Car rental in London
All that a tourist needs to know about car rental in London: cost, documents, insurance, traffic rules, toll roads, as well as major car rental companies in London.
A trip to the capital of «Misty Albion», to smog wrapped in London, will certainly bring a lot of pleasant and interesting impressions. No wonder this city attracts many travelers from around the world. But the old woman of England is not limited to her magnificent capital. In addition to the noisy and wide streets of London, outside it lies a wonderful country of quiet patriarchal villages with pubs with a thousand-year history, medieval churches and castles. For one trip, I want to see as many attractions as possible, and most conveniently, of course, by car. Naturally, the capital of the United Kingdom is the most convenient point for renting a car.
In London and its suburbs there are a huge number of rental offices that willingly provide all kinds of vehicles to tourists. Here you can take a car of various sizes and capacities. By the way, this method of transportation is very popular directly in London, however, its expediency for tourists is doubtful. The tracks are busy, parking lots are full, and, of course, a certain inconvenience, especially at first, is an odious steering wheel, sticking out from the wrong side for some unknown reason. And entry into certain areas of the city costs money. However, London is an ideal point to become the beginning of an exciting route around the country. Moreover, the car can be taken at the station or at the airport, and go straight to conquer the beautiful English roads.
The cheapest car rental prices at Heathrow Airport.
We have looked at offers from LEADING companies and want to offer you excellent rental options.
The subtleties of car rental in London
So, in order to rent a car, of course, you need a certain package of documents. It includes the following:
- international driving license
- credit card (sometimes it may be necessary to present an insurance policy)
- the driver’s experience must be at least a year, and his age must exceed 21 years (although this point should be clarified in advance, since in some places cars are issued to people from 23 years old)
Prices for cars are very different, it all depends on the office, the car, and, of course, the experience and age of the driver. Prices on average are: the minimum option is a Ford Fiesta without a navigator for 60 GBP for 7 days or an analogue. BMW 5 Series for the same period will cost 397 GBP. Given the traffic density, tightness in parking lots and by no means the most affordable prices at rental offices, it is worth making full insurance. In case of damage, this will save money, and also save you from the tedious process of inspecting the car body for existing chips and dents.
Subtleties and rules of driving a car in London
The main thing is that, at first, it will surprise the driver — everyone goes in the «wrong» direction. The traffic in England is left-hand and the steering wheel is on the right. This may seem uncomfortable in some way, but do not be scared — adaptation takes place very quickly. You also need to remember that the distance is measured in miles and they are also displayed on the speedometer. In the city, the speed cannot be higher than 30 miles, on suburban routes — not higher than 60, and on highways, which are also in the city, not higher than 70. Those who like to have fun or, angrily, angrily buzz along cars, should know that a similar method of communication is prohibited from 23:00 to 7:00.
The cost of entry to central London from Monday to Friday is 10.50 GBP per day, paid once, the number of entries and exits does not matter. The main thing is to remember where you can’t park (and you can’t practically everywhere except paid parking). Pedestrian crossings, those sections of the road that are painted in red and, attention, under running lights, are prohibited. But for the services of tourists paid parking, both municipal and private, the prices of which can vary greatly. For improper parking you will have to pay from 100 GBP. Lovers to drive run the risk of replenishing the treasury of Her Majesty in the amount of up to 2900 GBP.
The British are big lovers of a drink, the norm of 0.8 ppm is valid here. But those who like to “popularize a fool” should beware. If the «bobby» will catch such a scorcher, then his options are not the most rosy. This is a fine for a round sum, which can reach 5820 GBP, to which a stay in the country for six months at the state expense (arrest, as well as removal of the IDP for a period of one year) can be added as a bonus. Riding without fastened seat belts can cost 550-600 GBP.
