Hertz Car Hire
Boston

After collecting your luggage, you will need to go to Boston Logan's consolidated Rental Car Centre (RCC). This facility is a short distance from the terminals and houses Hertz along with other hire agencies. To get there, leave the baggage claim area and follow the overhead signs for Ground Transportation and the Rental Car Centre. You will then board a complimentary blue-and-white shuttle bus that takes you directly to the RCC entrance, where the Hertz counter is located inside.

The pick-up process for a Hertz hire is standardised across all terminals at Boston Logan (A, B, C and E). No single terminal is significantly closer, as all passengers must use the shuttle bus system to reach the separate Rental Car Centre. The route is consistent regardless of where you land: exit your terminal's baggage claim, find the designated kerbside stop for the Rental Car Centre shuttle, and take the bus. This unified system ensures the experience is the same for all travellers.

The most efficient method is to use the airport's dedicated shuttle bus service to the Rental Car Centre. After you've collected your bags, use a luggage trolley to move everything to the designated shuttle bus stop outside your terminal. These buses are designed to accommodate travellers with luggage, often featuring dedicated storage racks. This removes the stress of managing multiple bags through crowded areas and provides a direct, convenient transfer to the Hertz facility.

Arriving late at Boston Logan is generally a smooth process for hire car pick-ups. The airport is well lit and signage for the Rental Car Centre remains clearly visible. The shuttle buses typically operate 24/7, although frequency may be slightly reduced during off-peak hours. Once at the Rental Car Centre, the Hertz counter will be staffed to handle late arrivals, and the garage is well lit, allowing you to find your vehicle and set off safely.

On a typical weekday, it is sensible to allow around 60 to 90 minutes from the moment you deplane to when you drive off the Hertz lot. This covers walking to and waiting at baggage claim, which can take about 30 minutes. The shuttle ride to the Rental Car Centre and completing the hire process at the counter can add another 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how busy it is. Building in this buffer helps ensure a low-stress start to your trip.

The most practical and convenient meeting point is at the Hertz counter inside the Rental Car Centre. Rather than trying to coordinate a meet-up at a specific, and often crowded, terminal baggage claim, have each person follow the signs and take the shuttle bus from their arrival terminal. This lets everyone converge in a single, less chaotic location, ensuring the whole group is present when it’s time to finalise the agreement and collect the vehicle.

Once you complete your agreement at the Hertz counter, your paperwork will usually show the specific zone, row and bay number where your vehicle is parked. The garage at the Rental Car Centre is clearly marked with large, colour-coded signs for each section and row. Follow that signage to your assigned area. The system is designed to be intuitive, helping you locate your car efficiently without confusion.

A great option is the airport's official Cell Phone Lot, just a few minutes' drive from the Rental Car Centre. It provides a safe, designated area where you can park free of charge for a short time. It’s ideal for pulling over to adjust mirrors and seating, enter your destination into your GPS, and arrange your belongings without the pressure of being in a busy traffic lane. From there, you can join the main roads feeling prepared and organised.

Immediately after leaving the Rental Car Centre, you’ll face key lane choices for major routes such as the Sumner Tunnel (to downtown/I-93) and the Ted Williams Tunnel (to I-90/Mass Pike). The signs come up very quickly, so it’s crucial to know which road you need before you even start the car. Missing the right lane can send you the wrong way, so taking a moment with your navigation app before leaving the garage is strongly recommended.

For a straightforward drive to Back Bay, take the Ted Williams Tunnel, which connects directly to I-90 West (the Mass Pike). Follow I-90 West for a short distance and take Exit 134 (formerly 22) for Prudential Center/Copley Square. This exit puts you right on the edge of the Back Bay neighbourhood. This all-motorway route is generally better signed and involves fewer complex turns than using surface streets via the Sumner Tunnel.

A relatively simple route to Cambridge is to take the Sumner Tunnel towards I-93 North. After a very short stretch on I-93, take the exit for Storrow Drive West. Storrow Drive runs along the Charles River and offers several exits to bridges into Cambridge, such as the one for Government Centre which leads to the Longfellow Bridge. This route helps you bypass some of downtown Boston’s most congested junctions.

A low-stress route to the Fenway area is via the Ted Williams Tunnel to I-90 West (Mass Pike). Take the Prudential Centre exit and follow local streets such as Boylston Street or Commonwealth Avenue west towards Fenway Park. As on-street parking is extremely scarce, visitors typically use one of the large public car parks in the area, such as those on Brookline Avenue or at the Landmark Centre, which offer convenient access to the neighbourhood.

