Car Rental in the United Kingdom
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Cheapest Car Rental Rates
London Heathrow Airport Car Rental
Mini
Fiat 500
or similar
$13.12
per day
London Heathrow Airport Car Rental
Economy
Renault Clio
or similar
$15.15
per day
Downtown Car Rental
Compact
Vauxhall Astra
or similar
$17.09
per day
London Heathrow Airport Car Rental
Standard
Ford Transit
or similar
$29.65
per day
Most Popular Car Rental Deals
London Heathrow Airport Car Rental
Intermediate
MG HS
or similar
$39.60
/ per day
Downtown Car Rental
Premium
Skoda Superb
or similar
$51.48
/ per day
London Russell Square Train Station Car Rental
Full-size
Renault Master
or similar
$57.74
/ per day
Liverpool Airport Car Rental
Compact Elite
Mercedes A Class
or similar
$67.03
/ per day
The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 17:08 on 2023-02-05. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.
Why book with us?
Special offers
As a market leader (see SimilarWeb), we get special offers like contactless pick-ups, great prices, and free upgrades.
Award-winning
World's Leading Car Rental Booking Website in the World Travel Tech Awards (3 years in a row).
Highly-rated
A combined rating of 4.5 with 90k total reviews on platforms like Trustpilot, Google, and Review Center.
4M users
Have already booked on one of the fastest-growing car rental booking websites.
Awards
World Travel Tech Awards - World's Best Car Rental Booking Website 2022
World Travel Tech Awards - World's Best Car Rental Booking App 2022
Magellan Awards Gold Winner 2022
Travel & Hospitality Awards 2021
FT 1000: Europes Fastest Growing Companies - Top 100 Companies 2021
FT 1000: Europe's Fastest Growing Companies - Top 100 Companies 2020
Uzakrota Travel Awards - World’s Leading Car Rental Website 2022
Inc. 5000 Europe - Top 500 Companies 2019
Travel Information
Language
English
Currency
GBP
Traffic direction
Left-hand side
Country code
44
Average car rental price
$24.54 / per day
Average car rental length
1 days
Speed limit within town
48 km/h
30 mph
Speed limit out of town
97 km/h
60 mph
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.08%
Why rent a car in the United Kingdom?
United Kingdom is a great country for renting a car. Its unique and distinct cities and regions can be explored for weeks, as can its green nature and northern mountains. Despite this diversity, the driving distances are generally short and the road network is in great shape.
One-way Car Rentals in the United Kingdom
Here are the most popular one-way rental options for pickup in the United Kingdom and drop off in another country:
- From United Kingdom to Ireland - 194 offers from $36.10 per day
Top ways to enter United Kingdom
- London Heathrow Airport: One of the busiest in the world, Heathrow Airport handled over 80 million travelers in 2019. It hosts flights by tens of airlines, offering connections with destinations all over the world. Although the largest, Heathrow is by no means the only airport serving the capital region - others include Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport, Stansted Airport, London City Airport, and Southend Airport, all of which also offer rental cars to arriving travelers.
- Manchester Airport: With nearly 30 million travelers served annually, Manchester Airport is the largest in the northern part of England and the busiest in the UK outside London. Other notable airports in Central and North England include Birmingham Airport, East Midlands Airport, Leeds-Bradford Airport, and Liverpool Airport.
- Edinburgh Airport: Serving the capital of Scotland, it is its largest airport, although by no means the only one - other international Scottish Airports include Glasgow Airport, Prestwick Airport, Aberdeen Airport, and Inverness Airport.
- Belfast Airports: Two small, but well-connected international airports serve Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland, namely, the Belfast International Airport and the Belfast George Best City Airport.
Top cities and places to visit
- London: One of the most important cities in Europe and, indeed, the world, London is home to countless landmarks and cultures.
- England: The largest of the four “home countries”, England is home not only to London, but to other famous cities like Manchester, Liverpool, and Bristol, as well as historic and distinct regions.
- Scotland: Wild and remote Scottish Highlands will take your breath away, but do make time to also discover beautiful Edinburgh.
- Wales: Its towns are picturesque and cozy, but the real attraction of Wales is the mountainous Snowdonia region in the north.
