Between the congestion charge, ULEZ and parking fees, driving into central London adds up fast
A driving trip that gets expensive before you’ve even parked
Driving into central London means paying the congestion charge, currently around £15 a day, alongside a separate ULEZ charge starting from £12.50 for non-compliant vehicles, according to Lonely Planet’s guide to getting around the city. That is all before factoring in parking charges, which typically start around £5 an hour in central areas.
The maths rarely works out in a car’s favour
Combine those daily charges with London’s famously narrow roads and heavy traffic, and a rental car quickly becomes one of the more expensive and stressful ways to explore a city built for public transport, walking and cycling instead.
Public transport genuinely covers everything you need
The Tube, buses, and rentable bikes or e-bikes cover the entire city comprehensively, and checking the TfL website or app in advance for any planned engineering works or closures takes the guesswork out of getting around entirely.
Fazit
Skip the car. Your wallet and your blood pressure will both thank you. More travel guidance lives at my full archive.