Renting Vehicle for Outside London Touring

[gbcruise]

I see that we can book bus tours to places like Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Bath, etc.... however we like to not tour with the masses. Is it possible to rent a vehicle for a day or two and enjoy the countryside at our pace also making it less expensive and more enjoyable?

[Twickenham]

Absolutely! We did this during our month-long London stay in 2016; rented once from LHR to go visit Highclere, and once from LGW to visit Scotney Castle. There are agencies in Central London, but renting out at the airport meant we could get on the motorway straight away and didn't loose anytime navigating London's rather challenging traffic .

[John Bull]

54 minutes ago, gbcruise said:

I see that we can book bus tours to places like Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Bath, etc.... however we like to not tour with the masses. Is it possible to rent a vehicle for a day or two and enjoy the countryside at our pace also making it less expensive and more enjoyable?

 

 

Stonehenge, Windsor & Bath are all west of London, so if you want a day in one or two of those places (three would be too rushed) the best way is what Twickenham did - rent from an agency at Heathrow airport. Public transport between central London & Heathrow is excellent, and since you won't have luggage the Tube (London's metro) is likely to be quickest and easiest and cheapest (about £7 one-way).  Heathrow airport is only about 8 miles from Windsor, is directly off the M4 motorway (to Bath) and is just a couple of junctions from the M3 motorway (for Stonehenge).

 

Heathrow - Stonehenge (- Salisbury?) - Bath - Heathrow could make a decent round-trip by car.

And if you wish could incorporate some pleasant rural driving & sights rather than all-motorway.

 

Windsor is under an hour direct from central London's Waterloo station, or with one train change from central London's Paddington station. Fares just north of £10 return from either station. So it's a decent half-day trip from a central London hotel.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

 

Be aware that to be sure of gaining entry to Stonehenge when you arrive you should pre-purchase tickets with timed-entry.  Stonehenge can be very very busy at weekends and in high season, but you are guaranteed entry during the 30-minute window that you have booked. Timing is for entry only, you can spend as much or as little time there as you wish (most folk spend around 90 minutes there). Those on coach tours are exempt from timed-ticketing, their tickets are anytime.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/prices-and-opening-times?

 

Or if you're planning to rent for more than one day,  you should consider a complete re-think.

Driving to and from a central London hotel will be no fun, especially for a visitor, and parking overnite in central London can be expensive or time-consuming or both..

But backwards & forwards to a Heathrow rental agency for two days or more on-the-trot is time-consuming. 

So it would make sense to use a hotel somewhere near the places you want to visit. As well as avoiding those duplications and time-wasting, the hotel rates are significantly lower than in central London (with the possible exception of Windsor). 

 

Or if this is pre or post-cruise time, consider combining those outside-London visits with the transfer to or from your cruise port (Southampton?) by renting a car one-way. In that case, because of luggage a one-way drive to or from central London makes sense as long as you don't keep the car in London. 

 

JB 

[GrJ Berkshire]

Hiring a car in London as JB has said is not a good idea, back and forth

Also be aware nearly all UK cars are not automatics (US Shift sticks) and if you do not have extensive experience driving one Central London is not the place to practice!!

I would enjoy the locations using a non London base or other transport means.

 

[Bob++]

17 hours ago, gbcruise said:

I see that we can book bus tours to places like Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Bath, etc.... however we like to not tour with the masses. Is it possible to rent a vehicle for a day or two and enjoy the countryside at our pace also making it less expensive and more enjoyable?

Both "less expensive" and "more enjoyable" are open to debate. Even with two people, the costs associated with hiring a car (getting to the depot, satnav {essential}, fuel, extra insurance, and of course, the hire charge) can all add up. If you drove in London there is also the congestion charge and astronomical parking charges.

 

More enjoyable - yes in the sense that you can choose your route and stop where you like; maybe not since the driver has to concentrate on driving and there is always the worry of getting there on time and getting lost.

 

As JB says, using a hire car at the start or end of a cruise makes more sense .

[cft8]

We rented a car post cruise and went to Cambridge. We were able to request an automatic transmission. They gave us a Mercedes M class (we booked a much less nice car!). We asked for a different car and since this was a small location, they said they didn’t have one. The insurance was ridiculous. I think they ended up waiving part of it because our credit card has coverage, but we might have been in big trouble if we’d damaged it. Luckily, we didn’t.

Our friends who also rented had figured they’d be fine with a stick shift. They drove around the block, decided they would never make it, went back to the agency (we were gone), asked for an automatic and got one that was not a fancy Mercedes. So, we kind of got screwed.

But, if you rent from a large airport location, you will probably have more choice, or they will be more likely to give you what you booked in the first place.

Another option, if you want to base yourselves in London, is to consider day trips by train, rather than a car rental. You can get to Bath and Windsor that way. For Stonehenge you would have to go to Salisbury and then take a bus to Stonehenge, but I think you can take one that’s basically just a shuttle and not part of a tour group.


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[Globaliser]

6 hours ago, GrJ Berkshire said:

Also be aware nearly all UK cars are not automatics (US Shift sticks) ...

 

This is simply not true these days.

