Rental car in Edinburgh

[calgal]

After a couple of days in Edinburgh, DH and I plan to rent a car to drive to the Highlands. Our current reservation has a pickup location at Waverly Station. Since we are not used to driving on the left side of the road, is there a better location for picking up the rental so we don't plunge directly into downtown traffic? Or am I overthinking this?

 

[CanuckTravlr]

I'm quite used to driving on the left from years in the UK and certain Caribbean islands, so it wouldn't bother me. I've driven in the centre of several UK cities, including London. Whether you are overthinking it probably depends upon at least a couple of factors:

1) Have you ever driven on the left before? If so, ever in a more urban environment?
2) Is your rental an automatic or a manual? And what category of car is it?
3) How familiar are you with UK traffic rules and road signs?

As to recommending alternate pick-up locations, knowing the name of your rental company and your hotel location would be helpful.

 

[alexb]

airport pick up is probably easier

 

[calgal]

I'm quite used to driving on the left from years in the UK and certain Caribbean islands, so it wouldn't bother me. I've driven in the centre of several UK cities, including London. Whether you are overthinking it probably depends upon at least a couple of factors:

1) Have you ever driven on the left before? If so, ever in a more urban environment?
2) Is your rental an automatic or a manual? And what category of car is it?
3) How familiar are you with UK traffic rules and road signs?

As to recommending alternate pick-up locations, knowing the name of your rental company and your hotel location would be helpful.

The Waverly station rental company is Alamo, but Enterprise has equivalent pricing at 12 Annandale St. The hotel is the Courtyard Edinburgh, kind of in between the two locations but closer to Annandale St. I don't have a rental car company preference, so it's more about convenience and location. My spouse will be driving and we did pick up in London and drive around England for a week 25 years ago. Quite a while ago, obviously. While he knows how to drive a stick, I am renting an automatic so he will not have as much to think about. Category of car tbd, ideally compact but I have a full size reserved right now.

 

[CanuckTravlr]

The Waverly station rental company is Alamo, but Enterprise has equivalent pricing at 12 Annandale St. The hotel is the Courtyard Edinburgh, kind of in between the two locations but closer to Annandale St. I don't have a rental car company preference, so it's more about convenience and location. My spouse will be driving and we did pick up in London and drive around England for a week 25 years ago. Quite a while ago, obviously. While he knows how to drive a stick, I am renting an automatic so he will not have as much to think about. Category of car tbd, ideally compact but I have a full size reserved right now.

OK, if he has driven there before, he will probably be OK, even if he's a little "rusty". Definitely confirm that your reservation is for an automatic. It's one less thing to think about, especially since he would be shifting with his left hand. I can drive stick, and have done it on the continent, but in the UK I insist on an automatic. A compact will be ideal.

A larger car can be "interesting" on some of the tighter, more rural roadways! On my last trip to England I had ordered a C-class Mercedes, but they were out of them and I was upgraded to an E-class. It was a beautiful car and fabulous on the motorways, but a bit more challenging on smaller roads, expecially on one rural road near Bath on the very first day, before I had fully gotten to know the car. There was a stone wall on one side and a large lorry coming at me on the other side! It was tight but fine, but a little nerve-wracking. And I'm a confident driver!!

Here is a link to the UK Government site that has a download for the various traffic signs. Most of them are pretty straight forward if you've driven internationally recently, but it's a good review or reminder. And keep an eye out for warning signs for speed cameras.

The Highway Code - Traffic signs - Guidance - GOV.UK

Traffic signs used, including signs giving orders, warning signs, direction signs, information signs and road works signs.

www.gov.uk

I think Enterprise might be simpler to use. Waverly Station is right in the heart of the city, and therefore more congested. It has been a while since I was last in Edinburgh, but here is a route suggestion that should avoid the worst of the central congestion in Edinburgh. I haven't used it myself, so you might want to run it by someone at the hotel or check it out on Google streetview.

The street outside your hotel, that Annandale also runs into, is the A900, you can take it from the rental place to your hotel and then follow the A900 to York Place (by St. Paul's and St. George's Church). Turn left onto York Place, which becomes Queen Street. It is a bit more residential and hopefully less busy. You can stay on that street to the very end at the Ainslie Place roundabout. Stay left onto Great Stuart Street and Randolph Crescent and it will take you to the A90 (Queensferry St.). Turn right and follow the A90 to the M90 and that will take you to the bridge over the Firth of Forth. You are now headed north on the M90 past Dunfermline and Perth towards the highlands.

Good luck and have fun. Scotland is beautiful.

 

[beejaybee]

When we got a timeshare exchange to Kilconquhar Castle in Fife, we flew into Edinburgh and rented an automatic vehicle that held all 6 of us.
We never drove into the city but took the train from Kirkcaldy there.
Even recently in the US on an exchange to Wyndham National Harbor, we chose to Uber into D.C.
There is stress to city driving even when it's on the side of the road we are used to.
If you are flying out of Edinburgh it might make more sense to rent the car from there. Also, be sure to document the condition of the car via photos when you pick it up and when you return it.

 

[calgal]

OK, if he has driven there before, he will probably be OK, even if he's a little "rusty". Definitely confirm that your reservation is for an automatic. It's one less thing to think about, especially since he would be shifting with his left hand. I can drive stick, and have done it on the continent, but in the UK I insist on an automatic. A compact will be ideal.

