Square](https://cdn.quietvacationer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/sf-city-rental-6.jpg)
*Alamo San Francisco Union Square*

For US$87, I had booked a premium SUV with Alamo. We ended up getting a Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 with only around 2,700 miles on it.

![Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 from Alamo San Francisco Union Square](https://cdn.quietvacationer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/sf-city-rental-7.jpg)
*Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 from Alamo San Francisco Union Square*

This was obviously a much nicer car than the Kia K4. It was larger, quieter, more comfortable, and felt far more expensive than the rental rate suggested. I do not want to overstate the value here, because a large SUV in San Francisco also brings its own annoyances, especially when parking is involved. Still, for US$87, this felt like a very good outcome.

The difference between the two rentals was also a reminder of how variable US car rentals can be. Sometimes you book a basic car and get exactly that. Sometimes you book a category and end up with something that feels much better than expected. That is part of the fun, provided you are not relying on a specific model.

Both Hertz and Alamo were good on this trip. I would not hesitate to use either again at the right price.

## A reservation does not always mean a car is ready

One thing I have learnt from renting cars in the United States is that a reservation does not always mean there is a car sitting there waiting for you.

This is not unique to San Francisco. We had a similar experience at Alamo LAX last year during peak season, where it took around 45 minutes before we got a car. Cars would come in, get processed, and almost immediately go back out again. It felt less like a static rental counter and more like a constant flow of vehicles moving through the system.

My guess is that rental companies are balancing several moving parts at once: confirmed bookings, no-shows, late returns, early returns, last-minute extensions, cars that need cleaning, cars that are out of service, and whatever inventory physically happens to be on the lot at that moment.

The refundable nature of many bookings probably makes this harder. If a customer can book without much penalty and later decide not to show up, the rental company cannot treat every reservation as a guaranteed collection. At the same time, as a customer, you understandably expect a car to be available if you made a booking.

Both things can be true. The booking matters, but the operation still depends on cars being returned, cleaned, and released back into the pool.

This is why I would be careful about cutting it too close if you have a fixed appointment, dinner booking, or long drive planned immediately after collection. Most of the time it will be fine. When it is not fine, the delay can be annoying.

## City locations can sell out

The other thing I noticed in San Francisco is that city rental locations can sell out.

While I was waiting at Alamo, a few people came in hoping to rent a car on the spot. They were turned away because there were no cars available. This was not especially surprising, but it is the sort of thing that is easy to forget if you are used to searching online and seeing endless combinations of dates, times, and car categories.

A city rental office is not an airport rental centre. It has fewer cars, less space, and less ability to absorb last-minute demand.

So if you know you need a car in San Francisco, I would book early. You can always compare rates again later if your booking is refundable, but I would not walk into a Union Square rental office on a weekend and assume something will be available.

This is especially true if you need a specific type of car. A basic compact might be easier to find than a seven-seater SUV, but even that depends on the day.

## Check the closing time before you book

The biggest practical issue with city rentals is opening hours.

Some city locations close early, and this can make the return process awkward. The San Francisco Union Square location I used closed at 5pm, which is perfectly reasonable from a staffing perspective but not always convenient if you want to keep the car for dinner or return late in the evening.

This is where the real planning comes in.

If the branch closes at 5pm and you return the car before then, everything is simple. If you want to keep the car later, you need to know whether after-hours return is available, where the car should be parked, how the keys should be returned, and whether the rental company considers the car your responsibility until the office reopens. But at least in San Francisco,

In our case, keeping the car later meant dealing with parking. Since we were around Union Square, I was not comfortable leaving the rental car on the street overnight, even if a parking app showed something cheap or free nearby.

Maybe that is overly cautious. Maybe not. Either way, I would rather pay for a proper garage than spend the night wondering if the windows would still be intact the next morning.

## Parking near Union Square is the hidden cost

This was the part that made the whole exercise slightly ironic.

I had avoided renting from SFO because I did not want to pay unnecessary parking costs. Then, because the city rental location closed early and we still needed the car, we ended up parking in the same building as the rental agency.

The rate was US$38 overnight without in-and-out privileges, or US$45 overnight with in-and-out privileges.

![Mason O’Farrell Garage overnight parking charges](https://cdn.quietvacationer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/sf-city-rental-4.jpg)
*Mason O’Farrell Garage overnight parking charges*

That is not outrageous by San Francisco standards, but it changes the calculation. A US$56 rental becomes closer to US$94 once you add US$38 parking. A US$87 rental becomes US$125 before fuel, tolls, or anything else.