- Northern Ireland: Its countryside boasts unmatched hospitality while the capital Belfast is quickly becoming one of Europe’s most interesting city destinations.
Most popular rental car
The most popular rental car in the United Kingdom is the Ford Fiesta, followed by the Fiat 500 and the VW Polo.
Driver license requirements
- The United Kingdom only recognizes foreign driver’s licenses that are printed in a Latin script and if you are visiting as a tourist on a trip that’s shorter than 12 months. If you’re staying in the country for a longer period or are residing there permanently, you need to obtain a local license instead.
- If your driver’s license is printed in another alphabet than Latin (e.g., Cyrillic or Arabic), you’ll need an International Driving Permit (IDP) too.
- Similarly, if your driver’s license doesn’t show your photograph, you might be required to have an IDP.
- Even if you have an IDP, you also need to keep your original license on you as you will be required to provide both.
- You must carry your driver’s license, not a copy, with you at all times.
- You need to have had your driver’s license for at least two years.
- Some rental car suppliers charge a young driver fee for drivers between the ages of 22 and 25 and a senior driver fee for drivers over the age of 65.
- There may be additional requirements depending on the car supplier and category, so make sure to check the rental conditions before booking.
Crossing Borders
The United Kingdom only has a land border with the Republic of Ireland via Northern Ireland. As of June 2021, both countries are part of the Common Travel Area, and border control is not enforced. Citizens of the member states of the European Economic Area, as well as many other western countries, can enter both countries without a visa.
Citizens of some other countries may be permitted to visit the United Kingdom but might need a separate visa to visit the Republic of Ireland or vice versa. We advise you to get in touch with your Ministry of Foreign Affairs to find out whether you need a visa to visit either the Republic of Ireland or the United Kingdom.
Citizens of China and India are an exception and can use their short-term British visa to also visit the Republic of Ireland.
Some car rental providers allow you to take the rental car between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (it’s common to travel between Belfast and Dublin with a rental car). You can find those providers that allow one-way rentals by entering your car pick-up and drop-off locations on our search. Alternatively, check the rental conditions to see which suppliers allow crossing the border (but returning to Northern Irelandafterwards)
Similarly, some companies permit rental car trips between continental Europe and the United Kingdom via the Eurotunnel (e.g., from Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam to London). Keep in mind, though, that the United Kingdom is no longer a part of the European Union and has never been a part of the Schengen Agreement. This can be especially relevant for foreign visitors of the European Union as, depending on their citizenship, many of them will need a separate visa to visit the United Kingdom. Be sure to get in touch with your Ministry of Foreign Affairs in advance to learn more about the entry requirements for your nationality.
Most popular types of rental car
The most popular rental car type in the United Kingdom is a mini. Travelers also tend to pick compact and economy cars a lot.
Top driving routes
- Cornwall. Being remote is not always a bad thing, and in the case of the southwestern duchy of Cornwall, it's probably one of the main contributing factors to the region’s uniqueness. The Cornish tongue can still be heard in the region’s villages and pubs, and the same is true for Arthurian stories, pirate tales, and Celtic legends. Other attractions include splendid coastline, the futuristic Eden Project, and even arguably the best surfing in the United Kingdom. Last but not least, Cornwall is not as far as it might seem - it only takes about five hours to reach it from London, four from Southampton, and three from Bristol and Cardiff.
- North Wales. Another sparsely populated region with amazing scenery, the border of North Wales is just west of metropolises like Liverpool and Manchester. The region’s resort towns like Colwyn Bay and Llandudno have been acknowledged since at least the Victorian times and remain deservedly popular destinations, but the really curious travelers will go even further west to discover natural wonders like the Snowdonia National Park and Isle of Anglesey.
Car Rental Prices
- Station wagons - from $109 per day
- Large cars - from $92 per day
- Medium cars - from $69 per day
- Vans - from $141 per day
- Premium cars - from $130 per day
- Small cars - from $55 per day
- SUVs - from $93 per day
How can I save money on my rental car?
