This page was last updated in November 2023
Free and Paid Parking in Edinburgh
Table of Contents
Free Residential Streetside Parking
One of the best ways to park for free in a city is to know which residential streets are unrestricted. This is easier said than done for a place that you’re not familiar with. Below we’ve made lists of all of the unrestricted residential streets in Edinburgh, including postcodes and walking distances to the geographical centre of the city.
North
North residential streets are good to park in if you’re looking to visit the Royal Botanic Garden. When you get to the city centre, you will enter via the New Town.
• Iona Street EH6 8SF – 0.9 miles
• Murano Place EH7 5HH – 0.9 miles
• Spey Street Lane EH7 4PZ – 0.9 miles
• Spey Terrace EH7 4PX – 0.9 miles
• Dryden Street EH7 4PT – 1 mile
• Dryden Gait EH7 4QR – 1 mile
• Redbraes Place EH7 4LL – 1.3 miles
• Warriston Road EH7 4HW – 1.5 miles
• Ferry Road EH5 3AD – 1.6 miles
• Bangholm Place EH5 3EA – 1.7 miles
• Bangholm Grove EH5 3AQ – 1.7 miles
• Bangholm Road EH5 3AZ – 1.8 miles
• Wardie Road EH5 3QD – 1.8 miles
• Wardie Avenue EH5 2AB – 1.9 miles
• Clark Road EH5 3BG – 1.9 miles
• Arboretum Road EH3 5PN – 1.9 miles
• Rosebank Road EH5 3QW – 1.9 miles
The following roads are more north-easterly than the others, and a further walk from the city centre. They are more handy for the Western General Hospital and Craigleith Retail Park.
• Davidson Road EH4 2PE – 2.4 miles
• Davidson Park EH4 2PF – 2.4 miles
• Kimmerghame Place EH4 2GE – 2.5 miles
• Grigor Avenue EH4 2PQ – 2.6 miles
• Grigor Drive EH4 2PJ – 2.6 miles
• Telford Drive EH4 2NQ – 2.7 miles
• Easter Drylaw Bank EH4 2QL – 2.9 miles
• Easter Drylaw Avenue EH4 2QZ – 2.9 miles
• Easter Drylaw View EH4 2QP – 3 miles
East
The residential streets to the east of Edinburgh are handy for green spaces like Holyrood Park, London Road Gardens, and Calton Hill. Walking into the centre will take you past the Scottish parliament building and the Burns Monument, and the Museum of Edinburgh. You will end up near Edinburgh Waverley train station and the Scott’s Monument area of the city centre.
• Lyne Street EH7 5DN – 0.8 miles
• Abbey Street EH7 5XN – 0.9 miles
• Lady Menzies Place EH7 5BE – 0.9 miles
• Maryfield Place EH7 5AU – 0.9 miles
• Waverley Place EH7 5RZ – 0.9 miles
• Regent Place EH7 5BG – 0.9 miles
• Salmond Place EH7 5ST – 0.9 miles
• Tytler Gardens EH8 8HQ – 0.9 miles
• Milton Street EH8 8HA – 0.9 miles
• Waverley Park EH8 8EU – 1 mile
South
Parking in a southerly direction will put you near Holyrood Park and the University of Edinburgh. You will walk past the Surgeons Hall Museum and the National Museum of Scotland before getting to the Old Town and Edinburgh Castle.
• Marchhall Crescent EH16 5HL – 1.7 miles
• Marchhall Road EH16 5HR – 1.7 miles
• Kirkhill Gardens EH16 5DF – 1.9 miles
• Kirkhill Terrace EH16 5DQ – 1.9 miles
• Macdowall Road EH9 3ED – 1.9 miles
• Savile Place EH9 3EB – 1.9 miles
• Priestfield Road EH16 5HX – 2 miles
The next list of streets are further south from the city centre. However, you will be nearer the University of Edinburgh’s Kings Buildings, the Royal Observatory, Hermitage of Braid, and Cameron Toll Shopping Centre.
