Car Rental or Tours in London?

Quick summary: Inside London, tours, the Tube and walking beat a rental car every time. Congestion charges, restrictive parking and slow traffic make driving the city’s sights impractical, while tours handle the Tower of London, Westminster, river cruises and evening experiences. A rental car becomes worthwhile for the countryside, and many day trips, from Windsor to Stonehenge, are also available as tours with transport included.

At a glance	Car rental	Tours
City sights	Impractical	Tower of London tours
Evenings	Parking is hard	Evening and night tours
Pubs and gin	No drinking and driving	Pub tours, Gin tours
Day trips	Flexible	Transport included
Paris	Not practical	Paris day trips

Compare car rental at Heathrow Airport

Which London experiences need no car?

Experience	Tours
Royal London	Buckingham Palace tours, Westminster tours
Landmarks	St Paul’s Cathedral tours, London Eye tours, Skip-the-line tours
The river	Thames river cruises, Evening dinner cruises
Neighborhoods	East End tours, London neighborhood tours, Bike tours
Dark history	Jack the Ripper tours, Ghost and mystery tours
Film and sport	Harry Potter tours, Stadium tours
Culture	Museum and gallery tours, Theater shows, Comedy tours
Food and drink	Food tours, Afternoon tea tours, Cooking classes
Something different	Immersive experiences, Unique experiences

Which tour styles are available?

Private tours, VIP tours, family tours and all tours.

Can you combine both?

Yes. Use tours for your London days, then rent a car for the countryside.

Frequently Asked Questions