Where to park in Edinburgh

Edinburgh: good to know before you park

Where the Low Emission Zone starts

Edinburgh's LEZ covers only the city centre. Its boundary runs from Tollcross in the south to Palmerston Place in the west, along Queen Street through the New Town to Picardy Place, round Abbeyhill to Holyrood Road and the Pleasance in the east, then back along the Meadows to Tollcross. The boundary roads themselves lie outside the zone, so any vehicle may drive along them; cameras only fine vehicles inside. Motorcycles and mopeds are exempt. A car registered abroad needs no prior registration.

Multi-storey car parks and the zone

The council's list of private multi-storey car parks adds an LEZ warning to these, which you reach through the zone: St James Quarter (1,570 spaces), Omni Centre (1,000), Castle Terrace (750), New Street by Waverley Station (488), Quartermile (374), Capital Square, Princes Exchange and Blackfriars Street. Holyrood Road (297 spaces), Semple Street (203) and Nicolson Square (58) carry no such warning.

On-street parking: zones and prices

In central zones 1 to 4 you pay Monday to Saturday from 8:30 to 18:30 and on Sunday from 12:30 to 18:30. In peripheral zones 5 to 8 and in the extended zones starting with N or S, charges apply Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 17:30. Main traffic routes have their own hours: Monday to Friday from 9:15 to 16:30 and Saturday from 8:00 to 18:30. Hourly prices set in April 2025 range from £9.00 on George Street and St Andrew Square, through £8.00 in the Old Town and £6.80 in Tollcross or Fountainbridge, down to £4.20 in the extended zones.

Paying, and the 4 free days

Some older ticket machines take cash only; since May 2025 around 80 new ones accept contactless payment. You can also pay with RingGo by app, text message or phone, using the zone number shown on the time plate. Neither the council nor RingGo uses QR codes on street machines, so a QR code on one is a scam. Parking in public bays and on single yellow lines is free on just 4 days a year: Christmas Day, Boxing Day (26 December), New Year's Day and Easter Monday. Double yellow lines, disabled bays, bus lanes and the LEZ stay enforced on those days.

Park and ride

The council lists 7 park and ride sites. In the west, Ingliston, just off the A8 at the airport junction, has 1,085 free spaces, open from 4:00 to 2:00, with no overnight parking: cars left overnight are towed. Lothian Buses and the tram serve it, and the stop is in the City fare zone: an adult single costs £2.40, and paying by contactless caps a day of trams and Lothian Buses at £5.70. On big Murrayfield event days Ingliston fills early; nearby Hermiston (450 free spaces, open 24 hours) allows up to 3 nights, with a 1.9 m height limit. Neither site takes motorhomes. In the south, Sheriffhall has 561 free spaces. In the east, Newcraighall charges 50p per 24 hours and has trains to the city centre in 11 minutes, about every half hour.

Sources:City of Edinburgh Council, Check the LEZ boundary, City of Edinburgh Council, Low emission zone, City of Edinburgh Council, Vehicles registered outside of the UK, City of Edinburgh Council, Multi storey car parks, City of Edinburgh Council, Parking prices and times, City of Edinburgh Council, Paying for parking using your mobile, City of Edinburgh Council, Parking spaces, City of Edinburgh Council, Parking holidays, City of Edinburgh Council, Motorcycles, coaches, buses, caravans, long and large vehicles, City of Edinburgh Council, Find a park and ride, City of Edinburgh Council, Ingliston Park and Ride, City of Edinburgh Council, Hermiston Park and Ride, City of Edinburgh Council, Sheriffhall Park and Ride, City of Edinburgh Council, Newcraighall Park and Ride, City of Edinburgh Council, Wallyford Park and Ride, City of Edinburgh Council, Ferrytoll Park and Ride, Edinburgh Trams, Ticket options, Edinburgh Trams, Ingliston Park & Ride stop. Information checked in October 2026.