Is it worthwhile to book a rental car in Scotland, United Kingdom?

A car rental in Scotland is ideal if you are traveling to the northern part of the country. There's a high chance that bus services will be disrupted, so it would be great for travelers to book cheap car rentals in Edinburgh and drive to their destinations. If you're planning on driving from one city to another, then booking a car rental in Glasgow is ideal. There are many car rental agencies available in the city offering cheap rental cars, and you will not have trouble finding a company to rent a vehicle from. If you're planning on exploring isolated areas, such as Ben Nevis, then renting a 4x4 or SUV will be convenient. With a rental car, you have the freedom to go wherever you please, and it makes your trip more fun. In addition to the main cities in Scotland, there are rural areas where public transportation is not readily available. If you opt for car rental instead of bus or train services, you will be able to travel freely without being limited by schedules and routes.

What are the driving conditions like in Scotland, United Kingdom?

The roads in Scotland are well maintained and road signs are in place to guide you to your destination. If you opt for a car rental in Edinburgh, you will also find parking spaces conveniently located. The weather in Scotland is unpredictable and can change in a matter of minutes, so always be prepared for snowstorms or torrential rain. The country also experiences very strong winds, which may cause devastating effects if you are driving on the roads at the time. The coastlines are rocky, so one must expect rough roads if they plan to drive along the coast.

What Scotland driving laws should I be aware of?

If you're driving in Scotland, there are some driving laws that you must follow. The maximum speed limit is the same for both cities and rural areas. Using your mobile for text messaging, calls or any other phone application while driving will result in you being fined in Scotland. Drivers must also follow rules regarding child restraints. Every passenger under the age of three must be restrained in an approved child seat. Children between three and seven years old are allowed to use a booster seat, but children over seven years of age can use an adult seat belt. In addition, you can always check with the city's traffic department of any additional laws since Scotland driving laws will differ from city to city.

What type of documentation do I need to rent a car in Scotland?

The citizens of the United Kingdom only need their national identification (similar to a passport) and proof that they have liability insurance for their car rental. If you are not from the UK, then you will need additional documentation like your driver's license and an international driving permit if you do not have a valid driver's license in your country of origin. Your driver's license must have a photograph of yourself as well.

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Best deals found for Scotland car rentals

Find great deals below on a variety of popular rental cars in Scotland

Ford Fiesta

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

$22/day

21 May - 1 Jun

See offer

Suzuki SX4

or similar Compact

Up to 4 passengers

$23/day

16 Jun - 29 Jun

See offer

Toyota Yaris

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

$24/day

17 Jun - 25 Jun

See offer

Ford Fiesta

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

$25/day

30 Jul - 8 Aug

See offer

Kia Picanto

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

$25/day

8 Aug - 14 Aug

See offer

Kia Picanto

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

$25/day

9 Aug - 16 Aug

See offer

Nissan Sentra

or similar Compact

Up to 4 passengers

$25/day

8 Aug - 18 Aug

See offer

Ford Fiesta

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

$25/day

31 Jul - 5 Aug

See offer

Ford Focus

or similar Compact

Up to 4 passengers

$25/day

30 Jul - 8 Aug

See offer

Rental cars insight and trends in Scotland

Useful insights to help you book the perfect rental car in Scotland

What is the best rental car company in Scotland?

Consider renting a car from Alamo, which is currently the best rental agency in Scotland, according to our users. Alamo has 7 locations in some of Scotland’s must-see cities, like Edinburgh. With 30 reviews and an average rating of 9.3/10, Alamo is a favorite among travelers visiting Scotland.

What is the most popular type of car to rent in Scotland?

Compact or similar cars are the most popular type of car to rent in Scotland, with 31% of our users choosing this type over other options. Renting Compact cars in Scotland costs, on average, $60/day. Keep in mind that prices may fluctuate based on when you visit, what city you stay in, and what agency you rent from.

Scotland car rental deals found on momondo

Find the rental car in Scotland that's right for you

	Small cars	$34 - $53
	All Car Types	$67 - $1,037

The average price of a small car rental in Scotland is $43. The cheapest time to rent a small car in Scotland is in January. The price is 23% lower than the rest of the year at just $34 per day. A small car rental is typically 84% less expensive than the average rental car in Scotland. The average price of a vehicle rental in Scotland can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your rental car. Below are the best prices for Scotland small car rentals found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a medium car rental in Scotland is $74. The cheapest time to rent a medium car in Scotland is in February. The price is 34% lower than the rest of the year at just $49 per day. A medium car rental is typically 73% less expensive than the average rental car in Scotland. The average price of a vehicle rental in Scotland can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your rental car.

