Car Hire at London Airport Stansted

Airport travel guide

Serving the flights of many low-cost airlines, Stansted Airport is a very popular place to pick up a hire car right after landing. While most travellers make their way for London which is about an hour’s drive southwest, the airport is also near a number of interesting, if underrated, attractions that can be easily reached with a car. Here are three such trip ideas in the Stansted Airport area:

• Cambridge. Best known for its renowned university, Cambridge is perhaps the most famous student city in the world. Many of its colleges are important architectural landmarks, not least the emblematic King’s College and Chapel, as well as Clare College and Trinity College. The city is also home to some amazing museums like the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Fitzwilliam Museum which hosts art and antiquities, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and the Polar Museum. Cambridge is just a 40-minute drive from Stansted Airport and about 1 hour and 40 minutes from both London and Birmingham.
• Dedham Vale. Located on the border of the historic English counties of Essex and Suffolk, Dedham Vale is a picturesque historic and scenic area. Known for its well-preserved villages along the River Stour which have inspired many classical British paintings and can now be explored via many walking trails, the region has been designated an area of outstanding natural beauty. After Dedham, you can travel further to explore the coastline of the nearby Tendring Area or the Suffolk Coast & Heaths area. Dedham Vale is about a 50-minute drive east of Stansted Airport and about 1 hour and 50 minutes from London.
• Thetford Forest. Another scenic area, Thetford Forest is situated in the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk. In addition to long woodland trails, the area is also known for historical attractions like the Mildenhall Warren Lodge and West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village, an arboretum, and wildlife species such as red deer, muntjac, nightjars, and goshawks. Parts of the forest are used by the British military and are not accessible to the public. Thetford Forest is about a 50-minute drive northeast of Stansted Airport.

Top international routes

• Dublin
• Rome
• Madrid
• Milan
• Malaga
• Barcelona

Main airlines

Ryanair, Jet2.com, easyJet, Eurowings, British Airways, and TUI Airways

Terminals

The main terminal building is made up of Satellite 1, Satellite 2, Satellite 3, and the Advanced Passenger Vehicle (APV) building. You can easily walk between any two parts of the airport. There are plans to construct a new arrivals terminal that could be completed and open to passengers by 2021.

Location

London Stansted Airport is in the county of Essex, about 68 km (42 mi) north of central London. Highway M11 and North Circular Road are the main roads connecting the airport to the city.

Most popular types of hire car

• People Carriers - starting at 93 GBP per day
• Small cars - starting at 27 GBP per day
• Medium cars - starting at 28 GBP per day
• Large cars - starting at 30 GBP per day
• SUVs - starting at 31 GBP per day
• Premium cars - starting at 67 GBP per day
• Station wagons - starting at 78 GBP per day

Services and facilities

There are many bars, restaurants, and cafés, a grocery store, shops and duty-free outlets for passengers leaving the EU. You’ll also find several ATMs, currency exchanges, an on-site hotel, baby changing facilities, a pharmacy, and a prayer room. Luggage storage is in the international arrivals area and is open 24/7. London Stansted Airport is generally well equipped for travelers with reduced mobility. You can find more information on the airport's official website.

Nearest petrol station

Esso, located at Dunmow Road, Bishop's Stortford CM22 7TA, can be reached in about three minutes and is open 24/7. There are many other gas stations near Stansted Airport and on the way to London.

Popular one-way hires

• Birmingham (220 km / 137 mi)
• Crewe (285 km / 177 mi)
• Norwich (135 km / 84 mi)
• Woking (124 km / 77 mi)
• Norwich (135 km / 84 mi)
• Aylesbury (106 km / 66 mi)
• High Wycombe (114 km / 71 mi)
• Penzance (528 km / 328 mi)
• Peterborough (108 km / 67 mi)