 

However, like renting cars in most of the world, if you need to have an automatic then you should book an automatic.

[John Bull]

4 hours ago, cft8 said:

Another option, if you want to base yourselves in London, is to consider day trips by train, rather than a car rental. You can get to Bath and Windsor that way. For Stonehenge you would have to go to Salisbury and then take a bus to Stonehenge, but I think you can take one that’s basically just a shuttle and not part of a tour group.
 

 

Agreed.

 

Bath direct by train from Paddington

 

Windsor, as per my post, from Waterloo or Paddington.

 

And Stonehenge just a little more complicated - train from Waterloo to Salisbury, then ho-ho from Salisbury station forecourt to Stonehenge. Buy your Stonehenge tickets from the ho-ho driver - just like coach tour tickets they are "anytime" admission. http://www.thestonehengetour.info/

Then back to Salisbury's historic city centre and cathedral, then ho-ho or local bus or shanks's back to the station for the train back to Waterloo.

 

The only snag with using the train is that you can only fit in one of those in a single day.

 

JB 

[kctwinmommy]

So we rented a vehicle post-cruise in Southampton in 2017. We initially rented a smaller car, which they gave us. But then looking at it, they offered us a nicer SUV (I think a Volvo, so not super huge), which we needed for our luggage! LOL! Anyway, we were traveling from Southampton down to the coastal area first, and then all the way west to Tintagel. Getting out that far was fine, but the next day, we drove back in the early afternoon, planning to stop at Stonehenge. Traffic as we got close to Stonehenge was busy. It's not the same kind of driving here in the states, different roads, etc... We stopped at Stonehenge, with the intention of going up to it. However, we decided for us, the cost & time wasn't worth it. It was busy and it would have been a long stop there. Instead, we got back on the road that passes in front of it and did the slow drive by that everyone else is doing.

 

We then continued to London and it really does take longer to get there than it seems. And we're from Chicago (where we measure every trip around the city/surrounding areas by time, not miles).

[gbcruise]

What a wealth of information to consider. First, I was taught on shift stick so absolutely no problem. We fly into Gatwick and arrive mid morning so renting a vehicle straight away before heading to London seems plausible. Maybe even staying over somewhere besides London the first night then going on into London. We are looking into purchasing yearly trip insurance that covers car insurance so that may make it more affordable. We are touring London, Paris and then a week Med cruise out of Barcelona, 6 days back in Barcelona (and beyond) and then a transatlantic into Florida, so 35 days in all. Knowing all the options helps make decisions and adjust cost where it will not cause harm. 

[LHT28]

Just now, gbcruise said:

What a wealth of information to consider. First, I was taught on shift stick so absolutely no problem.

I was also

but  I am not coordinated enough to switch  the shifting to my left hand  side

Good luck

[Cotswold Eagle]

57 minutes ago, gbcruise said:

We fly into Gatwick and arrive mid morning so renting a vehicle straight away before heading to London seems plausible. Maybe even staying over somewhere besides London the first night then going on into London. 

 

Please, please reconsider this. There is no need at all for a car in London, parking is very expensive (and not easy to find) and you will be paying congestion charge daily if during the week. All that aside, the drive into London from Gatwick is a nightmare!  Hire a car only for your trips out of town would be my very strong recommendation. And then keep in mind that if you hire in central London it will take an hour or so to get out of the city. 

[John Bull]

Heed the Eagle's words.

There's virtually no motorway between Gatwick & central London, it's an awful 30-mile urban drive with lots of single carriageway roads, traffic lights and roundabouts. 

 

There's plenty of pleasant driving in England, but none in or near London.

For instance I mentioned
"Heathrow - Stonehenge (- Salisbury?) - Bath - Heathrow could ............. incorporate some pleasant rural driving & sights rather than all-motorway".

On that route the pleasant rural driving starts and ends at least 40 miles from Heathrow (55 miles from London) because closer to London it makes sense to use the motorways - other roads in the London area are complicated & congested.

 

But renting at Gatwick makes sense if you want to visit south-east England before going to London. Places like Hever Castle, Tunbridge Wells, Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Dover, the Seven Sisters and Brighton, Arundel, even Portsmouth - but not all of them!!!.

Then return the car to Gatwick and take the train into London.

Take the train into London, even tho that means some schlepping of luggage - Gatwick to central London is a far worse drive than Heathrow into central London.

 

If your flight to Paris is from Heathrow & you want to visit Stonehenge, Bath, etc then it makes sense to do that little out-of-London tour after your time in London & return the car to Heathrow. But if you travel to Paris from Gatwick or by Eurostar train, then doing that tour from Gatwick instead of Heathrow will add about an hour to the drive.

 

Annual insurance.

Is what you're considering annual excess insurance?

Car rental in the UK & everywhere I've rented in Europe includes compulsory insurance and CDW.

But just like in North America CDW comes with a big excess - you're liable for the first £1000 - £1500 of damage to the vehicle. The rental agency can reduce that excess to zero, but the premium that they charge is gross - often more than the initial rental charge.

So I have annual excess insurance via the internet. If the rental agency charges me for damage they take it from my refundable deposit, then I re-claim it from the excess insurer and leave the agency and insurer to sort it out between themselves. I don't know how well it works, I haven't had to  put it to the test.

