Len

After being in London for 4 days, I will want to pick up a car to drive to Castle Combe (Outside Bath) via Salisbury and Stonehenge. I am staying at the Rubens in central London and was thinking of taking a train or taxi to Heathrow and picking up the car there. But the day before we leave to come back to the States, we are going to stay in Windsor to be close to Heathrow. My question is this...should I just go from London to windsor (tarin or taxi) and pick up the rental car there? Thus being able to drop it back off in Windsor our last night and jsut take a taxi in the morining to Heathrow? This to avoid having to drive into Heathrow. Should I pick up the car on the outskirts of London and then drop of in Windsor? Or should I p/u and d/o both at Heathrow? Please help...thanks.

ron

Len, I think that you will find that Windsor is too small and too close to Heathrow to have any car rental agencies -- and if they did, the selection would be minimal. Slough would be the closest place with a rental agency.<BR><BR>If you are unwilling to pick up in central London, go to Heathrow.

Kay

Len,<BR>we did almost the same thing a few years ago, picked up a hire car at Heathrow after a few days in London, we caught the train to Heathrow, very easy. Then visited Bath and travelled around Cornwall etc. Our last night was near Windsor, couldn't get anywhere to stay in Windsor as there was something big happening at the Castle. We drove to the car depot near Heathrow, dropped the car then caught the shuttle to the airport to fly home. It worked well.<BR>Kay

janis

Yes there are rental car in Windsor. One being Baldock's which is walking distance from the Castle. https://swift3.swiftinter.net/~baldocks/Reservation.htm they have very good rates and will pick you up at LHR or at either Windsor train station.<BR><BR>Since you are staying in Windsor I'd rent from a Windsor agency. Turn the car in there - Then the next morning you can take a cab or perhaps the rental agency would take you to LHR since you had rented from them.

Leslie

I'd pick up and drop off at Heathrow. The car rental return to Heathrow is quite easy. Seems silly to leave the car in Windsor and have to take a taxi to the airport.<BR><BR>Note: I don't think you'll find there is any surcharge for returning a car to a different location than your pick up. You might find a surcharge for picking up at a city office rather than at the airport.

David

I'm curious. I've never rented a car in the UK. Do they charge an extra tax for renting from the airport like France and the US do? (As an example renting a car for a week at Boston Logan airport added 50USD to my rental car cost in September.)<BR><BR>If so the extra tax saved might pay for your taxi from Windsor to the airport. And you'd be dropped off right at departures rather than hassle with luggage from a rental car return to the terminal.

Sam

It's often cheaper to rent in town than in the airport assuming you reserve in advance. Walkup rates are often high. There are exceptions, like in Jersey, where walk up rates are reasonable.<BR><BR>I found it not too hard to drive out of London as well as driving to the airports. It can sometimes be confusing to drive into London unless you have a navigator/map reader. This is because you need to find a specific small street where the car rental station is. When driving out of London, you just have to look for the big M25 sign or whatever motorway you want.

Len

Thanks to all of you. Do you think it is easier though to get to the rental car agency from central London and then be able to easily get on our way toward Salisbury moreso from Heathrow or Windsor? I also thought that dropping off in Windsor on our last evening would alleviate the stress of getting to our 11am flight the next morning...as we could just jump in a taxi... thoughts? Also is economy size just too small? Would you recommend at least a mid-size? Thanks guys!

Karen

Hi Len,<BR><BR>Although I haven't done it yet (trip planned for January 2003), I posted a similar question and got a bunch of responses. My conclusion: we are taking the train from London to Heathrow, picking up the car there, and heading out to Salisbury. We are returning it in Heathrow and taking the train back to London afterward for a few more days.<BR><BR>I do believe that there is no penalty in picking up in Heathrow and dropping off in Windsor, if you follow Janis' advice about the agency in Windsor. I agree that not having to return the car before flying is a plus, so I like the taxi idea. <BR><BR>Happy travels!<BR>Karen

Snoopy

We stayed at the Park Lane Sheraton 3 years ago and they (the Park Lane) shuttled us out to the Sheraton Heathrow where we rented a car - Kenning Car Hire, but I think there was a Hertz there as well. Seems like it was on the A4/M4 and very close - within 6 or 8 miles of Windsor. Two weeks later we dropped the car off at the Sheraton Heathrow and they shuttled us to the airport.

Len

Thanks guys for the responses. I like the idea of getting a car or taxi to take us to the rental agency at Heathrow and then maybe dropping the car in Windsor... I will check if it is possible. Thanks again. Any thoughts on compcat versus midsize?

Snoopy

I'm 6'3&quot;, 235 pounds. I have lots of comments on compact vs. midsize . . . but I'll keep them to myself.