Hello all
Does anyone know how London Congestion charge work? Is it per day or per entry to the zone like some other countries? and how do you pay it? The reason I am asking is that I am thinking about renting a car to go to Cotswold, and I was wondering about weather to rent from Heathrow or from a place near our hotel, which is located in the Congestion zone!
thank you in advance
LT
Posted by
Massachusetts
1103 posts
Lots of information here:
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone
You need to pay a £15 daily charge if you drive within the Congestion Charge zone during charging times.
Congestion Charge (CC): 07:00-18:00 Monday-Friday, 12:00-18:00 Saturday-Sunday and bank holidays. No charge between Christmas Day and New Year's Day bank holiday (inclusive)
Posted by
Reno, NV, USA
2556 posts
It would be better to rent at Heathrow rather than in London and having to contend with city traffic.
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
7052 posts
Yes, congestion charge or no congestion charge, you don't want to drive in central London. Rent the car at Heathrow or maybe Oxford.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8913 posts
So glad you asked here first. Definitely rent at Heathrow.
Posted by
OP
36 posts
Thank you very much Mary, Rebecca, Carol now retired, and Badger for your time and your helpful advice. So it's decided no renting from London. Now the question is should rent from Heathrow or Oxford ( or any other place closer to Cotswold? Rebeca the idea of day trip is not an option because we had already decided to stay at Cotswold and booked the hotels.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14819 posts
"we had already decided to stay at Cotswold and booked the hotels."
Where in the Cotswolds are you staying? That might determine where to rent if it's one of the towns that has train service.
Posted by
Nashville, TN, USA
3895 posts
rent from Heathrow or Oxford?
Oxford is a good choice as that is getting very near the Cotswolds.
You would save yourself the hassle of driving through a lot of traffic around Heathrow....that's a good thing.
Stratford-Upon-Avon is an option, if you are taking the train to there. Large enough that it has multiple rental car offices.
Bath is a starting point for some who come to this forum and wish to do the Cotswolds by car.
Bath has several rental car offices.
Posted by
OP
36 posts
Pam we are staying at Lords Of The Manor Hotel, Upper Slaughter, Cheltenham .
Posted by
OP
36 posts
Thank you Rebecca much obliged for your help!
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
7052 posts
In that case I would look at renting a car in Oxford or Swindon. That saves you a bit of driving, but more important it means you don't have to deal with the traffic in and around London.
Posted by
OP
36 posts
Thank you Badger!
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5466 posts
Oxford not so good a choice at present because there is a road closure just west of the station and after that is where most of the car hire places are.