# Rental Cars at Flagstaff, AZ station



## GoingWest (Aug 13, 2011)

Hi,

I am looking for anyone with experience renting a car at FLG. I will be arriving on the Southwest Chief at 8:51pm (if on time) on a Wednesday night. I would like to rent a car and drive to a Flagstaff hotel. Is there any car rental that is either at the station or will arrange for pickup at the station? Especially this late at night? If not, what would anyone who has done this before recommend? I will need the car for a week and will be returning at another location, so I am not concerned with a dropoff here, just a pickup.

Thanks


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## the_traveler (Aug 13, 2011)

If you're going to spend the night in Flagstaff, why not call the hotel directly, and see if they offer pickup at the station?


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## cassrr (Aug 13, 2011)

GoingWest said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am looking for anyone with experience renting a car at FLG. I will be arriving on the Southwest Chief at 8:51pm (if on time) on a Wednesday night. I would like to rent a car and drive to a Flagstaff hotel. Is there any car rental that is either at the station or will arrange for pickup at the station? Especially this late at night? If not, what would anyone who has done this before recommend? I will need the car for a week and will be returning at another location, so I am not concerned with a dropoff here, just a pickup.
> 
> Thanks



There's a Hertz counter at the Amtrak station. If given 24 hour notice, and assuming the SWC doesn't run terribly late, an agent will be there to assist you.


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## Shanghai (Aug 13, 2011)

This question is interesting to me as well as I will be doing the same

route in November. I found that Avis has a rental station about two

blocks from the train station, but it closes at 6:00pm. I plan to take

a taxi to my hotel, then pick up the car the following morning. I will

return to FLG, drop the car at Avis and then walk to the train station.


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## boxcar479 (Aug 13, 2011)

There are many hotels within walking distance of the flagstaff station. I would suggest spending the night at 1 of these hotels and calling enterprise rent a car in the morning they will pick you up. this is exactly what we did when we visited flagstaff last spring.


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## Shanghai (Aug 13, 2011)

boxcar817 said:


> There are many hotels within walking distance of the flagstaff station. I would suggest spending the night at 1 of these hotels and calling enterprise rent a car in the morning they will pick you up. this is exactly what we did when we visited flagstaff last spring.


Thanks for your advice. Since the SWC departs FLG at 4:41am, I was planning to drop the car at Avis and

walk to the train station. Do you know if Hertz has a drop off option on the returning of the car?

Thanks.

Can you suggest a hotel near the station?


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## boxcar479 (Aug 13, 2011)

Shanghai said:


> boxcar817 said:
> 
> 
> > There are many hotels within walking distance of the flagstaff station. I would suggest spending the night at 1 of these hotels and calling enterprise rent a car in the morning they will pick you up. this is exactly what we did when we visited flagstaff last spring.
> ...


We stayed at the Rodeway Inn(Choice Privileges property) to gain AGR points. It is practically across the street from the station. It is a 2star at best. If you only plan on sleeping there it is ok, standard cold continental breakfast, nothing spcial about this hotel, other than convenience to the station. Other members have posted about other hotels with better history and amenities. I chose Enterprise because they showed to be located right behind the hotel we were staying, but they had moved about 5 miles down the road, good thing they pick you up, so you might call and check current location of Avis just in case. We dropped the car off and taxied back to the station. We were going to L.A. so our departure time was a bit more friendly than 4am. As I am writing this I think I recall a Hertz desk at the station, so you may be able to drop it right there. Have a great trip!


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## Shanghai (Aug 13, 2011)

Thank you for the information.

I'll consider the Rodeway Inn and Hertz.


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## GoingWest (Aug 15, 2011)

the_traveler said:


> If you're going to spend the night in Flagstaff, why not call the hotel directly, and see if they offer pickup at the station?


I can certainly do that but I need the car for a week so that would just mean arranging pickup of the car the next day. I want to drop off the car in Las Vegas after visiting a few other places and I do not plan to return to Flagstaff. Unfortunetly, although I have booked one way rentals with Hertz many other places, the online system says one way rentals from Flagstaff are not possible to book. So I will need to find another rental agency, if there exists another in Flagstaff that allows one way rentals.


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## deimos (Aug 15, 2011)

I used Hertz at the station and stayed at the Monte Vista a couple of blocks away. Walked to the hotel upon arriving in Flagstaff (an easy walk) and then back to the station the next morning to pick up the car. I returned the car late in the afternoon the day before heading home, spent an enjoyable evening in town, crashed for a few hours and walked to the station to meet SWC(4) to Chicago. Granted, I was traveling solo and didn't mind dragging luggage to/from the hotel.


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## Stellar1 (Aug 18, 2011)

I just rented a car from Hertz at the Flagstaff Station. Came in on the westbound SWC on Sunday night and

arrived around 10 PM. Hertz is closed on Sundays. I actually got a call from them earlier that day -

actually it was the Hertz location at the Flagstaff Airport that called to confirm my reservation. I stayed

at the Highland Country Inn, which was only a few blocks away. I took at taxi (with all the suitcases),

and it only cost me $4.00. The next morning I walked to the the train station - Hertz opens at 8 AM.

Had the car for a week and dropped it off at 4 AM right at the station - they have a drop box right inside the station.


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## Rafi (Aug 18, 2011)

The only thing I'll add to the above information is that the hertz staff at flg are very accommodating. If you are a gold member, they will leave the car keys with the ticket agent for pickups on Sunday, and they accept off-hour returns as well (just leave the keys with the ticket agent). The only thing they ask is that you call them well ahead of time to make arrangements in such cases. Renting from flg is one of the easiest setups in the Amtrak system (among small stations), IMHO.

Rafi


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## train rider (Sep 12, 2014)

Planning a trip to Flagstaff and want to know if Hertz is still available at the station? Thanks


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## rusty spike (Sep 12, 2014)

When we boarded the SWC in July the Hertz desk at the station was gone. However you may call their local agent "HLE" and see if they can accommodate you some way. The Hertz website list 2 of them: one at the Pulliam airport and one in town.


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