Hi Everyone, We will fly into Bristol from Cork and rent a car for a week in the Cotswolds area. We will head to London next, where we won't need a car and I want to know if you would recommend returning the car on the outskirts of London, before we pass across the A205 road or if we dare venture into the city to return the car. Either way we would hopefully return the car somehwere near a tube stop so we can proceed to the Victoria Station area where we plan to stay. Do you think it will be nightmare navigating around and finding the car rental place? It will be a Saturday so should I assume traffic might be a little better? My hubby would have been driving over there for over two weeks at that point. Do you think that is enough experience to venture into London? Would Heathrow be a nightmare to return a car to? We were raised driving the Los Angeles freeways. What do you think would be best?

drop off at Heathrow Airport then take the tube in?

The drive into London from the Cotswolds isn't bad - and on Sat driving IN London isn't that bad. But depending on where the rental agency is located it could be a huge hassle anyway. And many central rental locations close Sat. afternoons and all day Sun.

So easier all around - drop it at LHR and take public transport into Victoria. Tube to Hammersmith, get off the the Piccadilly train and walk across the platform to a district line train (no steps - very easy transfer) and get off at Victoria.

Thank you for your replies. I think we will just drop the car at Heathrow and ride the tube into town. We have minimal luggage also so a little walking won't bother us at all. The car agency there is open 24/7 so we won't have to worry about arriving late on Saturday if we do more sightseeing along the way then planned. Thanks for the help.

Hi, you can drop off the car at Victoria Station see here:
http://www.bluecarhire.com/car-hire-...station-43.htm

hi, michele,

IMO, coming from the west, dropping off at LHR would be much easier than Victoria.

Where are you staying in London? [might just influence the decision if it was very close to Victoria and you could walk to hotel from there].

regards, ann

Actually...we are planning to stay just a few blocks from Victoria station. Would it be worth the hassle to drive directly to the rental place instead of Heathrow and take the tube in? Which approach would be best, from the west, north or south?. Is any route better than the next? It will be a Saturday afternoon. Any tips on which roads to definately avoid? Thanks again for your help, just trying to weigh our options here.

hi, michelle,

what do you mean by a few blocks? can you walk there from victoria? will you be arriving outside the congestion charge hours? [saturday, so I think ok - not even sure if it applies to hire cars!]

if it is reasonably close to Victoria, and you can return the car that day, then I'd be inclined to drive right in, drop luggage at hotel, then return car. sat traffic should not be too bad [famous last words].

regards, ann

Hi Ann, Our hotel is bordered by Buckingham Palace rd, Warwick Way and Belgrave. On the map it looks only a couple hundred yards or so from the station. We have 22" rolling suitcases so walking isn't a problem. It will be a Saturdaylate afternoon. We hope to see Windsor castle on the way in and then return the car and start our time in London. What roads do you recommend to get to Victoria Station? Which ones do you recommend to avoid? Thank you, just don't want it to be nightmare for my husband but I also don't want to have to return at Heathrow and get transportation from there if there is a car return so close to our hotel that is relatively easy to get to. Thanks again.

hi, michelle,

yes your hotel is quite close to Victoria. so your next task is to find out when and where you can return your car. if you can do it near victoria on sat pm, then that seems the best idea.

if not, or if you think you might be delayed in getting into london [eg by spending too much time enjoying yourselves at windsor] then returning at LHR would be better.

have you looked at the carhire link for victoria that the OP provided?

regards, ann

Hi Ann, Yes i did look at the carhire site and they list the same drop off spot that AutoEurope does: 12 Semley Place right near the Victoria Coach Station. Must be the same one. And actually the price is quite a bit cheaper than Auto Europe. Must investigate it further. Is there a route you would recommend from Windsor to Victoria station or any to really avoid? Thank you

hi, michelle,

confess it's a while since i did this. [and I'm not sure I ever drove directly from Windsor to Victoria!]

I would use michelin and mappy to give me a route, then take the best of each. Be warned that any route that takes you onto the M25 [the world's largest car park] may seriously damage your health!

regards, ann

Ok, so Viamichelin's route takes us over/under the M25. Looks like a pretty direct route at about 30 minutes, so if we double that time for a Saturday just to be safe we should be okay. The M25 must be like Los Angeles' 405 freeway. It is our 'parking lot'. Ughhh, I avoid it at all costs, and people who have never been here just don't quite get it until they've driven on it, or sat on it, as the case usually is. That's why I wanted to know what to avoid, all roads look alike on a map, but the insiders know the real scoop. Thanks Ann

hi, michelle,

Under/over is fine. It's on that you want to avoid.

allowing double the estimated time sounds good.

regards, ann