Autoeurope: picking up car in London?
 

We will be staying in a country location very near Crawley (near Gatwick). After coming over on Eurostar and spending the night in London, I'm trying to decide whether it is worth it next morning to take a train from Victoria station to Crawley station, then a taxi to the car dealership and rent the car there. Rather than pick it up in London, hence.

My husband will be driving. I wonder how bad a mood it will get him to navigate out of London when he's never driven on the right before?

This will be on a Saturday.

I believe the tickets to Crawley are at least 20 pounds for the two of us, and add to that the taxi to the dealership from the train station. Alas, we are on a budget this time, so the 40 pounds matters somewhat.

I think I'm getting too timid. When I was younger I think we would have just steered the car out of the London streets and hoped for the best.

Here are the AutoEurope pick up lots: http://www.autoeurope.com/car.cfm

Does anyone have an opinion as to which one of them would be easiest to escape town toward Brighton from? Or, as a first time British driver would you pick up at Crawley and not worry about the train ride cost down there?

I always pick up the car at either Heathrow or Gatwick...it is easier to get transportation directly to the airport car location..

Foget about picking the car up in LONDON- you will go nuts with the traffic, the wrong side of the road, and trying to navigatr.

Hope this helps...

I'm 38, drove from London to Edinburgh and back when I was 20 and oh so naive...but really never had a fear...even when 4 kind British gents had to lead me and my 5 college gal pals out of a one way in London...but now I am just a wee bit apprehensive...but hey! What's the worst that can happen? Don't say a word! :)

On the positive side, I have found it is generally fine getting out of London...Saturday may actually be easier than Monday when I'm traveling (but I'm definitely waiting until after 10am to start)...the key is to ask SPECIFIC directions on how to get OUT of town...pick a person to tailgate and follow what they do (given they are going your direction)....I found I went slower doing this but as long as I stuck behind someone else...I generally had a relaxing drive! :)

I rented from Marble Arch...they had the cheapest rates and a free upgrade..you may want to do automatic, I'm a cheapy and am going standard. Just that much more fun...I feel like a racecar driver shifting gears on the left.

Have a great trip!
Tara

Driving in London on a Sunday isn't horrible - but driving through south London is never fun.

But are you sure your location is open on Sundays? Many are not. That is why I would just take the train to Gatwick and pick up a car there. Airport locations are open every day. (if you take the local train instead of the Gatwick Express you willl save a bit and it only takes about 6 minutes longer)

janisj is absolutely right. Driving towards Sussex is the nastiest navigation challenge London offers.

No-one does it, apart from limo drivers for Gatwick-based airlines. I'd never trust the directions the car hire company gave you, since you can be 100% sure the staff have never tried it, and there's no-one you can tailgate.

Get the Southern train to Gatwick and pick the car up there. Compare its prices with the bus at the National Express website (though this takes longer).

And are you sure you want to go to London anyway? Why not get off the Eurostar at Ashford and pick your car up there? It's a lengthy drive - but it's over nice country roads, and not the backwoods of Tooting and Balham.

We rented a car at Marble Arch about five years ago and would NEVER drive in London again. And this was on a Sunday morning. OTOH, we have driven out of LGW and it was very easy and would not hesitate to do it again.