- Roadwork eastbound between Magra (Railroad) (Exit 140) and Gold Run Rd (Exit 143), traffic getting through — tree work; until 5:59 a.m.
- Roadwork eastbound between Mace Blvd (Exit 75) and County Rd 105D (Exit 78), 1 mile north of El Macero, traffic getting through — pavement work; until 4:59 a.m.
The short answer: 8 of the 10 rental companies at Reno-Tahoe International have their counters in the baggage claim hall, and the cars are in the garage beside it. Sixt and Reno-Tahoe Rental Car are off the airport.
From November to April, book an all-wheel or four-wheel drive and check the tires say M+S. Most counters do not let you fit chains, so that car is what gets you through a California R-2 control. The live line above shows where chain controls are up right now.
| Company | Counter | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Thrifty | Baggage claim, inside the terminal | The rental car garage next to the terminal |
| Sixt | Off the airport | Sixt's own shuttle from the terminal |
| Reno-Tahoe Rental Car | Off the airport | Off the airport; ask the company how to reach it |
Counters, garage and the new building
The airport's rental car page lists 10 companies and says the counters are in baggage claim. You sign there, walk out to the garage beside the terminal and drive off. The page names Sixt and Reno-Tahoe Rental Car as off-site, and says Sixt runs its own short shuttle.
That changes in 2028. The airport broke ground in October 2025 on a Ground Transportation Center, a 440,000-square-foot building that puts every rental company, taxis, rideshare and shuttles in one place. It is part of the $1 billion moreRNO program. Until it opens, the 2026–27 and 2027–28 winters work the way described here.
Which car for the passes
Every road out of Reno to the lake climbs at least 2,000 feet. Downtown Reno is 3 miles from the terminal and flat. Truckee is 33 miles west on I-80. Incline Village is about 35 miles over Mt Rose Highway, which crests at 8,911 feet. South Lake Tahoe is about 58 miles by US-50.
Caltrans posts three levels, defined on its chain controls page:
- R-1. Cars under 6,000 pounds with snow tires on at least 2 drive wheels pass without chains.
- R-2. Four-wheel and all-wheel drive with snow-tread tires on all 4 wheels pass without chains. Everyone else fits them.
- R-3. Chains or traction devices on every vehicle, no exceptions.
To Caltrans, a snow tire is any tire with MS, M/S, M+S or MUD AND SNOW stamped on the sidewall. Most all-season tires on rental SUVs carry that mark, so an AWD SUV with M+S on all 4 wheels clears R-1 and R-2. Look at the sidewall in the garage before you leave, not at the chain-control checkpoint.
Nevada uses 2 levels instead of 3, and the same car meets both; what each level asks is set out in full on its own page.
National says a specific option such as four-wheel drive "cannot be guaranteed", so book the SUV class that lists AWD and ask again at the counter. A front-wheel-drive sedan is fine for Reno, Sparks and Carson City all winter. It is the wrong car for a storm weekend at Heavenly.
Chains in a rental car
Enterprise and National both say they do not supply chains or traction devices, and that chains may not be fitted to their cars unless state law requires it. Alamo belongs to the same group. The other companies' terms are in the rental agreement you sign at the counter; read the line on chains before a storm, not after.
That leaves a 2WD renter at R-2 with nowhere to go but back. At R-3, which Caltrans posts in the worst hours on Donner Pass and Echo Summit, no car of any kind passes without chains, and the honest advice is to wait. Textile snow socks count as chains in California, but fitting them is still fitting a device, so check the agreement first.
Who should not rent at all
A stay in downtown Reno does not need a car: the casinos, the Riverwalk and the arch sit within a few blocks of each other, 3 miles from the terminal.
Skiers bound for Heavenly, Palisades or Northstar can book a round-trip transfer from the airport and leave the chain controls to a driver. The ski resort pages link the ones Viator sells. Everyone else, check the roads to Lake Tahoe before you pick the car up.
The highway cameras between the airport, I-80 and US-395. Click a marker to open one.