You can do a number of things to get a good car rental deal in United Kingdom:
- Compare rates of different rental car providers
- Book your rental car well in advance
- Plan your route before you go
- Know your fuel and mileage requirements
- Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting United Kingdom is the cheapest in February when renting a car is about 31% cheaper than the yearly average.
Top 20 Most Popular Cities in the United Kingdom
-
Car Rental in Edinburgh from $19.36 per day
-
Car Rental in Manchester from $48.36 per day
-
Car Rental in Glasgow from $53.17 per day
-
Car Rental in Belfast from $48.15 per day
-
Car Rental in Bristol from $14.91 per day
-
Car Rental in Inverness from $50.33 per day
-
Car Rental in Crawley from $21.67 per day
-
Car Rental in Southampton from $40.65 per day
-
Car Rental in Cardiff from $49.76 per day
-
Car Rental in Exeter from $63.92 per day
-
Car Rental in Nottingham from $38.17 per day
Top 20 Most Popular Locations in the United Kingdom
-
Car Rental at London Heathrow Airport from $13.12 per day
-
Car Rental at London Airport Gatwick from $15.28 per day
-
Car Rental at London Stansted Airport from $20.51 per day
-
Car Rental at London City Airport from $43.79 per day
-
Car Rental at Edinburgh Airport from $19.36 per day
-
Car Rental at London St Pancras Train Station from $21.70 per day
-
Car Rental at Waterloo Train Station from $20.20 per day
-
Car Rental at London Kings Cross Train Station from $24.45 per day
-
Car Rental in London Kennington from $20.54 per day
-
Car Rental at London Euston Train Station from $53.22 per day
-
Car Rental at London Marylebone Train Station from $29.92 per day
-
Car Rental at London Paddington Train Station from $29.92 per day
-
Car Rental in London Lewisham from $41.63 per day
-
Car Rental at Edinburgh Waverley Train Station from $25.24 per day
-
Car Rental at Luton Airport from $19.87 per day
-
Car Rental at Manchester Airport from $19.33 per day
-
Car Rental at London Stratford Train Station from $40.53 per day
-
Car Rental at Glasgow Airport from $15.48 per day
Map of Car Rental Locations
Which is the cheapest month to rent a car in the United Kingdom?
The cost of renting a car in the United Kingdom depends on the time of year. This graph compares price changes from month to month in order to help you find the best offer.
Average Rental Price in the United Kingdom
The cheapest month of the year to rent a car in the United Kingdom is February — prices start from $37.01 for an Economy class vehicle. This is 26% cheaper than the yearly average and 52% cheaper than renting a car in the month of December (when prices start at $76.47 for a Compact class). This information can help you identify the low season. But these are only average numbers. The exact price for your trip will depend on the length of your rental and how far in advance you book. Just enter your dates in the form at the top of the page to see exact prices.
What’s the average rental length in the United Kingdom?
The average length differs from month to month. The longest rental periods are in October — an average of 16 days. The shortest are in March — an average of 4 days.
Average Rental Length in the United Kingdom
What's the most popular time of year to rent a car in the United Kingdom?
DiscoverCars.com users search for cars in a lot of locations daily. We gathered this information in order to analyze car rental popularity in the United Kingdom. The most popular month is July, while the least popular is November.
Popularity of Car Rental in the United Kingdom by Monthly Searches
Most Popular Car Models of Rental Suppliers
| Rental Supplier | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easirent | Ford Fiesta | 5 | 2 | Small cars |
| Easirent | Fiat 500 | 3 | 2 | Small cars |
| Easirent | Ford Focus | 5 | 2 | Medium cars |
| Arnold Clark | Ford Fiesta | 5 | 2 | Small cars |
| Easirent | Ford Fiesta | 5 | 1 | Small cars |
| Arnold Clark | Kia Ceed | 5 | 2 | Medium cars |
| Keddy | Fiat 500 | 3 | 1 | Small cars |
| Arnold Clark | Vauxhall Astra | 5 | 2 | Medium cars |
| Keddy | Ford Focus | 5 | 2 | Medium cars |
| Surprice | Volkswagen Golf | 5 | 2 | Medium cars |
Our Customers' Reviews
Because we want to make sure each review listed here is left by a real customer, we don’t have an option to post a review here. Instead, we ask each and every customer to leave a review after they return their rental. This way, you know that all reviews are authentic, verified, and trustworthy.
