When you need to get around any part of the UK, your best option when doing so is to rent a car. UK rental cars offer unique deals that are tailored to the busy traveler, and will definitely let you get more mileage out of your pounds, no matter which UK car rental company you choose!

Travel More, Save More

Nearly all UK rental cars are designed with plans that will save you more money the longer you travel. While using a UK rental car for only one day will cost you a premium, if you travel for three weeks, the car rental company is likely to give you a good deal and offer large discounts the more kilometers you travel while using the rental car.

This feature makes using a UK rental car a great option for anyone whose traveling around the great United Kingdom, whether you’re a visitor to the area or have to commute to work every day. In fact, some UK rental car companies even have special packages designed for the consumer who needs a rental car during the week to get to and from work.

UK Rental Car Restrictions

That being said, there are some restrictions on some UK rental cars. Because the cars are often sold after they reach a certain mileage, traveling too long or over too many kilometers may cost you a pretty coin.

UK rental cars also usually come with different age restrictions. The minimum age for renting a car in the UK is usually 21, while many car rental companies also have maximum age restrictions, which is usually 70.

Stansted Airport is the third busiest London airport. Heathrow Airport is not only London and the United Kingdom’s busiest airport, but it is one of the world’s busiest airports. Heathrow hosts many of the world’s largest airlines and has flights to destinations all over the globe. Stansted serves more regional carriers, though some airlines at the airport are international in nature.

These seeming disparities are actually complementary and show why there is interest in Stansted to Heathrow transfers. The idea is that a traveler can find a good fare from London on a major airline to get elsewhere in the world, but have problems adding the leg to a near London location. Many times, it is the short leg of a trip that is expensive and not the long-haul leg to another major destination. So, it makes sense for one to get to London first and then look for a Stansted to Heathrow transfer.

Besides car services and taxicabs which would be expensive and could eat any cost savings from using a low-cost carrier to Stansted instead of flying directly into Heathrow. So, that leaves the bus or train for the most economical options.

There is no direct train route for Stansted to Heathrow. The best train route is to take Stansted Express from the Stansted Station under the airport and transfer at Liverpool Street Station. Take the tube to Paddington Station and transfer to Heathrow Express for the ride into Heathrow Airport. Sadly, this is a convoluted two transfer process.

The bus is the most direct route and simple by catching the National Express coach to Heathrow at the Stansted terminal. That trip takes about two hours.

Finding great deals on Stansted car rental services is just a matter of knowing where to search and how to start your search. If you are planning a vacation in the UK and your landing airport is Stansted, start your search early. The earlier you book your car, the more money you are likely to save on your booking. If possible, try booking your hotel and your car rental together, as this can save quite a bit of money with travel services that offer combined packages.

Also remember, if you have no need of a larger SUV or sports car, then settle for a sedan. Sedans are cheaper to rent because the insurance cost and petrol rates are cheaper to operate, so car hire services pass these savings on to you. In addition to choosing the most economical car option for your needs, if you will be needing the car for several days, book those days together instead of choosing the per day option. Per day rentals are always higher than choosing a package, especially if you are paying per mile you put on the car and you will be traveling around the country.

Numerous terminals exist at Stansted to help you get your car hire in order once you arrive, but it is always better to make these arrangements before you arrive in the country. Many travel related websites exist to help you book your flight, hotel, and car together, so consider these as an option when planning your trip.

Many people have decided not to drive to the airport because they think that they can manage to get there without a car. Of course, people use trains to commute to work every day and it is only natural to assume that it is just a very small step to be able to take the train to the airport. You come to trust the transport system that you use regularly because they manage to get you to your destination on time every day; why should it be any different on the day you are flying out to go on holiday? The problem with this is that flying in itself is quite a stressful experience; even people who are accustomed to it get some pre-flight nerves and just want to get there. It’s a primeval reaction to doing something that feels wholly unnatural; man was not designed to be able to fly yet here we are in a plane that weighs many tons soaring to the heavens – for those who didn’t do physics it seems to defy all logic! Why would you want to make the experience even more stressful by putting your holiday in the hands of someone who you do not know on a train route that can’t be changed?

Parking at the airport isn’t as bad as can often be made out. It is very cheap with the cost around £1 per hour for stays of a few days. Also, you will not be in danger of being without a space because there are over 200; enough for everyone to go around.

It is very difficult to ascertain where the stereotype that parking at the airport is expensive has come from. There are many ideas but it comes down to the fact that the mass exodus of people to foreign destinations on holidays is a relatively new phenomena. If we were to go back 50 years, the foreign holiday was the domain of the rich and powerful only; ordinary people didn’t fly at all. Because of this, there were two outcomes; the only people flying were rich and there weren’t many of them! When there are few people trying to use a service, the cost needs to rise a little bit in order to make the income created by the service outweigh the cost of it (on staff etc). On top of this, you have people who are willing to pay a little bit more in order to park their car because, frankly, they can afford it! The result of this is that the car parking companies whacked the price up dramatically in order to gain as much profit as possible.

