HEATHROW AIRPORT CAR HIRE
HIRE A CAR FROM HEATHROW AIRPORT
Heathrow airport is located 15 miles west of London, and is the UK's busiest airport, handling 180,000 passengers a day (an amazing 66 million passengers per year) flying to over 170 worldwide destinations. It is just under 7 miles from Windsor and near many famous attractions. Heathrow airport charges a minimum of £2.80 to pick-up or drop-off passengers.
By car - London Heathrow is on the M4 motorway, near the M25 interchange. All Terminals and appropriate motorway exits are signposted. Terminals 1, 2 & 3 are located in the centre of Heathrow and can be reached via M4 Junction 4, M25 Junction 15 and A4 (local road). Terminal 4 is on the south side of Heathrow and can be reached via M4 Junction 3, M25 Junction 14 and A30 (local road).
Windsor needs no introduction as the location of the impressive Windsor Castle, sometimes home to Her Majesty the Queen and Royal Family (the flag flies when she is in residence). For shoppers, it has its own charming independent department store, several main high street stores, plenty of specialist, stylish shops and restaurants plus souvenir shops. There is also the Legoland family theme park, the legendary Eton College and Royal Windsor Racecourse. Ensure you have a camera!
The towns of Staines (5½ miles), Hounslow (7 miles) and Slough (8 miles) are also within easy reach, as are a myriad of famous and world-class tourist attractions - Thorpe Park (5m) featuring ‘Stealth’, Europe’s fastest rollercoaster; the gothic and sometimes sinister Strawberry Hill House (5½m); Syon Park Tropical Zoo (6m); the famous maze at Hampton Court Palace (7m) and Kew Palace with its world-famous Gardens (7m) are just some.
Airport facilities - Information desks, Bureaux de Change, cash dispensers, left luggage and trolleys, pay phones, postal services, smoking areas, toilets with specially equipped rooms for baby changing and feeding, showers and disabled toilet facilities. Executive lounges in Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and a Travelex Business Centre located between Terminals 1 and 2. Substantial Duty Free facilities. There are numerous shops throughout each Terminal, both high street names and independents, including newsagents, music, books, health and beauty, gifts, fashion, designer, accessories, electrical, photography and a branch of both Harrods and Hamleys. There is a huge choice of places to purchase food and drink at Heathrow's 4 Terminals from coffee cafes, to sandwich bars, pizza restaurants to fast food, restaurants to pubs.
Hotels - there are some 26 airport hotels, on airport and located close to the airport, from budget family to luxury. There are reservation desks throughout the Terminals.
HEATHROW AIRPORT CAR RENTAL INFORMATION
As expected from one of the world’s busiest airports, there is plenty of car hire choice from the 8 rental car hire providers in each Terminal at Heathrow airport, so you should have no problem in picking up the style of vehicle you want, whether small, large or, executive a people carrier for seven or nine. You can even order a minibus or van if you require.
With the airport being so busy, it makes good sense to book and complete your paperwork in advance, although you will still need to present your driving licence and forms of ID when you collect your car. By booking in advance, it clears the way to allow you time to familiarise yourself with the car and ask any questions you may have of the car rental representative regarding aspects of the paperwork, or the way the car works that you may not understand. If you don’t manage to book in advance, you can arrange your car hire in person, by telephone and on certain cases, by smartphone app.
Do check all documents for any ambiguities and ask if you are not sure and do look over the care to ensure any dents or scrapes left by previous renters are noted so that you don’t receive a penalty charge at the end of your rental!
Take care driving out of the airport, as the area is very traffic-dense, virtually 24 hours a day. In certain cases, you will be accessing the UK motorway network immediately, so be aware of UK motorway driving rules. While motorways in the UK have a 70mph speed limit (all distances and speeds are in miles in the UK), near Heathrow, the M25 London orbital has selective speeds that may be displayed on the gantries overhead. These have speed cameras attached, so do observe the limits that may be imposed during certain peak times of the day.
And if you are returning your rental to Heathrow, allow plenty of time, as the surrounding motorway network can be very busy at times.