JS
Australia
Ford Fiesta
January 20, 2023
We drove from London up to Edinburgh weaving through the UK on the way!
PC
Australia
Vauxhall Astra
January 15, 2023
Seeing family
KS
Isle of Man
Fiat 500
January 9, 2023
Visiting family
JM
Australia
Citro?n C4 Grand Space Tourer
December 22, 2022
Although a lot of food options were crap the scenery and people were great.
HY
Singapore
Vauxhall Crossland
December 8, 2022
Scotland definitely a great place to visit! Great sights, driving around Scotland was easy! Nice people!
AB
United Kingdom
Ford Focus
November 26, 2022
We literally hired the car to get us home because the trains are absolutely shite and unreliable.
Don’t bother using public transport - save yourself the hassle and hire a car. You’ll thank yourself in the long run.
EV
United States of America (USA)
Fiat 500
November 25, 2022
Great experience
GS
New Zealand
Ford Fiesta
November 19, 2022
York...need I say more. The drive in the Polestar 2....
DH
United Kingdom
Ford Focus
November 9, 2022
Family catch up.
DO
Ireland
Ford Focus
November 7, 2022
Brought my 2 kids for a surprise trip to legoland, visited Windsor Castle, Hyde Park, piccadilly, London Eye, London bus tour.
WC
Hong Kong
Opel Corsa
October 14, 2022
We drove around London a bit, visited many museums such as British Museum and The Natural History Museum (photos attached).
JB
Australia
Ford Focus
October 3, 2022
I was visiting family and the car was comfortable and efficient on fuel .
RM
Australia
Ford Focus
October 1, 2022
This trip was all about visiting friends and relatives after a 3 year Covid lockdown. From Scotland to England. Had a great time catching up with all the news.
NK
India
Vauxhall Corsa
September 26, 2022
Visited several historical places and nature parks.
BE
New Zealand
Fiat 500
September 24, 2022
The fiat 500was a great little car for UK single lane roads. A bit underpowered on the motorways though
GW
France
MG ZS
August 31, 2022
Avoid LHR T3 if possible
MA
Australia
Suzuki Vitara
August 27, 2022
Through Lancashire and the South Lakes with family and friends.
RG
United States of America (USA)
Fiat 500
August 26, 2022
Driving in the city in the UK was a nightmare, only recommend for experienced UK drivers, not first timers like me. But driving on the highway was quite nice. Definitely recommend Bath. Stop by Stonehenge, it’s right next to the A303.
AZ
Netherlands
BMW 1 Series Aut.
August 23, 2022
Scotland is a beautiful country to visit if you like nature, history and very kind people.
DM
Slovenia
Ford Focus
June 29, 2022
Hard to drive on the left side ...
Car Rental Statistics
Highest rated company
Arnold Clark
9.48 / 10
Lowest rated company
Ace Rent a car
7.02 / 10
Total number of reviews
244
Total rental companies
18
Average daily price
$24.54
Lowest daily price
$8.38
Total cars available
7464
Top 18 Suppliers in the United Kingdom in 2023
Arnold Clark
+441463723720
Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1UF
$33 - $160
Working hours
Mon:08:00-17:30
Tue:08:00-17:30
Wed:08:00-17:30
Thu:08:00-17:30