But it gives me peace of mind, when I collect a car I don't have to search it for every little scratch, and it's waaaaay cheaper than the agency's optional excess insurance.

If that's what you'r considering, IMHO it's a very good idea.   

 

JB 

[gbcruise]

Luckily, I am left handed so dominant hand for stick shift, it kinda makes me really want to try it, lol.. However, after reading all and discussing, hiring for the outside London travels seems best. Upon research so many to choose. Those that have hired and are from the area, can recommendations be made for us of reliable and informative tours? Meeting at Victoria station I assume will be our best location per where we are staying. Our nightmare on big bus group tour on several occasions: One woman so drunk she made death threats, a New Yorker feeling a gal was taking pics of her and stole the gals camera and started a fist fight, one we waited over an hour for a couple who didn't understand time and we missed touring the main place we booked the tour for, bus hit another vehicle and last, glass breakage to a window right in my husbands and my lap (we still have no idea what hit the window). Our private excursions or personal driven excursions have always been without incident. These are the reasons I was most interested in personal travel 🙂

[Pootimer]

kctwinmommy from Chicago, which rental agency did you use in Southampton? 

We want to rent a car at the port to tour north Dorset after our cruise, so it will be a one way only, returning it in London. Any info you can provide would be appreciated. 

[Dorset cruise fan]

North Dorset!! now you're talking! What a beautiful area to chose! Shaftsbury, Sherborne, Cranborne Chase, it's all lovely. what made you chose North Dorset (am in East Dorset myself)

[nybumpkin]

Some years ago DH rented a stick-shift to drive from Heathrow to his company's plant outside Southampton. He found the wyes and roundabouts to be a challenge and at first when he tried to shift gears he rolled down the window.😃 We opt for the train most times now when visiting England.

[Host Bonjour]

What is a wye and is it more vexing than a roundabout? My guess is a wye would be a fork in the road...wye to spell the letter Y...is the only guess I have ;0

(absolutely NO plans to ever drive stick/opposite side!!) everyone shouts hurray!!

 

Edited March 31, 2019 by Host Bonjour

[Isklaar]

3 hours ago, Host Bonjour said:

What is a wye and is it more vexing than a roundabout? My guess is a wye would be a fork in the road...wye to spell the letter Y...is the only guess I have ;0

(absolutely NO plans to ever drive stick/opposite side!!) everyone shouts hurray!!

 

 

I'm wondering if 'wye' is a typo? English isn't my first language but I've lived in England for many years and have never come across the word 'wye' in relation to driving, so am curious to know!

[gnome12]

7 minutes ago, Isklaar said:

 

I'm wondering if 'wye' is a typo? English isn't my first language but I've lived in England for many years and have never come across the word 'wye' in relation to driving, so am curious to know!

I found it in wikipedia. For trains it is basically where 3 tracks meet in a Y-shape, and they say it is also used for roads, so it sounds like it would be what I would call a Y-intersection. But I think that rather than just a fork in the road for one direction,  it seems to be a fork for all 3. That's my guess anyway.

[Host Bonjour]

2 hours ago, Isklaar said:

 

I'm wondering if 'wye' is a typo? English isn't my first language but I've lived in England for many years and have never come across the word 'wye' in relation to driving, so am curious to know!

 

Curiouser....

 

....there rarely are words on road (pretty much in any country) signs, only usually basic line drawings that sometimes border on the cryptic/Google- translate-can't-help-you variety. 

 

[cft8]

kctwinmommy from Chicago, which rental agency did you use in Southampton? 
We want to rent a car at the port to tour north Dorset after our cruise, so it will be a one way only, returning it in London. Any info you can provide would be appreciated. 

I thought I posted this the other day, but evidently it didn’t save.

Anyway, I’m not kctwinmommy, but I did rent a car in Southampton. We rented from Hertz, mainly because that is where we get points. We had a one-way rental, returning the car at Gatwick.

If you reserve an automatic, I’d just contact them a week or so before and make sure they will have the level you book so that you do not end up with a really expensive upgrade like we did!

We picked up at the West Quay location, which you can basically see from the City Terminal. We considered walking there but we ended up sharing a taxi with our friends because I really did not feel like hauling the luggage all that way.


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[nybumpkin]

On 3/31/2019 at 2:46 PM, Host Bonjour said:

What is a wye and is it more vexing than a roundabout? My guess is a wye would be a fork in the road...wye to spell the letter Y...is the only guess I have ;0

(absolutely NO plans to ever drive stick/opposite side!!) everyone shouts hurray!!

 

It is essentially a fork in the road. I married into a family of railroad nuts, so it's "wye" for us. Sorry. 😃 DH practically cried when he tried to  teach me to drive stick - mostly from the thought of what I was doing to the clutch in his Mustang.😮 Oldest son, on the other hand, learned to drive stick on his own when his Navy ship was homeported in Japan (also driving on the left), and liked it so much he recently bought a Jeep Wrangler with a stick to do off-roading in California, where he's based now.

Edited April 3, 2019 by nybumpkin