Europe > United Kingdom > Leeds (LBA)
The Car or no Car advice for Leeds can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Leeds ; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Leeds ?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Leeds?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.
Leeds without a car 🚶♂️🚍
For the city itself, Leeds works well without a car. The centre is compact and walkable, with shopping, dining, museums, and nightlife all clustered closely together. Leeds railway station sits right in the heart of the city and is one of the busiest outside London, offering fast, frequent services to Manchester, Sheffield, York, Newcastle, and London 🚆.
Local buses cover the city and suburbs extensively, although congestion can slow them down at peak times. There is no underground or tram system at present, but most central attractions are easily reached on foot. Taxis and ride-hailing services are also widely available.
Day trips by train 🚄🌿
Leeds is an excellent rail base. York is just over 20 minutes away, Harrogate around half an hour, and Skipton—the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales—under an hour by train. Even coastal towns such as Scarborough and Whitby are realistic rail day trips. For many visitors, this removes any immediate need for a car.
When a rental car becomes useful 🚗⛰️
A car starts to make sense if you want deeper access to the countryside. The Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors, and Peak District all offer far greater flexibility by road, especially for remote villages, hiking routes, and scenic viewpoints. A car is also useful for visiting stately homes and small market towns that sit well away from railway lines.
Car rental is available in the city centre and at Leeds Bradford Airport, although the airport itself has limited public transport links compared with rail-served airports.
Conclusion: should you rent a car in Leeds?
For city breaks and rail-based day trips, no. For exploring rural Yorkshire in depth, yes—a rental car unlocks far more of what the region has to offer 🌄🚙.
