The Ultimate Guide to Parking in Edinburgh

Like any town or city built thousands of years ago, parking in Edinburgh is certainly no joy. Public transport in the capital is some of the best in the UK, and visitors and locals are encouraged to catch a bus, tram, or train into the city. But if you must bring your car into Edinburgh, the different areas around the capital have different rules and regulations, so make sure to check out the signs.

Edinburgh Airport offers a wide range of options for visitors and travellers, and choosing the right one could save you a pretty penny! Our guide will describe the differences and let you decide on the best option.

And, of course, check the signs and the rules! Don’t get caught out. Our traffic wardens are a special breed of eagle-eyed enforcers!

Updated: September 2026

Whether you need an on-street bay for a few hours, a secure city centre car park for the whole day, or the cheapest way in via park and ride, this guide covers Edinburgh parking end to end: tariffs and zones, payment apps, EV charging, Blue Badge rules, airport options and how to avoid fines – including the Low Emission Zone.

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Parking Guide Edinburgh

Short on time? Here is the at-a-glance summary of every parking option in the city, from on-street bays to multi-storey car parks and park and ride, with typical 2026 parking prices. Rates, zones and tips follow below.

Park and Ride in Edinburgh

The best way to get into the centre for shopping and work is actually to leave the car and use public transport to get into town.

This may mean leaving the car at home or your hotel or using one of the park-and-ride facilities on the outskirts of the city.

The concept is simple.

Park at one of the seven free car parks listed below and hop on a bus, tram or train into the town.

You can read our guide to Edinburgh Bus Station here.

Note: We refer to parking lots or garages as car parks.

• Ingliston (Tram, Skylink 200, 300, 400)
• Hermiston (Lothian 25, X25, 34, 35, 24, N25, N34)
• Newcraighall (Scotrail)
• Ferrytoll (Various Stagecoach Services from Fife, Dundee and the North)
• Sheriffhall (Lothian 33, 49)
• Straiton (Lothian X37, 47, X47, 67)
• Wallyford (Lothian 44, 44A, N44 & Scotrail)

Parking at the Lothian park and ride sites is free – you only pay the bus or tram fare. From Ingliston, the tram takes about 20 minutes into the centre and a return ticket costs around £3; from Newcraighall, the train reaches Waverley in roughly five minutes. Paying bus fares by contactless caps your daily spend, which makes park and ride the best-value way to park in Edinburgh city centre for a whole day.

Paying for Parking in Edinburgh

On-street parking is generally paid for throughout the city.

There are traditional meters that you pay using coins.

A ticket will print, and it should be stuck in your windscreen.

You can also use the RingGo app (Google Play | Apple), which has the added benefit of extending your parking if it is about to expire.

You can also use a card to pay for the parking cost.

From May 2025 the council began replacing older cash-only machines with around 80 new contactless ticket machines across the city. When paying by phone with RingGo, enter the zone number shown on the nearest sign – you can also pay by calling 0131 516 4000.

→ Fun fact: some tour guides say that J.K. Rowling paid for parking at a city meter when she was writing her final book. This, however, is confirmed as total fiction. Check out our guide to the top Harry Potter spots in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Parking Tariffs and Zones

On-street parking runs on a zonal tariff system set by the council. The April 2025 tariffs are below – always check the ticket machine for the exact rate on your street, remember the maximum stay (usually four hours in the centre), and never feed the meter to extend your time.

Central zones (1, 1A, 2, 3 and 4) are charged Monday to Saturday, 8:30am to 6:30pm, and Sunday, 12:30pm to 6:30pm. Peripheral zones (5, 5A, 6, 7 and 8) and Extended zones (prefixed N or S) are charged Monday to Friday only, 8:30am to 5:30pm – so evenings and weekends cost nothing. Main traffic routes have their own hours, and South Queensferry is charged Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5:30pm.

Parking in Edinburgh City Centre

In general, parking in Edinburgh’s City Centre is the most expensive.

Edinburgh’s City Centre was never designed to accommodate cars, which is reflected in its parking provisions.

The general rule of thumb is that parking in the City Centre is expensive and for a short period.

Most parking meters will only allow you to buy a maximum of 4 hours of parking, and it is illegal to ‘feed the meter’ to extend your stay.

