North America > United States > Miami (MIA)
The city by city Car or no Car advice for Miami can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Miami ; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Miami ?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Miami?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.Miami without a car 🚶♂️🚆
To begin with, Miami International Airport is one of the best-connected airports in the United States by public transport. The MIA Mover links the terminals directly to the Miami Intermodal Center, where you can connect to Metrorail, Tri-Rail, Amtrak, and local buses. As a result, getting downtown or to Brickell without a car is straightforward and inexpensive.
Once in the city, Metrorail and the free Metromover do a lot of the heavy lifting. Downtown, Brickell, and parts of Wynwood and the Design District are easy to explore on foot or by short transit hops. In addition, South Beach works well without a car, thanks to walkability, bike hire, and frequent buses across the causeway.
For day trips, things are still manageable. For example, you can reach Fort Lauderdale by Tri-Rail or Brightline, while Brightline also makes West Palm Beach an easy rail journey. In short, if your Miami trip is city-focused, a car is optional rather than essential.
When a rental car becomes useful 🚗
That said, Miami quickly changes character once you look beyond the urban areas. If you want to visit the Everglades, explore the Florida Keys, or head west towards quieter beaches and nature reserves, public transport becomes limited or impractical. In these cases, renting a car makes a huge difference.
Moreover, Miami is often the starting point for a Florida road trip. Driving to Key West via the Overseas Highway is an experience in its own right, and there is no realistic public transport alternative that offers the same freedom or scenery.
Combining Miami and Orlando 🌴➡️🎢
For visitors travelling from Europe or further afield, a two-city stay combining Miami and Orlando is an extremely common and logical itinerary. Crucially, you do not need to rent a car for the transfer between the two cities. Brightline now offers fast, modern rail services linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando, with journey times of around three and a half hours. In addition, long-distance coach services run frequently and are often very good value. There is also the option of a short domestic flight, with airlines such as American Airlines operating frequent shuttles between Miami and Orlando. For transatlantic travellers arriving on joint-venture services operated by American and British Airways, this can make ticketing and connections particularly straightforward.
That said, renting a car for the journey still has its appeal. A one-way car rental allows you to explore places in between, such as quieter Atlantic Coast beaches or nature reserves that are not well served by public transport. However, for many visitors, the rail or air options remove the stress of driving and parking, especially if you plan to focus on South Beach, downtown Miami, and Orlando’s theme parks, all of which work well without a car once you arrive.
A different balance for shorter trips 🚶♂️🚆
If you are visiting from within the USA or Canada on a shorter break, Miami leans even more strongly towards a no-car stay, provided you remain within the city and nearby beaches. Public transport, walking, ride-hailing, and cycling cover most needs very effectively. The main exception remains the Florida Keys. While it is technically possible to visit by long-distance bus or organised tour, these options lack flexibility and do not allow for spontaneous photo stops along the Overseas Highway. In practice, anyone wanting to experience the Keys properly will either join a guided tour or rent a car specifically for that part of the trip.
Conclusion: should you rent a car in Miami? 🤔
In the end, Miami sits right on the boundary. For a short city break or beach stay, you can confidently skip a car. However, if you want to see Florida beyond Miami’s urban core, renting a car quickly becomes the most practical and enjoyable option.