When driving through Boston’s tunnels, such as the Sumner or Ted Williams, expect your phone’s GPS signal to drop temporarily. It’s a good idea to review the next one or two steps of your route before you enter the tunnel. Navigation will resume when you exit, but knowing your next turn in advance helps avoid sudden, stressful lane changes as soon as you emerge into traffic.

In Boston-area rotaries (traffic circles), the key rule is to give way to vehicles already circulating. Use your indicator to show which exit you plan to take. For visitors, rotaries like Leverett Circle near the Museum of Science can be particularly challenging due to multiple lanes and quick decision points. If you’re unsure, it’s perfectly acceptable to stay in the rotary and go round again to get your bearings before exiting.

First-time visitors should know that Storrow Drive has several very low-clearance bridges; hire trucks, moving vans and oversized vehicles are strictly forbidden and will get stuck. The road is curvy, lanes are narrow, and many exits are on the left with very little warning. It’s essential to pay close attention to road signs and your GPS, as missing an exit can mean a lengthy detour.

Driving and parking within the North End itself is extremely difficult due to narrow one-way streets and resident-only parking. The most practical approach is to park in a nearby public garage and walk into the neighbourhood. Garages around Haymarket, Faneuil Hall or the Government Centre Garage are excellent options, offering a central location and a short, pleasant walk to the North End’s historic sights and restaurants.

The most effective "park once" strategy is to use the Boston Common Garage. This large underground facility is centrally located and puts you right at the start of the Freedom Trail. From this single parking spot, you can easily spend the day exploring the Common, the Public Garden, Beacon Hill and much of the downtown portion of the Freedom Trail on foot. This saves the stress and expense of trying to park in multiple locations.

For Boston’s older, tighter car parks and narrow historic streets, a compact or mid-size saloon is generally the most manageable choice. These cars have a smaller turning circle and are easier to manoeuvre in confined spaces than large SUVs or people carriers. Choosing a more modest size can significantly reduce the stress of parking in a city known for challenging driving conditions.

One of the most common mistakes is getting into a designated tunnel lane when you meant to stay on surface streets, particularly around the I-93 and airport interchanges. Another frequent error is missing sudden, often left-side exits on parkways like Storrow Drive. These problems often come from relying too heavily on GPS audio prompts without also reading the physical road signs, which are essential for navigating Boston’s complex road network.

Weekday rush hour, generally from 7:00 to 9:30 and 15:30 to 18:30, can easily double or even triple your travel time from Boston Logan into the city centre. The routes most affected are the Sumner Tunnel and the I-93 corridor in both directions. If your flight arrives during these peak times, be prepared for significant delays and consider waiting for traffic to ease before collecting your hire car if your schedule allows.

For a simple day trip to Salem, taking Route 1A North from the airport area is often a direct and scenic option. Once in Salem, the most convenient plan is to go straight to the large public car park located next to the South Harbor Garage on Congress Street. From this central spot, you can park once and easily explore the Peabody Essex Museum, the Salem Witch Trials Memorial and other historic sites on foot.

The easiest route from Boston is to take Route 2 West, which leads directly to the Lexington and Concord area. This road provides clear access to key historic sites. Parking is usually straightforward, with well-marked car parks at the Minute Man National Historical Park visitor centres, the North Bridge, and near the Lexington Battle Green. This makes it easy to drive between the main points of interest.

To avoid the notorious traffic tailbacks onto Cape Cod, timing is everything. On a weekday, plan to leave Boston before 7 am or after 10 am to miss the worst of the morning commute. On a Friday or Saturday in summer, your best bet is to be on the road by 6 am at the latest. The return trip on Sunday can be just as difficult, so consider leaving the Cape very early in the morning or later in the evening.

The most direct drive to Newport, Rhode Island, is via I-93 South to Route 24 South, taking you over the Sakonnet River and the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridges. To keep parking simple on arrival, head straight to the Newport Gateway Visitor Centre on America's Cup Avenue. It has a large public parking garage where you can leave your car for the day and explore the historic downtown, wharves and Cliff Walk on foot or by using the local trolley service.

A very manageable first leg for a White Mountains trip is to drive from Boston Logan to Concord, New Hampshire. It’s a straightforward run north on Interstate 93 and typically takes about 75–90 minutes without heavy traffic. Concord is a great place to stop for dinner or a break, splitting up the overall journey. This helps you get clear of Boston traffic before continuing into the mountains the next day.

During and after snowfall in Boston, expect slower travel times as ploughs clear the main routes. Visibility can be significantly reduced during a storm, so it’s important to drive cautiously. One of the biggest challenges is parking, as snowbanks narrow streets and reduce the number of available spaces. Be prepared for tighter manoeuvres and allow extra time to find parking, especially on residential streets.

