After spending 3 nights in Edinburgh, my wife and I plan to pick up a rental car and travel throughout the Highlands for 7 days. My current plan is to pick up the rental car at the airport in Edinburgh and drop off at the airport in Glasgow. After dropping off the car, we are staying in the downtown area in Glasgow. I am wondering if this is the most convenient way to do this or is it just as easy (or easier) to pick up the car at Waverly Station and drop off in downtown Glasgow closer to our lodging? Pick up will be on a Saturday morning and drop off will be on a Friday afternoon.
Posted by
3123 posts
I'd stick with the airports. If you used downtown or train stations, you'd have to navigate in city traffic, which is slow and tends to be stressful. Both airports are well marked and have pretty easy access to the nearest Motorway.
If you're approaching Glasgow from the north, be aware that the airport is actually in Paisley, north of Glasgow, so it comes up quickly after you cross the Erskine Bridge. It's very well marked, but once you're in the airport campus the sign for rental car return is kind of small -- I almost missed it and had to back up a couple of feet to turn in.
Also, before driving out from Edinburgh airport be sure to ask the rental agent (i.e., the person out in the parking lot who puts you into your car) what signs to follow at the roundabouts when you are leaving the airport campus, to get onto the Motorway going the way you want to go. The signs are not necessarily intuitive for someone who's not a local.
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4161 posts
There is another reason that makes picking up at the airport desirable - In town locations are much smaller ,and even though you will likely specify an automatic transmission ( Do you drive stick , and if so , do you really want to deal with that driving on UK roads ? ) and the chances of getting one at the airport are far more reliable . Since you will already be in Edinburgh , take the bus or tram out to the airport , and work counter clockwise to Glasgow .
Posted by
Rancho Cordova, CA, USA
33 posts
I've noticed that a lot of people tend to pick up in Edinburgh, and drop off in Glasgow. I'm wondering if this is just so people can see the two largest cities in Scotland, or does it tend to be cheaper to fly out of Glasgow..?
Posted by
3123 posts
In answer to the flight cost question, I tend to doubt there's a difference, but many people like to fly open jaw so as to avoid backtracking. Edinburgh probably comes up first for many travelers because it's the more famous city, more popular for tourism. For the record, we did it the other way round (arrive Glasgow, depart Edinburgh).