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London & southern Wales car rental question for varying pick up and drop off locations

Hello Friends, I need advice.

Mom and student trip to Wales.

-Day 1-4 sights in London (She's got her list and she's been before.)
-Day 4 travel by train to Coventry to see a cathedral (it's on her historical bucket list) and pick up a car rental and arrive to Llangollen area by the end of day. (This seems doable).
-Spend the next 6 days in Wales in Llangollen and Brecon (or Hay on Wye). Long walks and book shops, and the aqueduct.
Next to last day: travel from Brecon towards London and see Tintern Abbey.

And so my questions:
What car rental companies do you suggest for England? I've heard good things about Celtic Legends but I need to be able to pick the car up in Coventry and I'm leaning towards Enterprise - which has 3 branch locations in Coventry. Celtic Legends does not have an option in Coventry.

Second, where to return it? This is my real conundrum. I've tried a few different locations in the Costco rental portal. Should I just attempt to drive to Heathrow on the freeway? (I have driven in Ireland but it's been awhile and London intimidates.)

We will likely plan to stay at the airport the night before we fly out, or is there a much more enjoyable town nearby that I could drop the car at and we could enjoy that town for an evening, stay in a hotel, and still make the airport for a 1 PM flight?

Thanks!

Posted by
8317 posts

My last couple trips to the UK I went through Costco and used Enterprise, but which company to use is a personal preference. I dropped the car off at Heathrow.

The drive from Tintern to Heathrow should take about 2.5 hours barring extremely heaved traffic or major construction. The drive itself is easy.

Posted by
1769 posts

For a 1pm flight there is no need to stay out at the airport the night before. You can easily stay in London and get back to Heathrow for a 10am check in. Leaving a car at Heathrow is straightforward but you then need a shuttle into the airport to pick up a train or tube into town.

The nearest big town to Tintern would be Newport, which may or may not have an Enterprise office. If not I would head east to Swindon. From both towns it’s an easy train ride into Paddington. Stay around there or somewhere else on the Elizabeth line if you prefer for an easy journey the day after.

Posted by
9760 posts

My surname is Welsh and we visited the village in Cardiganshire where my ancestors came from to America in 1716.
We visited South Wales in 2017 and loved Tenby and St. Davids. Also, did Tintern Abbey on our way to Cardiff.
Saw many castles in Wales.