EastEileen

We are staying in Glasgow for three extra days after a tour in Scotland in order to research and visit ancestral homes and churches in the area. We'll be renting a car, but will do this with caution given the great number of warnings about driving issues, including driving on the opposite side of the road than we're accustomed to. However, since we need great flexibility in getting around the city and exploring beyond, we don't have a choice. We'd also like to get to Edinburgh and possibly visit/tour a castle in one of the areas. (Suggestions about that, too, are appreciated, but we can do more research here, too.)
We've never traveled to Europe and need advice on international car rentals. We'll certainly contact our insurance agent, but aside from those issues, any other recommendations would be most appreciated.
We'll be staying at the Drury and leaving from The Glasgow Airport. We could take advantage of transportation to the airport on the morning as the rest of the tour group leaves and pick up a rental there. This would make things easier for the car return upon our departure date, but is there something else we should consider?
We are on a limited budget. Any suggestions for favorite rental companies?
Thanks!

BigRuss

If you're going to be in a European city, the general suggestion is don't rent a car. If you must (and you should check public transport options to see if you really must), then do so with an American company (assuming you're American or Canadian) so you can b*tch to its corporate headquarters at your leisure when you get home in case something goes wrong. Thrifty, Avis, Hertz, etc. all have Scotland outlets. Otherwise, use Europcar because it's pan-European and not just local to one country (more tourist interaction).

Wouldn't drive to Edinburgh - go city center to city center with the train. Get out, walk uphill and visit the Castle. Go to the oppo end of the Royal Mile and visit the Palace of Holyrood House and the weird-looking Parliament building.

Describe "limited budget." Cars don't help that when petrol is $9/gallon.

Weegie

Glasgow has an excellent bus, rail and underground public transport network so a car rental may be unnecessary. If you provide some more details of the locales you need to visit I'll be happy to check and see how doable they are by public transport.

I suspect you mean the Jurys Inn rather than the Drury. If so you are a couple of minutes walk from Glasgow Central Station, St Enoch's Underground and the major bus routes. The following sie should help with journey planning.

http://www.travelinescotland.com/welcome.do

Alternatively the hotel has a parking arrangement with Thistle car parks for parking from £7 per 24 hours.

janisj

• I haven't heard of Drurys - could you possibly mean the Jury's Inn? If you do mean Drury's - where is it? Central Glasgow or somewhere else? Where are the churches, homes? If it is in central Glasgow - having a car will be a real pain.

• Edinburgh from Glasgow is much easier by train than by car. Driving in Edinburgh is as difficult as in Glasgow (or maybe even worse)

• Driving out in the countryside is very easy -- but you are staying in Glasgow and visiting Edinburgh - where a car is useless.

• Are you locked into the Drury's-is it prepaid?

• Castles are everywhere -so that isn't a problem.

• almost 100% certain your personal car insurance will NOT cover you. But very likely your credit card will.

• We can probably fix this, but before we can give can give you any sort of useful advice, we need to know what areas/ancestral homes you you will be visiting and where your hotel is.

janisj

Oh - and if you DO mean the Jury's Inn, you definitely don't want a car there.

EastEileen

Thank you, all! It is Jury's. I should have been more careful.
A couple areas in Glasgow - we believe they're in an area called St Rollox in the Burgh of Glasgow - 7 Couper Place (which was, of course, residential, at that time, but we believe no longer is) and Greenhill Road. We're working on some research right now as to the church where my husband's grandparents were married in 1906, but it's listed as The Church of Scotland (this is the Greenhill Rd. locale.) The Church that's on the property was built after that date.

janisj

Couper Place is only a bit over a mile from the Jury's Inn and Greenhill Rd is in SE Glasgow near the Rutherglen station. For those, and Edinburgh and Stirling (both w/ amazing castles) you have absolutely NO need for a car. All are easy peasy by train and local buses.

EastEileen

Thank you! Okay, now I'll take advantage of your knowledge and ask about castles. If you could see only one, which would you choose?

Weegie

For Greenhill St take First Glasgow service 18 from Union St to Rutherglen Cross. Alternatively Any east bound service from Glasgow Central low level will get you to Ruherglen Station in around 12 minutes.

Couper Place is an easy ten minute walk up North Hanover Street from George Square in the city centre.

janisj

"If you could see only one, which would you choose?"

There are soooooo many! But since visiting Edinburgh (the city) is a must IMO - kill two birds w/ one stone and visit Edinburgh Castle.

Stirling Castle is also magnificent and an easy day trip by train. So if you find you have the time, you can go there too. But there is so much to see/do in Glasgow, my hunch is you will only get to Edinburgh.

But in any case, definitely no need for a rental car.

EastEileen

Thank you, all, so much! I'm relieved to know that a car rental is unnecessary. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions, but will do more research here to spare duplicate questions.