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Search for the best car hire deals in Leicester
Home to the National Space Centre and the King Richard III Visitor Centre, Leicester is a future-facing city that’s proud of its past. It’s also an ideal base for exploring the East Midlands, so hire a car and head for the countryside, where you'll find medieval castles and charming market towns.
Hiring a car in Leicester city centre
There are plenty of car hire booking offices in central Leicester, with Avis, Budget, Europcar and Thrifty all on, or adjacent to, the A594 Central Ring. You can also find cheap car rental at the railway station, or at locations close to the busy junction of the M1 and M69 motorways.
Fast facts about hiring a car from East Midlands Airport
If you're hoping to fly and land near Leicester, the ideal arrival point is East Midlands Airport (EMA), which is 19 miles (30 kilometres) northwest of the city centre. You have a choice of four hire car companies at the airport – Avis/Budget, Enterprise, Europcar and Hertz – should you wish to use a rental vehicle during your stay.
To get from East Midlands Airport to Leicester, turn left on to Ashby Road from the airport terminal and join the M1 southbound carriageway at the second roundabout (junction 23A). Leaving at junction 22, take the first left on to the A50 and continue straight at the various roundabouts to approach the city centre.
The following hire car companies have offices within the terminal building at East Midlands Airport:
- Avis/Budget (Tel: +44344 544 6005)
- Enterprise (Tel: +441332 812 828)
- Europcar (Tel: +44371 384 0293)
- Hertz (Tel: +44843 309 3024)
Driving in Leicester city centre
It's not exactly circular, nor particularly attractive, but Leicester's inner ring road, the Circle Ring (A594), does help drivers avoid the pedestrian-friendly city centre. With easy connections to the main A6, A47 and A50 spoke roads, which in turn link to the outer A563 ring, the road eases your journey out to the M1 and the Leicestershire countryside.
Traffic can be a problem in Leicester, particularly around the Five Ways junction, which is best avoided during the morning and evening rush hours. New bus lanes are being added to major commuter routes on Narborough Road and Groby Road from 2019, which could further reduce the space available for car users.
If you're visiting the city centre to go shopping, see the historic Jewry Wall or explore the New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, most of the pay-and-display car parks are located on or around the A594 inner ring. Head out into the terraced rows of the inner suburbs and you'll find on-street parking, although the meter charges can be expensive for longer stays.
Leicester’s three Park and Ride schemes operate buses into the city centre every 15 minutes from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday. Day tickets cost from £3, but the group ticket is the best value, with up to five people travelling together for just £4. There are sites at Birstall in the north, Enderby in the south, and Meynell’s Gorse in the west.
Recommended day trips from Leicester
Burghley House and Stamford
Driving time: 55 minutes
Set among rolling fields just outside Stamford, one of Lincolnshire's most striking market towns, is the Elizabethan country house of Burghley. This 16th-century stately home is surrounded by 2,000 acres of landscaped gardens and parkland where the annual Burghley Horse Trials take place at the end of August.
Inside the house, there are more than 100 finely-decorated rooms, plus significant collections of paintings, furniture and Chinese snuff bottles. Once you've explored the estate and located the deer, make your way into town to see Stamford's Georgian townhouses, historic coaching inns, traditional square and lush riverside meadows.
Rutland Water and Oakham
Driving time: 45 minutes
Rutland Water, the huge reservoir that dominates England's smallest historic county, provides a pretty, pastoral setting for active days out. You can enjoy the views from a pleasure cruise, sailing boat or kayak, or the walking and cycling trails which hug the water's edge.
Go wildlife spotting, visit the seemingly-floating Normanton Church, head to the adventure playground or gain heritage skills on a countryside course at the nature reserve. When you're done at the lake, it's only a short drive to the nearby county town of Oakham, where you'll find quaint cobbled streets, stone-built cottages, a historic market square and a Norman Great Hall.
Alton Towers
Driving time: One hour 10 minutes
For an entirely different country estate experience, head northeast into rural Staffordshire to Alton Towers, the legendary theme park just outside of Uttoxeter. Home to some of the UK's most iconic white-knuckle rides – including Nemesis, Oblivion and Thirteen – this is an essential destination for thrill-seekers.
Younger kids aren’t forgotten, with CBeebies Land packed with all their favourite TV characters. For a slower-paced day at the resort, head to the water park or spa, or simply stroll around the leafy estate away from the crowds.