Edinburgh: need info on renting car
Mar 29th, 2008, 09:13 AM
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Edinburgh: need info on renting car
We will be flying into Edinburgh and staying 2 days before starting our "road trip". Does anyone have a suggestion on renting a car-specifically a particular company you have used and location for pickup (will drop off the same location or Glasgow). What type of car did you rent, etc. There will be 3 of us
Mar 29th, 2008, 10:00 AM
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Mar 29th, 2008, 12:33 PM
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We rented an AVIS car and picked it up and returned it at Edinburgh Airport. Standard procedure, quick and easy. 15 min into downtown.
We were extremely happy with our automatic compact car (Vauxhall Astra): Compact because roads are narrow and a smaller car is easier to drive, and automatic because you have no hassle with the stick-shift on the wrong side.
We were extremely happy with our automatic compact car (Vauxhall Astra): Compact because roads are narrow and a smaller car is easier to drive, and automatic because you have no hassle with the stick-shift on the wrong side.
Mar 29th, 2008, 04:53 PM
#4
All the national/International chains are represented and there isn't much difference between any of them. Go w/ ira's suggestion and contact autoEurope. They are a broker that handles all the majors so will usually (but not always) get you the best rates for the size/type of car you want.
Mar 29th, 2008, 10:14 PM
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thank you travellor1959 this is exactly the info i needed! will look into the car. autoreurope's cars didnt look too great at first glance but am familiar with vauxhaul. now just need to finagle the driving part!
Mar 29th, 2008, 10:46 PM
#6
Huh? Autoeurope doesn't have cars -- they are a <u>broker</u>. They will get you the company that has the best rates for the size/class/drive type you specify for the location.
(BTW - you don't necessarily get the make/model shown by ANY agency/broker. If you note, it will say something like "Vauxhall Astra or similar" or "Fiat Punto or comparable"
(BTW - you don't necessarily get the make/model shown by ANY agency/broker. If you note, it will say something like "Vauxhall Astra or similar" or "Fiat Punto or comparable"
Mar 31st, 2008, 05:16 AM
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I will be arriving from London, via train/bus. Any recommendations most cost effective.
But I won't be at the airport, so is a downtown car rental option available? Near the drop off points in Edinburgh??
Thanks from the clueless.
But I won't be at the airport, so is a downtown car rental option available? Near the drop off points in Edinburgh??
Thanks from the clueless.
Mar 31st, 2008, 05:31 AM
#8
BudgetQueen: Do you mean you are arriving in Edinburgh from London? If so the bus would be cheapest - but I sure wouldn't do it. That is an all day trip.
Next cheapest is flying if you book far enough ahead. But then you have to add in the hassle cost of getting to/from the airports. Not that big a deal, though.
The train is often the most expensive, but if you book far enough ahead you can get bargains. From central London is the easiest since you just have to get to Kings Cross station.
If you are picking up a car and driving out immediately - then I would fly. EDI is outside of the city on good motorway connections. You could pick up the car and be half way to Stirling or wherever before you would be half way out of the city if you picked up a car near the train station.
If, on the other hand, you are staying IN Edinburgh for a few days, I'd take the train and not pick up a car until the morning I was leaving the city.
Whatever you do - you do not want a car while staying in Edinburgh.
Next cheapest is flying if you book far enough ahead. But then you have to add in the hassle cost of getting to/from the airports. Not that big a deal, though.
The train is often the most expensive, but if you book far enough ahead you can get bargains. From central London is the easiest since you just have to get to Kings Cross station.
If you are picking up a car and driving out immediately - then I would fly. EDI is outside of the city on good motorway connections. You could pick up the car and be half way to Stirling or wherever before you would be half way out of the city if you picked up a car near the train station.
If, on the other hand, you are staying IN Edinburgh for a few days, I'd take the train and not pick up a car until the morning I was leaving the city.
Whatever you do - you do not want a car while staying in Edinburgh.