If you can find a rare parking space, parking on central streets such as George Street, Queen Street and Market Street will cost you the most – £9.00 per hour under the April 2025 tariff.

A cheaper option is to park on London Road, which is about a 10-minute walk from Waverley Station.

You can see today’s rates at Parkopedia.

City Centre Car Parks in Edinburgh

Multi-storey car parks cost more per hour than a park and ride, but they save time when you are staying right in the centre. The main options, all within a short walk of Princes Street, Waverley station and the Royal Mile:

• Westfield St James Quarter (Care Park, St James Place, EH1 3BP) – the newest purpose-built car park, attached to the shopping centre and open 24/7 on a fully cashless basis. Tariffs run from £4.20 for the first hour up to £28.20 for 8-24 hours, with entrances from St James Place and Leith Street.
• Q-Park OMNI (Greenside Row, EH1 3AN) – 1,000 spaces under the OMNI Centre and the Playhouse, open 24/7 with CCTV, 20 electric vehicle charging points, nine disabled bays and a 2.0m height restriction. Waverley train station is a six-minute walk.
• NCP Castle Terrace – 750 spaces and the closest car park to Edinburgh Castle; pre-book through the NCP app for the best rate, and season tickets are available if you park there regularly. NCP also runs Holyrood Road (297 spaces) near the Parliament and the small Grindlay Street Court (16 spaces).
• Britannia Parking at Edinburgh Quay – a bookable option at the western edge of the centre.
• Quartermile – south of the Meadows, handy for South Side hotels.

EV Charging and Blue Badge Parking

Driving an electric vehicle? Q-Park OMNI has 20 charging points, and charge points keep appearing across Edinburgh car parks – check the operator’s app before you travel.

Blue Badge holders do not pay the on-street tariffs; the council’s Blue Badge pages explain where and how long you can park. Off-street, Q-Park OMNI has nine disabled bays and the major multi-storeys all provide accessible spaces.

Parking for Edinburgh Castle

The easiest way to visit Edinburgh Castle is to park and take public transport to the centre.

You can park at one of the Park and Ride facilities on the outskirts and take the bus or tram into the town.

Any bus or tram to Princes Street is suitable for castle visits.

Buses that take you to North Bridge will bring you even closer.

The closest car park to the Castle is NCP Castle Terrace, which you can pay for via their app or at the car park.

Free Parking in Edinburgh

Parking in Edinburgh is free on Sundays before 12:30 and on the following holidays:

• Christmas Day
• Boxing Day
• New Year’s Day
• Easter Monday

Parking is likely to be busy on these days, so it is best to avoid street parking in Edinburgh if possible.

Parking in central zones (generally the City Centre and West End) is free between 18.30 and 6.30 Monday through Saturday.

Parking in Peripheral and Extended Zones (such as Bruntsfield, Marchmont, and the New Town) is charged Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm only – so it is free every evening from 5:30pm and all day at weekends.

Always check the parking information signs, as parking zones, prices, and times vary from street to street.

Avoiding Parking Fines in Edinburgh

Two separate systems catch drivers out in Edinburgh: parking enforcement and the Low Emission Zone (LEZ).

The LEZ has been enforced 24/7 since 1 June 2024 across the city centre. Petrol cars must meet Euro 4 (roughly registered from 2006) and diesel cars Euro 6 (roughly from September 2015). There is no daily charge to pay – non-compliant vehicles are simply fined: £60, halved to £30 if paid within 14 days, doubling for each repeat breach within 90 days up to a £480 cap. Motorcycles and Blue Badge-exempt vehicles are not affected.

Parking tickets (PCNs) come from warden patrols and CCTV enforcement for overstaying the maximum stay, feeding the meter, parking on single or double yellow lines, or using permit-holder bays in residential controlled parking zones without a resident’s permit. Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time; single yellows follow the zone’s hours of restriction. When in doubt, read the zone entry signs – they state the rules, hours and prices for every street.

Parking in Leith

The good news is that, beyond the centre, parking is often free in Edinburgh.

The bad news is that because it’s free, it can be tricky to find a parking space sometimes in neighbourhoods such as Leith’s Shore and then you need to pay for public transport to get into the City Centre.

