I've read in Rick Steves Great Britain book that there is a Britrail and drive pass where you would get 4 days of train travel and 2 to 3 days of rental car but I can't find it on any website. Have they done away with this? Has anyone driven in Great Britain? What was your experience? We would only be renting a car while going through the Cotswolds and possibly into Conwy Wales, any suggestions?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
All Rail & Drive passes were discontinued at the start of 2014. I do encourage driving in those rural areas, even though there is a bit of a learning curve. See also Rick's "Go Left" article and other driving discussions in this forum.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, US
1005 posts
I've just returned from three weeks of driving in England and Wales. You should read Rick's article and look for other posts in the travel forum about driving in Britain. Driving on the left does take some time to get used to. I put a Post-It note on my dashboard that just said "Left" so that I would see it every time I got into the car. Because the stick for a manual transmission is on the left, it's smarter for Americans to get an automatic in Britain and Ireland. However, automatics are usually bigger than manual transmission cars--and the roads can be very narrow--so get the absolutely smallest automatic that's available. It's smart to rent it in a larger city or airport where there will be a greater selection of cars. Also, European rental agencies are very serious about nicks, scratches, dents, etc. Inspect your car carefully and note any minor flaw before you leave the rental agency. A car in the Cotswolds and North Wales will set you free, so relax, take the plunge, and enjoy your trip.
Posted by
2599 posts
I would go on Google Earth can bring the yellow man down from the corner to view at ground level some of the roads that you may be using.
You may find my earlier response to a query of use:>https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/wales/north-wales-itinerary
(If you wish to see all the places mentioned - it is too much to go from the Cotswolds to Conwy in 1 day).
Posted by
Hampshire, England.
1075 posts
Cotswold driving:
Posted by
2599 posts
I have just watched the video. The round sign with a black bar that you see on leaving the village means that you can now drive at the national speed limit for a non dual highway = 60mph!
Posted by
OP
STREAMWOOD, IL
21 posts
Thank you all for your advice and suggestions! I'm really leaning towards renting a car for both Cotswolds and Conwy, Northern Wales now! Now does anyone have suggestions on finding a good road map from Cotswolds to Conwy before we get to Britain?? I haven't looked too hard yet. I would assume if I went to Barnes and Noble I might be able to find something.