Parking in Edinburgh during the Festival

[cakelover75]

Hello,

We are planning a day trip to Edinburgh this weekend and was wondering if any of you could suggest places we could park in Edinburgh for the day.

Thank you in advance.

DO NOT DRIVE INTO EDINBURGH!!! God no. Drive to the outskirts and get the train. You'll be in in minutes. From your end try South Gyle, Edinburgh Park or EDINBURGH Gateway. It takes 13 - 17 minutes.
Not sure about the parking at any of those areas but google will help.

I'd get the bus from Buchanan St bus station through to Edinburgh- takes about an hour but better value than the bus.

Or as others have said, leave the car around the Gyle area & take tram/train.

Or as far in as Murrayfield & 26/31 bus (metering starts at Roseburn).

Or leave car at Blackhall (just off Queensferry Rd) & get a Fife/Queensferry express bus eg 43, X55/59.

I was in town today & it was a kind of fresh hell!

The traffic is grim in Edinburgh just now.

South Gyle and Edinburgh Gateway stations both have car parks. South Gyle is definitely free - not sure about Gateway but it's easier to find if you're not familiar with the area (it's just off the Gogar roundabout). Park there and you're 10-15 minutes on the train in to Waverley.

The traffic gets worse every year..we come over from Fife for a few nights every year and this year was the worst to get parked. We finally got parked along East Market St for free but it took a lot of circling around and swearing to get there. Usually we park at my old college on Holyrood Rd but the damm thing is all cordoned off just now for road works, which really put a spanner in our plans. The NCP along there isn't cheap either but handy for the Pleasance. BIL lives in the city centre but it's permit parking these days so that's out too.

Hi, thanks again for all the suggestions. I have two kids aged 4 and 7 so want to minimise the amount of walking they'll have to do till we get there. That's why I don't mind paying an NCP or similar.
My experiences of getting the train from Glasgow to Edinburgh during the festival was jammed packed, standing room only!!! That's why I want to avoid the train....
We'll have a think tonight about what we'll do. We are planning on being there before 10am so fingers crossed we get something.

But if you get the tram from the park and ride it drops you right outside the National Gallery on Princes St which is very close to the street performance bit, and just down the Mound from the High St. If you park in Castle Terrace, you still have to walk up the hill.

Might be a wee bit busy on the way back but in my experience once you get to Saughton it empties quite a bit.

I took my 8 & 4 year olds in yesterday & they weren't very impressed. Watched a couple of street performers on the Royal Mile then we ended up going to the Meadows Playpark . It was just hoaching with people & restaurants/cafes/buses/streets full.

I'd suggest parking near murrayfield and getting the tram or a number 22 bus. Parking in town is horrendous as they've taken away the St James's car parks and the omni is busy. I live near the saughton stop and it took 15 minutes on the tram from york place.

Dc and I went through on the train today from Fife. It was heaving but we all had a great time, managed to all get seats on the train and saw some really good performers

Hi all,

Thanks again for all your advice. We went with Groovee's suggestion and parked at Murrayfield and it only took us 10 minutes on the tram. We had a brilliant day out as always at the festival.

Glad it helped and you had a good day x