Castle Terrace Car Park, Edinburgh: prices, height & how to park

If you're driving to Edinburgh Castle, Castle Terrace Car Park is almost certainly the place you'll end up. It's the closest multi-storey to the Castle, it's open round the clock, and it's the one everyone means when they search "castle terrace car park". Here's the honest, on-the-ground version — what it costs, the height limit, how to pay, and the cheaper options most visitors never think to check.

Castle Terrace Car Park at a glance

Where is Castle Terrace Car Park?

It sits on Castle Terrace, on the west side of the Castle rock, tucked below the ramparts. Punch EH1 2EW into your sat nav and it'll take you straight there. From the car park it's a short walk up to the esplanade — steep in places, but quick. It's also handy for the Grassmarket, the Usher Hall, the Lyceum and the West End, so it's not just a Castle car park.

How much does Castle Terrace Car Park cost?

Let's be straight: it's a premium car park in the most visited corner of the city, so it isn't cheap. The drive-up daily rate has been reported at up to around £36 for 24 hours, and the hourly rate climbs quickly. Tariffs change and peak periods cost more, so treat any figure as a guide and check the live price before you go.

The single biggest money-saver is to pre-book through the NCP app rather than turning up and paying the drive-in rate — it's almost always cheaper, and in busy periods it's the difference between having a guaranteed space and circling the block. If you only need an hour or two, on-street pay & display nearby (Zone 4) is about £6.80 an hour, which can work out cheaper for a short visit — more on that below.

Height limit and vehicle size

The height limit is around 2.08m, which is a touch more generous than some city multi-storeys but still catches plenty of vans, campers and cars with roof boxes. There's a plastic height bar at the entrance — if you don't clear it, simply don't go in. Good news for taller vehicles: the top deck is open-air, at Castle Terrace street level, so it has more clearance than the floors below. The bays themselves are on the narrow side (the building dates from the 1960s), so take it slowly on the ramps.

How it works and how to pay

You collect a ticket at the entry barrier (the car park uses barcode/ticket entry), keep it safe, and pay at a machine before you walk back to your car — then insert the ticket at the exit barrier to get out. One thing regulars mention: the payment machines aren't on every floor, so don't leave it to the last second. Alternatively, use the NCP app to manage and pay for your parking, which also unlocks the cheaper pre-book rates.

EV charging

There are electric vehicle chargers on level 1, near the lower exit. Worth knowing in advance: drivers report the on-pad instructions can be unclear, and you may need your own charging fob/RFID card to start a session rather than a QR code. If you're relying on charging here, bring your usual EV charge card.

Accessibility and Blue Badge parking

Castle Terrace has around 6 disabled bays, but be aware the bays are narrow and there's no lift — the building works on a continuous ramp, which isn't ideal for everyone. If that's a problem, there are on-street Blue Badge bays on Johnston Terrace, which winds right below the Castle and is about as close as you can get. In Scotland, Blue Badge holders can usually park without a time limit on yellow lines and in pay & display bays as long as they're not causing an obstruction — though you still can't block a dropped kerb or park where loading restrictions apply.

Other car parks near the Castle

If Castle Terrace is full or you fancy comparing, these are the realistic alternatives within walking distance:

• Q-Park Omni Centre — underground, near the top of Leith Street, about a 15-minute walk. Open 24/7, with a 2-metre height limit.
• Q-Park Greenside (Greenside Row) — another option towards the east end, handy if you're combining the Castle with Princes Street.
• St James Quarter car park — large and modern, better for the shops but a longer walk to the Castle.
• NCP near the Holyrood end — better value and better placed if you're starting at the bottom of the Royal Mile and walking up.

For most of these, pre-booking online beats the drive-up rate. It's also worth comparing prices on our cheapest parking in Edinburgh tool before you choose.

On-street parking near the Castle

If you'd rather park on the street for a short visit, the closest bays are in Zone 4, where pay & display runs at about £6.80 an hour. Streets worth checking:

• Johnston Terrace — winds right below the Castle, but spaces are few and snapped up fast
• King's Stables Road — on the west side, just below the Castle rock and next to the car park
• Castle Terrace — the street itself as well as the car park, though bays are limited

Always pay through RingGo or at the machine, and check the location code on the sign — it's different for each street, and paying for the wrong code is treated exactly the same as not paying at all. If you're not sure what the signs and codes mean, our guide to Edinburgh parking signs and road markings and what your parking code means walk you through it.

Can you park free near the Castle?

Not right beside it — the streets around the Old Town are some of the most heavily enforced in the country. The nearest genuinely free parking is on residential streets further out, mostly in the evenings and at weekends, and you'll need to check the signs carefully. Honestly, for a Castle visit the smarter move is usually a Park & Ride on the edge of the city plus the tram or a bus — you skip the traffic, skip the hunt for a space, and it costs a fraction of a city-centre car park.

The honest best option

For most visitors, the lowest-stress plan is simple: pre-book Castle Terrace through the NCP app if you're set on driving to the Castle, or use a Park & Ride and take the tram or bus in. If you're staying a few hours and just want the cheapest spot, check the on-street Zone 4 rate against the pre-booked car-park price — and run your exact street through our lookup first so there are no surprises.