Local tip: Weigh up saving money on parking with the time it takes to get to the intended location before deciding on a plan.

Just Park Edinburgh

Just Park is a UK-based parking app that lets you choose a space, review the price, and pay for it with your credit card.

Driveway renters can make from £400 a month renting their space to the app.

The app has photos, and users leave reviews for each parking space.

Parkopedia is another pre-book parking app.

Parking at Edinburgh Airport

There are many options to consider if you’re jetting off on your holidays from Edinburgh Airport or are picking up a friend or family member.

Long-stay parking is always much cheaper if you book in advance, so make sure to do this before you arrive at the terminal to avoid hefty price increases.

Alternatively, consider the popular Airlink bus and let someone else drive.

You might also like our guide – best ways to get to and from Edinburgh Airport.

Pick Up and Drop Off

If you’re just dropping off or picking up, make sure you head toward the clearly signed short-stay car parks.

Both car parks are pretty pricey, so keep an eye on arrivals and only head to the airport when necessary.

Don’t pay to wait around!

To exit, present your card at the exit barrier.

Cheap Parking at Edinburgh Airport

The Plane Parking car park is the cheapest parking option for travellers heading on a flight from Edinburgh, but it’s also the least convenient.

Plane Parking is the budget version of long-stay parking at Edinburgh Airport.

Park your car and keep your keys.

Then, wait for the free, 24-hour shuttle bus to ferry you to the terminal.

This takes about ten minutes.

The Most Convenient Airport Parking – Multi-Storey

For the most convenient experience, the multi-storey is your best option.

For relatively short stay parking at Edinburgh airport, leaving your car at the multi-storey is simplest.

Simply park up and walk the 1-minute walk straight to security.

(Yes, they’ve built a bridge so you can bypass check-in if you’ve already got your boarding pass and only have hand luggage.)

This option isn’t cheap, though.

Valet Parking at Edinburgh Airport

Want to drop your car off and stroll into the terminal?

FastPark is a great option for travellers with a lot of luggage who don’t want to take a shuttle bus to the terminal.

Drive into the FastPark booth, and the 360º cameras will photograph your car. Then, drop your keys off and walk the one-minute journey to the terminal.

Insider Tip

If you have an early flight, why not drop your car off early, book into an airport hotel, and then take public transport into the city?

That way, you can enjoy your last day in Scotland’s capital stress-free, returning to your airport hotel for some sleep before heading to departures to fly home!

If the above sounds like a nightmare, Edinburgh has many bus tours where someone else drives.

Scotland has a decent transport system if you are happy to negotiate with bus and train schedules.

Edinburgh Parking: FAQ

Where is the cheapest place to park in Edinburgh city centre for a whole day?

The cheapest is a park and ride: parking is free and you only pay the bus or tram fare (around £3 return from Ingliston). If you must park in the centre, St James Quarter charges a flat £28.20 for 8-24 hours, while on-street bays cost up to £9.00 per hour with a maximum stay of around four hours – so they rarely suit a full day.

Is parking free in Edinburgh on Sundays?

In central zones, yes before 12:30pm – charges then apply from 12:30pm to 6:30pm, so Sunday afternoon parking in the centre is not free. In peripheral and extended zones it is free all day Sunday (and all day Saturday), and the public holidays listed above are free citywide.

How do I pay for on-street parking in Edinburgh?

At the ticket machine with coins or contactless card, or with the RingGo app – the zone number is printed on the nearby signs. RingGo also takes payment by phone on 0131 516 4000 and lets you extend a session remotely.

Can I drive an older diesel into Edinburgh city centre?

Check first. The Low Emission Zone requires Euro 6 diesels (roughly registered from September 2015) and Euro 4 petrol cars (from around 2006). Non-compliant vehicles face a £60 penalty, reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days, and it doubles for repeat breaches within 90 days.

Where should I park for Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile?

NCP Castle Terrace (750 spaces) is the closest car park to the castle – pre-book through the NCP app. Q-Park OMNI is a short walk from the Royal Mile end and open 24/7. On-street bays around the Old Town cost £8.00-£9.00 per hour with maximum stay limits, so for a long visit a multi-storey usually works out cheaper.