Fri:08:00-17:30
Sat:08:00-17:00
Sun:09:00-16:00
Alamo
+4401313330400
Edinburgh Airport, Burnside Rd, Ingliston, Edinburgh EH12 9DN
$44 - $214
Enterprise
+442088972100
Northern Perimeter Rd, Heathrow, Longford, Hounslow TW6 2RY
$44 - $396
Avis
+4403445446004
Car Rental Centre
$33 - $129
Working hours
Mon:07:00-23:00
Tue:07:00-23:00
Wed:07:00-23:00
Thu:07:00-23:00
Fri:07:00-23:00
Sat:07:00-23:00
Sun:07:00-23:00
Keddy
+4403713843408
London Gatwick South Terminal
$21 - $343
Working hours
Mon:07:00-23:00
Tue:07:00-23:00
Wed:07:00-23:00
Thu:07:00-23:00
Fri:07:00-23:00
Sat:07:00-23:00
Sun:07:00-23:00
Hertz
+4408433093059
Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0ES
$30 - $148
Working hours
Mon:08:00-17:30
Tue:08:00-17:30
Wed:08:00-17:30
Thu:08:00-17:30
Fri:08:00-17:30
Sat:09:00-12:30
Europcar
+4403713843419
COOPERS END ROAD
$26 - $431
Working hours
Mon:06:00-23:59
Tue:06:00-23:59
Wed:06:00-23:59
Thu:06:00-23:59
Fri:06:00-23:59
Sat:06:00-23:59
Sun:06:00-23:59
SIXT
+442070188246
Lower Forecourt, Horley, Gatwick RH6 0NY
$40 - $241
Thrifty
08433093047
Car Rental Village
Working hours
Mon:08:00-20:00
Tue:08:00-20:00
Wed:08:00-20:00
Thu:08:00-20:00
Fri:08:00-20:00
Sat:08:00-18:00
Sun:08:00-18:00
National
+4402088972100
Heathrow Airport, Northern Perimeter Rd, Hounslow TW6 2RY
$48 - $230
Working hours
Mon:06:00-23:00
Tue:06:00-23:00
Wed:06:00-23:00
Thu:06:00-23:00
Fri:06:00-23:00
Sat:06:00-23:00
Sun:06:00-23:00
Firefly
01481239516
St Martins Ap, La Villaze
$16 - $33
Working hours
Mon:08:30-18:00
Tue:08:30-18:00
Wed:08:30-18:00
Thu:08:30-18:00
Fri:08:30-18:00
Sat:08:30-18:00
Sun:08:30-18:00
Routes Car Rental
+443301188341
Regus, 450 Bath Road, Longford, Ub7 0Eb
$14 - $16
Working hours
Mon:06:00-23:59
Tue:06:00-23:59
Wed:06:00-23:59
Thu:06:00-23:59
Fri:06:00-23:59
Sat:06:00-23:59
Sun:06:00-23:59
Interrent
+443713843425
George Best Belfast City Airport - In terminal
Working hours
Mon:07:00-21:30
Tue:07:00-21:30
Wed:07:00-21:30
Thu:07:00-21:30
Fri:07:00-21:30
Sat:07:00-21:30
Sun:08:00-21:30
Goldcar
+442038980140 / +442070480573
Pheonix Industrial Estate, Inchinnan Road,
Working hours
Mon:07:00-19:00
Tue:07:00-19:00
Wed:07:00-19:00
Thu:07:00-19:00
Fri:07:00-19:00
Sat:07:00-19:00
Sun:07:00-19:00
Surprice
+443300949033 / +4407378851746
450 Bath Road, Longford Heathrow, London Greater London, UB7 0EB, United Kingdom
$13 - $25
Working hours
Mon:06:00-23:59
Tue:06:00-23:59
Wed:06:00-23:59
Thu:06:00-23:59
Fri:06:00-23:59
Sat:06:00-23:59
Sun:06:00-23:59
Easirent
01392798540
Exeter Airport- Shuttle-
Working hours
Mon:06:00-22:30
Tue:06:00-22:30
Wed:06:00-22:30
Thu:06:00-22:30
Fri:06:00-22:30
Sat:06:00-22:30
Sun:06:00-22:30
GreenMotion
+4401332220770
Hilton Hotel, Main Lobby, Church St, Lockington, Derby DE74 2YW
$22 - $389
Working hours
Mon:08:00-18:00
Tue:08:00-18:00
Wed:08:00-18:00
Thu:08:00-18:00
Fri:08:00-18:00
Sat:09:00-14:00
Sun:09:00-14:00
Ace Rent a car
+441179595700
The Old Forge
$21 - $360
Working hours
Mon:07:00-19:00
Tue:07:00-19:00
Wed:07:00-19:00
Thu:07:00-19:00
Fri:07:00-19:00
Sat:07:00-19:00
Sun:07:00-19:00