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Two questions:

  1. Is it legal to drive a car in the UK (London) with an Australian driver's license if we are coming for a week's visit?

  2. Is it possible (and easy enough) for one to drive in the UK after having 4 years of driving experience in Australia?

Cheers.

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    Imagine if you couldn't do this? The world would pretty much fall apart.
    – Strawberry
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 10:29
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    note that if you're a younger person, it may be simply tricky / more expensive to hire a car. yes it's very easy to drive in the UK. everything is English-speaking obviously, and you're on the same side of the road.
    – Fattie
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 11:28
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    @Fattie: You seem to have forgotten to add a <scarcasm/> tag. I've diven in the antipodes, I've driven thousands of miles in several different american states, I've driven in France, Spain & (Jeebus help me) Italy, and - other than the hour I drove in circles after leaving L.A.X. trying to find the 101 north, it's all been relatively easy. However, the 4 hours I drove my old aunts small car - with the sticky clutch and wonky drivers side mirror - across London on a dark and wet Friday evening is still spoken of in hushed tones by the unfortunate people who lived through it with me.
    – Binary Worrier
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 12:30
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    @BinaryWorrier (I think that might have been the car)
    – Strawberry
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 13:12
  • The car didn't help, but it could have been a brand new Audi or Mercedes, it would still have been a white knuckle ride!
    – Binary Worrier
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 13:15

1 Answer 1

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Yes, You can drive legally.

Your Australian driving experience will certainly help since both drive on same side. Traffic congestion can be a problem depending upon where you are. So it’s not like a piece of cake. People don’t really recommend tourists drive cars in central London but we don’t really know where you plan to drive.

If its going to be London, I would also recommend avoiding a car. Its just too much cost and hassle for not too big of a benefit. TFL is great and you are never too far away from a Tube station or a bus stop.

In London 3 things are all you need. Oyster Card, City Mapper and some £s :P

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    No need at all to rent a car if you're visiting London - take the tube (and possibly buses). As well, if you stay in a good location, much will be within walking distance. More remote parts of England, plus Wales and Scotland, invite the use of a car, but if you're spending less than a week in the UK, I'd stick to London and save the car expense.
    – Jim MacKenzie
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 4:31
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    Yep then absolutely avoid renting a car. London's public transport system is Awesome! And the amount you will be paying for using TFL will be lesser than even the congestion charges you have to pay for your rented car. Let alone the rental and fuel costs
    – Hanky Panky
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 5:13
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    I disagree that people don't recommend tourists drive cars in the UK. It's not very difficult place to drive. I do agree there's no advantage to using a car if you are just visiting and staying in London.
    – user16259
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 8:48
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    You don't even need an Oyster card these days, just a contactless credit/debit card. In fact contactless is better because a) you don't have to buy the card, and have the faff of getting a refund by returning it at the end of your holiday and b) there's a weekly cap that applies to contactless but bizarrely not to Oyster.
    – AndyT
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 9:04
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    Cars in London drive, on average, at a sedate 7.5 mph, and drivers there are by-and-large fairly used to the erratic driving of others, so driving in London's not really much of a problem. It's a breeze when compared with Mexico City, say. I do agree that unless you're planning to head off to Oxford, say, or further afield, then having a car in central London is more of a nuisance than a pleasure.
    – Strawberry
    Commented Oct 13, 2017 at 10:33

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