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Best Car Hire Heathrow Airport London

Quick Jump links to Heathrow Airport London

Things to be Consider Hiring a Car at London Heathrow Airport?

Booking before you travel guarantees availability. In addition, booking online will almost always save you money - using a price comparison site is cheaper than going directly to a car hire company.

Below is a list of the car rental companies with offices at Heathrow airport. They may also partner with other companies, so don’t be alarmed if you book online and find one that isn’t listed below.

If you do want to contact the company by telephone, then the UK dialing code from overseas is +44.

Car Hire Companies at London Heathrow Airport see below
Company Telephone Number
Avis 0808 2840014
Alamo 0888 8266893
Budget 0808 2844444
Enterprise 0800 800227
Europcar 0871 3841087
Hertz 0843 309 3099
National 0877 2229058
Sixt 0844 993399

Driving costs and Potential Destinations

The average fuel cost in the UK is currently at a low of £1.07 per litre for petrol and £1.10 per litre for diesel. The price is much lower now than it has been for the last few years, but bear in mind that it is constantly adjusted. Aside from London's Congestion Charge, there are not really toll rolls in the UK. When you're planning your journey, consider the amount of traffic you might encounter and leave plenty of time to arrive at your destination.

Here are some ideas for must-see tourist sites within a 60 mile radius of Heathrow airport, as well as average driving times and maps with directions to get you there. For more information on other attractions in London, visit our London Attractions page. You can obtain discounts on attraction entry, restaurants and more at London Attraction Entry Discount Cards.

If you do want to contact the company by telephone, then the UK dialing code from overseas is +44.

Destination Distance Journey time Journey time Directions Video
Houses of Parliament 18.1 miles 47 minutes Map Video
British Museum 18.6 miles 44 minutes Map Video
Big Ben 17 miles 42 minutes Map Video
Tower of London 19.9 miles 58 minutes Map Video
Buckingham Palace 16.3 miles 38 minutes Map Video
Westminster Abbey 17 miles 40 minutes Map Video
Globe Theatre 18.9 miles 51 minutes Map Video
Tower Bridge 20.4 miles 52 minutes Map Video
St Paul’s Cathedral 18.8 miles 49 minutes Map Video
South Bank 18 miles 42 minutes Map Video
Windsor castle 7.9 miles 16 mins Map Video

How can I get to the city?

There are many options into the city from London Heathrow. There are buses, trains and the London underground all serving the airport. The train is the fastest but quite expensive; buses and the underground are slower as they make many stops. If there is more than 1 person in your travel party, you may find it cheaper to rent a car than to buy multiple tickets. Here are some other reasons to hire a car at Heathrow airport:..

  • 1Located only 17 miles from the city center, Heathrow is well connected to central London by motorway.
  • 2A taxi fare from the airport to central London is likely to cost more than £60.
  • 3Car collection is easy, with most rental companies having desks at each of the terminals at the airport.

Savings on London Attractions and Restaurants

To obtain discounts on travel and more, visit our London Discount Cards for more information.

If driving is not your thing

:

From Heathrow airport you can travel into central London using the London Underground (known as the Tube) or the express train Heathrow Express.

For more information on Heathrow Express and to purchase tickets, see their website at https://www.heathrowexpress.com/. This runs every 15 to 20 minutes and connects the airport directly with Paddington station. Fares are much higher than for the Underground however, at around £36 for a standard class return. There can be good savings when booking in advance on the website (at least 1 week in advance).

Alternatively you can take the Underground Piccadilly Line straight into central London. This is slower but saves money and may in fact be more convenient if your destination lies along this route. The underground is generally more convenient than public buses...

Here are directions from Heathrow to the main over-ground train hub stations in London:

to use london's public transport, you will need to purchase a paper ticket or prepaid ‘oyster card' online or at any station in the city. if your debit or credit card has ‘contactless' capability, it can be used to travel like an oyster card, however not many overseas cards will be compatible. london buses do not accept cash and fares are significantly cheaper on the oyster card. a ‘1 day travel card' is also available, and you can specify whether you want to use it only on the trains or on a combination of trains and buses. visit tfl to find out more.

For more information on Heathrow Express and to purchase tickets, see their website at https://www.heathrowexpress.com/

About Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airport is one of the busiest transport hubs in the world and is the busiest airport in Europe, with 73.4 million passengers passing through its gates in 2014. It sits 12 miles west of Central London and is an ideal base from which to hire a car to either drive into the city or explore the rest of the United Kingdom. There are two runways but a recent report has posed the possibility of installing a third. Over 90 airlines use the airport with 170 worldwide destinations served. It has four passenger terminals and a cargo terminal. Heathrow has a comprehensive range of facilities including an extensive selection of shops, restaurants, bars, Wi-Fi capability, exchange bureaus, short and long term parking and left luggage services. There are also multi-faith prayer rooms and an underground chapel. The airport opened in 1929 as a small airfield, named after the nearby hamlet of Heathrow which the expanding airport has now replaced.

