Cheap car hire Scotland from £12 a day. Compare deals across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen airports in one search, with insurance and taxes included and no hidden fees. Compare deals on our car hire Aberdeen Airport page. Scotland is built for road trips, and a hire car is the only way to reach the North Coast 500, the Isle of Skye, Glencoe and the Highlands at your own pace.
From the castles and lochs of the Highlands to the dramatic single-track roads of the far North West, the best of Scotland lies well beyond the reach of public transport. Booking cheap car hire Scotland before you fly gives you the freedom to explore it all, and our comparison search finds you the lowest price from all the major suppliers in seconds.
car hire Glasgow page. Compare deals on our car hire Inverness Airport page. The map highlights key Scottish destinations and driving regions including the North Coast 500 (NC500), Isle of Skye, Glencoe and Fort William, Cairngorms National Park, Loch Ness, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Borders. Compare deals on our car hire Edinburgh page. It also includes approximate drive times from each airport, major routes including the A82, A9 and M8, an NC500 loop, distance scale in miles and practical Scotland driving information including left-hand driving and no road tolls.” class=”wp-image-442″/>Whether you are flying into Edinburgh for a city break, landing at Inverness for the North Coast 500, or arriving in Glasgow to drive west to Glencoe, comparing car hire Scotland deals before you travel is the smart way to get the best price. Book early, especially for the busy summer months, and you will have the freedom of the open road waiting the moment you land.
Car Hire at Scotland’s Major Airports
Scotland has four main airport gateways, each opening up a different part of the country. Picking up your hire car at the airport on arrival is the quickest way to start your trip, and our search compares cheap car hire Scotland deals across all of them.
Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
Edinburgh is the busiest airport in Scotland and the natural gateway to the capital, the Borders and central Scotland. It sits around 5 miles west of the city centre, roughly half an hour by road, with all the major car hire suppliers on site. From here it is an easy drive to Stirling, the Trossachs and across to Glasgow on the M8. Compare cheap car hire Edinburgh Airport deals and collect your car the moment you land.
Glasgow Airport (GLA)
Glasgow Airport is Scotland’s second hub, around 15 minutes from the city centre, and the best gateway to the west coast, Loch Lomond and the road to the Western Highlands. It is the natural starting point for a drive to Glencoe and Fort William on the A82. Compare cheap car hire Glasgow Airport deals for the widest choice of vehicles.
Inverness Airport (INV)
Inverness is the capital of the Highlands and the essential gateway to the North Coast 500, Loch Ness and the far North. For anyone planning the NC500, picking up a hire car at Inverness Airport is the obvious choice, as the famous route begins and ends in the city. Compare cheap car hire Inverness Airport deals and start your Highland adventure straight away.
Aberdeen Airport (ABZ)
Aberdeen, the Granite City, is the gateway to the North East, Royal Deeside and the eastern Cairngorms, as well as the malt whisky country of Speyside. It is well served by all the main suppliers. Compare cheap car hire Aberdeen Airport deals to explore this less-crowded corner of Scotland at your own pace.
Car Hire Scotland by Region: The Complete Driving Guide
Scotland packs an extraordinary variety of landscapes into a compact country, and car hire Scotland lets you experience all of them. Here are the regions to explore, each a world-class road trip in its own right.
The North Coast 500 and the Highlands
The North Coast 500, or NC500, is Scotland’s answer to Route 66, a 500-mile loop from Inverness around the wild North West Highlands, taking in surf-pounded beaches, towering sea cliffs, remote villages and castles like Dunrobin. It is one of the world’s great road trips, and car hire Scotland from Inverness is essential to drive it. The roads are often single-track with passing places, so allow plenty of time and take it slowly. See our full North Coast 500 route guide for a stop-by-stop drive plan. Or use our NC500 itinerary planner to build a custom day-by-day trip. You can plan the full route on the official North Coast 500 website.
The Isle of Skye and the West
The Isle of Skye, reached by bridge from the mainland, is a land of jagged mountains, fairy pools and dramatic coastal scenery, one of the most photographed places in Scotland. Combined with the road through Glen Shiel and past Eilean Donan Castle, it makes an unforgettable drive. A hire car is the only practical way to explore Skye’s scattered sights at your own pace.
Glencoe and Fort William
The drive south from Fort William through Glencoe is among the most spectacular in Britain, a brooding glen of towering mountains steeped in history, easily reached from Glasgow on the A82. Fort William sits beneath Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, and is the gateway to the West Highlands. This is classic Highland touring country, made for car hire Scotland.
The Cairngorms and Royal Deeside
The Cairngorms National Park, the largest in Britain, is a vast upland of mountains, forests and wildlife, with Royal Deeside and Balmoral on its eastern edge and the malt whisky trail of Speyside to the North. Reached easily from Aberdeen or via the A9 from Perth, it offers a gentler but equally rewarding drive through some of Scotland’s finest scenery.
Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Borders
Scotland’s two great cities sit just an hour apart, linked by the M8, and both make excellent bases. South of them, the rolling hills and historic abbeys of the Scottish Borders offer a quieter side of the country, while the Trossachs and Loch Lomond, on Glasgow’s doorstep, provide a quick taste of the Highlands. Car hire Scotland opens all of this up in a single trip, and connects easily to the rest of our UK car hire network.
Driving in Scotland: Essential Rules
Driving in Scotland is on the left, and distances and speed limits are in miles, as Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. The motorway and main road network linking the cities is excellent, but the real character of Scottish driving lies on the smaller roads of the Highlands and islands.
Many roads in remote areas are single-track, with passing places marked for letting oncoming traffic and faster vehicles past. Use them courteously, never park in them, and take your time. Fuel stations can be few and far between in the Highlands, so fill up before heading into remote country, and keep an eye on the tank.
Weather changes quickly, and in winter the high roads can be icy or closed by snow, so check conditions before you travel and make sure your hire car is suitable. Watch for sheep, deer and other wildlife on rural roads, especially at dawn and dusk. With sensible caution, driving in Scotland is one of the great pleasures of a visit. For official travel and route information, see VisitScotland.
The Best Time for Car Hire in Scotland
Late spring and early autumn, May, June and September, are the sweet spot for a Scottish road trip, with long days, the best chance of settled weather and fewer crowds than high summer. May and June also bring the longest daylight, with light lingering well into the evening in the North.
July and August are the warmest and busiest months, when booking cheap car hire Scotland well in advance is essential, and the only time the notorious Highland midge is at its peak. Autumn brings spectacular colour to the glens, while winter offers snow-capped mountains and dramatic light, though some high roads may be closed. Booking early always secures the best rates whatever the season.
What Is Included in Your Car Hire Scotland Deal
Every cheap car hire Scotland deal in our search includes the essentials as standard: unlimited mileage on most rentals, so you can drive the full North Coast 500 without worrying about distance, third-party insurance, and local taxes. We show the total price up front with no hidden fees, so the price you see is the price you pay.
You can add extras such as a child seat, additional driver, sat nav or full excess-reduction cover at the time of booking. For peace of mind on Scotland’s single-track Highland roads, many drivers choose to reduce their excess to zero. Comparing car hire Scotland deals side by side makes it easy to see exactly what each price includes before you book.
One-Way Car Hire in Scotland
One-way car hire is popular in Scotland, letting you fly into one city and out of another, for example collecting at Edinburgh and dropping at Glasgow or Inverness. This works well for routes like the North Coast 500, where you might prefer to finish your journey in a different place from where you started. Most major suppliers offer one-way rental across Scotland, though a one-way fee sometimes applies, which our search shows clearly so there are no surprises.
Fuel and Tolls in Scotland
There are no road tolls anywhere in Scotland, including the major bridges such as the Forth Road Bridge and the Queensferry Crossing, which are all free to use. This makes budgeting for a Scottish road trip refreshingly simple compared with many countries.
Fuel is widely available in the cities and larger towns, but stations thin out considerably in the Highlands and on the islands, where they may also keep shorter hours and charge more. The golden rule for car hire Scotland in remote areas is simple: fill up whenever you pass a station and never let the tank run low, as the next garage may be many miles away.
Frequently Asked Questions: Car Hire Scotland
How much does car hire in Scotland cost?
Cheap car hire Scotland starts from around £12 a day in the quieter months, rising in July and August when demand peaks. Prices vary by airport, vehicle type and how far ahead you book, so comparing deals and booking early secures the best rate. Our search compares all the major suppliers in one place with no hidden fees.
Which airport is best for hiring a car in Scotland?
It depends on your route. Edinburgh is the busiest and best for the capital and central Scotland, Glasgow for the west coast and Glencoe, Inverness for the North Coast 500 and Highlands, and Aberdeen for the Cairngorms and Speyside. All four airports have the major car hire Scotland suppliers on site.
Do I need a car to drive the North Coast 500?
Yes. The North Coast 500 is a 500-mile Highland loop with little public transport, so a hire car is essential. Most drivers pick up their car at Inverness Airport, where the route begins and ends. A smaller car is an advantage on the single-track roads, and booking early is wise as Highland demand is high in summer.
Is driving in the Scottish Highlands difficult?
The main roads are straightforward, but many Highland roads are single-track with passing places, which take a little getting used to. Drive slowly, use the passing places courteously, fill up with fuel when you can, and watch for wildlife. In winter, check conditions as high roads can be icy or closed. With care, it is a wonderful drive.
Ready to explore? Compare cheap car hire Scotland deals below and book before you travel to secure the best rate for your Highland road trip.