Oops sorry, I wasn't clear on that. I meant if we pick up a rental car at Waterloo Station would we be charged for our drive out of London. From your map it looks like the answer is yes.

Does anyone know how the charge is handled when you rent a car? (I'm on hold right now with Avis, they seem clueless)

that link gives you all the details on how you pay just surf around the other pages near by.

My question is -- are you sure you want to drive to York from south of the Thames? Doable? - sure. Hassle? - definitely.

I'd consider taking the train to York and then when leaving York for touring elsewhere (either rural Yorkshire or on to the next area), pick up a car then.

Janis, I agree. I've been looking at distances and thinking that maybe we'll just drive as far as Chipping Campden. Use CC as a base for some day trips to Warwick and Stratford on Avon and ??????

If you are driving to the Cotswolds -- I'd either take the train to Oxford and to collect your car there, or public transport to LHR and get the car there.

Unless you are very familar with London's streets and roads or have actually driven in London, it'll be considerably easier and certainly more comfortable to take the train/bus to Oxford or pick up rental at LHR.

I know my way around and in & out of London fairly well but, I wouldn't want to drive from Waterloo to the Cotswolds unless there was no alternative.

I think you guys are right. Would love to find a direct train from Waterloo Station to somewhere with a car rental agency close by the station we arrive at. Maybe Oxford, maybe Warwick (Leamington Spa) I need to do some investigative work.

Avis has a Peugot and a Ford (Galaxy) that carry 7 and luggage ( and available in an automatic) I think the 6 of us will fit (maybe a little cramped w/luggage) but we hope to be traveling fairly light as I'm making sure we have a washer and dryer available at our apartments.

warwick is kind of a small town for car rentals at station if I recall correctly.

IMO Oxford seems the easiest place to get to from London and rent a car. If you have to use Waterloo Station, you can get to Leamington Spa ( with a change at Marylebone ) which has an Enterprise at the rail station.

Not a new idea follows here but second of some above suggestions: If you just want a car to then drive to Cotswolds, then the fastest/cheapest/easiest might be to take the Tube to LHR and pick up a car there. Plenty of options of agencies there and easy (relatively!) to hop on a major road. If you are looking to viist Oxford first, then another plan will probably be better.

Well I do have an apartment rental in Chipping Campden booked. We won't make it to York, but I think it wil be a nice base for several days, Warwick, Stratford on Avon definitely on the itinerary.

Still haven't decided how we're getting there!

Chiltenham spa is a neato ole town not far away and Hereford has its supporters as worthwhile.

Hereford? That is 60 miles and a nearly 2 hour drive from CC.

"<i>Still haven't decided how we're getting there!</i>"

If you want to stay a night in Oxford (or even spend the day there enroue really), I'd take the train or coach to Oxford (train leaves from Paddington) and then collect the car(s) at Hertz. You can dropthe car at LHR.

If you aren't stopping in Oxford on the way, then I'd head out to Heathrow (either by tube or car service) and get the car there. A car service would cost more of course but would be door-to-door to the rental agency.

Our apartment supplies a driver to the airport on departure, or they said he would take us to a rental car agency. A little pricy, but worth the convenience.

Husband says that a rental from Heathrow will be more expensive. Wife responds,"but once you add in the price of 6 train tickets, is it that much more?" Also, I would assume that Heathrow would have the biggest selection of an automatic with AC for 6 of us (Ford Galaxy mini-van type)

Really wasn't planning on Oxford, but that might be a possibility if Husband wins. Do you know if Hertz is right at the train station in Oxford?

How much is this 'service' the landlord is providing?? I have yet to see a "Apartment transfer" that costs less than a fortune. A regular car service like justairport.com would pick you up at the flat and drop you at the LHR rental agency for a fraction of a taxi or most 'transfers'. Of course this one might be the exception . . .

"<i>Do you know if Hertz is right at the train station in Oxford?</i>"

No -- as I explained up thread, Hertz is an easy location <i>because</i> it isn't in the center or near the station. It is just off the road you'll be taking from Oxford to CC. But then you have the issue of what to do w/ the luggage before heading up for the car.

>><i>The Hertz location in Oxford is easiest because it is just off the main road that goes to Woodstock and then into the northern Cotswolds. You would not have to drive in Oxford at all - though you'd have to take a cab to get to Hertz.</i><<

There are several rental agencies near the station (not hertz) - if you rent from one of them, perhaps they'll let you leave the vehicle there w/ your bags until you are done exploring the city.

I'm not finding anywhere on the just airport.com site that looks like a taxi/car service, it just recommends other sites?

I know we'll use the apartment car driver when we arrive, as we may take a morning flight from the US, which arrives at Heathrow around 10 or 11 at night, so we get in very late. And the driver will have the keys to the apartment. Another convenience of the driver is that with 6 of us, they can accomodate us in 1 vehicle.

When we leave, we may do something else, all depends on where we pick up the car!

The website is www.justairports.com

oops -I had a typo. Omitted the "s" from justairports.com

historytraveler gave you the correct link. (I'm having lots of trouble w/ my keyboard. The space bar and s and t keys are sticking. Gotta retire this poor old thing )

Thanks!

We would have to take a MPV Transporter because there are 6 of us. I did their online estimate, came out exactly the same as our apartment driver. Bet it's cheaper for fewer people though! Great site, bookmarked it

good to know. Often airport transfers arranged by hotels or landlords are much more expensive . . .