• Lussielaw Road EH9 3BX – 2 miles
• Langton Road EH9 3BP – 2.1 miles
• Lygon Road EH16 5QA – 2.2 miles
• Rankin Avenue EH9 3DB – 2.2 miles
• Rankin Drive EH9 3DJ – 2.2 miles
• Ladysmith Road EH9 3EU – 2.4 miles
• Blackford Hill Rise EH9 3HB – 2.5 miles
• Observatory Road EH9 3HG – 2.5 miles
• Midmar Gardens EH10 6DZ – 2.7 miles
West
Parking in westerly streets will put you closer to Edinburgh Zoo, Murrayfield Stadium, and the walk into the city centre will take you past the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
• Sauchiebank EH11 2NN – 2 miles
• Craigleith Crescent EH4 3JL – 2.5 miles
• Ashley Drive EH11 1RN – 2.6 miles
When you park in residential streets, be sure not to park over driveways or entrances, and keep junctions clear. Don’t park on double-yellow lines, and keep noise to a minimum out of courtesy to residents. Remember that you leave your vehicle on unrestricted streets at your own risk, and always check for signs that restrict parking at certain times.
Free Overnight & Weekend Parking in Edinburgh
- Forth Street EH1 3LD – free 6:30pm-8:30am Monday-Saturday, free all day Sunday
- Gayfield Street EH1 3NR – free 5:30pm-8:30am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday
- Dalmeny Street EH6 8RA – overnight parking permitted
- Henderson Place Lane EH3 5DG – free 5:30pm-8:30am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday
- Albany Street EH1 3PY – free 6:30pm-8:30am Sunday-Friday 6:30pm Saturday-midday Sunday
- East London Street EH7 4BN – free 5:30pm-8:30am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday
- Great King Street EH3 6RN – free 5:30pm-8:30am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday
- Ravelston Dykes EH4 3ED – overnight parking permitted
- Chester Street EH3 7RF – free 6:30pm-8:30am Monday-Saturday, free all day Sunday
- Merchiston Park EH10 4PW – free 5:30pm-8:30am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday
Park & Ride Services in Edinburgh
An easier way to get to the centre of Edinburgh is by using one of the 7 Park & Rides that service the city. Parking at these sites are free, or very cheap, and you won’t have to drive in city traffic, pay a lot to park in the car parks, or look for an unrestricted parking spot. The buses, trains, and trams come regularly, making it a convenient way to get into town.
- Ferrytoll Park & Ride KY11 1LN (north) – 1040 spaces, 37 disabled spaces, free parking (including overnight), bus links
- Newcraighall Park & Ride EH21 8SG (east) – 565 spaces, 30 disabled spaces, 50p for 24 hours of parking, connects to rail and bus services
- Wallyford Park & Ride EH21 8BU (east) – 300 spaces, 13 disabled spaces, free parking, Lothian Buses link
- Sheriffhall Park & Ride EH22 1FD (south) – 561 spaces, 15 disabled spaces, free parking (including overnight), bus links with Lothian Buses
- Straiton Park & Ride EH20 9NP (south) – 600 spaces, 37 disabled spaces, free parking (including overnight), bus links with Lothian Buses
- Ingliston Park & Ride EH28 8LS (west) – 1085 spaces, 46 disabled spaces, free parking, Lothian 300 bus service and Edinburgh Tram – adult day ticket £4.50 child day ticket £2.20 family day ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) £7.50
- Hermiston Park & Ride EH14 4AT (west) – 450 spaces, 11 disabled spaces, free parking (including overnight), bus links with Lothian buses
The Lothian Buses fares are:
- Adult day ticket: £5.00
- Child day ticket: £2.50
- Family day ticket (for 2 adults and up to 3 children): £10.50
Cheapest Paid Parking Options in Edinburgh
If you would prefer the security and convenience of a paid car park, it can be tricky to find an affordable one in Edinburgh city centre. Below are the cheapest options we were able to find within a walking distance of the city centre:
- Scottish Widows EH3 8BL – £4.50 for 2 hours
- Dynamic Earth EH8 8AS – £5.50 for 2 hours
- OMNI EH1 3AN – £6.60 for 2 hours
- Distillery Lane EH11 2BQ – £2.80 for 2 hours
- Calton Road EH1 3EG – £5.50 for 2 hours
Edinburgh is a beautiful, timeless city that is definitely worth visiting. We hope the information on this page helps to make your trip smoother by helping you find a free parking space with ease.
