Car hire London to Oxford

[Youfah Mizzum]

I'll be holidayng in London/UK late Sept, early Oct. I've been a few times previously but whereas prior occasions I've rented a car to get around, this time I wanted to mostly get around on trains.
From London I want to explore the Cotswolds area and will be going against what I just mentioned - will be hiring a car for a few days for that as I think it'll be much easier and flexible.
From Cotwolds, a couple of days in Oxford, then northbound to Birmingham.

I want to pick up a vehicle from a rental office somewhere within walking distance from/to a train station. I'll have luggage etc so don't fancy a long walk to the local Hertz (or whatever car rental business) to collect the car.
Then when I return the car, I want to return it to the business's office somewhere around Oxford - again within walking distance to a station.

So I am trying to hunt down a car rental business close enough to a station around London for car collection, then return the car somewhere around Oxford, also near a station.
Can you suggest anything?
I am also looking for accommodation around Oxford for a couple of nights but reviews for places within my budget are pretty mixed. Maybe I should keep the car and stay further out? Slightly cheaper outside the Oxford City environs but then there is the cost of more days car hire?

Maybe I should return the car to the same London location as pickup & then just hop on a train up to Oxford to continue my holiday, might be easier?
Or pickup & drop off from same Oxford location, just train it up there first?

Open to suggestions.

 

[VPS]

Have you considered training to Birmingham and picking up the hire car there and returning it there. Frequent trains from London to BHX - train station right next to the airport and most hire car companies here (just don't use Sixt)

What is your budget for staying in Oxford?

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

Thx for the reply @VPS .

Budget for Oxford kinda around the $200 AUD per night. Might stretch to $250/n.

I guess I could train it up to Birmingham but seems like I'd be backtracking to go from London to Birmingham just to grab the car, then drive back down to cruise around the Cotswolds.

Just in the past couple of hours I found that the Hertz office in Oxford is close enough to the train station to grab a taxi. Hertz will even subtract the taxi cost off the car hire, so will likely just pickup & drop off at Oxford.
I think I saw a Europcar office there too when looking on maps.

 

[Ausbt]

This takes me back to a trip 20-odd years ago, you know in the dark days prior to GPS. Hell-bent on a trip to the Cotswolds and without even a map to guide the way I headed out on the A40 (or was it the M40? I think you start to see the problem). A shopkeeper in Tiddington had a bit to say, when I asked for directions. Not that I understood it too well, other than "get out of my shop" or similar. Now I'd never been to Oxford, but I certainly found myself there eventually. I believe I drove right past Christ Church College at one point. Now the smart traveller would park up and explore. But JK Rowling only sold the rights to the film that year, so the appeal wasn't evident. I drove on, in increasing frustration at Oxfords very car-unfriendly layout.

Eventually I made it to Lower Slaughter. Taking respite in the garden of a pub, I was accosted by some angry bees. I'm not allergic, but I am Australian and retreating from the attack was quite shameful. I considered the warm beer penance enough.

A decade later I made it back to Oxford. Didn't bother with Christ Church - all those appalling Potter-tourists, you know.

 

[kookaburra75]

Have a look at picking up and dropping off a hire car at Heathrow. If you're in London, use the train to get to Heathrow Airport and use their shuttle bus to get to the hire car yard. As you're heading to Oxford, it's only an hour from Heathrow. Coming back drop the car off and then train back.

As for staying around Oxford, how far out do you want to be - 30 minute drive? Abingdon down to the south is a good base. I've used a couple of AirBnB on the River Thames. Just don't stay at the Premier Inn there.

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

Have a look at picking up and dropping off a hire car at Heathrow.

I thought of that too, just didn't fancy the final arvo with car battling into London (well, Heathrow is close enough) then making our way up to Oxford. But definitely worthy of further consideration.

As for staying around Oxford, how far out do you want to be - 30 minute drive?

If I'm not right in the city, then I'd still need a car to get back into Oxford, meaning not only the $$ for accommodation but also the car hire. 30 mins max. Don't mind though if the accommodation is right on a train station.

I think I might pick up & drop off at the Oxford Hertz or Europcar. Seems like it's easy to get there on the morning of pick up, then drop off same location and stay nearby.
But the Heathrow idea I am still considering. Both have merits and probs doesn't really matter one way or the other.

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

Eventually I made it to Lower Slaughter

LOL. Have already been to Upper & Lower Slaughter, and Broadway. Was there 2007. Also prior to GPS proliferation, so I purchased a big A3 sized map book for driving around UK. Still have it.

 

[Pushka]

Have a look at picking up and dropping off a hire car at Heathrow. If you're in London, use the train to get to Heathrow Airport and use their shuttle bus to get to the hire car yard. As you're heading to Oxford, it's only an hour from Heathrow. Coming back drop the car off and then train back.

As for staying around Oxford, how far out do you want to be - 30 minute drive? Abingdon down to the south is a good base. I've used a couple of AirBnB on the River Thames. Just don't stay at the Premier Inn there.

