Hermiston is the Park & Ride on the west side of Edinburgh that most people miss — and for anyone driving in on the M8, or needing to leave the car overnight, it’s the best one. Free parking, open all day and night, buses straight into town.
⏳ 14 days Got a ticket? It’s £100 — or £50 if you act within 14 days. My pay-or-appeal guide, incl. a free personal verdict on whether yours is worth fighting →Hermiston at a glance
| Address | Riccarton Mains Road, Currie, EH14 4AT |
|---|---|
| Getting there | Off the A71, just west of the City Bypass (A720) Calder junction |
| Cost to park | Free |
| Open | 24 hours, every day |
| Spaces | 450, including 11 disabled bays |
| Overnight | Up to 3 nights, no registration needed |
| Height limit | 1.9m (6′3″) — no motorhomes |
| Toilets | None — the main building is closed |
| Buses | 25, 32, 34, 35, X40, 70 (night: N25, N35) |
From the council’s Hermiston listing and Lothian Buses, checked October 2026. Bus routes change — check live times before you travel.
How to get there
From Glasgow or the M8: the M8 ends at Hermiston Gait. Take the City Bypass (A720) south, leave at the Calder junction and head west on the A71 towards Currie. The Park & Ride is just off the A71, signposted, on Riccarton Mains Road. Put EH14 4AT in the sat nav.
From the bypass: come off at Calder (A71) and follow the signs west. It’s right next to Heriot-Watt University’s Riccarton campus.
Getting into town
Lothian Buses run several routes from the site into the city centre: 25, 32, 34, 35, X40 and 70, with night buses N25 and N35. Fares are the normal city ones: £2.40 single, £6 for a day ticket (£5.70 if you tap the same contactless card, which caps automatically) or £13 for a family day ticket.
Overnight parking at Hermiston
Hermiston allows overnight parking for up to 3 nights. You don’t need to book, register or ask — just park. That makes it the go-to west-side option for a weekend away, a concert that finishes late, or an early train.
Ingliston, a few minutes up the road, is the bigger site and has the tram — but it closes from 02:00 to 04:00 and tows cars left overnight. If you’re not coming back the same day, Hermiston is the safe choice.
Cars and contents are left at your own risk, as at every council Park & Ride. Don’t leave anything on show.
Who Hermiston suits
- Day trips from Glasgow and the west — it’s the first site you reach after the M8.
- Overnight or weekend stays — up to 3 nights, free.
- Murrayfield event days — Ingliston fills early, Hermiston is the council’s suggested alternative.
- Heriot-Watt visitors — it’s next to the Riccarton campus.
Not for you if you drive a van or motorhome over 1.9m, or need toilets on arrival. For those, Ferrytoll or Ingliston (day trips) are the options. Compare all 7 Park & Ride sites →
Driving in anyway? Check your street first
If you do park in town, our main guide covers 2,600+ streets with their exact zone, tariff and rules.
Open the full parking guide →