2 Hours Free Parking/Customers Only
One often-overlooked way of scoring up to two or three hours free parking is looking for commercial properties, retail parks, small shopping centres etc., that offer free parking to customers only. You could park, go about your business, then make a small purchase (less than what you would have paid for parking), and be on your way. You can look for free* customer-only parking at:
- Tesco Superstore EH7 4EW
- Dynamic Earth EH8 8AS
- Q-Park OMNI EH1 3AN
- Distillery Lane EH11 2BQ
- Calton Road Parking EH1 3EG
Free and Paid Parking Near Popular Edinburgh Locations
Free Parking near Edinburgh Castle
Free Parking near Edinburgh Waverley Train Station & Scott’s Monument
Free Parking near Edinburgh Zoo
Free Parking near Royal Botanic Garden
Free Parking near Holyrood Park
Visiting Edinburgh
Edinburgh has been the capital city of Scotland since at least the 15th century, though traces of inhabition have been found as far back as 8500 BC. The city’s long history has endured wars, plague, the Scottish Reformation, Scottish Enlightenment, and witch trials. Walls surrounded the town in 17th century so building upwards rather than outwards became common – these buildings are considered the forerunners of modern skyscrapers. Some industries that have boomed in Edinburgh include printing, brewing, and distilling. The Old Town became very dilapidated in the 19th century, and it took a big slum clearance project in the 1960s and 70s to restore it to its former glory.
The city is absolutely packed with history. Some of the most famous sights include the Castle, Scott’s Monument, St. Giles’ Cathedral, Greyfriars Kirk, and nearby Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat. There’s a plethora of beautiful architecture, ancient burial grounds, and historical buildings – both the old and new town are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Education is a big factor in Edinburgh. The city has 3 universities, with University of Edinburgh (est. 1582) being considered as one of the best research institutions in the world. Edinburgh is the education centre in many disciplines, also the second-largest financial centre in the UK.
There are lots of Scottish cultural institutions in Edinburgh including the National Museum of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland, and the Scottish National Gallery. Another unusual and popular museum is the Surgeons Hall, and Edinburgh Zoo is the most-visited paid tourist attraction.
The city is very well known for the Edinburgh international festival and Fringe, which is the world’s largest international arts festival. Other festivals like Scottish Air, Edinburgh Hogmanay, and Beltane fire festival occur annually. The arts are well represented in the city, with many theatres and live music venues for both classical and contemporary music. Contemporary composers from Edinburgh include John McLeod.
Edinburgh has 3 professional football teams, a national and city rugby team. Other sports in the city are cricket, ice hockey, basketball, American football, and many more. Also, the Edinburgh Marathon draws 16,000 runners annually.
The population of the city is over half a million, and Edinburgh is the UK’s second most-visited tourist destination with almost 5 million visitors every year.
Because of how old Edinburgh is, and its popularity, it’s really difficult to park in the city centre. Streets are very narrow, and traffic can be heavy. Paying to park in the centre can be very costly, sometimes coming to almost £30 every day! On this page, we’ve gathered all of the free parking options in Edinburgh to help you avoid huge costs. There’s a map at the top of the page for a quick overview, and more information and options discussed in the article.
