Photo: Ben Guerin on Unsplash
Compare campervans, motorhomes and RVs to hire in Edinburgh, listed by private owners and local hire businesses. See prices, photos and reviews for campervan hire in Scotland, then book online with insurance included.
Campervan hire Edinburgh listings come from private owners and local hire businesses in the city, the Lothians and across the Forth, all booked through our partner Outdoorsy with insurance and payment protection on every booking. The same search covers motorhome hire Edinburgh, from compact 2-berth vans to 6-berth family motorhomes. The East Lothian coast, the Borders and Fife are each about an hour or so away, so search campervans near Edinburgh and compare what is free for your dates.
Edinburgh campervan and motorhome hire at a glance
| Typical nightly prices | Campervan or 2-berth £50 to £180; 4-berth £55 to £230; 6-berth £70 to £270 (low season to peak). A compact 2-berth week is about £490 to £875. |
|---|---|
| Best months | May, June and September for the coast, the Borders and Fife. August is the busiest and dearest month because of the festivals. |
| Pickup areas | Edinburgh Airport and the west of the city, plus Musselburgh and East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian. |
| Low emission zone | A city-centre zone, in force 24 hours a day, with fines since 1 June 2024. Diesel vans need Euro 6 and petrol vans Euro 4. Check the registration before you drive in. |
| Key drives | North Berwick about 25 miles, Melrose about 37, St Andrews about 50, Pitlochry about 70 and Inverness about 155. |
| Booking lead time | Three to four months ahead for August; four to six months for Hogmanay, other school-holiday weeks and larger vans. Spring and autumn often need only a few weeks. |
| Overnight | Scotland's access rights do not cover sleeping in a vehicle, so plan on campsites. Four are listed below. |
Where to pick up a campervan or motorhome near Edinburgh
Most people collect near the airport or on the western edge of the city. Edinburgh Airport is about 7 to 8 miles west of the centre, and the tram links the two in around 30 minutes. A van collected out there lets you join the M8, M9 or M90 without ever entering the centre. That matters in a city with a low emission zone and very little room for large vehicles.
Owners also list vans in Musselburgh and the East Lothian coast, in Midlothian and in West Lothian towards Livingston. If you plan to head over the Forth on the first morning, a pickup near the airport saves the drive through town. Set a search radius of 20 to 35 miles and the results will include all of these.
Some listings offer delivery to the airport or your accommodation, and some owners allow a different drop-off point, for example Glasgow or Inverness at the end of a one-way trip. Neither is standard, so look for it in the listing and ask about any extra charge before you book. If Glasgow is your other base, see campervan hire in Glasgow.
The choice runs from converted 2-berth vans that drive like a large car to 6-berth motorhomes with a full kitchen and bathroom. Our guides to campervan hire and motorhome hire explain the differences. For Edinburgh specifically, a 2 or 4-berth is the easier size on the narrow roads of the Borders and the East Neuk, while the A1, A720 and M90 suit anything.
Routes from Edinburgh by campervan
Distances below are approximate road miles from the city centre and driving times without stops.
East Lothian coast
About 25 miles and 40 minutes to North Berwick by the A1 and A198, which suits one or two days. The Scottish Seabird Centre sits on the seafront and runs wildlife boat trips in season, and the beaches at Gullane and Yellowcraigs are a short drive along the coast. It is the easiest first trip from the city and a good test of a new van.
The Scottish Borders
About 37 miles and an hour to Melrose, then on to Jedburgh, for two or three days. Melrose Abbey, founded in 1136 as Scotland's first Cistercian monastery, anchors the trip, and Abbotsford is close by. Roads are quieter than in the Highlands, which makes this a gentle start for nervous drivers. Continue west and you reach Dumfries and Galloway.
Fife coast and St Andrews
About 50 miles and 1 hour 10 minutes to St Andrews over the Queensferry Crossing, for a one or two day trip. The East Neuk fishing villages and the Old Course are the draws, and the coast road back along the Firth of Forth is slow and scenic. The crossing is toll-free. Very strong gusts can close the Queensferry Crossing to high-sided vehicles, so check Traffic Scotland before you set off in a gale. Dundee is a short hop further north.
Perthshire and the Cairngorms by the A9
About 70 miles and 1 hour 30 minutes to Pitlochry via the M90 and A9, in two to four days with the Cairngorms beyond. Perth is the natural stop on the way, and Stirling is the gateway if you would rather take the M9 towards the Trossachs. The national park's fire byelaw is covered on the Scotland guide, so read it before you pack a barbecue.
The North Coast 500 via Inverness
About 155 miles and just over 3 hours to Inverness, the usual start of the 516-mile loop. Allow a week or more for the full route in our North Coast 500 guide, and collect in Inverness instead if you want to save the long drive north. Heading west instead? The west coast and Skye route runs through Fort William.
Driving in Edinburgh
The low emission zone
Edinburgh's low emission zone covers the city centre and operates 24 hours a day, every day. The council started issuing fines on 1 June 2024. The boundary runs from Tollcross west to Palmerston Place, along Queen Street to Picardy Place, round Abbeyhill and Holyrood Road, along the Pleasance and back across the Meadows. The airport, the A720 bypass and the roads to the Forth crossings are outside it. The boundary itself is not in the zone, so even a non-compliant vehicle may drive around it. See the council's boundary map.
The standard is Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 6 for diesel, and electric vehicles meet it. A diesel van that falls short, which in practice means some older conversions, is non-compliant. The first fine is £60, reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days, and the charge doubles for each further breach by the same vehicle within 90 days. You cannot pay in advance. The council sends notices to the vehicle's registered owner, so ask the owner how a penalty would be handled. The easiest fix is to avoid the zone, but you can also put the registration into the Scottish Government's vehicle checker before you book. The Scotland guide covers low emission zones in all four cities.
