London is certainly one of the best cities and most popular tourist destinations in the world. A Hertz car rental in London enables you to explore central London, the outer boroughs and surrounding areas with ease. There are plenty of Hertz rental branches located throughout London Zones 1-4, including at airports, train and coach stations, meaning you’ll be exploring all that this fantastic city has to offer in no time at all.
Driving in London can sometimes be at odds with the frenetic, fast pace of the city itself. Even with the introduction of the congestion charge, it is not uncommon to find traffic at a standstill in central London, particularly at peak times of 7am to 9am and 5pm to 7pm. Having said that, vastly improved road transport signage, dedicated bus lanes and cycle routes throughout central London mean that navigating the traffic is intuitive rather than intimidating. There’s a lot to be said for using Hertz car rental in London and motoring past world famous landmarks such as Trafalgar Square, the Royal Albert Hall and Buckingham Palace.
You will need a full driving licence and must be over 21 to rent a car in London. If you are from outside the European Union you will also need an International Driving Permit (IDP). For more information about driving regulations in London, take a look at our page about renting a car in the UK.
The most important point to remember about driving in central London is that if you’re going to be driving between the hours of 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, then you’ll need to pay the Congestion Charge. The price varies depending on how and when you pay, but expect to pay at least £10.00 for each day you drive in Central London. As you enter the Congestion Charge zone in central London, you will see a large letter ‘C’ in a red circle.
Parking in London, particularly when trying to find a space with a parking meter can be difficult. There are however plenty of car parks throughout central London. Q-Park operates 16 secure parking facilities in central London, while National Car Parks (NCP) manage over 100 car parking sites. Most of the roads in central London also have single or double red lines. Single red lines indicate that vehicles are only allowed to stop at certain times of the day while double red lines indicate that vehicles are not allowed to stop at any time of the day. Penalty charges in London can be severe, and the city's fleets of tow trucks are incredibly efficient at removing vehicles that are parked illegally or obstructing traffic flow. So ensure you follow the driving and parking rules and regulations at all times. And don’t forget that on UK roads you drive on the left.
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 0700-2300, Sa-Su 0700-2200
Address: Sofitel London Gatwick, , Crawley
Phone:
Opening hours: Mo-Su 24 hours
Address: Northern Perimeter Road (West)
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 3009**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 0600-2400, Sa-Su 0600-2200
Address: Gatwick Airport,
Crawley,
West Sussex
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 3030**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Su 0630-0100
Address: Coopers End Road,
Car Rental Village,
Essex
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 3071**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Th 0730-1900, Fr 0730-2000, Sa 0730-1600, Su 0800-1600
Address: St. Pancras Road, , St Pancras Road Car Park
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 3098*
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: (Seasonal Location) Oct-Apr: Mo-Th 0830-1730, Fr-Su 0830-1930 // May-Sep: Mo-Su 0830-1930
Address: 35 Edgware Road,
Marble Arch
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 30 49**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Su 0830-1800
Address: London Southend Airport
Phone: 1702680108
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 0830-1730, Sa 0800-1200, Su 1000-1400
Address: 711-713 Old Kent Road
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 3058**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 0830-1730, Sa 0800-1200, Su closed
Address: London - Dartford, , Erith Kent
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 3020**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 0800-1800, Sa 0800-1300, Su closed
Address: Poplar Place
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7727 6969
Opening hours: Mo-Th 0830-1730, Fr 0800-2000, Sa 0900-1300, Su closed
Address: 200A Buckingham Palace Road
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 3078**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 0630-2100, Sa 0700-1600, Su 1000-2100
Address: Royal Docks
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 3045**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Th 0800-1800, Fr-Su 0800-2000
Address: 35 Edgware Road
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 3049**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 0800-1800, Sa 0900-1300, Su closed
Address: Unit 9 Balmoral Grove
Phone: 0203-475-5071
Opening hours: Seasonal location: 1 April - 30 September: Mo-Fr 0800-1900, Sa 0900-1400, Su Closed. // 1 October - 30 March: Mo-Fr 0800-1800, Sa 0900-1400, Su Closed.
Address: Red Car Park - Royal Route
Phone: 44-0-203-137-0920
Opening hours: Mo-Th 0830-1730, Fr 0800-1800, Sa 0900-1300, Su closed
Address: 156 Southampton Row
Phone: +44 (0) 843 309 3065**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 0830-1800, Sa 0900-1300, Su closed
Address: 707 Finchley Road
Phone: +44 (0) 203 006 5695
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 0830-1730, Sa 0900-1230, Su closed
Address: 190 Bowes Road,
New Southgate
Phone: +44 (0) 203 475 4156
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7:00AM-12:00AM, Sat-Sun 7:00AM-10:00PM
Address: 1750 Crumlin Road
Phone: (519) 659-6100
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 0730-1730, Sa 0800-1600, Su closed. From 4 November 2018: Mo-Fr 0730-1730, Sa 0800-1600, Su 1000-1600
Address: Feltham, Hounslow - Unit 9, Central Park Estate
Phone: 44-0-843-309-3029**
**Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge
Opening hours: Mo-Th 0800-1800, Fr 0800-2000, Sa-Su 0900-1700
Address: International Way,
Olympic Park
Phone: 44-0-203-475-3631
Central London is bordered by Oxford Street to the north, Charing Cross road to the east, Pall Mall and The Strand to the south and Piccadilly and Regent Street to the west. You may also find yourself driving round Marble Arch or crossing one of the many bridges that span central London between Vauxhall Bridge to the west and Tower Bridge to the east. The skyline of London is awe inspiring, world famous and ever changing. Drive through central London and you will undoubtedly pass many familiar landmarks such as The Ritz and Statue of Eros of Piccadilly, the towering Centrepoint building at the junction of Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road and 10 Downing Street if you drive down Whitehall from The Mall / Trafalgar Square.
If you’re driving into London from the Channel ports, the A2 or M20 are the two main routes. If you’re coming from the north, the M1 and A1 are the most direct. If you’re flying in before collecting a Hertz car rental in London, the M23 from Gatwick, the eastbound M4 from Heathrow and the M11 southbound from Stansted are the main routes into the centre. Greater London is surrounded by the M25, which gives you access to all parts of the region.