What we forget is that, now, there are thousands of people who use the airport every summer meaning that there is no shortage of suitors for the service. These are people who will not pay over the odds for the service and will choose the cheapest option. Because of this shift in the demographic, the companies have lowered their prices substantially. The cheapest car parking price around Stansted airport is a little over £1 per hour which is incredibly low! It will incur a 10 minute walk to the station but you are certainly making a saving!

When you are planning to catch a plane then you have to factor in the transportation to the airport as well as the actual flight. Many people choose to use the tube system that permeates London and this is a perfectly reasonable way to do it. However, if you think about the big picture then it is by no means the best option. On the travel there it is very likely that you have pre-booked your tickets and will therefore have to get on a specific train. This is perfectly fine in a perfect world, yet in reality it is just impractical. The way that the British transport system is it seems to work against you and you can guarantee that there will be a line closed for maintenance on the day that you are travelling – leading to a rush to find an alternative route. On the journey back you are likely to be tired and just want to rest – not possible when you have to navigate yourself back home in the dark.

Therefore, whilst it may appear to be the easier option, in actual fact it will make your trip much more stressful than it should be and there is no need for it. If you use your car instead then all of this trouble disappears because you are in control of your own journey. The car park at Stansted airport has nearly 300 spaces meaning that there are no worries about not finding a space and the cheap pricing means that it will probably work out cheaper than using the tube.

Prices for car parking at Stansted Airport vary depending on which car park you park in and how long you are staying for. If possible you should book online to try and save yourself some money – the official Stansted Airport website has an easy to use online car parking booking system. The prices given below are assuming you just turn up on the day to park and don’t book online.

Long stay car parking will cost you £9.50 per day, or part thereof – this is the best option for most passengers as they will mainly be visiting Stansted to go on holiday or for a visit somewhere that lasts a few days. The next best option is mid-stay – this car park is suitable for both long stay and short stay customers but is closer to the terminal and is priced at £13 per day, or part thereof.

Short stay pricing gets a bit trickier, and you will need to refer to the table below for the details:

Duration Price

Up to 30 minutes £2.50

30 minutes to 1 hour £4.00

1 to 2 hours £7.50

2 to 3 hours £9.50

3 to 4 hours £11.00

4 to 5 hours £12.00

5 to 6 hours £13.00

6 to 9 hours £15.00

9 to 12 hours £18.00

12 to 18 hours £22.50

18 to 24 hours £27.50

Per 24 hours after £27.50

Finally, you may wish to consider valet parking to relieve the stress of your travelling a little bit – for a little extra charge on your parking fee you can choose to drive right up to the forecourt of the terminal, where staff will be waiting to help you with your luggage, before handing your keys over to the staff to be parked securely. Your car will be waiting for you very close to the terminal when your flight comes in.

If you want a place to park that is affordable (essential in this age of recession where every penny you can save at home is money that can be better spent on your travels) and very close to the airport, then the BAA car park at Stansted airport is by far the best choice. With a car park that is a few minutes’ walk from the airport you can rest assured knowing that even if you are running a little bit late, it shouldn’t have a tremendous impact upon your journey or your ability to catch the flight. This means that you will be able to travel with very little stress and will have a much more enjoyable trip which is a much better way to start your holiday!

Of course, you may decide that you don’t want to park your car at the airport. Perhaps you’d rather take a taxi or a train to the airport in order to get yourself there so that you can save some money. This seems like a plausible idea and is one that many people have done with the same thinking. However, this is not the case. The cost of train or taxi can often top £100 which is a lot of money to fork out for something that causes you more hassle than is necessary. If you park at the airport then it will work out cheaper and, on top of this, you will be much closer to your flight so you won’t have to worry about missing it.

Driving to Stansted airport couldn’t be easier. The airport is close to London and, as such, it is situated within a comprehensive road network that connects the rest of the country with London. No matter whether you are coming from the north or the south, you will find that your journey is incredibly quick and easy. The best route is the M11. This motorway connects London with Cambridge and is a main thoroughfare for people driving into, or from, the East Anglia area. Following the motorway until junction 8a, you can turn off onto one of the minor roads that takes you right by the airport. From the east (the area around Braintree) the A120 will take you right past the airport and the same road can be used by people coming from Bishop’s Stortford or Hertford.

The car park itself is very easy to get to and navigate around once you are there. The first car park that you reach is the long stay car park which is about a 10 minute walk from the terminal. The car parks that are closest to the terminal are the short stay car parks which are situated as such to allow for a swift service; meaning you aren’t walking for miles just to park for 20 minutes. There is even a valet service for those of you running late and not having time to park. The main thing, though, is that you won’t be inconvenienced in your journey due to the car parks being impossible to find!