Parking in Edinburgh

As with any major city, parking in Edinburgh can be expensive and difficult to find.

Park and Ride

To discourage people from taking their cars into the city centre, there are 7 Park & Ride facilities in and around Edinburgh: Ingliston, Hermiston, Straiton, Sheriffhall, Wallyford, Newcraighall and Ferrytoll.

Parking at these sites is free except for Newcraighall where it costs 50 pence per day. During peak hours, buses depart for the city centre every 10 minutes.

Street/Metered Parking

Edinburgh is split into 2 two main parking zones with a further extended (outer) zone.

The original zone is called the Central Controlled Parking Zone which covers the city centre and has parking restrictions from 08.30 to 18.30 Monday to Saturday. Between those hours you have to purchase a ticket to park in a pay and display bay and you cannot park where there are further restrictions such as residents' bays and yellow lines.

The areas outside the Central Controlled Parking Zone are called the Peripheral Parking Zone and the Outer Zone and their operating hours are from 08.30 to 17.30 Monday to Friday. Please note on some streets there are also restrictions between 08.00 and 13.30 on Saturdays.

In the Controlled Parking Zones all kerbsides are marked out as either a parking bays (residents, pay and display, shared etc) or by yellow line parking restrictions.

The hours of control and the days on which they apply for each zone are shown on large Zone Entry signs which are placed on all roads at the entrance to a zone. The hours of control are also shown on the Pay and Display Machines within the zone.

Motorcycle Parking

Motorcycles, without side cars, can park free of charge in one of around 120 dedicated parking places within the city centre. These spaces are marked with a 'Solo M/Cs Only' road legend. You can also park in pay and display places once you purchase parking time.

In the Extended Zones (N1-N5 and S1-S4), you can park free of charge in pay and display or shared use parking places.

Source: www.edinburgh.gov.uk