Apr 1st, 2008, 02:25 AM
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lael, where are you staying in Edinburgh ? It may be we could suggest a car hire company with an office near where you are staying, as an alternative to getting it at the airport. As another alternative, there are car hire places at the main Waverley railway station. If you are nervous about starting off driving in a city, though, the airport may be easiest.
Janis is totally correct, though, you don't want a car while you are here - just pick it up when you leave.
Do I gather you are flying into Edinburgh, staying here for a while, then touring the country, finishing up with a stay in Glasgow ?
BudgetQueen, I'm afraid I don't understand what you are asking. Are you asking 1) the cheapest way to get from London to Edinburgh and 2) where in town you can pick up a hire car to go touring after Edinburgh ? If so...
1) Janis is right, bus is cheapest but not very pleasant. I always fly - trains are usually more expensive (I never seem to see these cheap fares others mention) & less reliable. For flights check out BA or bmi from Heathrow or (unless you are coming straight from Heathrow) Easjet from Gatwick or Stansted (Luton not recommended). bmi currently has a sale with single fares from £32.
Janis is totally correct, though, you don't want a car while you are here - just pick it up when you leave.
Do I gather you are flying into Edinburgh, staying here for a while, then touring the country, finishing up with a stay in Glasgow ?
BudgetQueen, I'm afraid I don't understand what you are asking. Are you asking 1) the cheapest way to get from London to Edinburgh and 2) where in town you can pick up a hire car to go touring after Edinburgh ? If so...
1) Janis is right, bus is cheapest but not very pleasant. I always fly - trains are usually more expensive (I never seem to see these cheap fares others mention) & less reliable. For flights check out BA or bmi from Heathrow or (unless you are coming straight from Heathrow) Easjet from Gatwick or Stansted (Luton not recommended). bmi currently has a sale with single fares from £32.
Apr 1st, 2008, 07:07 AM
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Yikes- I've got a lot more homework to do, don't I??
Anyway- I will be in London and was looking for something to occupy some days and thought Scotland, sounded interesting. I can have 4 full "touring days" and two travel days. Any expert suggestions??
I did think seeing Edinburg was a "good idea" for perhaps a day?? I also, thought a car rental would get me some other sightseeing in, with a priority on scenery?? Is this not recommended??
Any other suggestions? I'm open.
Anyway- I will be in London and was looking for something to occupy some days and thought Scotland, sounded interesting.
I can have 4 full "touring days" and two travel days. Any expert suggestions??I did think seeing Edinburg was a "good idea" for perhaps a day?? I also, thought a car rental would get me some other sightseeing in, with a priority on scenery?? Is this not recommended??
Any other suggestions? I'm open.
Apr 1st, 2008, 07:55 AM
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OK another option. I can also go direct from Southampton, which will add 2 days, rather than spending more time in London- going from Southampton to London, then London to Edinburgh 2 days later. Is this a better plan??
I can also go direct from Southampton, which will add 2 days, rather than spending more time in London- going from Southampton to London, then London to Edinburgh 2 days later. Is this a better plan??
Apr 1st, 2008, 08:24 AM
#12
Well I don't understand your last post at all - where did Southampton come from? Are you arriving by ship??
Anyway - edinburgh is worth much more than a day but you actually can see quite a bit of it in 2 days.
Did you know you can fly directly from Southampton to Edinburgh? You could fly up, spend 2 days touring the city, then rent a car for a couple of days to explore one other part of Scotland (St Andrews/fishing villages, or Stirling/the Trossachs, or something like that). OR you could not rent a car at all since you could take trains to visit Glasgow, Stirling, Perth, and/or St Andrews (w/ a short bus ride).
Then fly or take the train down to London.
Anyway - edinburgh is worth much more than a day but you actually can see quite a bit of it in 2 days.
Did you know you can fly directly from Southampton to Edinburgh? You could fly up, spend 2 days touring the city, then rent a car for a couple of days to explore one other part of Scotland (St Andrews/fishing villages, or Stirling/the Trossachs, or something like that). OR you could not rent a car at all since you could take trains to visit Glasgow, Stirling, Perth, and/or St Andrews (w/ a short bus ride).