A larger car can be "interesting" on some of the tighter, more rural roadways! On my last trip to England I had ordered a C-class Mercedes, but they were out of them and I was upgraded to an E-class. It was a beautiful car and fabulous on the motorways, but a bit more challenging on smaller roads, expecially on one rural road near Bath on the very first day, before I had fully gotten to know the car. There was a stone wall on one side and a large lorry coming at me on the other side! It was tight but fine, but a little nerve-wracking. And I'm a confident driver!!

Here is a link to the UK Government site that has a download for the various traffic signs. Most of them are pretty straight forward if you've driven internationally recently, but it's a good review or reminder. And keep an eye out for warning signs for speed cameras.

The Highway Code - Traffic signs - Guidance - GOV.UK

Traffic signs used, including signs giving orders, warning signs, direction signs, information signs and road works signs.

www.gov.uk

I think Enterprise might be simpler to use. Waverly Station is right in the heart of the city, and therefore more congested. It has been a while since I was last in Edinburgh, but here is a route suggestion that should avoid the worst of the central congestion in Edinburgh. I haven't used it myself, so you might want to run it by someone at the hotel or check it out on Google streetview.

The street outside your hotel, that Annandale also runs into, is the A900, you can take it from the rental place to your hotel and then follow the A900 to York Place (by St. Paul's and St. George's Church). Turn left onto York Place, which becomes Queen Street. It is a bit more residential and hopefully less busy. You can stay on that street to the very end at the Ainslie Place roundabout. Stay left onto Great Stuart Street and Randolph Crescent and it will take you to the A90 (Queensferry St.). Turn right and follow the A90 to the M90 and that will take you to the bridge over the Firth of Forth. You are now headed north on the M90 past Dunfermline and Perth towards the highlands.

Good luck and have fun. Scotland is beautiful.

Wow, thank you for all that information. Much appreciated.

 

[calgal]

When we got a timeshare exchange to Kilconquhar Castle in Fife, we flew into Edinburgh and rented an automatic vehicle that held all 6 of us.
We never drove into the city but took the train from Kirkcaldy there.
Even recently in the US on an exchange to Wyndham National Harbor, we chose to Uber into D.C.
There is stress to city driving even when it's on the side of the road we are used to.
If you are flying out of Edinburgh it might make more sense to rent the car from there. Also, be sure to document the condition of the car via photos when you pick it up and when you return it.

 

[calgal]

Good points, thanks.

 

[dougp26364]

airport pick up is probably easier

You’d like to think, but in Edinburgh, the car hires aren’t necessarily at the airport.

We rented thru Thrifty “at the airport”. Turns out it was airport “pickup”. They sent a driver and car to pick us up, drive us across town and then proceeded to give us a car with an empty tank of gas.

My original plan was to pick the car up at the airport, spend one night at an airport hotel and get use to driving a right sided car in the parking lot before hitting the streets. It ended up as baptism by fire.

European car hires aren’t necessarily not necessarily what you’d expect when renting in the U.S. or Canada.

 

[dougp26364]

OK, if he has driven there before, he will probably be OK, even if he's a little "rusty". Definitely confirm that your reservation is for an automatic. It's one less thing to think about, especially since he would be shifting with his left hand. I can drive stick, and have done it on the continent, but in the UK I insist on an automatic. A compact will be ideal.

A larger car can be "interesting" on some of the tighter, more rural roadways! On my last trip to England I had ordered a C-class Mercedes, but they were out of them and I was upgraded to an E-class. It was a beautiful car and fabulous on the motorways, but a bit more challenging on smaller roads, expecially on one rural road near Bath on the very first day, before I had fully gotten to know the car. There was a stone wall on one side and a large lorry coming at me on the other side! It was tight but fine, but a little nerve-wracking. And I'm a confident driver!!

Tell me about it. In Ireland I “closed” the passengers side rear view mirror a few times using a passing cars rear view mirror. I felt bad about it until I noticed many cars had multiple paint spots on the rear view mirrors…….if their car even still had the mirror attached.

Once I figured out I had paid for ALL the extra insurance I could buy, I became a little more aggressive in my driving. I was tired of being bullied off the roads. That’s when I learned the finger is a universal sign.

BTW, there is a huge difference between driving in Scotland and driving in Ireland. I’d gladly drive in Scotland again but I’m not so certain I’ll ever get behind the wheel in Ireland again. I found the roadways in Scotland more manageable than the narrow winding roads we traversed in Ireland.

 

[WinniWoman]

When we were there way back when we picked up at Hertz at the airport and took out all the insurance. We rented an automatic, standard sedan. My husband drove but it was hard for him to relax during the week there driving on the left side, the hedge rows, the rotataries, the single lane, two way country roads, not knowing where we were going? etc.

We stayed on the Isle of Fife, but when we went into Edinburgh we hired a driver to take us. We also wanted to hire him to go to the Highlands, but he wouldn’t do it unless there was another family to contribute to the fare since it was a long trip, so we never got to go.

 

[alexb]

they have lots of average speed cameras in scotland which are yellow posts with cameras on them they measure your speed between the cameras .
There are lots of them on a9 going to Inverness .
They also have cameras on streets in Edinburgh which are not so easy to spot