You can hire a car from any of Heathrow’s five terminals, with both self-driven and chauffeur options. In all, there are eight car hire companies and while you can hire a car on the spot, it’s well advised to book online before you arrive in order to obtain the best deals and discounts. After you’ve finished with your car, you can usually return it to any of your provider’s branches throughout the UK.

Usefull Information

General Inquiries and flight information can be contacted at +44 (0) 844 335 1801

Car Park information can be found at +44 (0) 344 335 1000

Lost property can be contacted at +44 (0) 844 824 3115 or from overseas +44 (0)208 634 4130

Visit http://www.heathrow.com/ for further information.

Before You Go

Follow our simple steps and make your journey a breeze: ..

  • Ensure you have valid documentation - most companies will require a valid photo license from your home country. A debit or credit card is also required, as well as another form of ID such as a passport.
  • Consider purchasing additional insurance to cover not only yourself, but also 3rd party injuries in case of an accident. Sometimes credit card providers will offer coverage if you use their card to rent a vehicle. Check with your company before leaving home.
  • On arrival at the airport head to the car hire desks or take the dedicated shuttle bus to the care hire locations. At all London airports these areas are well signed.

Note: You must be at least 21 years old to rent a car in the United Kingdom. If you are under 25, you may also be required to pay a ‘Young Driver Surcharge'. This can vary in amount between companies, and can sometimes be quite expensive, so check the fine print before you book. Some companies also place a charge on drivers over the age of 70. Occasionally, they also require a doctor's note or proof of driving capacity.

Additional considerations before hire a car

Here are some tips for other things to think about when you're hiring a car. Some of these will advise you on how to avoid unexpected costs and trouble when hiring a car in the UK...

  • Check with your car hire company on their ‘fuel policy' - if you pick up your car with a full tank of petrol and return it empty, you will be charged extra, based on the cost of fuel.
  • Remember that UK fuel prices are higher than many other countries - a 4x4 may not be economical to hire, and a smaller car is also much easier to drive and park in London's narrow, crowded streets.
  • If you are traveling into Central London by car you will be expected to pay the ‘congestion charge' for driving in the city.
  • Check your rental car for any pre-existing damage and document it carefully. Make the company aware of even minor imperfections on the vehicle to avoid being liable upon return of the vehicle. Take photos of prior damage if you can.
  • Find out about one-way rental charges, in case you plan on returning your car somewhere other than where you're renting it from. These vary largely from company to company, and are usually not included in the quote, so it ends up being an unexpected expense.
  • Ensure that you are aware of the speed limits and laws of the road. City driving can be aggressive, so exercise caution. In the UK, vehicles drive on the left side of the road. Most cars also use manual gears, so please remember to specify at the time of booking if you want an automatic car. For more information on UK driving laws, click here.

Note: You must be at least 21 years old to rent a car in the United Kingdom. If you are under 25, you may also be required to pay a ‘Young Driver Surcharge'. This can vary in amount between companies, and can sometimes be quite expensive, so check the fine print before you book. Some companies also place a charge on drivers over the age of 70. Occasionally, they also require a doctor's note or proof of driving capacity.

Alternative Airports

Not all London airports are created equal! Where are all the airports in London? London spans a huge metropolitan area, and distances between airports can be great. Additionally, certain airports specialize in certain destination or host only certain airlines. It's important to choose an airport in London that works for you.

Airport Distance to central London Major Air Lines Major Destinations Facilities
London Heathrow 17.1 miles British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Qantas, Emirates, Etihad Airways, American Airlines United States (New York, Los Angeles), Dubai, Sydney, Abu Dhabi, Auckland Five terminals; duty free shopping, restaurants, cafés and bars; upper class lounges
Gatwick Airport 28.3 miles British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, Thomas Cook Airlines Paris, Geneva, Barcelona, Ibiza, Dublin, Tenerife, Rome Two terminals; duty free shopping, restaurants, cafés and bars; Virgin Holidays ‘V Lounge'
Luton Airport 34 miles easyJet, Ryanair, Wizzair Aberdeen, Barcelona, Belfast, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague One terminal and runway; taxi rank and bus station
London City Airport 9 miles Cityjet, Flybe, BA CityFlyer Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva One runway; some shops; good public transport links
London Stansted 38.9 miles easyJet, Ryanair Barcelona, Belfast, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague One main terminal; express train to London

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