Car rental in Edinburgh

Edinburgh by car

Edinburgh is stacked on volcanic crags, the Old Town spilling down a ridge from the castle towards Holyrood. Those closes and wynds were cut long before anyone had to turn a vehicle in them, so most arrivals leave the hire car on the fringe and walk.

Driving in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is reached by M8, M9, M90, A1 and A720 city bypass. Edinburgh has a low-emission zone. It is enforced by number-plate cameras rather than windscreen stickers: check that the car meets its emission standard before driving in. Parking in the centre is paid and marked by zone. Streets in the old centre are narrow, a smaller car is easier.

Where to park

Park and ride sites ring the city: Wallyford and Newcraighall in the east, Sheriffhall and Straiton to the southeast, Hermiston and Ingliston to the west, and Ferrytoll for Fife. In the centre, Castle Terrace multi-storey serves the west end, while Greenside and St James Quarter cover the east.

Arriving by road

Many central streets, Princes Street included, are closed or dead-ended to private vehicles, and the Old and New Town now form a camera-enforced Low Emission Zone. Vehicles built after 2015 generally meet its standard. Slower but more scenic approaches from England follow the A68, A696 or A697.

From the airport without a car

Edinburgh Airport has no railway station. The tram stop is past the multi-storey car park at the terminal’s eastern end, and the line calls at Edinburgh Park, Murrayfield and Haymarket, then follows Princes Street to Waverley. The Airlink 100 bus leaves from airport stop A and reaches Waverley Bridge by way of Haymarket and Princes Street, beside the main railway station.