The single best way to avoid a parking ticket in Edinburgh is to not park in the centre at all. Park & Ride lets you leave the car on the edge of the city — almost always for free — and take a bus, tram or train in. Here's every site, what it connects to, and which one to pick.
⏳ 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 →Jump to a site: Ingliston · Hermiston · Ferrytoll · Newcraighall · Wallyford · Straiton · Sheriffhall
All 7 sites at a glance
| Site | Side of the city | Into town by | Spaces | Car park open | Overnight? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hermiston | West (A71 / bypass) | Bus | 450 | 24 hours | Yes, up to 3 nights |
| Ingliston | West (A8 / airport) | Tram + bus | 1,085 | 04:00–02:00 | No — cars are towed |
| Ferrytoll | North (Fife, A90) | Bus | 1,042 | 24 hours | Yes, no maximum stay |
| Sheriffhall | South-east (A7 / bypass) | Bus | 561 | 24 hours | Yes, free |
| Straiton | South (A701) | Bus from the main road | 106 | 04:00–02:00 | No |
| Newcraighall | East (A1) | Train + bus | 565 | 24 hours | Ask ScotRail |
| Wallyford | East (A1 / A199) | Bus + train | 300 | 24 hours | Ask East Lothian Council |
Details from the council’s Park & Ride listings, Fife Council (Ferrytoll) and Lothian Buses, checked October 2026. Hermiston, Sheriffhall and Straiton have a 1.9m height limit, and none of the Edinburgh-run sites take motorhomes.
Coming from the west (M8 / M9 / Glasgow / Airport)
Hermiston — Bus
Off the A71, just west of the City Bypass Calder junction (EH14 4AT). 450 free spaces, open 24 hours, and the only west-side site where you can leave the car overnight — up to 3 nights, no need to register. Buses 25, 32, 34, 35, X40 and 70 run into town. The easiest option if you’re driving through from Glasgow on the M8. Full Hermiston guide →
Ingliston — Tram
Just off the A8 at the Airport junction (EH28 8LS). The biggest site, with 1,085 free spaces, and the only one on the tram line — about 30 minutes to St Andrew Square, with Lothian buses 17 and 18 too. Ingliston is in the tram’s City Zone, so a normal city fare covers it; only the airport stop itself charges the airport fare. Open 04:00–02:00. Overnight parking is not allowed and cars left overnight are towed. On Murrayfield event days it fills early — go to Hermiston instead.
Coming from the north (Fife / Forth bridges)
Ferrytoll — Bus
Just north of the Forth Road Bridge on the A90 at Inverkeithing (KY11 1LN), run by Fife Council. 1,042 free spaces across a multi-storey and a surface car park, open 24 hours with no maximum stay, so overnight is fine. It has a waiting room with toilets, 4 EV chargers and express buses into Edinburgh, plus the JET 747 to Edinburgh Airport. Blue Badge bays are on the surface level, as the multi-storey has no lift.
Coming from the east (A1 / East Lothian)
Newcraighall — Train
Off the A1 via Newcraighall Road (EH21 8RX), next to Newcraighall station. Trains reach Waverley in about 11 minutes, roughly every half hour, and bus 30 also stops here. It’s run by ScotRail and is the only site that charges: 50p per 24 hours. For overnight stays, check with ScotRail.
Wallyford — Bus and train
On the A199 Haddington Road next to Wallyford (EH21 8JX), run by East Lothian Council. 300 free spaces, open 24 hours. Buses 44 and X4 run into the centre every 10 minutes at peak times (every 30 on Sundays), and Wallyford station is across the road for trains to Waverley. For overnight stays, ask East Lothian Council.
Coming from the south (A7 / A701 / Midlothian)
Sheriffhall — Bus
On the A7 between the Sheriffhall roundabout and Danderhall (EH22 1FF), run by Midlothian Council. 561 free spaces, open 24 hours, and overnight parking is free with no booking — most people stay 1 to 5 nights. Buses X33, 33, 46 and 48 go into town via the Royal Infirmary, which makes this the handiest site for hospital visits too.
Straiton — Bus from the main road
Off the A701 just south of the bypass (EH20 9NP). Since September 2025 buses no longer come into the site — you walk out to the stops on the A701. The car park is open 04:00–02:00 and overnight parking is not allowed. If you’re coming up the A7 instead, Sheriffhall is the better bet.
Staying overnight, or flying from Edinburgh Airport?
- Hermiston: up to 3 nights, free, no registration.
- Sheriffhall: overnight free, first come first served.
- Ferrytoll: no maximum stay — and the JET 747 bus goes straight to the airport, which makes it the best free option for anyone flying from Fife.
- Not Ingliston or Straiton. No overnight parking at either.
For a week away, the airport’s own Long Stay or an off-site operator is usually less hassle than a bus with luggage. Compare Edinburgh Airport parking →
What it costs
Parking is free everywhere except Newcraighall (50p). The bus or tram into town costs £2.40 a single or £6 for a day ticket (£5.70 if you tap the same contactless card each time — it caps automatically). A family day ticket for up to 2 adults and 3 children is £13 (Lothian fares).
Compare that with on-street parking in the centre: four hours in a Zone 1A bay is £36. Two day tickets from Park & Ride is £12, with no risk of a ticket.
Which site should I pick?
- Want the tram? Ingliston (day trips only).
- Driving from Glasgow on the M8? Hermiston.
- Staying overnight? Hermiston, Sheriffhall or Ferrytoll.
- Coming from Fife? Ferrytoll, before the bridge traffic.
- Prefer the train? Newcraighall (11 minutes to Waverley) or Wallyford.
- Visiting the Royal Infirmary? Sheriffhall.
- Murrayfield event day? Hermiston — Ingliston fills early.
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 →