Car Hire at London Southend Airport (SEN)

Part of our guide to car hire in London.

How to Find Your Car Hire Desk at London Southend Airport (SEN)

• Book through eCarBookers first: Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.
• Where the airport is: London Southend Airport is in Essex, on the northern edge of Southend-on-Sea, about 41 miles east of central London. The satnav postcode is SS2 6YF, and the approach from London is by the A13 or the A12.
• Where the desk is: Green Motion and U-Save list their branches in the Arrivals Terminal on Eastwoodbury Crescent. The airport describes Green Motion's on-site rental hub as "just minutes from the terminal", so the desk may be close to rather than inside the terminal building. The exact meeting point and contact number for your hire are shown on your booking voucher, which is the definitive source, so check it before you travel and follow it on arrival.
• Opening hours: One listing shows U-Save open daily from 06:00 to 23:59, and no hours are published for Green Motion. The terminal itself is not open 24 hours, so choose a flight that lands within the branch's hours and confirm them in your booking confirmation.
• Arriving by rail: London Southend Airport railway station sits directly opposite the terminal, with services to London Liverpool Street. Check the timetable on the day for your route.
• What to bring: The main driver should carry a valid driving licence, photo identification and a credit card in their own name with a limit high enough to cover the excess hold. Visitors from outside the UK should also carry their passport and, where required, an international driving permit. The name on the booking must match the identification you present.

Pick-Up, Drop-Off, and Refuelling at London Southend Airport (SEN)

• Returning the car: Return the car within the branch's opening hours shown in your booking confirmation, and confirm the drop-off instructions with the supplier at collection. A key drop box for out-of-hours returns has not been confirmed for this branch, so plan your return for a time when the desk is open.
• Nearest petrol stations: BP Toomey Southend (Cherry Orchard Way, Rochford, SS4 1GP) and Jet Starthill (Ashingdon Road, Rochford, SS4 1RF) are both listed as open 24 hours a day. Refuel before you return the car, and allow time to do so before the desk closes.
• Fuel policy: Confirm the fuel type shown on your booking confirmation before you refuel, and ask at collection which fuel policy applies to your hire, so that you return the car as the supplier expects.
• Before you drive away: Photograph the vehicle thoroughly at collection and again at return, including all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior. Dated photographs give you a clear record of the condition you received.
• Emission zones: Southend lies in Essex, outside Greater London, so the ULEZ does not apply at the airport. It applies once you enter a London borough, where it operates 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day. Petrol cars must meet Euro 4 and diesel cars Euro 6, and a vehicle that does not meet the standard pays £12.50 per day. Check the registration at tfl.gov.uk and ask the supplier at collection to confirm that your car meets the standard.

Top Car Hire Agencies at London Southend Airport (SEN)

Car hire at London Southend Airport (SEN) is available through Green Motion and U-Save.

Every booking through eCarBookers shows the excess amount and full price before you confirm, and the balance is paid on arrival at the desk. Optional extras — such as additional drivers, supplemental tyre and glass cover, child seats, or out-of-hours fees — may be available at the desk if required.

Getting from London Southend Airport (SEN) to Key Destinations

• Southend-on-Sea — about 3 miles south, in roughly 5 minutes. The seafront and the pier are the nearest destination to the airport.
• Chelmsford — about 19 miles north-west, in roughly 24 minutes. The county town of Essex is the closest major centre inland.
• Colchester — about 41 miles north-east, in roughly 46 minutes. The route suits a day trip to Britain's oldest recorded town.
• Central London — about 41 miles west, in roughly 1 hour 5 minutes, by the A13 or the A12. Journey times lengthen considerably at peak hours. The route enters the ULEZ and then the Congestion Charge zone, where a daily charge of £15 applies, so many visitors take the train into the centre.
• Stansted Airport — about 37 miles north-west, in roughly 49 minutes. The route links the two airports across Essex.

If your route crosses the Thames at Dartford, the Dart Charge applies at the Dartford Crossing on the M25 from 6am to 10pm, with cars paying £3.50 pay-as-you-go or £2.80 with a Dart Charge account, and payment is due by midnight the day after you cross. Ask the supplier at collection how the charge is handled on your vehicle.

How Payment Works for Car Hire at London Southend Airport (SEN)

Payment is made in two steps. A rental prepayment confirms your booking online, with Instant Confirmation from the supplier. You then pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival, when you collect the car.

The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk. Because the full rental amount is not charged at the time of booking, you keep flexibility if your plans change, and cancellation is free.

The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card at collection, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit. The amount is shown in your booking confirmation.