rickandpat

I had a great one-week itinerary all set (arrive Healthrow Sat. am, see castle and overnight in Windsor, then head to York to pick up car, do Dales for few days, end up in York to return car and visit a few days, and back to London via train to fly home.) For various reasons, I really liked this flow, but a car rental Sunday afternoon is hard to come by in York. And the trains don't run early enough to get me to York by 11:00. I'm thinking of renting at the Leeds airport, which has long Sunday hours, but I'm not sure how difficult it would be to get to the airport via public transportation. Is it a long expensive taxi ride to the airport from the Leeds train station? Another thought is renting from Heathrow Sunday morning and drive up, the AA site says it is about 4 1/2 hours (avoiding training to Paddington, tubing over to Kings Cross, etc.) and still returning the car in York. Any advice?

Grahamh49

nationalrail.co.ukDo be aware that trains in UK are often slow and disrupted on Sundays, as that's when they rip the track apart and reassemble it!. A Google search of car+rental+york showed several agencies. You could ask them to deliver the car to the Royal York Hotel which is right next to the railway station. I've had them do this. Leeds airport is probably unattractive, as it's some distance from Leeds town centre and there are only buses/taxis. ManchesterAirport might be better as there's a station there (change at Crewe) www.nationalrail.co.uk will give times and notes of disruption. It's about 90miles or 2hrs to York and a superb drive.

janisj

I have three possible solutions:

1) Spend Sunday night in York and pick up the your Monday morning. You were going to visit York anyway so just spend Sunday afternoon/evening to get a feel for it. Maybe attend evensong. And spend one less day in York on the return trip.

Then early monday a.m. you can head up to the Dales.

2) as Graham mentions - Manchester airport

3) ask about having the car delivered - but that may be difficult since overseas visitors normall have to complete paperwork when they pick up a car.

#1 would be my choice - a Sunday evening in York would be a lovely intro . . . .

caroline_edinburgh

I frequently visit West Yorkshire on business & have experience of using both Leeds-Bradford & Manchester airports. LBA is about a 30 minute taxi ride from Leeds city centre while MAN is about an hour. (Both perhaps a bit less on a Sunday.)

But Janis's #1 choice makes the most sense.

flanneruk

Why would you want to get a train into London anyway? Especially to get an intercity train on a Sunday, which is about as reliable way to travel as pre-Mussolini trains in Italy.

Check on whether you can get a cheapo on bmi from Heathrow to LBA. You'll be collecting your car there before the train and tube will get you even to Kings Cross.

Alternatively, just collect a car at Heathrow and drive. On a Sunday morning, you can do it in 3 hours and still not attract the polizei's attention. M4, M25, M40, M42, M1, A1. DON'T go M25, M1, even though it looks shorter.

Grahamh49

Agree with Janis. If you've time, an evening in York is great. Go to Evensong in the Minster (even if you're not churchgoers) then have tea in Betty's tea rooms, go for a walk and have a pint (any pub in the Good Beer Guide) whilst you're not driving! Can't agree with the BMI idea. You're here to see Britain. A train, even a diverted Sunday one, is one of the better ways.