Car Hire in Edinburgh

Part of our guide to car hire in the United Kingdom.

Driving and Parking in Edinburgh: What You Need to Know

• Low Emission Zone: Edinburgh's Low Emission Zone covers a large area of the city centre, and full enforcement began on 1 June 2024. Petrol cars must meet Euro 4 or above and diesel cars must meet Euro 6. Cameras read number plates, and the first penalty for a non-compliant vehicle is £60. Driving the same vehicle in the zone again within 90 days raises the charge each time, up to £480 for a car or £960 for a larger vehicle. Check the registration on your booking confirmation at lowemissionzones.scot and ask the supplier at collection how any penalty is handled on your vehicle.
• City centre driving: The old and new towns are compact, with one-way streets, tram lines and many bus lanes, so set the satnav before you move off. Drive on the left throughout, and at roundabouts give way to traffic from the right and travel clockwise. Take care at tram crossings and never stop on the tracks.
• Parking: City centre car parks include St James Quarter (EH1 3AD, 1,570 spaces), the Omni Centre (EH1 3AN, 1,000 spaces), Castle Terrace (EH1 2EN, 750 spaces), New Street beside Waverley Station (EH1 1BB, 488 spaces), Quartermile (EH3 9AU, 374 spaces) and Holyrood Road (EH8 9UL, 297 spaces). Each of these lies inside the Low Emission Zone, so a non-compliant car can be fined simply for driving to the car park. Charges and height limits are set by the operator, so read the signage at the entrance before you leave the car. Never park on double yellow lines.
• Bus lanes and restricted zones: Bus lanes run on many main roads, and the hours are shown on the sign at the start of each lane, so check before you enter. Bus lane contraventions are enforced by penalty charge notice.
• Toll roads: There are no toll roads in Edinburgh. If your route continues into England, the nearest charge is the Dart Charge at the Dartford Crossing on the M25, which applies from 6am to 10pm every day, with cars paying £3.50 pay-as-you-go or £2.80 with a Dart Charge account. Payment is due by midnight the day after you cross, and a missed payment results in a £70 penalty charge notice.
• Speed limits: Limits are in miles per hour: 30 mph in built-up areas unless signed otherwise, with 20 mph zones common in residential streets and across much of the city, 60 mph on single carriageways, and up to 70 mph on motorways and dual carriageways. Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is illegal.
• Driving on the left: If you normally drive on the right, collect the car at a quiet time, take the first few minutes slowly and set the satnav before you move off. The driver's seat is on the right, and the most common mistakes are at roundabouts and when turning out of a car park onto a main road, so keep to the left and give way to traffic from the right.
• Best time to drive: Weekday commuter periods in the morning and late afternoon are the slowest times on the city bypass and the approaches to the Forth crossings. Mid-morning, early afternoon and weekends are easier for crossing the city.
• Road signs and junctions: At a stop sign, come to a complete stop and then give way to all traffic. Do not enter a box junction unless your exit is clear, and stop at flashing red lights at railway crossings until they stop flashing.
• Seat belts and alcohol: Everyone in the car must wear a seat belt, in the rear seats as well as the front. Children under 3 need a suitable restraint in any vehicle, and the driver is responsible for passengers under 14. Scotland's drink-drive limit is lower than in England and Wales, at 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood (0.05 per cent), so the safest approach is not to drink at all if you are driving.
• Train and car together: Edinburgh Waverley is the main station, with services to Glasgow about every 15 minutes in around 50 minutes. Many visitors take the train for the city and collect a car for Fife, East Lothian and the Highlands, which avoids driving and parking in the centre.

Top Places to Visit from Edinburgh by Car

• Rosslyn Chapel — about 8 miles south, in roughly 20 minutes. The chapel lies just south of the city, and it is an easy half-day trip that keeps the car out of the Low Emission Zone for most of the journey.
• North Berwick — about 26 miles east via the A1 and the A198, in roughly 45 minutes. The coastal town in East Lothian is home to the Scottish Seabird Centre, and Tantallon Castle and Dirleton Castle and Gardens lie along the same stretch of coast.
• Stirling — about 36 miles north-west via the M9, in roughly 45 to 50 minutes. The motorway is the fastest route, and the journey is easy to combine with a stop on the way back.
• St Andrews — about 50 miles north across the Forth, in roughly 1 hour 10 minutes. Leave on the A90 to South Queensferry, cross the Queensferry Crossing into Fife, and either follow the A92 or take the Fife Coastal Route through Elie, Anstruther and Crail. The town has the cathedral and castle ruins, West Sands Beach, the Botanic Garden and the British Golf Museum, and the University of St Andrews publishes a map of where to park.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Edinburgh?

Peak season: Demand is highest from July to August, when visitors drive to Fife and the Highlands, and around Christmas, Hogmanay and Easter. The Edinburgh festivals in August are especially busy, and the most popular vehicle classes are the first to go.

Shoulder season: May, June, September and October are steadier. Weekday availability is generally good, and the roads to Fife, East Lothian and Stirling are easier to plan around the weather.

Low season: January, February and the quieter weeks of November are the least busy. Winter hires suit city trips and business travel, but daylight is short, so plan longer drives for the middle of the day.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for the August festivals, Hogmanay and school holidays, and as soon as your dates are fixed for any hire that has to match a flight or a train arrival. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty if plans change.

Before you drive away: Photograph the vehicle thoroughly at collection and again at return, including all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior. Dated photographs give you a clear record of the condition you received, and they are the quickest way to settle any question about marks that were already there.

Fuel: Confirm the fuel type shown on your booking confirmation before you refuel, and ask at collection which fuel policy applies to your hire. Refuel before you set out on a long day trip so that you are not searching for a fuel station on the way.

How Payment Works for Car Hire in Edinburgh

Payment is made in two steps. A rental prepayment confirms your booking online, with Instant Confirmation from the supplier. You then pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival, when you collect the car.

The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk. Because the full rental amount is not charged at the time of booking, you keep flexibility if your plans change, and cancellation is free.

The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card at collection, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit. The amount is shown in your booking confirmation.

Car Hire Suppliers in Edinburgh

Car hire in Edinburgh is available through the following suppliers.

• Green Motion
• Surprice Mobility
• U-Save Car Rental

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Edinburgh

Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.

• Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
• Edinburgh Waverley Station