Looking to book rather than read? See corporate car rental in Austin for the live fleet, daily rates and delivery, or compare every category on our cheap car rental Austin page.
Austin's big employers are spread out. A typical business trip might start at a hotel in the Domain, include a site visit at Tesla's Giga Texas near the airport, and end with a meeting in Round Rock or Taylor. Those places are 30 to 40 miles apart, connected by highways that behave very differently at 8 a.m. and at 2 p.m.
This guide gives realistic drive times between the main business hubs, where to stay depending on where you work, and how to choose between a compact and a midsize sedan for a work trip.
The main business hubs and where they are
- The Domain and North Burnet: North Austin, between MoPac and Burnet Road just north of US 183. Offices, hotels and restaurants in one walkable district, often called Austin's second downtown.
- Apple: Apple's large Austin campus is off Parmer Lane in North Austin, on the southern edge of Williamson County, a few minutes north of the Domain.
- Dell Technologies: headquarters at 1 Dell Way in Round Rock, just east of I-35.
- Tesla Giga Texas: in Del Valle, southeast Austin, at SH 130 and Tesla Road, a short drive from the airport.
- Samsung Taylor: the semiconductor campus in Taylor, Williamson County, roughly 30 miles northeast of downtown.
- Downtown: law firms, state government and many corporate offices, plus the convention center.
Drive times without traffic, and what changes at rush hour
All times are approximate for a weekday with light traffic. Add 50 to 100 percent at peak hours on I-35 and MoPac.
- AUS to downtown: about 15 to 20 minutes.
- AUS to Giga Texas: about 10 to 15 minutes via SH 71 and SH 130.
- AUS to the Domain: about 25 to 30 minutes via US 183 north.
- Downtown to the Domain: about 20 minutes via MoPac or I-35.
- The Domain to Apple's Parmer Lane campus: about 10 minutes.
- The Domain to Dell in Round Rock: about 20 minutes.
- The Domain to Samsung Taylor: about 40 minutes via SH 45 and SH 130 or US 79.
- Giga Texas to Samsung Taylor: about 45 minutes straight up SH 130.
The worst stretches at rush hour are I-35 through central Austin and MoPac between the Domain and downtown. SH 130 is the reliable north-south road on the east side, which matters if you are splitting time between Giga Texas and Taylor. It is a toll road, as are SH 45 North and the MoPac Express Lanes. For how each one works and when it is worth paying, see our Austin toll roads guide. For how tolls are handled on the car, ask us how it works on your rental.
Where to stay depending on your work
- Meetings at the Domain, Apple or other North Austin offices: stay at the Domain. You can walk to dinner, and Apple and Dell are short drives.
- Dell, Round Rock or a mix of north-side sites: Round Rock hotels are often cheaper than the Domain and put you on the right side of I-35 traffic. See our Round Rock car rental page.
- Samsung Taylor: Taylor itself has limited hotel options, so most visitors stay in Round Rock, Hutto or Pflugerville. Our Pflugerville car rental page covers that side of the metro.
- Giga Texas: hotels near the airport and along East Riverside keep the morning drive to 15 minutes. Staying downtown works too if you leave before the rush.
- A mix of downtown and the east side: downtown or East Austin, and accept that north-side days will be longer.
Accord or Corolla for a work trip?
This is the question we get most often from people booking for work.
Choose the Toyota Corolla or similar at $98 a day if you are traveling alone or with one colleague, carry a backpack and a carry-on, and want the lowest line on your expense report. It is easy to park in tight garages downtown and at the Domain, and it is good on gas over long SH 130 runs. It seats five and fits two bags.
Choose the Honda Accord or similar at $114 a day if you are driving clients or colleagues, carrying sample cases or equipment, or spending an hour or more a day on the highway. It seats five, fits three bags, and the back seat is noticeably roomier for adults. For a team of three with luggage, it is the right car.
If you are visiting a construction or industrial site and need more room for gear, a Mazda CX-5 or similar at the same $114 a day gives you a hatch and three bags of space.
Parking at offices and plant sites
Parking is rarely a problem outside downtown, but it is worth planning:
- Downtown: hotels and garages charge for parking, and rates are higher during events and the legislative session. Ask your hotel about overnight parking before you arrive.
- The Domain: large garages serve the offices and shops. Check whether your hotel or the office you are visiting validates.
- Giga Texas and Samsung Taylor: these are secured industrial sites. Ask your host which gate and visitor lot to use, and bring a photo ID for check-in. Leave extra time on your first visit, because the sites are large and the visitor entrance is not always where your map app expects.
Things that make work trips easier
- No counter. We meet you at the AUS arrivals curb. Send your flight number and we track it, so a delay does not leave you stranded. The handoff takes about ten minutes.
- Delivery to the hotel or office. If you take a cab on day one and only need a car from day two, we deliver free anywhere in Greater Austin.
- Clear price. There is no airport concession fee and no facility charge, which keeps the expense report simple. The refundable deposit and coverage options are explained before you pay.
- CarPlay and Android Auto. Every car is recent and automatic with phone mirroring, so calls and navigation stay on the dashboard.
Longer projects and rotating teams
Plenty of people working at the Samsung and Tesla sites are in town for weeks or months, not days. Rentals of three days or more cost less per day, and a week less again. For a month or longer, see our monthly car rental in Austin page, where rates are quoted directly by phone. Our guide to weekly and monthly rental rates explains how longer rentals are priced.
If the whole team arrives together, the 12-seat Ford Transit or similar at $296 a day can move a crew from the airport to the hotel and on to the site in one trip.
Book the car for your trip
Send us your flight, hotel and the sites you are visiting, and we will suggest the right car and confirm by phone within the hour. Start on our economy car rental in Austin page, read how airport pickup works, or call or text 512-851-0490.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Tesla Giga Texas from the Austin airport?
Giga Texas is in Del Valle at SH 130 and Tesla Road, about 10 to 15 minutes from AUS in light traffic.
How long is the drive from Austin to the Samsung plant in Taylor?
Taylor is roughly 30 miles northeast of downtown. Plan on about 45 to 50 minutes from downtown and about 40 minutes from the Domain, longer at rush hour.
Should I rent a Corolla or an Accord for a business trip?
A Corolla or similar at $98 a day suits one or two people with light luggage. An Accord or similar at $114 a day is better for clients, colleagues in the back seat, three bags or long highway days.
Can you deliver a rental car to my hotel at the Domain?
Yes. Delivery and collection are free anywhere in Greater Austin, including hotels at the Domain, Round Rock and downtown.