The best place to install car seats is in your assigned parking space within the Hertz section of the Rental Car Centre garage. It’s covered, which protects you from the weather, and it’s out of the flow of active traffic. You can take as much time as you need to ensure the seats are fitted safely and correctly before you even start the engine, making for a more relaxed and secure start to your journey.

For bulky items, an SUV or people carrier is your best option. Before you leave the Hertz lot, check how the rear seats fold down. The ideal layout for long items like a ski bag is where the seats fold completely flat, creating an uninterrupted load floor. For a bulky pushchair, a vehicle with a tall, wide rear opening will make loading and unloading much easier throughout your trip.

Before you drive away, do a quick inspection of your hire. Walk around the car to check for any existing scratches or dents and make sure they are noted. Inside, switch on the headlights and test the windscreen wipers to confirm they work properly. Finally, find the USB ports and plug in your phone to make sure it charges, as you’ll likely rely on it for navigation.

To ensure your phone’s navigation works seamlessly, check the car’s connectivity before leaving the bay. Use your own charging cable to plug your phone into the vehicle’s primary USB port. If the car is equipped, the Apple CarPlay or Android Auto interface should appear automatically on the main display. If it doesn’t, ask a Hertz representative for help before you set off.

For a quick supplies stop, use your navigation app to find a supermarket or pharmacy in a neighbourhood adjacent to the airport, such as East Boston or Revere. Choose a location a few blocks off the main road (Route 1A). This approach makes it easy to exit, shop, and then rejoin the main route towards your destination without having to navigate the airport interchanges a second time.

It’s best to refuel when you’re within a 5–10 mile radius of the airport, so you can return the car with a full tank. The most convenient petrol stations are along Route 1A in East Boston and the neighbouring town of Revere. They’re on the main thoroughfare leading directly to the airport entrance and are used to serving hire car customers, making for a quick, efficient stop.

As you get close to the airport, start looking for large overhead signs that specifically mention "Rental Car Centre" or "Car Rental Return". These appear alongside signs for the different terminals. It’s important to move into the designated lanes for the Rental Car Centre early. Following these signs ensures you’re routed directly to the return facility rather than into the passenger drop-off loops for the terminals.

The most common mistake is continuing to follow signs for "Departures" or a specific airline terminal instead of branching off towards "Rental Car Return". The return signage is distinct, and missing that turn can put you into a confusing loop of terminal roadways. At night, be extra vigilant and slow down so you have enough time to read the signs and make the correct lane change.

The process is designed to be simple. First, follow airport signs for "Departures" and go to your airline’s kerb to drop off passengers and luggage. Once they’re safely at the kerb, rejoin the main airport roadway. From there, follow the signs that direct you to loop back around to the "Rental Car Return" entrance. This avoids leaving the airport complex and keeps the whole process streamlined.

After you’ve completed your return and collected your belongings, use the same shuttle bus system you used on arrival. The Rental Car Centre has a dedicated bus lobby with clear signage showing which bus goes to which terminals (A, B, C and E). Board the correct complimentary shuttle for your airline and it will drop you directly at the departures level of your terminal.

For an early flight, two parts can take longer than expected. First, you may wait a few minutes for the next shuttle bus at the Rental Car Centre, and the ride itself can take 10–15 minutes with stops at other terminals. Second, airline check-in and security queues can be at their longest during the early-morning rush. It’s wise to allow at least an extra 30 minutes for the return and transfer process alone.

If your first few days are focused on walkable areas like the North End, Beacon Hill and the Freedom Trail, the most practical plan is to delay your hire car. Driving and parking in these areas is difficult and expensive. Use public transport or rideshares for city exploring, then collect your Hertz hire from the airport on the morning you plan to start your first day trip out of the city. This approach saves both money and hassle.

An excellent, stress-free meet-up spot is the airport's Cell Phone Lot. It’s just a minute or two from the Rental Car Centre and is clearly signed. Both cars can drive there easily, park for free, and coordinate plans, set up navigation, or wait for everyone to be ready. This is far more efficient than trying to find each other in the constant traffic around terminal departure or arrival lanes.

If you have a significant flight delay, the process should still be straightforward. Airport hire locations like Hertz at BOS are used to delays and typically have extended hours to accommodate late-arriving flights. Your reservation is generally held for a period after your scheduled pick-up time. Simply go to the Rental Car Centre via the shuttle as normal and head to the Hertz counter to collect your vehicle.