Car Hire Edinburgh

Edinburgh Airport is the main hub for car hire. All the major operators are on-site or a short shuttle away: Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, Europcar, Thrifty and Arnold Clark all have desks at or near the terminal. Prices tend to be competitive at the airport and you can walk straight to the car – no transfer needed for most operators.

City centre hire desks exist too, particularly around Waverley Station and on Picardy Place. Enterprise, Avis and Arnold Clark all have city branches. Useful if you don’t need the car until after you arrive and settle in, and it avoids driving in from the airport in an unfamiliar vehicle.

Pre-book online – always. Walk-up rates at car hire desks are significantly higher than advance online prices, especially in summer. Use comparison sites (Kayak, Rentalcars.com) to compare across operators. Arnold Clark, the Scottish car dealer chain, often undercuts the multinationals on price for Scotland-based rentals and has a large local fleet. Check what’s included in the rate – particularly insurance excess, which can be eye-watering. Consider a separate excess waiver policy if the included excess is high.

The UK drives on the left and most hire cars are manual. If you need an automatic, book it specifically and book it early – automatics are a smaller proportion of most UK fleets and they go fast in tourist season.

If you’re heading to the Highlands or islands, be aware that single-track roads with passing places are normal outside the main A-roads. You’re expected to use passing places correctly (pull in to let oncoming traffic pass, or to let faster vehicles behind overtake). It’s not intimidating once you’re used to it but can surprise drivers who’ve never encountered it.

Fuel: petrol and diesel stations thin out considerably in rural areas. Fill up when you see a garage in the Cairngorms, Skye or the far north – the next one may be 30 miles away. Most hire cars run on petrol or diesel; electric and hybrid options are available from some operators at Edinburgh Airport but availability varies.

For shorter Edinburgh-based use, Co-wheels operates a car club in Edinburgh – pay by the hour, cars parked around the city, no need for a hire desk. Useful for the odd day trip without the faff of a full hire. Enterprise CarShare has also had a presence in the city. These make more sense for residents or extended visitors than for short-term tourists.