Edinburgh Parking

[Scottishhighlander]

Doing the fringe along with sightseeing and a few visits to coastal towns next week so got car hired.
Staying near Leith Docks so will use tram during day to go into the centre but what's it like for parking in the evening in the George Street area and also if we went over the North and South Bridge towards Clerk Street I think it is.
Just that we have booked a few late shows so feel happier and safer taking the car.

I'm coming up for Fringe next week and not even bothering attempting taking the car into the city. The public transport is excellent and runs until the early hours.

Friends who live there wouldn't dream of taking their car into the centre. I always do and just factor the costs of parking into my holiday. I always do a reccy and am sometimes pleasantly surprised to be able to park in the street in (albeit a very few) locations.

You might be lucky and find a space but it’s much easier using buses/trams. The streets are very safe during the festival as there’s so many people milling about up to 11.30/midnight. Buses and trams are easy - electronic notices at most bus stops tell you when the next bus is due. Edinburgh bus tracker app will calculate the route for you and tell you which bus to get. Lots of taxis also.

I'd definitely stick to bus/tram. As others have said, there's so many people around you'll feel quite safe.

As I explained we're staying at Leith docks which is a bit out of the centre and doing some coastal towns as well.
Just wanted to know what parking what like in the evening in the centre.
Thank you anyway.

George Street is partly closed to traffic at the moment as there's Fringe tents and beer gardens set up in it. You definitely don't want to take a car anywhere near it, particularly if you don't know the roads and city centre! The central areas are pay & display parking until 6:30pm Mon-Friday and it's really quite expensive. Stick to the buses and tram, they are perfectly safe, particularly in August when everywhere is busy until late. For context, I live 2 miles from Princes Street and wouldn't take my car any closer than home! Always walk or bus.

As everyone else has echoed, it isn't even worth attempting to take a car into the city during Fringe.

@Scottishhighlander hi, I stay in Leith. There's lots of buses and trams until the early hours and the journey only takes about 20 mins from city centre. Taking your car into the city centre will be super stressful - I'd swerve George street if at all possible. But if you'd prefer to take your car there's multi storey parking at St James' quarter, omni, castle terrace, quarter mile etc. I think there's also one on Holyrood Road which would be handy if you're heading for the Pleasance area.

You might get parked in the New Town ok for George Street (maybe look Queen Street northwards) but up the Bridges is carnage just now with road works/ closures/ crazy traffic so although you might get parked, I'd leave lots of extra time. There is a new low emissions zone to consider as well though I guess a hire car will be new enough to be exempt. Also worth considering that Leith also has parking restrictions so check out where you can park there too.

I live just outside Edinburgh and wouldn't ever dream of taking my car into the city of attempting to park centrally.

Especially in the festival.

Finding a space - miracle #1
Finding a space that isn't limited to 30 minutes- miracle #2

And the prices are astronomical.

It's all designed to discourage car use.

Honestly stick with trans, buses or taxis if you are totally feart.

You could try Cumberland Street. We ate at the Cumberland Bar a few years ago when we were there for the Fringe and it looked as though parking was available. A quick look at Streetview shows that permit holders only before 5.30.

Omni centre car park on Leith Street? Or you could get the tram in from Leith.

Just don't do it. Whatever stress you think you'd have getting public transport would be magnified a thousand fold if you try to park.

No way take the car. I drove to the Pleasance last year on the last day of the Fringe, and it was crazy busy. I finally found a tiny space I could squeeze into much further up the Pleasance.

This year I took the train into Waverley - quick, cheap and no stress!

I live on the outskirts of Edinburgh and would take my car in in the evening. I’d either park at Stockbridge area and walk up, or park at St James Quarter or Castle Terrace, but expect to pay a small fortune for the car parks.

I don't see how parking in Stockbridge and walking is efficient use of time or any more safe than getting a bus or tram back to leith! It's not an easy place to find a space at the best of times.

Parking can be even worse in the evening when it’s outside the permit holder times. As mentioned above, the Bridges has road works going on so carnage. The streets off Broughton Street north of Forth Street used to be ok to find a space at the weekend but I don’t know if they have added more double yellow lines since I was last there. There are a few other quieter streets maybe around Calton hill where there are few houses but I’d be more uncomfortable walking to less busy places late at night and parking my car there than I would be getting the bus home.

Edinburgh resident here- avoid like the plague! Bus and tram service are both excellent

Honestly don't do it, u will waste so much time, still have to walk places and end up in a bad mood cos there will literally be nothing. Use transport, get a drink down ya and get a taxi back.

I live just outside Edinburgh and would normally park at George Square if going to the city centre. That's obviously out for you as it's all festival stuff there.
I'd also avoid George Street, but if you're going to be in the centre some of the streets towards Stockbridge might be ok. Or park in the st James quarter?

Even in the evening?

Yes, even in the evening!! Just accept from the locals that it isn't a car friendly city and you'll be perfectly safe on a bus or tram (probably a lot safer than you would be driving your own car down leith walk!) Parking - Omni Edinburgh

I live on the south side and I'd take the bus - even late at night - even if it was night bus time rather than regular bus. I very rarely drive into town and not in festival time. I've parked in the omni once, it was expensive, and no faster getting home and also no safer than the bus.
Use the journey planner and take the bus and/or tram: www.lothianbuses.com/live-travel-info/journey-planner/

I live on the shore in Leith. I would get the tram or a bus. Or park in the St James Centre, or the Omni at a push (I don’t like it at night). Parking in the city centre in the evening in the festival is very difficult. You might get lucky on the south side but it will involve driving round a bit to find a space. Do you have somewhere to park in Leith? It is virtually all permits now and the handful of places with free parking go very quickly.

Another thought....is your car ULEZ compliant?

But as everyone has said -parking is bad generally in Edinburgh but much worse during the festival. I live in the southside and haven't driven in to central Edinburgh for years. My car is now non ULEZ compliant so another good reason not to go in by car