This is the part I think travellers underestimate. The rental rate may look cheap, especially if you are comparing it to Singapore car ownership costs or long-distance Grab rides. But in central San Francisco, parking can easily become the second-largest cost of the rental.

If you are staying outside Union Square, the situation may be different. Street parking might be easier in more residential areas, and some hotels may offer better parking arrangements. Around Union Square, I would budget for paid parking and treat anything cheaper as a bonus.

## Be careful with street parking

San Francisco’s car break-in problem is well known, and rental cars are obvious targets.

I am aware that reported break-ins have come down significantly from the worst years, and I do not want to suggest that every parked car in San Francisco is destined to lose a window. But as a visitor, I still think the practical advice is simple: do not leave anything visible in the car, and be careful where you park.

This is doubly true with luggage.

If you are arriving from the airport, collecting a rental car, and driving straight to tourist areas before checking into your hotel, you need a plan for your bags. Leaving luggage in the boot is better than leaving it on the seat, but it is not some magic shield. If someone sees you loading bags into the boot, the car is still a target.

For us, that meant paying for proper parking when we needed it. I did not love paying US$38 or US$45 for overnight parking, but I liked that option more than gambling with street parking around Union Square.

## Hertz vs Alamo San Francisco: which was better?

Based on this trip, I had good experiences with both.

Hertz was cheap, simple, and gave me a clean, new-ish Kia K4 for US$56. Alamo cost a little more but delivered a Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 for US$87, which was clearly the better car and the more memorable rental.

But I would not turn this into a universal ranking of Hertz versus Alamo. With car rentals, the experience often depends on the specific branch, the staff on duty, the cars available that day, and the rate you managed to book. A great Alamo experience at one location does not guarantee the same outcome elsewhere. The same goes for Hertz, Sixt, National, Avis, or anyone else.

For city rentals in San Francisco, I would choose based on price, location, opening hours, and return logistics before brand loyalty. A slightly cheaper rental is not worth much if the office closes too early for your plans or the return process becomes a hassle.

## When renting a car in San Francisco makes sense

I would rent a car in San Francisco again, but only for specific days.

It makes sense if you are driving out of the city, doing a day trip, visiting places that are awkward by public transport, or travelling with people who make ride-hailing less practical. It also makes sense if you enjoy the flexibility of having a car and are willing to pay for the convenience.

I would be much less inclined to rent a car just for moving around central San Francisco. Between parking, traffic, steep streets, garage rates, and the general stress of leaving a rental car unattended, it is often easier to use public transport, walk, or take the occasional Uber, Lyft or Waymo.

The sweet spot, at least for me, is a one-day rental from a city location. Pick it up in the morning, use it properly, and return it before closing. That avoids overnight parking and keeps the total cost closer to the rate you actually booked.

Once you need to keep the car overnight, the calculation changes. Though realistically, given that we flew all the way to San Francisco, we would want to maximise our time outside, so sometimes returning before closing might not be possible.

### What I would do differently next time

Next time, I would still compare city rentals against SFO, but I would start with the parking question rather than the rental price.

Where am I staying? How much is overnight parking? Does the rental office allow after-hours returns? What time does it close? Am I actually using the car for most of the day, or am I paying for it to sit somewhere?

I would also book early, especially for city locations. Even if rates later fall, having a refundable booking gives you something to work with. Walking in on the day itself feels risky, particularly on weekends.

And unless I had a very good reason, I would avoid keeping a rental car overnight in Union Square. It is not impossible, and the paid garage option worked fine for us, but it adds enough cost and friction that I would rather plan around the branch’s opening hours.

### Bottom line

Renting a car in San Francisco can be good value, but only if you look beyond the daily rate.

On paper, US$56 for a Kia K4 and US$87 for a Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 were both excellent prices. In practice, the total cost depends on parking, timing, availability, and how much stress you are willing to accept around where the car sits overnight.

For a short day rental, I think city locations can work very well. Book early, check the closing time, understand the return process, and budget for parking if you are staying around Union Square.

I would not rent a car for an entire San Francisco stay unless I were leaving the city for several days or staying somewhere with easy parking. But for one well-planned day, it can be a smart way to get around, especially if you manage to land a rate like the ones we found.

---

*Originally published on [The Quiet Vacationer](https://quietvacationer.com/2026/06/22/renting-a-car-in-san-francisco-union-square/)*