Car Rental in Nashville: Everything You Need Before You Book

Nashville is primarily a walkable city for its tourist core - Lower Broadway, the Gulch, 12South, and East Nashville are all navigable without a car, and ride-share works well within the urban area. But a car opens up some of Tennessee’s best experiences: the Natchez Trace Parkway, Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, the Great Smoky Mountains, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, and the rolling farmland of middle Tennessee. For day trips and regional exploration, a rental earns its keep quickly.

Airport Pickup (BNA - Nashville International)

Nashville International Airport (BNA) has a consolidated Rental Car Center on-site, connected to the main terminal building. No shuttle required - follow signs from baggage claim to the facility. Companies represented: Hertz, Enterprise, National, Avis, Budget, Alamo, Dollar, and Sixt.

BNA is about 10 miles from downtown Nashville - roughly 15–25 minutes in normal traffic. The airport has grown significantly in recent years and the rental facility is modern and well-managed.

Price Ranges

Nashville is one of the more affordable rental markets in the South. Approximate daily rates (as of 2026):

Vehicle Class	Weekday Rate	Weekend Rate	Peak (CMA Fest, New Year’s)
Economy	from $28	$40–$60	$90–$140
Midsize	from $35	$50–$70	$100–$150
Compact SUV	from $45	$65–$85	$120–$170
Full-size SUV	from $65	$85–$115	$150–$220
Minivan	from $60	$80–$110	$140–$200

Nashville’s market is growing fast as the city’s tourism has boomed, and rates have risen accordingly in recent years. Weekday mid-season rates remain competitive.

Taxes and Surcharges

Tennessee and Davidson County add the following to rental rates:

• Airport concession surcharge: ~10%
• Tennessee sales tax: 7% + Davidson County local option 2.25%
• State rental car surcharge: $1/day
• Davidson County vehicle fee: varies

Real all-in costs typically run 28–35% above the base rate - one of the lower fee loads among major US rental markets.

Insurance

Tennessee is a fault-based liability state. US auto insurance typically extends to rentals - confirm before travel. International visitors should take the CDW ($18–$26/day at BNA). Premium credit cards with rental insurance (Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, Capital One Venture X) can eliminate the need for the CDW if you pay with the right card.

Driving in Nashville

Nashville’s road network is improving but the city’s growth has outpaced its infrastructure. Traffic is genuinely challenging during rush hours on I-65 and I-24. Key routes:

• I-65: The main north-south spine; congested between BNA and downtown from 7–9am and 4–6pm
• I-24: Runs southeast toward Murfreesboro and Chattanooga
• I-40: The main east-west highway; connects to Knoxville and the Smokies to the east, Memphis to the west
• US-31 (Franklin Pike): The main surface road to Franklin; useful when the interstate is backed up
• Nolensville Pike: Connects downtown to the growing south suburbs; increasingly commercial

Nashville has no major toll roads in the urban core.

Parking in Nashville

• Lower Broadway: Garages run $15–$30 for an evening; street parking is metered and time-limited, often full on weekends
• The Gulch and 12South: Street parking available but competitive; neighbourhood garages usually cheaper than downtown
• Hotel parking: Most downtown hotels charge $25–$45/night; some Nashville boutique hotels offer free surface parking
• Bachelorette/bachelor group traffic: Nashville is one of America’s most popular bachelorette destinations - expect extra competition for parking on Friday and Saturday nights in the entertainment district

Regional Day Trips

Destination	Distance	Drive Time
Jack Daniel’s Distillery (Lynchburg)	80 miles	1.5 hours
Franklin and Leiper’s Fork	20–30 miles	30–45 minutes
Natchez Trace Parkway (southern end start)	40 miles	50 minutes
Mammoth Cave National Park, KY	100 miles	1.5 hours
Chattanooga	135 miles	2 hours
Great Smoky Mountains (Gatlinburg entrance)	225 miles	3.5 hours
Memphis	210 miles	3 hours

The Natchez Trace Parkway deserves special mention - this 444-mile scenic byway runs from Nashville to Natchez, Mississippi with no commercial vehicles and no advertising. Even a 50-mile segment makes for a beautiful half-day drive.

Road Rules in Tennessee

• Speed limits: 70 mph on most interstates outside metro areas; 55–65 mph on state highways; 30–40 mph in urban areas
• Right turn on red permitted after full stop
• Handheld phone use is banned; hands-free only
• Tennessee has no state-wide toll roads; Nashville has no urban tolling

Best and Worst Times to Rent

Best: January–February and late November. Midweek rates year-round. September and October see pleasant weather with slightly elevated rates due to fall tourism.

Worst: CMA Music Festival (June), New Year’s Eve, NFL Draft (if Nashville hosts), and the spring and summer bachelorette season (every weekend March through October). All of these compress available fleet and push rates up sharply.

Quick Tips

• BNA recently expanded - the rental centre is easy to find and signposted throughout baggage claim
• For the Jack Daniel’s Distillery trip: Lynchburg is a dry county by local ordinance (though the distillery now sells exclusive bottles on-site). Take cash anyway for lunch at Miss Mary Bobo’s
• The Natchez Trace has a 50 mph speed limit throughout - this isn’t a route to rush
• Fill the tank at a station on Donelson Pike before returning to BNA - airport-adjacent fuel runs higher
• Enterprise BNA frequently has the most available fleet and competitive rates in this market
• GetRentacar aggregates rates across all BNA agencies - comparing before booking often surfaces deals 10–15% below a single supplier’s listed rate