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Search for the best car hire deals in Exeter
Exeter’s ancient walls, Gothic cathedral and atmospheric quayside are worth exploring, but with a hire car at your disposal, you’ll be able to discover the outlying countryside in 2020 too. Say hello to day trips to brooding Dartmoor, unspoilt Exmoor and the rugged Jurassic Coast.
Hiring a car in Exeter city centre
There are plenty of cheap car rental options in Exeter, most of which, including Hertz, Budget, Thrifty and Enterprise, are located between St Thomas and Alphington, just south of the city centre, close to the A377. For those coming in on the mainline from London Paddington, Simple Car Hire has a meet-and-greet service at Exeter St Davids railway station.
Fast facts about hiring a car from Exeter Airport
Exeter Airport (EXT) lies six miles (10 kilometres) east of the city centre, a mere 15-minute drive away. You'll have no difficulty booking a hire car for collection at the airport. Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz are the approved operators for car rental at Exeter Airport.
To get to Exeter city centre, leave the airport and drive west on the A30 Honiton Road, crossing the M5 at junction 29. Continue through Birchy Barton on the B3183, before taking a left at the roundabout on to Western Way to approach the city centre.
Compare prices on Exeter Airport car hire and book your rental in advance of travel. Once you've passed security checks, head out of the terminal building to the Car Rental Centre and collect your pre-booked vehicle.
The following car hire companies operate at Exeter Airport:
- Avis (Tel: +44344 544 6015)
- Budget (Tel: +441392 361 206)
- Europcar (Tel: +44371 384 3407)
- Hertz (Tel: +44843 309 3027)
Driving in Exeter city centre
Exeter's compact city centre is short on major routes, with only the A377 north-south artery penetrating the inner suburbs. The M5 carries passing traffic well away from the city, which is just as well given that Exeter’s roads tend to be very busy.
Like many small cathedral cities, Exeter is designed more around people than cars, and its quaint cobbled streets and narrow lanes tend to be fully or partially pedestrianised. So if you’re in the city, visiting Cathedral Yard, The Quay or the High Street, it's best to park your hire car and explore the city on foot instead.
There are plenty of car parks across Exeter, including the centrally-located but premium-priced Guildhall, John Lewis and Mary Arches Street facilities. The Zone 1 car parks, including those on Leighton Terrace, Magdalen Road and Catherine Street, offer a reasonable balance between price and location. The further away you park from the commercial centre, the lower the pay-and-display charges.
Recommended day trips from Exeter
Dartmoor National Park
Driving time: 30 minutes
The dark, mysterious Dartmoor National Park is superb driving country. On a scenic meander through the moorland, you'll come across forests, rivers, granite tors and crags, along with medieval villages and Bronze Age monuments. Dartmoor ponies roam free on the hills, which rear up from the roadside and fall away into deep, wooded valleys.
This wild expanse is ideal for hiking and cycling, so you may wish to park your car rental and explore the moors under your own steam. To learn more about this fascinating, historic landscape, you can plot a course for one of the National Park visitor centres – you'll find them in Postbridge, Haytor and Princetown.
Torbay
Driving time: 40 minutes
With its sandy beaches, upmarket hotels, palm trees and warm temperatures, tourist-friendly Torbay lives up to its 'English Riviera' billing. There are enough attractions in this attractive corner of Devon to keep you busy for weeks, spread across upmarket Torquay, fun-filled Paignton, sandy Goodrington and the fishing village of Brixham.
The beaches, coves and cliffs are enough of a draw on their own, but there are also two zoos, a water park, a heritage railway, boat rides and an abbey to stir your interest. Wherever you are in Torbay, you'll be blessed with terrific views of the sea, rocky headlands and islands out in the bay.
Lyme Regis and the Jurassic Coast
Driving time: One hour
The Jurassic Coast – Dorset's natural UNESCO World Heritage site – is within an hour's drive of Exeter. Starting in upmarket Lyme Regis, a resort known as the 'Pearl of Dorset', you can explore the coastline with its fossil-rich cliffs, shingle banks and sandy beaches.
Continuing west along the south coast, you'll come across Chesil Beach and the charming Isle of Purbeck, where you can visit medieval villages and walk ancient country lanes. Eventually you'll reach the headline attractions of Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove – park up, relax and take in the views.