The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (the ERI) at Little France, in the south-east, is one of Scotland's biggest hospitals. The good news: patient and visitor parking is free. The catch: it's very limited and fills up, so leave plenty of time.
⏳ 14 days Got a ticket? It’s £100 — or £50 if you act within 14 days. My pay-or-appeal guide, incl. a free personal verdict on whether yours is worth fighting →Free, but limited
Hospital car parking charges at the ERI ended in March 2020, so it's free for patients and visitors. The car parks (managed by NCP) are busy and can fill early in the day, so leave plenty of time before an appointment and have a back-up plan.
Dropping someone off
There's a monitored drop-off zone near the entrance for setting down and collecting — but it's for brief stops only; staff and CCTV keep it moving, so you'll be asked to move on if you wait.
Blue Badge and accessibility
There are clearly marked Blue Badge bays throughout the site. They're popular, so as with everything here, come early.
Getting there without driving
The hospital has good bus routes from the city centre and the airport, and a Park & Ride is encouraged given how tight parking is on site. The postcode for satnav is in the EH16 area (Little France Crescent).
Hospital visits and parking tickets are a cruel combination I see too often on the roads around Little France. If it happened to you, my pay-or-appeal guide explains the 14-day rule — and genuine emergencies are worth explaining in a challenge.
Quick recap
- Patient/visitor parking is free — but limited and busy.
- Arrive early; have a back-up plan.
- Drop-off zone for brief stops; Blue Badge bays across the site.
- Don't park on council yellow lines nearby.
Parking on nearby streets?
If the site is full, check what the surrounding streets allow before you leave the car.
Check your street →