Car Hire Edinburgh Airport

Car Hire

Scotland’s busiest airport is less than six miles from Edinburgh, offering easy access into the UNESCO World Heritage city. Local buses and speedy dedicated airport buses take passengers between the airport and Edinburgh, which takes around 25 minutes. Still, the quickest way to reach the city and other locations nearby is with car rental in Edinburgh International Airport, with Edinburgh being a 20- to 30-minute drive east.

Who to Book With
Major car hire suppliers such as Alamo, National, Avis, Budget, Sixt and Enterprise are present at the airport. All suppliers can be found in the car rental centre just outside of the terminal building. This can be accessed by a covered walkway and is also where vehicles are picked-up and dropped off.

Need to Know Essentials
You will need to show the following documents at vehicle collection:

- Your current two-part driver’s licence
- The credit card used when making the reservation
- A document to confirm your ID
- Booking confirmation

For more info read our FAQ's.

Driving
Parking is not easy to find in Edinburgh and the parking wardens are very dedicated, with on-street parking being illegal in most areas of the city centre. Park and Ride facilities outside of the city centre provide the best parking. Traffic is very bad in the city centre, compared to that of London. Credit cards and debit cards can be used for payment at petrol stations, with all UK-based cards being accepted.

See our guide to the UK for more information on driving here.

Transport

Self-drive is a fast way for arriving passengers to travel from the airport to the city. Express airport buses take a little bit longer but run 24 hours, while cheaper local buses stop operating after 23:00. Private taxis, which are pricey, operate 24 hours.

Trains
There are no railway services at the airport, though combined bus and rail tickets can be purchased from vending machines near the UK arrivals area on the ground floor. Buses will take passengers to the Waverley Railway Station. From here, Scotrail trains run to Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness and Glasgow, while East Coast trains run to London and Virgin Trains head to Birmingham.

Taxis
Taxis at Edinburgh International Airport are provided by Onward Travel, Edinburgh City Private Hire and city Black Cabs and all have a separate rank.

Taxi prices:
Edinburgh International Airport to Edinburgh city centre is approximately £20.

Buses
Express Airlink buses to Edinburgh and other destinations can be met at stand 19 outside of the terminal building. The bus takes passengers from the airport to Waverley Bridge and leaves every 10 minutes between 04:35 and 00:22. The N22 Night Bus makes the same route, but leaves every 30 minutes, with the last bus leaving the airport at 03:47. A one-way trip on this bus service is about £3.50. Local Lothain Bus number 35 takes passengers from the airport through the city centre before terminating at Ocean Terminal in Leith. A one-day bus ticket for travel within Edinburgh can be purchased for around £3.50.

Facilities

Terminals
The two-level single terminal airport has an annual passenger throughput of over nine million, making it the sixth busiest airport in the UK. The airport operates flights to destinations all over Europe as well as seasonal services to Mexico, the USA, Tunisia and Egypt.

Parking
The airport has separate car parks for short-stay, long-stay and fast track parking. There are also valet parking services and porter services available. The long-term car park offers the cheapest rates at £12 per day, with a courtesy coach transporting passengers from the car park to the terminal. The short-stay car park offers daily parking rates at around £24, while the fast track car park is just a stone’s throw away from the terminal and daily rates are £28.

Wi-Fi
Boingo Wireless provides passengers with wireless internet access. There are also internet kiosks scattered throughout the terminal that accept online credit card payments or coins.

Information Services
There is an information desk at the international Arrivals area on the ground floor of the terminal.

Useful Numbers
Information Services: +44 844 481 8989

Accessibility
Passengers with reduced mobility who require assistance should notify the airline at least 48 hours before travel so that proper arrangements can be made. Passengers will be met by a Servisair representative upon leaving the aircraft, while passengers departing will be met at the terminal entrance. There are also help point phones (marked with yellow signs) at bus stops, taxi ranks, car parks and in the Arrivals hall.

Restaurants and Bars
It is not hard to find something to eat here, as there are four restaurants, with Yo! Sushi serving Japanese cuisine, and Thirmadors Seafood Bar featuring fine dining and champagne. The terminal also offers a British style pub, two coffee shops and five cafés, all of which provide take-away service.

VIP Lounges
British Airways Lounge
bmi Lounge
Servisair Lounge
Flybe Lounge

Money and ATMs
ATMs can be found all over the terminal and accept all UK bank cards as well as credit cards. Currency exchange kiosks can be found in the check-in area and international Arrivals on the ground floor, and near gates four and 10 on the first floor.

Shopping
Shopping is available all over the terminal, with the majority of shops being found on the first floor between gates 4 and 23. Here, everything from accessories to high-fashion can be had, in addition to a large World Duty Free store. Designer labels such as Hugo Boss and Kurt Geiger are present, while MAC stocks makeup. Body care products can be purchased at Jo Malone and other beauty essentials can be picked up at Boots. Liquorice Tree and Thinking Scotland specialise in Scottish souvenirs, while WH Smith provides passengers with reading material.