Edinburgh parking
Scotland's busiest airport with frequent off-airport shuttles every 5–10 minutes.
About Edinburgh
Scotland's busiest airport.
Edinburgh is Scotland's busiest airport and one of the UK's largest. It handles around 15.8 million passengers a year from a single terminal, with a strong mix of domestic, short-haul European and a growing long-haul network that includes year-round services to North America and the Middle East.
Major carriers include British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, Lufthansa, KLM, Delta and United. Edinburgh's combination of business and leisure traffic means terminals are reasonably busy throughout the day rather than peaking sharply at certain times.
The airport's flat, open site to the west of Edinburgh has plenty of room for parking. The tram link from central Edinburgh provides a fast public-transport option that few other UK airports can match.
Getting to EDI
All the practical access info — by car, train, coach and otherwise.
From the city, take the A8 west — about 25 minutes. The M8 and M9 are both within 10 minutes of the airport for traffic from Glasgow and Stirling.
There's no main-line rail station at the airport itself; the nearest is Edinburgh Park, served by the tram and by ScotRail trains.
Edinburgh Trams run from the airport to central Edinburgh (York Place) every 7–10 minutes, journey time around 35 minutes. Lothian Buses' Airlink 100 runs frequent direct service to Waverley Station. National Express coaches link to Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and beyond.
The tram connects with most central Edinburgh hotels via Princes Street, St Andrew Square and York Place.
How parking works at Edinburgh
Official car parks are Short Stay (multi-storey, attached to terminal), Mid Stay (5-minute walk) and Long Stay (5-minute shuttle). Edinburgh also operates a Plaza Premium valet at the front of the terminal.
Off-airport operators concentrate along the Glasgow Road and around Newbridge to the north-west of the airport. Many shuttles run every 8–12 minutes during peak hours and undercut the airport's own long-stay by 25–40%.
Tips travellers wish they'd known
- Edinburgh Trams are the cheapest way from the city centre — far cheaper than driving and parking for short trips.
- Long-stay shuttle queues build up on Sunday evenings during summer — allow extra time on busy nights.
- Newbridge-side off-airport sites generally have shorter shuttle times than those along the Glasgow Road.
- Forecourt drop-off is allowed but limited to a few minutes — use the multi-storey for longer waits.
- Mid Stay is often the best balance of cost and walking distance for 2–4 night trips.
EDI questions, answered
The questions our 24/7 team gets asked most about flying from Edinburgh.
Are there trams from Edinburgh Airport?+
Yes — Edinburgh Trams run from the airport stop directly into the city centre via Edinburgh Park, Murrayfield and Princes Street. Journey time around 35 minutes.
Is the tram cheaper than driving?+
For one or two travellers on a short trip, yes. For groups or trips over a week, parking can come out cheaper.
Are there long-haul flights from Edinburgh?+
Yes — Delta and United fly to the US, Emirates to Dubai, Qatar to Doha, with seasonal services to Canada and the Caribbean.
How early should I arrive?+
Two hours for short-haul, three for long-haul. Edinburgh is generally less congested than London airports outside the August Fringe peak.
Where can I drop someone off?+
Forecourt drop-off is free for short stops. Multi-storey short-stay has a longer free window if you need more time.
Are independents safe to use?+
Yes when Park Mark accredited. Edinburgh has several long-established family-run operators with strong reputations.