Parking and height limits
Most people park outside and ride in. The council's Park and Ride listings show a 1.9 metre height limit at Straiton, Hermiston and Sheriffhall, which rules out most motorhomes and some high-top campervans, and the Hermiston and Ingliston listings say they have no parking for motorhomes. Overnight rules differ between sites, so do not assume you can sleep at one.
On the street, bays in the central zones are individually marked, and the council says a vehicle must keep its wheels within the markings or risk a ticket. In zones 5 to 8 the bays are unmarked, so longer vehicles fit more easily. The council's guidance on long and large vehicles has the detail. Measure your van's height and length at handover and write them down.
Bus lanes and tolls
Many bus lanes work at peak times, 7.30am to 9.30am and 4pm to 6.30pm on weekdays, and only buses, taxis, cycles, motorcycles and emergency vehicles may use them then. Some lanes and bus gates are restricted around the clock, and the penalty is £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days. Read the sign at the start of each lane. Scotland has no toll roads or toll bridges, and the Queensferry Crossing is free. The older Forth Road Bridge now carries mainly public transport, so campervans use the Queensferry Crossing.
August festival season
The city fills up in August. In 2027 the Fringe runs from 6 to 30 August and the Military Tattoo from 6 to 28 August, and the International Festival usually runs over the same weeks. Expect heavier traffic, full campsites and higher prices throughout. Collect the van outside the centre, use the tram and buses for the festivals, and keep the van for the day trips.
Where you can stay overnight near Edinburgh
These sites say on their own pages that they take motorhomes or touring vehicles. Ask about pitch length and hardstanding when you book, because vans vary.
- Mortonhall Caravan and Camping Park is about 4 miles from the heart of the city on Frogston Road East, open all year, with frequent buses into town.
- Edinburgh Caravan and Motorhome Club site sits on Marine Drive by the Firth of Forth. The Club lists 146 touring pitches, 142 of its 156 pitches as hardstanding, a drive-over waste point, and says non-members are welcome. It is open all year.
- Drummohr Holiday Park at Levenhall, near Musselburgh, is about 10 miles east, open all year and rated 5-star by the AA. Its touring pitches take motorhomes and camper vans up to 8 metres, and all have electric hook-up.
- Linwater Caravan Park at West Clifton, East Calder, is in West Lothian south-west of the airport and open all year. It lists tourers and motorhomes, with fully serviced and standard hardstanding pitches, each with a 16 amp electric hook-up.
In August, book these as soon as your hire dates are fixed. Beyond the city, the Scotland guide sets out access rights, permit areas and what to do when sites are full.
Campervan hire Edinburgh costs and when to go
A compact 2-berth costs about £50 to £90 a night in low season, £70 to £125 in the shoulder months and £90 to £180 at peak. A 4-berth runs about £55 to £110, £85 to £160 and £110 to £230, and a 6-berth £70 to £130, £100 to £190 and £130 to £270. Excess is typically £500 to £2,500 and the security deposit about £500 to £1,500. Our guides to campervan hire costs and motorhome hire costs explain what moves the price.
May, June and September are the best value for the coast and the Borders, with long evenings and quieter roads. August is the peak, with the Fringe and the Tattoo running through most of the month and the International Festival normally alongside them. Edinburgh's Hogmanay begins on 29 December 2026 and runs for four days, and vans near the city are in demand then too. For August book three to four months ahead, and for Hogmanay four to six months. Midges are worst in the west Highlands and islands, and the Scotland guide explains when and where.
How hire works
- Search. Enter your Edinburgh pickup point and dates on the search page and compare size, layout, dog policy, mileage and reviews.
- Check the listing. Look at the excess, deposit, pickup address and whether the owner allows ferries or a one-way drop-off.
- Book through our partner Outdoorsy. Insurance and payment protection come with every booking. 24/7 roadside assistance is an optional extra, so add it if you want it.
- Collect and hand back. At handover ask about heating, water, the toilet and the van's height.
A standard car licence covers vans up to 3,500 kg, which includes most campervans and many motorhomes, as our guide to driving a campervan on a car licence explains. First-timers can follow the Scotland campervan hire guide from handover to return.
Edinburgh campervan hire FAQs
Can I collect a campervan at Edinburgh Airport?
Some owners list vans at or near the airport, and some offer delivery there. Check the pickup address on each listing. The airport is about 7 to 8 miles west of the centre, with tram and road links, and the M8, M9 and M90 start close by.
Where should I park a campervan in Edinburgh?
Outside the centre where possible. Three Park and Ride sites list a 1.9 metre height limit and two have no motorhome parking, and street bays can be too short for longer vans. If you stay at Mortonhall or on Marine Drive, you can reach the centre by bus or on foot and leave the van behind.
What if my hire van does not meet the low emission zone standard?
You can still drive around the zone and visit everything outside it, but you must not enter the centre. Fines are sent to the registered owner, so check the registration in the government checker, and ask the owner how penalties are passed on, before you book.
Do I pay a toll to cross into Fife?
No. The Queensferry Crossing is toll-free, as is every bridge in Scotland. Campervans use the Queensferry Crossing, because the Forth Road Bridge now serves mainly public transport.
How far ahead should I book for the festivals?
Three to four months ahead for August, as vans near the airport go first. The Fringe runs from 6 to 30 August in 2027. Larger vans and school-holiday weeks can need four to six months, so search as soon as your dates are fixed.
Which campsite is closest to the city centre?
Mortonhall is about 4 miles from the centre, and the Caravan and Motorhome Club site on Marine Drive is also within the city. Drummohr is about 10 miles east, with a train link to Edinburgh that takes around 10 minutes.
Ready to go? Search campervans near Edinburgh, or read our guide to campervan hire in Scotland.