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Best transportation from Kilconquhar to York.

I just love this forum! Thank you so much for spending time helping people.
So here's my situation: Four of us will be spending time exploring Scotland. We are flying into Edinburgh, and then heading to Kenmore for 7 days. After that we will be spending seven days using Kilconquhar as a hub. (We are planning on taking day and a few overnight trips from the two hubs) We plan on renting a car for Scotland, and then returning the car before taking a train down to York, and then after that heading down to London. Can anyone suggest city we should rent a car from? And what city would be the most convenient to drop the car off prior to hopping on the train to York? Our first thought was to rent the car in Edinburgh, but I think we would lose a lot of time, driving down to the city.

Posted by
1376 posts

Hi, kloder,

As you'd have to drive back across the Forth Road Bridge anyway, why not just pick the car up at Edinburgh Airport, and then drop the car off at the same location? Also, as there are four of you, the one way drop off charge for your hired car (picking up in Edinburgh; dropping off in York) may be considerably cheaper than four of you taking the train from Edinburgh to York.

Also, you'd have to take the train from Edinburgh to York, as opposed to any western station (Glasgow, for example, as the southbound trains from Glasgow to York require at least one change of trains.)

If you're flying in to EDI, and not going in to the city, you could hire the car as soon as you arrive, and then drop it off there when you're ready to head for York. Better still, if you still plan on taking the train from Edinburgh to York, you could arrange to drop the car off at Edinburgh Waverley. Several of the major car hire companies have locations near there.

As you pretty much have to cross the Forth Road Bridge, you'd be practically be going right by EDI. It would be by far your easiest option to drop the car off there or at Waverley, if you plan to take the train.

I hope that helps.

Mike (Auchterless)

p.s.: Just out of curiosity, what day trips are you planning to take from Kenmore? There's not a whole lot to do in the village. If you are Munro baggers, Ben Lawyers is nearby. Kilconquhar is at least close to Edinburgh, St. Andrews, and Dundee, as well as Culross and Falkirk.

p.p.s.: Two other car drop off possibilities would be Perth or Dundee. Enterprise and Hertz have locations in each city. However, in addition to the one way drop off charge, you'd also have four train fares from Perth or Dundee to Edinburgh. Plus Perth and Dundee are both north of Kilconquhar, so you'd be going out of your way to get there.

p.p.p.s.: Two more for you. Enterprise has locations in Kircaldy and Dunfermline. Kircaldy is close to the train station. If you rent from Enterprise, and drop off at either of those locations, you could probably get one of the Enterprise employees to take you to the local train station. However, if you do that, and it's not part of Enterprise's customer service, be sure to tip the employee. Oh what the hell, tip him or her anyway!

If you do rent from Enterprise, and want to do that one way drop off, check with them to make sure that it can be done.

Good luck!

Posted by
26 posts

Thank you for getting back to me. Regarding: Kenmore, and things to see. The reason we are staying at the two locations is that they are time shares. We are still trying to figure out our routes. As it stands now, we are landing at EDI in the morning, and then taking a training to Stirling, to meet our friends. We will tour around a bit and then head up to Kenmore for the night. The next day we are planning on driving up to Inverness to spend the night. And seeing sights along the way. The following day we are planning on seeing Loch Ness and heading down along the coast to Glencoe and then back to Kenmore. The following day we are going to Pitlochry to see the sights. The next day we are open. You really seem to know the area, are we spending too much time in the car, for this adventure?

Posted by
1376 posts

Hi, kloder,

I definitely don't think that you're going to be spending too much time in the car. None of your itinerary at this point looks like it's going to take a lot of time, especially as none of the places you've described are far from Kenmore, and more so if you're going to overnighting somewhere along the way.

I am a bit confused about your travel plans. Will the friends whom you're meeting in Stirling already have a car, or will all of you be heading off to pick one up once you get there? If they'll already have a car, can they pick you up at EDI? If you're picking the car up in Stirling, there is an Enterprise location there, but it's a long walk from the train station. If Enterprise is willing to provide a one way drop off, you could hire the car in Stirling, and drop it off in Kircaldy after your week in Kilconquhar. Kircaldy is on the train line to Edinburgh Waverley, so you could conceivably get train tickets straight through to York.

However, that brings me back to my original suggestions: 1) Pick up the car at EDI, drop it off at EDI or Waverley; 2) Pick up the car at EDI; one way drop off at York; 3) Pick up the car at EDI; one way drop off at Kircaldy.

Option 3 only works if you rent from Enterprise. With options 1 or 2, you have a larger choice of rental agencies. If cost is a factor, price around, and see which agency gives you the best prices for your two weeks. Don't forget to factor in insurance, if you decide to take it, as well as airport fees if you're hiring at EDI, and add ons like SATNAV (GPS), as well as one way drop off charges, if you go that route. One advantage of dropping off in York is that you would have the opportunity to drive down the east coast, to visit Tantallon Castle, Lindisfarne, Eyemouth, St. Abbs, Whitby, and all the small seaside towns in southern Scotland and northern England.

Whatever you decide to do, you will have a wonderful time, especially in Scotland!

Best wishes,

Mike (Auchterless)

p.s.: Don't forget that most rental cars in Scotland are standard transmission, so make sure that at least one member of your party has some experience driving a stick shift. If not, an automatic is not that much more expensive.

p.p.s.: There aren't many restaurants in Kenmore, but there are lots in Aberfeldy, which is only a few miles away. Aberfeldy would also be your closest town for a supermarket. There's a Co-op there, which should be well stocked with food for you to take back to your timeshare.

Posted by
26 posts

Thank you for getting back to me. Our friends are arriving a week before us, and will be staying in Kenmore, which is a 2 hour drive from EDI. We thought it would be better to meet them in Stirling so that they wouldn't have to leave as early to come pick us up at the airport. I think we are going to investigate the pricing on your option #3. Picking up the car in EDI and doing a one-way rental I think would save us the most time. Driving down to York would be lovely, but I think it would be faster to take the train, as we only have about a day to see York. Thank you for the tips on shopping and restaurants.