Rental cars
Jun 16th, 2008, 03:01 PM
#1
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Rental cars
We will be taking train from London to Reading, England on July 1st. We will be watching our son participate in the Royal Henley Rowing Regatta and think we need a car at that time.
1. Do we need to reserve one ahead of time?
2. Does anyone know if there is an Enterprise rental agency at the train station in Reading, England?
1. Do we need to reserve one ahead of time?
2. Does anyone know if there is an Enterprise rental agency at the train station in Reading, England?
Jun 16th, 2008, 03:20 PM
#2
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If you rent a car from the States, it is cheaper. Also, if you want an automatic transmission, it's a good idea to reserve one ahead of time. If you're North American, you'll have enough to do just remembering to stay on the left side of the road without worrying about shifting a standard transmission.
Jun 16th, 2008, 03:23 PM
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Thank you for the input! We ARE used to driving on right side of the road, so automatic would be greatly helpful!
Can you help me locate the train station nearest Oxford Road in Reading, England so that I can reserve a car that has an office/station there?
Can you help me locate the train station nearest Oxford Road in Reading, England so that I can reserve a car that has an office/station there?
Jun 16th, 2008, 03:52 PM
#4
If you must have a car, Reading would be OK - but if it was me, I'd take the train to Slough instead and then drive to Henley from Slough. There is an easy motorway route as far as Maidenhead and then it is 6 or 7 miles to Henley.
Reading to Henley is only about 8 or 9 miles but central Reading is pretty complicated/congested. But it has been a few years since I drove through central Reading.
There is a fodorite who lives near there and hopefully she will see your thread. But unfortunately - w/ a title like "Rental cars", she may not. That could be asking about anywhere in Europe.
I might re-post w/ a title something like "Most convenient rental car location for Henley-on-Thames?"
BTW - you can take a train to Henley and not have to deal w/ a car at all . . . . . .
Henley gets very crowded for the Regatta, so not having to mess about w/ a car would be better unless you have to have one for other touring.
Reading to Henley is only about 8 or 9 miles but central Reading is pretty complicated/congested. But it has been a few years since I drove through central Reading.
There is a fodorite who lives near there and hopefully she will see your thread. But unfortunately - w/ a title like "Rental cars", she may not. That could be asking about anywhere in Europe.
I might re-post w/ a title something like "Most convenient rental car location for Henley-on-Thames?"
BTW - you can take a train to Henley and not have to deal w/ a car at all . . . . . .
Henley gets very crowded for the Regatta, so not having to mess about w/ a car would be better unless you have to have one for other touring.
Jun 17th, 2008, 07:35 AM
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Hi tk,
I suggest that you try www.autoeurope.com and switch to the UK site.
Do you know where you will park once you get to Henley?
I suggest that you try www.autoeurope.com and switch to the UK site.
Do you know where you will park once you get to Henley?
Jun 17th, 2008, 07:39 AM
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You can drive to Henley but you will find traffic jams. And you (probably) won't find parking.
It is SO much easier to take the train one stop down from Reading to Twyford and switch over to the Henley local (just a few stops along a fairly scenic route). Twyford is a small station and it's clearly marked how to pick up the Henley train (or you can just follow the crowd).
I would strong recommend AGAINST a car and recommend strongly FOR a train. If you don't want mass transit, use one of the Reading taxi/car services to shuttle you back and forth..in the end, it won't cost much more than renting (may even cost less), you won't have to pay for parking (if you can find a spot), and you can relax and admire the view along the way (there's not much to see in Reading, but between Twyford and Henley it's rather pretty).
It is SO much easier to take the train one stop down from Reading to Twyford and switch over to the Henley local (just a few stops along a fairly scenic route). Twyford is a small station and it's clearly marked how to pick up the Henley train (or you can just follow the crowd).
I would strong recommend AGAINST a car and recommend strongly FOR a train. If you don't want mass transit, use one of the Reading taxi/car services to shuttle you back and forth..in the end, it won't cost much more than renting (may even cost less), you won't have to pay for parking (if you can find a spot), and you can relax and admire the view along the way (there's not much to see in Reading, but between Twyford and Henley it's rather pretty).
Jun 17th, 2008, 02:32 PM
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By the way, you don't have to go as far as Reading if you take the local train service and get off in Twyford before Reading, then switch over for the local Henley train service. Or you can off in Maidenhead and pick up a taxi...either have a car booked in advance or ask them how much they'd charge.
Marlow is another regatta town and I actually prefer their regatta to Henley's (Marlow's regatta will take place this coming week-end). It still attracts very high calibre participants, but gets less hype. And the town (IMO) is much nicer to wander around in and definitely has MUCH better restaurants and pubs! An option to keep in mind if you use a car service...take it to Henley from Maidenhead or Reading for the regatta, head over to Marlow for dinner at the end of the day and then train back to London.
http://www.marlowregatta.org.uk/
In Henley, try to avoid the Angel on the Bridge pub. Awful food, the outside benches are rotting, overpriced, but despite all that, always mobbed ONLY because of its location. The "Little Angel" is much better, even if it isn't right on the water.
http://www.thelittleangel.co.uk/index.html
Marlow is another regatta town and I actually prefer their regatta to Henley's (Marlow's regatta will take place this coming week-end). It still attracts very high calibre participants, but gets less hype. And the town (IMO) is much nicer to wander around in and definitely has MUCH better restaurants and pubs! An option to keep in mind if you use a car service...take it to Henley from Maidenhead or Reading for the regatta, head over to Marlow for dinner at the end of the day and then train back to London.
http://www.marlowregatta.org.uk/
In Henley, try to avoid the Angel on the Bridge pub. Awful food, the outside benches are rotting, overpriced, but despite all that, always mobbed ONLY because of its location. The "Little Angel" is much better, even if it isn't right on the water.
http://www.thelittleangel.co.uk/index.html
