Renting a car in Scotland is a great way to experience the countryside, natural beauty and historic areas of the Highlands. Most travellers have questions about how to rent a car in Edinburgh and still save money.
Edinburgh is usually the city of choice for car hire because it has the busiest airport in the country. Brazilian travellers usually arrive in Scotland via Edinburgh Airport.
Before you embark on your journey to Scotland, you might be touring other parts of the United Kingdom. Many of our readers spend a considerable time in the majestic city of London. If you are looking for luxury and comfort during your stay in the capital, have a look at these 5-star hotels in London at hotels-of-london.com.
There are several essential tips for hiring a car in Edinburgh and making the most of your trip to Scotland!
Is it worth hiring a car in Scotland?
An ordinary road in the Scottish countryside. Source: Pixabay by Kasman
Before hiring a car, travellers need to have drawn up an itinerary for their trip to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
It's essential to know that there's no point in travelling around these two cities by car. It's best to use public transport, taxis and walk.
It's also easy to get from Edinburgh to Glasgow, and vice versa, using public transport.
The first tip is to only take the car to travel around the Scottish countryside and not to use it in the bigger cities.
Remember that in the country's big cities, it's even more difficult to drive in traffic.
In addition, travellers will have to worry about the cost of parking and the historic areas that really should be visited on foot.
Once you've decided on an itinerary, opt for a circular journey that starts and ends in the same city. After all, picking up and returning the car in the same place makes car hire MUCH cheaper.
Searching on the car hire aggregator site Rentcars we found that picking up the car in one city and returning it in another can add up to 50 per cent to the daily rate, which is a lot of money!
Normally, the city that starts and ends the journey is Edinburgh, because of the airport, as we mentioned.
If you pick up your car at Edinburgh Airport, you'll have some time on the road to get used to the English road.
But if you're arriving in the city after a long and tiring flight, it's best to avoid driving on the English motorway if you're tired. For this reason, it can be interesting to pick up the car in the city centre, only on the day it will actually be used.
Car hire can be cheaper in the city centre, but you'll need to be very focused to adapt to the traffic.
How to save on car hire in Edinburgh?
Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh
To really save money, as well as taking a circular route, you should book your car at least a month in advance and even longer in the summer, which is the peak tourist season in the country.
Seriously, it makes all the difference when it comes to the variety of cars available. Even Rentcars has 20 car hire shops on its website, in summer the demand from holidaymakers increases enormously.
But with so much variety, you need to choose the right car for travelling around Scotland.
Our recommendation is never to hire a car that's too big, because in the Highlands there are many narrow roads, including roads that only fit one car.
Fortunately, as well as being beautiful, Scotland's roads are very good to drive on and the traffic is very smooth. But it's important to have a good navigation system so you don't get lost in the countryside.
If you're used to google maps offline, you can use it without any problems, but it's worth having a good paper map with all the detailed roads.
Another option is to hire a GPS, but be aware that GPS is an extra item that increases the price of car hire.
Tight roads, English traffic and rain require more caution from the driver and better insurance.
Pay attention to the insurance included in the rental (against theft, damage to the vehicle and damage to third parties) and the excess amount established in the contract with the rental company.
On the Rentcars website, these questions are made very clear about which insurances are included, and Rentcars has excellent support in Portuguese to answer customers' questions.
In any case, it is advisable to hire a car with a credit card that includes insurance, to avoid extra costs.
How much does it cost to hire a car in Edinburgh, Scotland?
By researching in advance and using a car hire aggregator site with a variety of car hire companies, such as Rentcars you can find cars praised by customers for less than £150 per day.
This car hire price is very good, bearing in mind that Scotland uses the pound sterling, a currency that is highly valued against the Brazilian real.
Documents for car hire in Edinburgh, Scotland
In order to hire a car in Scotland, you need to carry certain documents or fulfil certain requirements:
You must book with an international credit card, and the cardholder will be the driver. It is possible to include driver's insurance, but there will be an extra charge;
The driver must be at least 25 years old, so as not to incur other charges;
Present a valid Valid driver's licence as well as a passport. It is common not to be asked for PID (International Driving Permit) is often not asked for.but it's worth taking it just in case.
How do I drive in England?
Edinburgh and its medieval castle
Renting a car in Edinburgh can be quite nerve-wracking for those who have never driven in English traffic.
It does take a while to get used to being on the right side of the car, with the gearshift on your left.
The opposite direction of the flow of vehicles affects the perception of even pedestrians. Fortunately, the pedals are the same, so you can't go wrong.
To get used to the English way quickly, it's worth hiring a car with an automatic gearbox. Because they are more expensive, not all travellers will have the budget for this type of car.
The tip is to do your research in advance to find cars with automatic gearboxes at good prices.
The hardest part is driving in heavy traffic and roundabouts. Parking in very tight spaces and making sharp turns also requires more concentration.
Calmness, attention and a good GPS (or google maps) will solve any problems when driving in the English capital.
Enjoy your trip!