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Search for the best car hire deals in Derby
Derby’s cobbled Cathedral Quarter and old textile mills offer historical interest, but the real magic happens a few miles north of the city, in the stunning Peak District. Hire a car to explore its ancient villages and stately homes, and a landscape of hills, forests, valleys and heather-draped moors.
Fast facts about hiring a car from Derby
If you’re flying into Derby, your arrival point is most likely to be East Midlands Airport (EMA), 22km (14 miles) to the south-east. Picking up a cheap hire car at the airport means you can be in central Derby within 25 minutes, traffic allowing.
There are several rental companies to choose from at the airport, including Avis, Enterprise, Europcar and Hertz, and booking offices are handily located in the Arrivals area within the terminal building. Each of the operators is open seven days a week throughout 2018, although opening and closing times vary.
For more information or to make a booking, you can contact the following hire car companies:
- Avis/Budget (Tel: 03445 446 005)
- Enterprise (Tel: 01332 812 828)
- Europcar (Tel: 01332 853 679)
- Hertz (Tel: 01332 853 552)
Once you’ve picked up your hire car from outside the terminal, turn left out of the airport and join the A50 (Derby Southern Bypass). Follow the A6, then the A52 to reach the city centre – you'll see signs to Derby all along the route.
You also have the option of taking the train to Derby then picking up a hire car in the city. Booking offices can be found at Racecourse Park in the north, Pride Park in the east and Pear Tree in the south, among other locations.
Driving in Derby city centre
Getting around Derby is quite straightforward, courtesy of the city’s handy inner and outer ring roads. The central dual carriageway is well signposted, which helps locate the local attractions – including the Cathedral Quarter, Darley Abbey Mills and Pride Park – and those further afield.
Speed limits vary across the city. The inner ring road (A601) is subject to a 40mph cap, with 30mph permitted on other central and residential roads unless otherwise marked. Speeds of up to 70mph are allowed on the dual carriageways in the outer city, but keep your eyes peeled for road signs.
A Park & Ride scheme operates in Derby for those who would prefer to leave their car outside the centre. However, there are a good number of multi-storey car parks and on-street parking zones in the city centre. Note that if you use a pay-and-display in the Cathedral Quarter, some shops will refund your parking charges if you make a purchase over a certain value. Check signs in car parks and shops for details.
Recommended day trips from Derby
Nottingham and Nottingham Castle
Driving time: 30 minutes
Take the short drive along Brian Clough Way (A52) from Derby to nearby Nottingham, the city of Robin Hood, where you can explore historic squares, shopping streets, parks and riverbanks before making your way to Nottingham Castle, which sits high above the city on a natural promontory.
Little of the original fortress remains, but the 17th-century Ducal Mansion built on Castle Rock is home to a fabulous museum and art gallery. Beneath the castle, you’ll find a man-made maze of caves and tunnels once inhabited by the city’s poor.
Heights of Abraham and Matlock Bath
Driving time: 35 minutes
Perched on a forested hilltop above the spa town of Matlock Bath, the Heights of Abraham tourist park is a great spot for outdoor family activities. Accessed by cable car, the attraction consists of two fascinating caves, a Victorian lookout tower, woodland heritage trails, an adventure playground, and cafés and restaurants.
Just along the bank, the Gulliver’s Kingdom theme park offers its own child-friendly rides, attractions and experiences. If there are no kids in your party, the boutique stores, cafés and converted mills by the river are an appealing alternative.
Chatsworth House and Bakewell
Driving time: 55 minutes
Set in the heart of the Peak District, Chatsworth House – home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire – is one of England’s most spectacular stately homes. Make your way around 30 finely decorated rooms in this palatial mansion, which is renowned for its stunning natural surroundings, regal decor and priceless art collection.
Outside the house, the 105 acres of landscaped gardens feature lawns, flowerbeds, waterworks, lakes and sculptures. A 15-minute drive away, the market town of Bakewell – birthplace of the famous pudding – boasts quaint cottages, independent shops and leafy riverside walks.