Parking in Edinburgh – The Ultimate Guide

Parking in Edinburgh city centre can be a bit of a challenge. With its narrow closes, curving streets, and charming cobblestones, Edinburgh isn’t a city built for cars—but we can help you find a parking space nevertheless!

Read on for an in-depth guide to everything you need to know about parking in Edinburgh: from an overview of Edinburgh Council on-street parking zones and free parking in Edinburgh to information on multi-storey parking garages, park & rides, and essential Edinburgh parking apps.

How much does it cost to park in central Edinburgh?

The price of parking in central Edinburgh varies between areas.

If you are a resident of Edinburgh, the cheapest option is to apply for a residents’ or a priority parking permit from Edinburgh Council.

If you want to find parking in the city centre during a short trip to Edinburgh between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. (Monday to Saturday) or 12:30 p.m and 6:30 p.m. (Sunday), it will be cheaper to park at a multi-storey car park than in an on-street pay and display parking bay.

To understand parking and traffic signs in the United Kingdom, find more information on the British Parking Association’s website.

Map of parking zones in Edinburgh

Free parking in Edinburgh

You can enjoy free on-street parking outside the controlled hours, as shown on the parking signage in Edinburgh. If you want to find free parking without time restrictions in Edinburgh, you can park in the areas outside the ‘Controlled Parking Zone.’ For example, the following areas offer unrestricted free on-street parking in Edinburgh:

• Trinity
• Corstorphine
• Slateford
• Craiglockhart
• Blackhall
• Silverknowes
• Davidson’s Mains
• Newhaven
• Gilmerton

If you are planning a shopping day in Edinburgh, you can enjoy safe and free parking for various time limits in the following shopping centres or retail parks in Edinburgh. Disabled parking bays are available for holders of disabled permits. Remember to check the sign for the time limit when you park.

• Meadowbank Shopping Centre – 8 Moray Park Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5TN
• Cameron Toll Shopping Centre –  6 Lady Rd, Edinburgh EH16 5PB
• Craigleith Retail Park – S Groathill Ave, Edinburgh EH4 2LN
• Fort Kinnaird – 32, Fleming House, Newcraighall, Edinburgh EH15 3RD
• Westside Plaza Shopping Centre – Wester Hailes Rd, Edinburgh EH14 2SW
• Gyle Shopping Centre – Gyle Ave, Edinburgh EH12 9JY
• Ocean Terminal – 74 Ocean Dr, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ
• Hermiston Gait Retail Park – Hermiston Gait Edinburgh, EH11 4DF

On-street pay and display parking in Edinburgh city centre – Edinburgh Council parking

In Scotland, the local authority is responsible for the management of parking and traffic. On-street parking bays are managed and monitored by Edinburgh City Council.

If you are a resident of Edinburgh, you can apply for a residents’ or priority parking permit online with Edinburgh Council’s new service—NSL Apply. You can also apply for a visitor parking permit if you live in a ‘Controlled Parking Zone’—this includes Zones 1 to 4, Zones 5 to 8, N1 to N5, S1 to S4 and Priority Parking Areas (PPA) B1 to B10. You can check which zone you are in by using Edinburgh Council’s parking permit zones map. If you have any questions while applying for a parking permit, email Edinburgh Council in the first instance at residentsparking@edinburgh.gov.uk.

If you are visiting Edinburgh, you will need to find a pay and display parking bay to park your car. Here is an example of on-street parking signage in Edinburgh city centre:

On-street parking in Edinburgh is a convenient short-term option. Remember to check time plates, as some areas have restricted hours and maximum stay times. Time plates will feature an arrow pointing toward the ticket machines. Some parking spaces may also be marked for the use of permit-holding residents only. Remember to read all signs carefully and check the times in which you are able to park in the area to avoid getting a parking ticket from Edinburgh Council.

You can pay for your parking space by using either coins at the ticket machine or the RingGo app, which is a cashless payment service that can be downloaded onto your phone. RingGo zone numbers will be visible on the parking time plates or on the ticket machines.

On-street parking is free on the following holidays:
– Christmas Day
– Boxing Day
– New Year’s Day
– Easter Monday

You will find parking zone maps, tariffs, and time information in relation to Greatbase locations below. For a larger map of parking bays across Edinburgh, see this interactive map on the Edinburgh Council website. This map will also allow you to search for accessible parking spaces and motorcycle parking bays around Edinburgh. If you have any questions, you can contact the Parking Service of Edinburgh Council at +44 131 469 5400 or email your enquiries to parking@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Parking in Edinburgh City centre – including Old Town and Canongate

This is the surrounding area if you are staying at our William Street, Cambridge Street, Castle Terrace, Ramsay Gardens, Holyrood or Royal Mile locations.

