Greenock car rental

Are there any car rental companies at the Greenock terminal? Or companies that will meet you with a car? We had planned on using Arnold Clark, but they have apparently closed their Greenock branch and it is 30 minutes to their closest branch - not really feasible.

Avis have a depot in Greenock

Looking at the Avis website, it appears the office is not at the dock, but at the Greenock Tontine Hotel. The address is 6 Ardgowan Square. Is this within walking distance from where the cruise ship docks? Or would we need to get a taxi? If so, are they readily available at the dock and how much would it cost?

Looking at the Avis website, it appears the office is not at the dock, but at the Greenock Tontine Hotel. The address is 6 Ardgowan Square. Is this within walking distance from where the cruise ship docks? Or would we need to get a taxi? If so, are they readily available at the dock and how much would it cost?

I live in Greenock and its walking distance.

You would leave the Cruise Terminal onto Patrick St and turn right. Walk to the traffic lights (around 100 yards) cross the road and head straight up the hill to the next set of lights. (Around 200 yards) Turn right onto Union St and the Tontine hotel is around 100 yards on your right.

So from getting off the ship you would walk a maximum of 700 yards to the Tontine. The ship berths around 300 yards maximum from the gate.

Thanks for the info Happy Chappy. I ended up finding a deal through Europcar where they will meet us right at the dock with a car.

But your info is going in my files for future reference!

Thanks for the info Happy Chappy. I ended up finding a deal through Europcar where they will meet us right at the dock with a car.

 

But your info is going in my files for future reference!

No worries. Hope you enjoy Greenock.

If you are looking for decent places to visit let me know and I can give you directions and timings.

I know the area quite well. (As you can imagine)

Happy Chappy,

Well I just got a message from Europcar saying that the Greenock port has decided that they will not be renewing their contract with them and that means they have no way of getting in.

Are you aware of any car hire companies that we could collect right at the cruise ship terminal? We'll do the Avis rental if we absolutely have to, but would really like the convenience of picking up and dropping off the car right at the port since we have a fairly full day planned at this point.

Happy Chappy,

 

Well I just got a message from Europcar saying that the Greenock port has decided that they will not be renewing their contract with them and that means they have no way of getting in.

 

Are you aware of any car hire companies that we could collect right at the cruise ship terminal? We'll do the Avis rental if we absolutely have to, but would really like the convenience of picking up and dropping off the car right at the port since we have a fairly full day planned at this point.

To be honest I doubt the Clyde Port Authority would let any one near the ship unless they were contracted. You should see the hassles the taxis get.

To be honest going to the Tontine Hotel is easy as I have described.

Although Greenock is a decent size town most of the car hire companies have shut down as there is little use for them. To hire a car I would probably have to go to the Airport which is a 15 drive from my house.

Hi happychappy nice to meet another Greenokian

Not sure if the car sales room, just around from the terminal rents cars out, and I can't remember its name:(

Thanks Happy Chappy. Since I can't figure out if there are any car hire companies contracted with the port (their website still lists Europcar), I'm going to try Avis at the Tontine Hotel. I was able to see the walk using Google Maps and it is very easy.

Hi happychappy nice to meet another Greenokian

 

Not sure if the car sales room, just around from the terminal rents cars out, and I can't remember its name:(

They were called Shields. They are gone now.

We will be in Greenrock on August 22 on HAL. Would be interested in any interesting places you would recommend to see.

HI Chappy

we will be in Greenock on Saturday Sept 28th. My boyfriend grew up in Gourock so he is very excited about being in his old neighborhood! I have looked at car rentals and I see the avis and enterprise both close early (noon or 1PM) on Sat so getting a car rental for the day seems to be impossible so far. Since you live there, do you know any other options for getting a car for the day on Saturday?? We are in port from 8AM to 7 PM but expect our real time for using the car will be more like noon-6PM>

Thanks for your help!!

Chrissy

We will be in Greenrock on August 22 on HAL. Would be interested in any interesting places you would recommend to see.

there are three 2 hrs tours on offer which are free, takes you around the surrounding area of Greenock. Gourock and Port Glasgow - it is run by volunteers

Retired and Rewired - this is our planned itinerary for the day:

Greenock to Milarrochy Bay and Balhama (Loch Lomond)

Balmaha to Doune Castle

Doune Castle to Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle to Buchlyvie Village (Buchlyvie Inn, The Rob Roy, Buchlyvie Pottery)

Buchlyvie to Greenock

We purchased the Explorer Pass which will cover our entry to Doune and Stirling (will also cover us for Edinburgh Castle, Urquhart Castle, and many sites in the Orkney Islands).

If we're running tight on time, we'll probably drive straight from Stirling back to Greenock.

Retired and Rewired - this is our planned itinerary for the day:

 

Greenock to Milarrochy Bay and Balhama (Loch Lomond)

Balmaha to Doune Castle

Doune Castle to Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle to Buchlyvie Village (Buchlyvie Inn, The Rob Roy, Buchlyvie Pottery)

Buchlyvie to Greenock

 

We purchased the Explorer Pass which will cover our entry to Doune and Stirling (will also cover us for Edinburgh Castle, Urquhart Castle, and many sites in the Orkney Islands).

 

If we're running tight on time, we'll probably drive straight from Stirling back to Greenock.

Just curious what you were doing? That sounds like a pretty full day.

there are three 2 hrs tours on offer which are free, takes you around the surrounding area of Greenock. Gourock and Port Glasgow - it is run by volunteers

Where do you get these tours? Are they at the port? Also does Happy Chappy have any additional ideas?

Not Happy Chappy, but the Greenock tour are described on this website. Click on Tours.

http://www.inverclydetouristgroup.co.uk/

Not Happy Chappy, but the Greenock tour are described on this website. Click on Tours.