The average price of a large car rental in Scotland is $117. The cheapest time to rent a large car in Scotland is in March. The price is 35% lower than the rest of the year at just $77 per day. A large car rental is typically 57% less expensive than the average rental car in Scotland. The average price of a vehicle rental in Scotland can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your rental car. Below are the best prices for Scotland large car rentals found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a SUV rental in Scotland is $71. The cheapest time to rent a SUV in Scotland is in February. The price is 38% lower than the rest of the year at just $45 per day. A SUV rental is typically 74% less expensive than the average rental car in Scotland. The average price of a vehicle rental in Scotland can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your rental car. Below are the best prices for Scotland SUV rentals found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a van rental in Scotland is $131. The cheapest time to rent a van in Scotland is in February. The price is 47% lower than the rest of the year at just $70 per day. A van rental is typically 52% less expensive than the average rental car in Scotland. The average price of a vehicle rental in Scotland can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your rental car. Below are the best prices for Scotland van rentals found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a luxury car rental in Scotland is $149. The cheapest time to rent a luxury car in Scotland is in January. The price is 34% lower than the rest of the year at just $99 per day. A luxury car rental is typically 45% less expensive than the average rental car in Scotland. The average price of a vehicle rental in Scotland can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your rental car. Below are the best prices for Scotland luxury car rentals found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a convertible rental in Scotland is $44,459. The cheapest time to rent a convertible in Scotland is in November. The price is 100% lower than the rest of the year at just $85 per day. A convertible rental is typically 100% more expensive than the average rental car in Scotland. The average price of a vehicle rental in Scotland can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your rental car.

Ford Fiesta

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

$22/day

21 May - 1 Jun

See offer

Scotland car rental directory

All major car rental suppliers in Scotland

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

8.6

Very good

47 reviews•29 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

8.0

Very good|Sep 2023

Cars and service at counters great. Roadside assistance in Scotland strange. Flat tire. They don’t fix but tow.

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

Enterprise team was extremely professional, especially Natalia who explained everything so patiently and in detail. Amazing team, amazing service and exceptionally high level of reliability of cars.

10.0

Wonderful|Jun 2023

We were well taken care of

10.0

Wonderful|Jun 2023

The staff was exceptional, making arrangements for my return to the airport by cab, having my rental ready ahead of time, and by being extremely efficient at the front desk.

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2023

The guys agreed to stay later as my flight went past their opening times. They were really friendly and made the collection and drop off hassle free.

8.0

Very good|Jan 2023

The staff was friendly, easy access

1 out of 16

View Enterprise Rent-A-Car Locations in Scotland

Budget

7.9

Good

45 reviews•10 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|May 2023

Awesome help from the staff. John was incredibly friendly and helpful in getting us the right rental, and made himself available through the week for any questions or help we might need.

2.0

Poor|Aug 2022

Will never rent from budget ever again. I was blamed for damages that were already on the vehicle, and it’s taking forever to get ahold of an actual human to discuss and share the time stamped photos I have to prove it.

10.0

Wonderful|Jun 2022

We had a great experience with Craig at the rental counter when we realized we booked from the city location. He got us taken care of and on our way quickly

10.0

Wonderful|Jan 2022

Not cheapest

1 out of 15

Sixt

7.0

Good

38 reviews•9 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

2.0

Poor|Sep 2023

Terrible

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

Pros: Easy drop off Decent car Cons: Expect $300 in surprise charges and incessant upsells

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

Was charged 150 pounds without information

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

The staff was wonderful, went through how the car works.

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2023

The service and rental were top notch! They were super helpful at pickup and return, going above and beyond in providing mobility assistance on return.

10.0

Wonderful|Jun 2023

The staff were helpful and kind, and the car was in great shape. Overall a very easy and smooth rental experience.

1 out of 13

Europcar

6.6

Okay

48 reviews•28 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Sep 2023

Our journey into Edinburgh was way behind our schedule (airline problems). Changing the pick-up time to a later hour was very, very easy. That was much appreciated!

6.0

Okay|Aug 2023

There was an unexpected charge that wasn’t noted when I booked and paid for the rental online, months before our trip. It was for licenses and fees as well as a premium location tax. None of which was noted at time of booking but added another £15 to our rental cost. Other than that all went well with the rental.

10.0

Wonderful|Jun 2023

Quick and easy pick up and drop off. Car was clean and ready to go.

2.0

Poor|Jun 2023

Absolute scam. Charged nearly double quotes price.

10.0

Wonderful|Jun 2023

Alex was friendly and helpful. We paid for an upgrade, and the car was excellent.

2.0

Poor|Jun 2023

Be aware that at this europcar (Glasgow) they will cancel your reservation if you are not there to get the car BEFORE your time. Then they will try to upsell you because “unfortunately we don’t have the car you reserved anymore since you were late.” It happened to every person in line when we were there. We had a reservation for a suv for $560 and they would only rent us a $1500 “upgraded” suv. It’s all an upsell scam. Luckily we walked across to AVIS and they were great to work with. We were able to get an suv on the spot with the insurance for $750. My advice is to avoid Europcar Glasgow at all cost. I can’t speak for any other Europcar locations.

1 out of 16

View Europcar Locations in Scotland

Hertz

6.5

Okay

75 reviews•12 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

2.0

Poor|Jun 2023

They did not hold my reservation. I needed an automatic; my entire vacation depended upon getting this car (I cannot drive a manual). Showed up to get the car at 9am that morning -- NO CAR. No automatic. Then, the man behind the counter yelled at me when I told him how frustrated I was. He said he would never rent a car to me. I said, "What an empty threat--you don't have a car to rent to me." I will NEVER rent from any Hertz location ever again. Their company has lost me COMPLETELY, and I plan on telling everyone how awful they were.