Then fly or take the train down to London.
Apr 1st, 2008, 08:29 AM
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If you're not used to driving on the left, I would strongly suggest that, regardless of how you get to Edinburgh (plane, train, or bus), you pick up your rental car at the airport. Getting out of the airport as your first left hand driving experience is exponentially easier than driving in the city. The airport is well situtated for you to jump off to just about any other location that you will be headed to outside of Endinburgh. We took the train from King's Cross to Waverly but still opted to take a cab to the aiport (like you, we were aparty of 3, so one cab was not much more expensive, if any, than the bus for 3) so as to be able to pick up our car on the outskirts of town and start this driving experience with motorways and rural roads.
Study the layout of the roads getting out of the airport on Google Earth or something like that so you know what to expect and it's really a pretty easy introdution to driving on the "wrong" side of the road.
We rented a Saab 9-5 (was supposed to be a Mercedes C) which, by UK standards, was on the large side, so that we would have enough room to store our luggage out of sight. We got about 30 mpg, so while I guess we could have done slightly better with a smaller car, we would have been less comfortable.
Study the layout of the roads getting out of the airport on Google Earth or something like that so you know what to expect and it's really a pretty easy introdution to driving on the "wrong" side of the road.
We rented a Saab 9-5 (was supposed to be a Mercedes C) which, by UK standards, was on the large side, so that we would have enough room to store our luggage out of sight. We got about 30 mpg, so while I guess we could have done slightly better with a smaller car, we would have been less comfortable.
Apr 1st, 2008, 09:34 AM
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My daughter has just booked car rental in Edinburgh (she is in college there) to take her boyfriend away for his 21st birthday.She has booked with Enterprise who are delivering the car to her address. Quite useful.
Apr 1st, 2008, 09:41 AM
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OK for the whole story. I will be in London for several days, then I go to Southamptom for a cruise to Norway, then return to Southampton and looking for suggested recommendations. So I can either head back to London for a few more days or go direct elsewhere, have 8 days including two transit days??
I do have experience driving on the left in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. But clearly am not an "expert" although Ireland was clearly more of a challenge.
There are two of us. My son and me, who doesn't care where we go. Have heard great things about Scotland and would really like to get there, especially for some great music, if available? I've read up on Edinburgh and would like to see the Castle, but don't want to stay there the whole time. Lodging is really costly, even the hostels mentioned.
So, hopefully that explains the varied confusing questions. I am very appreciative of any further direction.
I do have experience driving on the left in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. But clearly am not an "expert" although Ireland was clearly more of a challenge.
There are two of us. My son and me, who doesn't care where we go.
Have heard great things about Scotland and would really like to get there, especially for some great music, if available? I've read up on Edinburgh and would like to see the Castle, but don't want to stay there the whole time. Lodging is really costly, even the hostels mentioned. So, hopefully that explains the varied confusing questions. I am very appreciative of any further direction.
Apr 1st, 2008, 09:56 AM
#16
since you will have been in London before - and really have 8 days - and have driven on the left - and are intrigued by Scotland -- then I would fly from Southampton Edinburgh as mentioned above. Then spend a couple of days/nights in Edinburgh. Then pick up a car and hit two other bits of of Scotland. Any two will do but the two most convenient would be Fife/St Andrews for 2 days, and somewhere in the west/center of the country for 3 days (Oban/the Trossachs/maybe Skye). Drop the car at Glasgow airport and fly down to London to fly home.
OR - if Scotland is not that important to you, and since jetlag will not be an issue, you could just pick up a car in Southampton and drive a 7 day loop around the Southwest of England. The New Forest, the Dorset Coast, Devon/Cornwall, Bath and back to LHR (if that is where you are flying out of)
OR - if Scotland is not that important to you, and since jetlag will not be an issue, you could just pick up a car in Southampton and drive a 7 day loop around the Southwest of England. The New Forest, the Dorset Coast, Devon/Cornwall, Bath and back to LHR (if that is where you are flying out of)