Parking tariff: £4.90/hr
Monday – Saturday 8:30 am – 6:30 pm
Sunday 12:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Major streets & areas:
– Old Town & East Market Street
– Stafford Street & Melville Street area
– Morrison Street to Shandwick Place

Parking in Edinburgh New Town & Waverley Train Station – between Queen Street and the Royal Mile

This is part of the surrounding area if you are staying at Royal Mile Mansions. It also includes our South Charlotte Street apartment, which comes with a free private parking space.

Parking tariff: £5.60/hr
Monday – Saturday 8:30 am – 6:30 pm
Sunday 12:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Major streets & areas:
– George Street & Queen Street
– St Andrew Square
– Charlotte Square
– Market Street
– Cockburn Street

Parking in Heriot Row & Moray Place – New Town

This is the surrounding area if you are staying at Moray Place Major, Heriot Row or Albany Street.

Parking tariff: £4.10/hr
Monday – Saturday 8:30 am – 6:30 pm
Sunday 12:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Major streets & areas:
– Heriot Row
– Moray Place
– Albany Street

Parking in North New Town – Northumberland St to St Stephen St

This is the surrounding area if you are staying at our Albany Lane, Cumberland Street, Drummond Place, Dundas Street, Jamaica St Lane, Royal Circus, or Circus Lane apartments.

Parking tariff: £3.70/hr
Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Parking in this zone is free on weekends.
Major streets & areas:
– Broughton Street
– Dundas Street & Howe Street
– Royal Crescent

Parking in Stockbridge & Canonmills

This is the surrounding area if you are staying at Cheyne Street or Dean Park Mews. In the immediate areas around these two flats, the parking tariff is £2.50 for the same times Monday – Friday.

Parking tariff: £3.10/hr
Monday – Friday 8:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Parking in this zone is free on weekends.
Major streets & areas:
– Stockbridge
– Henderson Row
– Eyre Place

Cheap parking in Edinburgh city centre – Multi-storey car parks

Multi-storey car parks in Edinburgh are a relatively cheaper option compared to the on-street pay and display parking bays managed by the council. There are several multi-storey car parks available for convenient and secure access to attractions and events when parking in Edinburgh city centre.

Park and Ride

If you plan to explore Edinburgh on foot, the cheapest way to park is to leave your car at one of the seven free car parks below and get to your Greatbase apartment in the city centre by bus, tram, or train. Be sure to check the Lothian Buses, Scotrail and Edinburgh Tram websites for the latest routes and timetables.

From the east

From the west

From the south

From the north

Edinburgh Airport Long-stay Airpark

Our guests can enjoy discounted pricing on long-stay parking near Edinburgh Airport, thanks to our partnership with Airport Park and Ride. 

This is available at the Secure Airparks car park – separate from the Edinburgh Airport long-stay car park. The rate are as follows:

2 days = £29.44

3 days = £34.20

7 days = £48.44

10 days = £55.09

For customers who wish to fly to another city, or take public transport to the city centre, there is a shuttle service between the Airpark and Edinburgh Airport which takes only two minutes and operates 24/7.

You can click here to book parking at Airport Park and Ride in Edinburgh.

Parking Apps in the UK

RingGo

This top-rated parking app allows you to pay for parking sessions using contactless credit or debit card payment through your phone. Once you have created an account, the app will remember your payment details and vehicle registration number. It will also suggest nearby and recently-used car parks, along with information on how busy each car park is at the current moment.

This app is especially convenient if you do not carry cash on your person, or if you would like to extend a parking session without running out to your car. Download the app here.

AppyParking

This comprehensive parking app helps you navigate to the best parking spot near your destination. It links your parking payment information to the correct provider and calculates your total journey time, including walking from your parking spot. It also shows you the total amount of time you can park and the cost of parking on one screen. Download the app here.

Other Useful Resources for Parking in Edinburgh City Centre

Parkopedia

Parkopedia’s’ interactive map identifies parking zones defined by Edinburgh Council and allows you to refine your search for a spot by filtering for the required duration of parking, proximity to your street, price, and type of parking space. Directions to parking and real-time availability data (where possible) are also provided. Users can also access this service from the Parkopedia app.

JustPark

JustPark provides listings of pre-bookable parking spaces leased by property owners or managers to drivers. It doesn’t include an interactive map, but offers more comprehensive filters than Parkopedia for the type of space required on the JustPark app.

About Greatbase Apartments

We provide luxury self-catering accommodation in the heart of Edinburgh, perfect for holidays, business, festivals, and those traveling for a relocation. Our properties are hand-picked for character and quality, and are perfectly positioned for shopping in the lively New Town or exploring the winding streets of the historic Old Town.

Explore our properties here.

Greatbase can also help to manage short- or long-term lets for your Edinburgh flat. Please get in touch with us here to learn more.