10.0

Wonderful|Jun 2023

Excellent. I broke my shoulder the night before leaving for Scotland and we had a lot of luggage so they gave us an appropriate car for our new needs. Agents were helpful and friendly.

10.0

Wonderful|May 2023

Pick-up took longer than expected but overall we were very pleased.

2.0

Poor|May 2023

My husband and I took a trip to Scotland, which we were very excited about. We reserved a car in advance, a manual gas vehicle, for our road trip all across the country. Upon arriving to pick up our vehicle, we were told that instead of a manual gas vehicle, they would be giving us an automatic electric vehicle. I voiced my discomfort to the staff at have an EV, but we were assured there were tons of charging stations all across the country and that we could “even charge at our hotel or Airbnbs” in the evenings. Unfortunately, none of the things the staff told us was true. There are not a lot of charging places in Scotland, we could consistently had to drive out of our way to reach them, but also most of them don’t take credit cards. It took us several days and many hours to figure out how to set up an account with the company that owns many of the charging stations, Chargeplace Scotland. Charging at our Airbnbs was also not really an option as it typically makes the hosts uncomfortable, and would get about a 20% charge for charging overnight. We spent over 16+ hours of our vacation either trying to find charging locations, waiting for a charging spot to open, driving to a charging location to find it was not working, or just sitting waiting for the car to charge. In lieu of our spoiled vacation, Hertz offered a $50 rental certificate, which does nothing for an entire ruined trip. I would not recommend using Hertz in Scotland, and if you travel to Scotland, do not let them talk you into an electric vehicle.

6.0

Okay|May 2023

Staff - very slow - one person and a queue

6.0

Okay|Sep 2022

Car rental pickup and drop-off was good but the prices have skyrocketed since Covid. It will probably be the last time I rent if prices stay this high

1 out of 25

View Hertz Locations in Scotland

National

10.0

Wonderful

1 review•8 locations

Check prices

Overview

Arnold Clark

9.6

Wonderful

8 reviews•24 locations

Check prices

Overview

View Arnold Clark Locations in Scotland

Alamo

9.3

Wonderful

14 reviews•7 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2023

Alamo was great. No high pressure sales pitch. We were able to quickly pick-up and drop-off the car.

2.0

Poor|Jun 2023

I never got my car as they never answered the phone and I was unable to leave a message either.

8.0

Very good|Jun 2023

The women who checked the car out and back in were friendly and informative.

10.0

Wonderful|Jan 2023

Very easy pick up and drop off, helpful staff, no sense of anyone trying to charge for damages - All very fair and reasonable, and done in a professional but friendly manner.

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2022

Cameron was friendly, informative, helpful and has a great sense of humour. The car, while small for someone 6’4”, was comfortable and had all the necessary amenities (except sat nav).

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2022

Jack Holland was great

1 out of 5

Car rental in Scotland

Learn everything there is to know about renting a car in Scotland so you can be properly prepared for your next trip

How long do people rent a car when staying in Scotland?

Most people tend to rent a car in Scotland for 7 days which costs, on average, $31 per day. If you plan on renting a car for one week, then you can expect to pay around $215 total. For a quick weekend rental, the total cost tends to average $131. $1,373 is the average cost of a month-long Scotland road trip car rental.

When did momondo last update prices for cars in Scotland?

Prices for cars in Scotland are refreshed on a daily basis.

How many operators does momondo search for cars in Scotland?

As of May 2024, there are 285 operators available to choose from for cars in Scotland.

How old do you have to be to hire a car in Scotland?

Among different countries, including Scotland, the minimum age for drivers varies. In numerous EU countries, drivers must be 18 years old. To hire a car overseas, you'll generally need to be at least 21, and if you're under 25, a young driver surcharge may be imposed. It's recommended that you review the policy of the rental company you're considering before booking.

What documentation or ID do you need to rent a car in Scotland?

To rent a car in Scotland, all drivers must present a valid full driving license. If the license is written in a language other than the language of the country of rental, an International Driving Permit may be required to avoid the risk of potential fines. If you're renting a car abroad, you may also need to provide evidence of your return travel and accommodation information during your stay. We always recommend that you verify with the specific rental company you're booking with.

Why use momondo?

Why should I use momondo to book a car rental in Scotland?

Booking a car rental in Scotland via momondo could save you time and money. momondo provides you with a wide selection of options and cars as we search thousands of car rental websites and locations to enable you to make the best choice for your trip.

How does momondo help me find the best car rental deal in Scotland?

momondo makes it easier for you to find great car rentals in Scotland, by allowing you to refine your search with numerous filtering options. You can narrow your selection by looking at price, car type, location and more.

Does momondo show car rental deals in Scotland with free cancellation?

Free cancellation is a policy that can be filtered on momondo car rental searches for Scotland and all other locations. Availability may vary by location.