If you’re looking to rent a car we would first recommend taking a look at the driving tips section on the ‘Travel tips’ page.

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There are numerous rental firms in the UK that are also present in the US such as:

Avis

Enterprise

Hertz

They all have pick up and drop off available from London Heathrow at various Terminals and all have options for same or alternative drop-off location if your journey requires (e.g. you are flying in to Heathrow but leaving via another airport after travelling across the country).

Regardless of who you rent from you will be required to take out insurance for the duration of your rental. This is purchased with the rental agreement so you don’t have to worry about bringing your own insurance for this.

Many cars in the UK use a manual gearbox but rental companies will be able to provide an automatic option in most cases if you’re not comfortable “driving stick”.

Should you need child seats many companies provide the option to add these to your rental.

Taking the train is an easy way to get to Cheltenham from London Heathrow and there are frequent trains from London to various parts of the country.

Once you arrive at London Heathrow, pass through border control, and have claimed your luggage, follow the signs in the airport to the train station. You will be catching the Heathrow Express which travels between London Paddington and all Terminals. Be sure you catch the train heading to London Paddington!

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Note: You can buy advance tickets for the Heathrow Express for a small discount via the website, but if you have a contactless card you can ‘tap in’ by placing your card onto the large yellow pad at the security gates. This will open the gate and let you through. Once you arrive into London Paddington you will use the same method to ‘tap out’ and get through the security gate, at which point you will be charged for the journey. This price (£25 which is around $31) is the same whether you ‘tap in’ or buy a ticket from a machine or kiosk on the day.

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Once you are in London Paddington you will be able to locate the train to ‘Cheltenham Spa’ on the large displays around the station or you can ask at a kiosk when purchasing your ticket (‘Cheltenham Spa’ is the official name for the town of Cheltenham). There are direct trains (which stop at other stations between London Paddington and Cheltenham) and trains where a change is required at another station. We would recommend asking for a ticket for a direct train to avoid any confusion around changing trains.

You can either purchase a ticket from one of the kiosks (advised if you have questions about what train to catch) or self-service machines, or you can buy a ticket online via websites such as TheTrainline (which has an app available for your phone if you wish to download it). If you purchase a ticket online you can collect a physical ticket from a self-service machine or choose the option to use an eTicket which will send a QR code to your email address which can use used to scan through the security gates at your destination.

It is recommended that you purchase an Open Return ticket. This ticket will be valid to on the first day for your journey to Cheltenham, then valid for a month for your return journey to London Paddington. The cheapest option for this is the ‘Super Off-Peak Return’ at around £65 (around $80).

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When you are on the train you will be able to store your larger luggage items (i.e. checked luggage) in storage racks within the carriage, and smaller items can be placed on the overhead shelves above your seat.

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Once you arrive in Cheltenham it’s just a short taxi ride from the train station to your chosen hotel. The UK has Uber so you will be able to use your Uber app to order a ride.

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On your return journey you can use your Super Off-Peak Return ticket to travel from Cheltenham back to London Paddington (so be sure not to lose it if you have a physical ticket!)

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If you have any questions about the journey from London Heathrow to Cheltenham via train then please contact us and we’ll do our best to help.

Another option for travelling to Cheltenham from London Heathrow is via coach (similar to the Greyhound intercity bus service in the US). This option will generally be cheaper than taking the train. A return ticket booked in advance is £25 on average (around $31).

National Express runs a direct service from London Heathrow Central Bus Station (Terminals 2 & 3), and from Terminal 4 and Terminal 5, to Cheltenham Coach Station, and you can buy tickets in advance via their website.

Once you arrive at London Heathrow, pass through border control, and have claimed your luggage, follow the signs in the airport to the buses.

Terminal 2 & 3 - It’s just a short walk after leaving the terminal to the Central Bus Station which is clearly signposted around the airport.

Terminal 4 - National Express coaches will pick you up and drop you off at stops 13 and 14 just outside the Terminal 4 building.

Terminal 5 - National Express coaches will use stops 13-16 just outside the terminal building for pick up and drop off.

If booking tickets in advance be sure to leave yourself plenty of time between your flight landing and your coach leaving to give you plenty of time to get through border control, obtain your luggage, and make your way to your pick-up point.

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You will be able to store one large luggage item (i.e. a checked bag) and one small luggage item (i.e. a carry-on bag) in the storage compartment of the coach for your journey, and keep your personal item (e.g. handbags, backpacks, etc.) with you on the coach at your seat.

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Once you arrive at Cheltenham Coach Station you can take a taxi from outside the station or you can use your Uber app to order a ride.

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If you wish to use the coach/bus service and have any questions or require any additional help then please contact us and we’ll try our best to help with your trip!