Chubu Centrair Airport Car Rental: 5 Branches Compared

Five rental branches at Chubu Centrair Airport: how to choose

Chubu Centrair International Airport, on an artificial island south of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, has five rental branches from five companies. All five are on 1F of the Access Plaza (the Multi-Access Terminal), so you walk to the counter instead of waiting for a shuttle.

This page compares the walk to each counter, closing times, returns and one-way rentals, and the reference price at each company on Japanese and foreign licences.

• Arriving on an evening flight: Nippon, Toyota, Orix and Nissan open until 20:00, and Times until 19:00. If your flight is delayed, Nissan does not open outside its hours and deals with you on the next business day.
• Walking straight to the car: none of the five runs a shuttle. Times is about a one-minute walk from the main exit of Meitetsu Centrair Station. For Nissan, take the south lift in the 2F Access Plaza down to the 1F; the walk is three minutes.
• Returning somewhere else: Nippon, Toyota and Orix accept returns to other branches. Times also accepts cars rented at other branches.
• Keeping the cost down: on standard rates before discounts, Toyota is the cheapest compact at ¥8,580 for 24 hours on a Japanese licence. The gap across the five is at most ¥1,320 for 24 hours.
• Driving to the airport: the bridge to the island is a toll road, and at Nippon the toll is yours to pay. Prefectural Nagoya Airport (Komaki) is a different airport, so check the branch name when you book.

Compare the five Chubu Centrair branches

Branch names link to their official pages. The numbers identify the branches and are not a ranking.

Reference prices: standard rates at five companies

This table takes each company's published standard rate for a compact car, with the total for two days including basic collision damage waiver (CDW). These are regular-season, tax-inclusive rates before discounts, on a Japanese licence. The bridge toll is not included.

• The 48-hour total is the first 24 hours, one additional day and two days of basic CDW. A dash means the company's rate table does not list that fee. Where basic CDW shows "Included", the rate already contains it. Extra hours, fuel, one-way fees and options such as child seats are not included.
• Most companies offer member or online discounts, so the booking screen is often cheaper than this table. Peak periods such as Golden Week, Obon and New Year cost more. Enter your dates and class for the actual price.
• Toyota has member discounts of 10% and 20%. Branches in the 23 wards of Tokyo, Oshima and Narita Airport use the Tokyo rate.
• Times has member rates of up to 20% off.
• Nippon has a separate member rate table.
• Nissan's basic CDW is calculated on the Standard Plan at ¥1,650 a day.
• Orix has member discounts and a 5% web discount.

Prices differ by licence. The table uses the Japanese-licence rate. On a foreign licence, Toyota C1 is ¥10,340 for the first 24 hours and ¥8,690 for each additional 24 hours, before optional cover; the Toyota row above uses the separate Japanese-licence rates of ¥8,580 and ¥7,260. The other companies in the table publish no separate foreign-licence rate here, so get a quote for your own licence.

A foreign licence needs the original licence, a 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit (or an official Japanese translation for licences from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan) and your passport. See driving in Japan on a foreign licence.

From arrival to the counter: walk to the 1F of the Access Plaza

Every rental branch is on 1F of the Access Plaza (the Multi-Access Terminal). The way down from the 2F Access Plaza depends on the company.

• South lift straight to the 1F: Nippon (go down to the rental area, complete the paperwork at the branch and leave from in front of it) and Nissan (go to the bus and rental area; three minutes on foot).
• Through the 2F information counter: at Orix, go to the information counter in the Access Plaza and staff direct you to the 1F branch.
• Split by terminal and route: Toyota sends Terminal 1 international passengers to its international departures counter, and Terminal 2 and domestic passengers directly to the branch. The branch is on 1F of the Multi-Access Terminal Building, under the railway.
• Following the signs to the 1F: Times is about a minute on foot from the main exit of Meitetsu Centrair Station. From the terminal building it is 2–3 minutes through the building, so you stay dry in the rain.

All five share a building, but each has its own counter. Check the company and branch on your booking confirmation and go to that counter. Note your flight and whether you land at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, because Toyota's directions depend on it.

Returning the car: work back from closing time and your flight

Nippon, Toyota, Orix and Nissan close at 20:00, and Times at 19:00. Times is closed from 1 to 3 January, and asks you to return three hours before an international flight and one and a half hours before a domestic flight.

At Nippon, you leave the car in the return area and then pay at the branch. Plan around the time you finish that paperwork, not the time you reach the island. The bridge toll is charged on top of the rental fee.

When returning a car rented elsewhere to Centrair, name the return branch when you book. For Times, enter MAPCODE 371668698 in the navigation system and staff guide you on site. Orix excludes cars 468 cm or longer, 169 cm or wider or 196 cm or taller from one-way rentals. If you rent a large wagon in Nagoya to return at the airport, confirm the car can be returned before you book.

Nagoya stay or Chita trip: when to start the rental

If you are heading to the Chita Peninsula on the day you land, you can collect the car at the airport and leave straight away. If you are staying in central Nagoya first, you can take the train into the city and rent around Nagoya Station the next day. Compare the bridge toll, hotel parking and the transport fare you would otherwise pay.

If you only return to Centrair at the end of a trip, name the airport branch as your return branch from the start. Searching for just "Nagoya airport" mixes in branches at Prefectural Nagoya Airport (Komaki), so match the name on your ticket: Chubu Centrair International Airport.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a shuttle bus to reach the rental branches at Centrair?

No. All five branches are on 1F of the Access Plaza (the Multi-Access Terminal), and you walk there from the terminal.

Can I still rent if I land late in the evening?

The latest closing time is 20:00, at Nippon, Toyota, Orix and Nissan. Times closes at 19:00. If a flight is delayed, Nissan does not open outside its hours and deals with you on the next business day. Check that your flight leaves enough time for the walk and the paperwork before closing.

Are Nagoya Airport and Centrair the same?

No, they are different airports. Orix also warns that its branch is not at Nagoya Airport (Komaki). Choose a Chubu Centrair branch for your return, not one at Prefectural Nagoya Airport.

Can I return a car rented elsewhere at Centrair?

Nippon, Toyota and Orix accept returns from other branches, and Times accepts cars rented at other branches. Nissan's branch page does not cover this, so check in the booking screen that you can select your return branch.

What does a two-day rental cost?

On standard rates before discounts, a compact with basic CDW for two days comes to ¥18,040–¥20,790 across the five companies on a Japanese licence. Toyota is lowest at ¥18,040. On a foreign licence, Toyota's base rate is higher; see the price section above.

Guides to read before booking

• Picking up a rental car at a Japanese airport
• Basic CDW and the NOC explained
• Refuelling and returning the car
• Accidents, damage, punctures, breakdowns and parking tickets