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Car Rental in Scotland

The Highlands, the islands and the North Coast 500 only really open up with your own car. Scotland drives on the left, the default rental is a manual, and the best roads are gloriously single-track - here's what it costs and how to drive it without stress.

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By Sophie4 min readPublished
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The open A82 road heading into Glen Coe past the Three Sisters mountains
Photo: Berit · CC BY 2.0

In Brief

Is it worth renting a car in Scotland?

Yes - beyond Edinburgh and Glasgow, a car is by far the best way to see Scotland, from the North Coast 500 to Skye and the glens. Rates start around £16/day (about $20), but two things catch visitors out: you drive on the left, and the default car is a manual, so automatics are limited and cost more - book one early if you need it. Many Highland roads are single-track with passing places, which slows things down. You don't need a car in Edinburgh itself; pick it up as you head north.

Key takeaways

  • From about £16/day; automatics cost more and sell out - reserve early.
  • You drive on the left, and manual (stick shift) is the default.
  • Highland roads are often single-track with passing places - take it slow.
  • Skip the car for Edinburgh and Glasgow; rent it for the Highlands.

£16/day

economy class, before extras

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How much does car rental cost in Scotland?

Rough daily prices by car type. Rates rise in peak season - book early for the best deal.

Car typePrice / dayGood to know
Small manual£16-40/dayCheapest and easiest on single-track Highland roads.
Compact automatic£40-75/dayThe premium if you can't drive a stick - book early, they run out.
Mid-size / estate£45-85/dayBoot space for the NC500 and longer touring trips.
SUV£65-110/dayComfortable over distance, but wide for the narrowest passing-place roads.

Transmission: Manual is standard and cheapest; automatics are limited and pricier - reserve one well ahead if you can't drive a stick.

Driving in Scotland: what to know

  • Drive on the left

    Scotland drives on the left, driver on the right of the car, and roundabouts go clockwise. Give yourself an easy first hour before heading onto rural roads.

  • Master single-track roads

    Much of the Highlands and the NC500 is single-track with passing places (marked "Passing Place"). Pull into the one on your left to let oncoming cars by, and let faster traffic overtake - don't park in them for photos.

  • Manual is the default

    Most rentals are manual and cheaper; automatics are a smaller, pricier part of the fleet and sell out in summer, so reserve one early if you need it.

  • Fuel up in the Highlands

    Petrol stations are sparse and close early in the far north and on the islands. Fill up whenever you pass one rather than running the tank low between villages.

  • Watch weather, wildlife and light

    Weather turns fast, sheep and deer wander onto roads, and winter days are short. Drive to the conditions, and plan Highland days around limited daylight in the colder months.

Best drives in Scotland

The routes worth renting a car for - see our road trips guide for more.

  • The North Coast 500 (NC500), Scotland

    The North Coast 500 (NC500)

    The ~830km loop from Inverness around the northern Highlands - 5 to 7 days of coast and mountains.

  • The road to Skye, Scotland

    The road to Skye

    Through Glen Shiel to the Isle of Skye's Cuillin, Quiraing and fairy pools - a classic west-coast run.

  • Glencoe & the West Highlands, Scotland

    Glencoe & the West Highlands

    Glasgow to Fort William through dramatic Glencoe, past the Glenfinnan viaduct.

  • Royal Deeside & the Cairngorms, Scotland

    Royal Deeside & the Cairngorms

    Castles, whisky and mountain scenery east of the Cairngorms National Park.

Best time to visit Scotland

Car rental in Scotland: FAQ

The questions travelers ask most before renting a car here.

Small manual cars start around £16/day and rise in summer; automatics are the big jump at roughly £40-75/day because they're scarcer. Estates run £45-85 and SUVs £65-110. On top of the base rate, budget for collision-excess cover (or excess-reduction insurance) and a credit-card hold. Booking early - especially for an automatic - is the main way to save.

The main challenges are driving on the left and the single-track roads with passing places - both easy to learn within a day. On single-track roads, pull into a passing place on your left to let oncoming or faster cars through, and never stop in them for photos. Add changeable weather, sheep and deer, and short winter days, and it's very manageable if you take it slowly.

Manual (stick shift) is the default and cheapest. If you can't drive a manual - or don't want to shift with your left hand while adjusting to driving on the left - book an automatic early, as they're a limited part of the fleet and sell out in the busy May-to-September season, often at a premium.

Not for Edinburgh or Glasgow, which are compact and well served by transit - a car is a hassle there. But for the Highlands, the NC500, Skye and the countryside, a car is the best way to travel and reaches viewpoints and villages that buses skip. The common plan is city days car-free, then rent for the Highland road-trip.

May-June and September give the best mix of long daylight, drier weather and lower prices than the July-August peak - and fewer midges. Rentals (especially automatics) are cheapest and easiest to get outside high summer. Winter is cheapest but brings short days, ice and closed mountain roads. See our best-time-to-visit Scotland guide for the month-by-month detail.

Continue Planning Your Trip

Photo credits (4)

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, used under their respective licences.