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Sheesh. Just booked into the Hotel du Vin. I knew where I was coming and it still felt like I would NEVER get to the Old Town. There are so many streets blocked or closed or diverted, because of the flipping' trams, it's FAR worse than it's been to date.
On George Street, I saw a sign saying "Mound Closed". It wasn't. (I only found out because it was IMPOSSIBLE to avoid it- and I was trying). At the top of the Mound there was a sign directing Diverted Traffic to the left just before the traffic lights; at the lights there was a sign pointing down and to the right which said "All Traffic."
Top tip- don't take your rental car into the city this year!
Driving in Edinburgh- 2012
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Thank gawd picking a car up at EDI is so easy. I'll be in Edinburgh in May but just for one night to shake off the jetlag. Was going to book a car from Waverly but at the last second decided on the airport. From what you describe, soooooo glad I did.
I had hoped it would be better by now. We picked up a rental car in Picardy Place Edinburgh in 2010 and I really thought we would never get out of the city! There were so many road works and diversions. I saw a handwritten sign in a window near Picardy Place saying "SHUT UP! No wonder Edinburgh has such a high rate of suicide!" In future we will pick up at the airport.
Rosemary
We will be there for a wedding in October. I wonder if they will have ripped up the Tram yet again.
We all whined in Boston because it took us ten years to bury the waterfront expressway. We were lucky!
Princes Street is closed, Shandwick Place is closed, The Mound is (currently - well as of 2 days ago) closed (it's the road up from Princes Street to the Assembly Hall, not the bit from there up to the Royal Mile).
If you have any sense then don't drive in Edinburgh and don't hire in Edinburgh. If you have to get out of Edinburgh then just follow any sign that promises to lead out of Edinburgh then sort yourself out when you reach the City Bypass (if you hit sea then turn either left or right depending on if you are heading north or south)
When we visited over three years ago, we thought it was pretty bad, but it sounds like it has just gotten worse. Edinburgh is the only place I have ever seen my husband nervous about driving.
I will be taking my first trip to Edinburgh in April. Is this going to put a damper on site seeing? I'm planning to do a day trip or two out of Edinburgh, so will need a rental car at some point. I wanted to stay in the Old Town, will it be noisy? What areas should I avoid booking accommodation?
I'm planning to do a day trip or two out of Edinburgh, so will need a rental car at some point.
"Will need" - Depends on where you are going.
I wanted to stay in the Old Town, will it be noisy? What areas should I avoid booking accommodation?
If it's the weekend then the Grassmarket & Cowgate will be noisy - so if you considering either of the Ibis's get a room at the back. OK you lose the castle view but it's a lot less noisy.
We stayed at Knights Apartments (min 4 nights I think)Best accom we have had for a long time, very close to Grassmarket and they had plenty of off street parking and it was reasonably easy to get out of the city from there for day trips. Biggest problem was the day dropping rental car off in the city, it was crazy, should have taken it to the Airport