This. We did this last May and will do it again in December. We left the car at Heathrow then caught their shuttle into the airport for an overnight stay before early morning departure. We use vrooom vrooom vroom with a Budget car booked and no prepay.

 

[justinbrett]

There's rental cars at St Pancras (adjacent to Kings Cross).

A few years ago I picked up a car there and returned it in Cardiff (we actually drove through Oxford funny enough).

The drive from St Pancras out West is pretty good, we did it on a Saturday morning and there wasn't much traffic at all. You get straight on the A40 which turns into the M40 and then back to the A40, all the way to Oxford.

 

[Ausbt]

There's rental cars at St Pancras (adjacent to Kings Cross).
You get straight on the A40 which turns into the M40 and then back to the A40, all the way to Oxford.

Agree with this, and in fact that is specifically where I picked up a car for that reason to do that same journey. Have also picked up quite a few at LHR as well but of course that involves getting the tube and a shuttle. Still, not that hard if you are heading somewhere to the W, SW or NW

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

Thanks @justinbrett . I'll check out that too.

 

[kookaburra75]

If you're after a more scenic route to get to Oxford, head west along the M4 and turn off to go through Henley-on-Thames, and then up to Oxford. It avoids the motorways, and there's a few places you can drop into for a coffee.

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

If you're after a more scenic route to get to Oxford, head west along the M4 and turn off to go through Henley-on-Thames, and then up to Oxford. It avoids the motorways, and there's a few places you can drop into for a coffee.

The rough itinerary is
i) pick up car. Likely from Oxford, maybe LHR, maybe St Pancras.
This is for car pickup only. Drive directly to Cotswolds.
ii) Toddle around Cotwolds for a few days. Already have accomm booked in Cirencester.
iii) Drop off car and go to Oxford. Dunno whether to drop off car at same pickup location (if LHR or St Pancras) or closer to Oxford. Just want the easiest with regards to proximity of train stations, driving avoiding London's congestion. The latter isn't too important. I've dealt with Sydney traffic for 40 years!!

 

[kelvedon]

Kings Cross/ St Pancras sits on the north side of the Euston Road, as do
most of the car hire companies.
The Euston road forms the boundary of the Congestion Charge Zone. Make sure you don’t stray south of this road or your up the £15 congestion charge.
The Euston road runs into Westway which leads to the A40 and eventually Oxford.

 

[kookaburra75]

The rough itinerary is
i) pick up car. Likely from Oxford, maybe LHR, maybe St Pancras.
This is for car pickup only. Drive directly to Cotswolds.
ii) Toddle around Cotwolds for a few days. Already have accomm booked in Cirencester.
iii) Drop off car and go to Oxford. Dunno whether to drop off car at same pickup location (if LHR or St Pancras) or closer to Oxford. Just want the easiest with regards to proximity of train stations, driving avoiding London's congestion. The latter isn't too important. I've dealt with Sydney traffic for 40 years!!

Sounds good - I remember you mentioning your plan in the other thread.

If you have the time, when travelling across to Cirencester from London or Oxford, there is a route that takes you along the bottom of the hills that The Ridgeway trail follows. You can look across the valley for great views and there is the Uffington White Horse, if that sort of thing takes your fancy. You turn off the A34 near Milton to go through Wantage and onto Wanborough (don't go into Swindon). and then head up to Cirencester. Depending on where you are at lunch time, The Greyhound Hotel at Letcombe Regis has great meals.

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

That's awesome @kookaburra75 .
Appreciate the tip!

 

[Ausbt]

don't go into Swindon

...I don't know, I've always fancied the opportunity of taking on the Magic Roundabout and living to tell the tale

 

[zultan]

As a resident for 10 years, I feel like I should be defending Swindon's honour. Granted she isn't the prettiest, but aint the bad either. If were me, I'd be picking a car from LHR. If you make it to Cirencester, then you should really try and see Bath too.

 

[Yearlylonghaul]

...I don't know, I've always fancied the opportunity of taking on the Magic Roundabout and living to tell the tale

As a retired Road Designer, I have always wanted to go to Swindon just to have a look at that wondrous Magic Roundabout but have been banned by my wife.
I believe that it solved the traffic problem at that intersection. It is rumoured however, that it is because drivers avoid that intersection now.

 

[kookaburra75]

As a resident for 10 years, I feel like I should be defending Swindon's honour. Granted she isn't the prettiest, but aint the bad either. If were me, I'd be picking a car from LHR. If you make it to Cirencester, then you should really try and see Bath too.

I don't mind Swindon - I have a few work colleagues who are based there. My cautionary remark about not going into Swindon was more about the traffic, and taking a lot longer than you need to.

As a retired Road Designer, I have always wanted to go to Swindon just to have a look at that wondrous Magic Roundabout but have been banned by my wife.
I believe that it solved the traffic problem at that intersection. It is rumoured however, that it is because drivers avoid that intersection now.

After navigating that roundabout, I would go with the later explanation.