 

http://www.inverclydetouristgroup.co.uk/

To be honest about the tours they are really good. The Greenock and Port Glasgow ones will give you more info about the area, see more and learn about its history. The Gourock one will take you round the Cloch Lighthouse and many of the views will be excellent.

The Tourist group are excellent at making our visitors feel welcome.

Considering the tours are free they make a great cheap day out.

Regarding Mrs Booboo's itinerary, you would need t go some to do all that in a a day.

Greenock to Balmaha is an almost an hour drive, say maybe 50 minutes at best.

Same again to Doune Castle because of the roads, single carraigeway most of the way.

Doune Castle to Stirling Castle is not too far, maybe 30 mins tops but Parking at Stirling can be a nightmare if its a lovely day and there is a queue in front of you.

As for the Pottery I would go for your last option and skip that and head back thro to Greenock but go via the M8 motorway and head right through Glasgow. That is the quickest way back but will take you at least an hour depending on traffic. Especially getting thro Glasgow.

Make sure you are going thro Glasgow no later that half 3 cause it get a bit manic between 4 and 6.

Just a wee pointer When you get to Balmaha if you continue on the road heading towards Rowardennan you will arrive at a lovely wee car park at the foot of Scotland's most Southernly Munro (Mountain over 3000 feet.) Ben Lomond.

If you feel fit enough then have a walk up for some outstanding views. Only if you are fit mind. Do not try it unless you are capable of a bit of hard graft but believe me its well worht it for the views.

If you ant any more info on that then get back to me. but do not just decide I will do that walk. Go prepared.

Happy Chappy - again, thanks for the info. I've used Google maps to look up the distances and times for all the legs of our itinerary and padded with some extra time. I had 1 hour to Balhama, 1 hour to Doune, 30 minutes to Stirling, and then 1 1/2 hours from Stirling to Greenock (approx 2:00-4:30).

As for the queue at Stirling, we have the Explorer Pass, so we can be scanned straight in (although maybe you meant the queue for parking?). I've allowed 1 hour at Doune and 2 hours at Stirling; if we run over, we'll skip the stop in Buchlyvie and drive straight back to Greenock.

I never mentioned that we're in port for 11 hours, so I'm pretty sure this is doable. It's also largely based off my sister's visit a few years ago. They did the same stops we did, stopped for lunch in Buchlyvie, and still made it back in time to stop at a couple of pubs in Greenock.

Happy Chappy - again, thanks for the info. I've used Google maps to look up the distances and times for all the legs of our itinerary and padded with some extra time. I had 1 hour to Balhama, 1 hour to Doune, 30 minutes to Stirling, and then 1 1/2 hours from Stirling to Greenock (approx 2:00-4:30).

 

As for the queue at Stirling, we have the Explorer Pass, so we can be scanned straight in (although maybe you meant the queue for parking?). I've allowed 1 hour at Doune and 2 hours at Stirling; if we run over, we'll skip the stop in Buchlyvie and drive straight back to Greenock.

 

I never mentioned that we're in port for 11 hours, so I'm pretty sure this is doable. It's also largely based off my sister's visit a few years ago. They did the same stops we did, stopped for lunch in Buchlyvie, and still made it back in time to stop at a couple of pubs in Greenock.

If you have 11 hours your full itinerary is very doable.

Happy Chappy - just thought I'd let you know that we ended up getting the rental car from the Tontine Hotel and it worked out great! We did have to cut out the drive around Loch Lomond because they were a little late getting us the car.

Doune Castle was great - no hoards of cruise ship buses there! Stirling was very nice too and we were able to stop in Buchlyvie for a pint and picked up a lovely piece of pottery at the little shop there.

Really enjoyed the countryside around your little town - I think we'll definitely be visiting this part of the world again!

Happy Chappy - just thought I'd let you know that we ended up getting the rental car from the Tontine Hotel and it worked out great! We did have to cut out the drive around Loch Lomond because they were a little late getting us the car.

 

Doune Castle was great - no hoards of cruise ship buses there! Stirling was very nice too and we were able to stop in Buchlyvie for a pint and picked up a lovely piece of pottery at the little shop there.

 

Really enjoyed the countryside around your little town - I think we'll definitely be visiting this part of the world again!

Glad you had a nice time and hope any info I gave was helpful.

''cause i'm proud to say i'm a branch of the Greenock Tree''

mrs Boo Boo

Like you we are renting a car from avis/Tontine hotel (tho being a Saturday we had to pay for a full weekend rental to get it to work, we will drop keys at the hotel desk Sat nite.)

You mentioned that it took awhile to get the car?? Is there something we might learn from your experience to ensure we are not held up as well??

As you know that time in port is precious!! This stop is my boyfriends birthplace and we are looking forward to every minute

Chrissy

Chrissy,

I was expecting to pick the car up at 8:00, but when we got there, the hotel personnel handed us an email from the rental car company saying they wouldn't be there until 9:00. They ended up getting there around 8:50.

I don't know if this was a one-time thing, or if it is always more like 9:00 when they get there. The cars don't appear to be on-site like a normal rental car company; I think they must drive the cars down from Glasgow.

So I'm not really sure if there's anything you can do about it. Hope for the best, but be prepared with a backup plan of cutting something from your itinerary. It didn't really impact us too much; just had to cut out some scenic driving around Loch Lomond. We got on the road around 9:00 and didn't return to the ship until 5:30. We went all the way up to Doune and Stirling Castles and stopped in a couple of pubs (Portcullis near Stirling, Buchlyvie Inn in the village of Buchlyvie, and The Hole in the Wa' in Greenock).

Hope you have a great time - we loved this stop!