Car Hire in Reigate

Part of our guide to car hire in the United Kingdom.

Driving and Parking in Reigate: What You Need to Know

• Emission zones: Reigate sits in Surrey, outside the London Ultra Low Emission Zone, so no charge applies for driving in the town. The ULEZ begins at the London boundary, covers all London boroughs, and costs £12.50 per day for a vehicle that does not meet the standard, which is Euro 4 for petrol cars and Euro 6 for diesel cars. The M25 is not included. Check the car against its V5C details at tfl.gov.uk before you drive into London.
• Congestion Charge: The central London charge is £15 per day, from 07:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and 12:00 to 18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays. It is separate from the ULEZ, and the zone boundary and payment deadline are set by Transport for London at tfl.gov.uk.
• Town centre driving: Reigate is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs, with a compact centre and busy junctions on the approaches. Set the satnav before you move off. Drive on the left throughout, and at roundabouts give way to traffic from the right and travel clockwise.
• Parking: The council runs car parks at Bancroft Road (RH2 7RP, 357 spaces), Bell Street (RH2 7AN, 112 spaces) and Upper West Street (RH2 9HX, 108 spaces). Charges apply from 8am to 6pm, Sundays and bank holidays are free, and a stay of up to ten hours costs £7.80. Never park on double yellow lines.
• Bus lanes and restrictions: Where bus lanes operate, the hours are shown on the sign at the start of each lane, and contraventions are enforced by penalty charge notice.
• Speed limits: Limits are in miles per hour: 30 mph in built-up areas unless signed otherwise, with 20 mph zones common on residential streets, 60 mph on single carriageways, and up to 70 mph on motorways and dual carriageways. Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is illegal.
• Best time to drive: Weekday commuter periods in the morning and late afternoon are the slowest times on the approaches to the town and the M25. Mid-morning, early afternoon and weekends are easier.
• Driving on the left: If you normally drive on the right, collect the car at a quiet time and take the first few minutes slowly. The driver's seat is on the right, and the most common mistakes are at roundabouts and when turning out of a car park onto a main road, so keep to the left and give way to traffic from the right.
• Around Reigate: The Castle Grounds sit behind the High Street, and only a mound with a dry moat and underground caves remain. Priory Park offers about 200 acres of open space and woodland. Reigate Hill has a 19th-century fort with views over the Weald, and Gatton Park, designed by Capability Brown, lies to the east.

Top Places to Visit from Reigate by Car

• Box Hill — about 7 miles west, in roughly 12 minutes. The hill is 224 metres high and takes its name from the box trees on its flanks. The Salomons Memorial viewpoint, built in 1920, commemorates Leopold Salomons, who bought 230 acres to keep developers out and gave the land to the National Trust. The main car park (KT20 7LB) is free for members and paid for everyone else.
• Hampton Court Palace — about 17 miles north-west, in roughly 27 minutes. Henry VIII laid out the Tiltyard for jousting, and the Great Vine, planted by Capability Brown in 1768, is thought to be the oldest and largest in the world. The maze features in Three Men in a Boat.
• Hever Castle — about 20 miles south-east, in roughly 32 minutes. The castle (TN8 7NG) is the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and holds two prayer books she inscribed and signed. The estate covers 125 acres, with an Italian Garden, a 100-year-old Yew Maze and an English Rose Garden of over 4,000 roses.
• Brighton — about 33 miles south, in roughly 47 minutes. The Royal Pavilion is a 19th-century seaside palace in the centre, Brighton Palace Pier stands on the seafront, and The Lanes hold independent boutiques and jewellers between North Laine and the sea.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Reigate?

Peak season: Demand rises over the school summer holidays, from late July to the end of August, and again around Christmas and Easter, when visitors arrive for the town and the Surrey Hills. Bank holiday weekends tighten availability in the same way, and the most popular vehicle classes are the first to go.

Shoulder season: Spring and autumn outside school breaks are steadier. Weekday availability is generally good, and day trips to Box Hill, Hever Castle, Hampton Court and Brighton are easy to plan around the weather.

Low season: January, February and the quieter weeks of November are the least busy. Winter hires suit day trips and business travel, but allow extra time on the M25 and the main approach roads on weekday mornings.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for school holidays and bank holiday weekends, and as soon as your dates are fixed for any hire that has to match a flight or a train arrival. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty if plans change, and the balance is paid at the desk on collection, so nothing is charged in full at the time of booking.

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, and they are the quickest way to settle any question about marks that were already there.

Fuel: 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.

How Payment Works for Car Hire in Reigate

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.

Car Hire Suppliers in Reigate

Car hire in Reigate is available through the following supplier.

• Green Motion

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Reigate

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.

• Reigate Sidlow
• Reigate Gatwick Business Park