Greenock car rental

[Smokeyham]

We will be arriving in Greenock on Monday, July 21 2014 and are thinking of renting a car to drive to Edinburgh and back. We arrive at 10:00 AM, and sail at 9:00 PM.

 

Given that time frame, is that reasonable to do, including time to hire and return the car and allowing for traffic on a weekday? I figured we might arrive in Edinburgh by 12:30 PM and leave around 5:30 PM. Reading the earlier advice we would rent from Avis at the Tontine Hotel.

 

Thanks for any feedback.

[HappyChappy]

We will be arriving in Greenock on Monday, July 21 2014 and are thinking of renting a car to drive to Edinburgh and back. We arrive at 10:00 AM, and sail at 9:00 PM.

 

Given that time frame, is that reasonable to do, including time to hire and return the car and allowing for traffic on a weekday? I figured we might arrive in Edinburgh by 12:30 PM and leave around 5:30 PM. Reading the earlier advice we would rent from Avis at the Tontine Hotel.

 

Thanks for any feedback.

 

That would easily be done.

Only problem with Edinburgh is parking is horrendous. But you will still have a good 5 or 6 hours there to relax and sightsee. The Royal Mile and Castle are a must. I cant help re Parking as I usually park miles away and either walk in or jump on a bus or taxi.

It will take around 80 mins from Greenock town centre to Edinburgh City Centre in normal traffic. On the way back I would leave Edinburgh just after 6 as it will allow the chaos at the Kinston Bridge in Glasgow to die down. You would hit that around 7 or so and its a 20 min drive from the Kinston bridge to Greenock. Still giving you plenty of time to drop car off and jump into a local pub for a beer or a wee snifter.

[Smokeyham]

That would easily be done.

Only problem with Edinburgh is parking is horrendous. But you will still have a good 5 or 6 hours there to relax and sightsee. The Royal Mile and Castle are a must. I cant help re Parking as I usually park miles away and either walk in or jump on a bus or taxi.

It will take around 80 mins from Greenock town centre to Edinburgh City Centre in normal traffic. On the way back I would leave Edinburgh just after 6 as it will allow the chaos at the Kinston Bridge in Glasgow to die down. You would hit that around 7 or so and its a 20 min drive from the Kinston bridge to Greenock. Still giving you plenty of time to drop car off and jump into a local pub for a beer or a wee snifter.

 

Thanks so much! Exactly what I needed to know!

[MarlboroBell]

It will take around 80 mins from Greenock town centre to Edinburgh City Centre in normal traffic. On the way back I would leave Edinburgh just after 6 as it will allow the chaos at the Kinston Bridge in Glasgow to die down. You would hit that around 7 or so and its a 20 min drive from the Kinston bridge to Greenock. Still giving you plenty of time to drop car off and jump into a local pub for a beer or a wee snifter.

 

Surely these days you can avoid the Kingston Bridge entirely by dropping down from the A8 onto the M73 south and then the new bit of the M74 north, rejoining the M8 just after the Kingston Bridge?

[HappyChappy]

Surely these days you can avoid the Kingston Bridge entirely by dropping down from the A8 onto the M73 south and then the new bit of the M74 north, rejoining the M8 just after the Kingston Bridge?

 

Thats very true but for a foreigner poss driving on the wrong side of the road its prob easier to stay on the M8 from Edinburgh straight thro to Greenock.

 

After all its a straight road and you cannot get lost.

The A8/M73/M74/M8 option may and I repeat may save 5 mins but its not worth hassle.

[alfred]

I would suggest looking into the train. It is a 15 minute walk from ship to train station and you can buy round trip tickets right there. easy way to travel! We did it to Glasgow and back

[Smokeyham]

I would suggest looking into the train. It is a 15 minute walk from ship to train station and you can buy round trip tickets right there. easy way to travel! We did it to Glasgow and back

 

On another thread the following was posted.

It is pretty simple to do this.

 

Take the train from Greenock to Glasgow Central. It take 40-45 minutes and there is a train approx 3 times per hour.

 

At Glasgow, you will have to change stations to Glasgow Queen Street station. It is about 500 yards walk through central Glasgow (completely safe). There is a shuttle bus or you could take a taxi (you wont be popular with the taxi driver for such a short journey, but they MUST take you).

 

At Queen Street there is a train to Edinburgh Waverly (right on Princes St and below the Castle) every 15 or 30 minutes (depending on time of day). Journey time 50 minutes.

 

see www.trainline.co.uk for train times

 

Does that seem right for what is involved?

[MarlboroBell]

Yes, that's it. You'll see services to Edinburgh at Glasgow Central too -- don't take them, they're much slower than the services from Queen Street.

 

To get to Queen Street, walk forward out of the front of Glasgow Central station and turn right onto Gordon Street. Go to the end, it's pedestrianized, and turn left onto Buchanan Street. Follow to Buchanan Street subway station and turn right, and Queen Street station will be on your left. It's about a six-minute walk. (Or at least, that's how long it took me when I lived there as a teenager!)

[Smokeyham]

Yes, that's it. You'll see services to Edinburgh at Glasgow Central too -- don't take them, they're much slower than the services from Queen Street.

 

To get to Queen Street, walk forward out of the front of Glasgow Central station and turn right onto Gordon Street. Go to the end, it's pedestrianized, and turn left onto Buchanan Street. Follow to Buchanan Street subway station and turn right, and Queen Street station will be on your left. It's about a six-minute walk. (Or at least, that's how long it took me when I lived there as a teenager!)

 

Thanks so much! Sounds like a good way to get to Edinburgh.