Van Hire Edinburgh

Key motorways in and around Edinburgh

• M8 – the main motorway connecting Edinburgh to Scotland’s nearest major city, Glasgow.
• M9 – leading north-west out of Edinburgh, the M9 concludes in Stirling – follow the A811 for Loch Lomond or the A84 for the Trossachs, or the A9 to head north to the Cairngorms.
• M90 – making its way across the Queensferry Crossing Bridge, the M90 will take you to Perth, and is the best route for reaching Knockhill Racing Circuit.

Main roads in Edinburgh

• The City of Edinburgh Bypass (A720) – is a key ring road linking the east and west of the city.
• A1 – heads out of Edinburgh and south along the east coast, the A1 is one of the most scenic ways to reach England. After Newcastle, it becomes the A1 (M) motorway and takes you all the way to London.
• A68 – a scenic main road connecting Edinburgh to the popular Northumberland National Park.

Congestion Charges

Edinburgh’s proposed low emission zone (LEZ) charge goes into effect on the 31^st of May 2022, with charges applying 24 hours a day, seven days a week after a two-year grace period. Starting in June 2024, noncompliant vehicles will pay a penalty of up to £480 for cars and light goods vehicles and £960 for buses and HGVs.

How to get to…

Edinburgh IKEA

Edinburgh’s IKEA sit on either side of Costkea Way. Hertz has a pick-up location at the store, so you can easily collect your van before kitting out your home with the latest flat-pack furniture. They’re located just off the A701 – a mile south of the city bypass – and about 25 minutes from the city centre.

B&Q Edinburgh

Edinburgh has two B&Q stores, one to the east (EH15 3HS) and one to the west (EH11 4DG) of the city. B&Q Craighall sits just off the A1 to the east of Edinburgh city centre. It should take around 20 minutes to get there from the centre. Like IKEA and Costco, you can pick up your van straight from the store. B&Q Hermiston Gait is 25 minutes west of the city, just off The City of Edinburgh Bypass.

The University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s prestigious university is right in the centre of the city, near Holyrood Park, and so can be easily reached via several main roads. From the south, it’s best accessed using the A7. Most student accommodation is within 10-15 minutes from central Edinburgh. This includes Sugarhouse Close, Potterrow, New Park, Beaverbank Place and Brae House.

Edinburgh Napier University

Edinburgh Napier University has three campuses at Craiglockhart, Merchiston and Sighthill. Craiglockhart campus is around a 20-minute drive from central Edinburgh, Merchiston takes about 15 minutes and Sighthill less than half an hour. Napier University’s halls of residence can be found in the city centre at Bainfield, Orwell Terrace and Slateford Road.

Ease the Squeeze Self Storage

If you’re hiring a van to transport valuables to storage lockers, you’ll find this facility on Eastfield Farm Road, Penicuik. It’s located approximately a 30-minute drive from Edinburgh city centre, down the A701.