Car Rental in the United Kingdom
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Travel Information
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
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Car Rental in Edinburgh from $19.36 per day
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Car Rental in Manchester from $48.36 per day
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Car Rental in Glasgow from $53.17 per day
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Car Rental in Belfast from $48.15 per day
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Car Rental in Bristol from $14.91 per day
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Car Rental in Inverness from $50.33 per day
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Car Rental in Crawley from $21.67 per day
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Car Rental in Southampton from $40.65 per day
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Car Rental in Cardiff from $49.76 per day
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Car Rental in Exeter from $63.92 per day
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Car Rental in Nottingham from $38.17 per day
Top 20 Most Popular Locations in the United Kingdom
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Car Rental at London Heathrow Airport from $13.12 per day
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Car Rental at London Airport Gatwick from $15.28 per day
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Car Rental at London Stansted Airport from $20.51 per day
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Car Rental at London City Airport from $43.79 per day
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Car Rental at Edinburgh Airport from $19.36 per day
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Car Rental at London St Pancras Train Station from $21.70 per day
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Car Rental at Waterloo Train Station from $20.20 per day
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Car Rental at London Kings Cross Train Station from $24.45 per day
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Car Rental in London Kennington from $20.54 per day
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Car Rental at London Euston Train Station from $53.22 per day
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Car Rental at London Marylebone Train Station from $29.92 per day
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Car Rental at London Paddington Train Station from $29.92 per day
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Car Rental in London Lewisham from $41.63 per day
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Car Rental at Edinburgh Waverley Train Station from $25.24 per day
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Car Rental at Luton Airport from $19.87 per day
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Car Rental at Manchester Airport from $19.33 per day
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Car Rental at London Stratford Train Station from $40.53 per day
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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?
What’s the average rental length in the United Kingdom?
What's the most popular time of year to rent a car in the United Kingdom?
Most Popular Car Models of Rental Suppliers
Rental Supplier | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
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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.
Car Rental Statistics
Top 18 Suppliers in the United Kingdom in 2023

















