Short Stay Multi-Storey

Two-minute walk to EDI check-in, but you pay for it

Short Stay Multi-Storey at Edinburgh Airport sits directly opposite the terminal, with a walk of roughly 2 minutes from your space to the main doors. It’s an official short-stay car park under cover, so you skip shuttles and avoid standing in the rain or dark waiting for a bus at 04:30. This is the option business travellers and frequent flyers pick when a tight schedule matters more than price.

Pricing is the catch: drive-up daily rates are frequently described as “eye-watering” in Trustpilot reviews, especially for 1–2 day trips. Regulars almost never pay the on-the-day tariff; they pre-book online weeks ahead through Edinburgh Airport to knock a significant chunk off the bill. If the numbers look close to Mid Stay, remember you’re buying back about 15–20 minutes each way plus the shuttle faff.

The killer feature is the fast track link from the car park lifts. From the ground-floor lift lobby of the multi-storey, British Airways flyers on FlyerTalk report using a dedicated fast track entrance and clearing security around 16:30 with ease. If you’re flying Club Europe or have status and fast track included, you can genuinely go car to security in under 10 minutes on a normal afternoon.

Tech-wise, the multi-storey uses ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) to raise the barriers and match your booking. When it works, you just drive in and out with no ticket and the system logs your registration. Trustpilot complaints mention ANPR failures though: barriers not lifting or incorrect charges on exit, usually fixed via the call button or later customer service, but it adds stress if you’re cutting it fine for a 07:00 departure.

Layout is tight. Several reviewers say bays in the multi-storey feel narrow, especially for SUVs and wider EVs, and manoeuvring on the ramps can be awkward. Door dings are a genuine risk if you park close to the terminal levels, where it’s usually busier on weekday mornings around 06:00–08:00. If you’re in a larger car, aim for higher levels with more empty rows even if it adds an extra minute to the walk.

What regulars do: they book the Short Stay Multi-Storey online as soon as flights are confirmed, then drive straight to the ANPR barrier and head via the lift to the fast track entrance when flying BA Club or holding status. Final tip: screenshot your booking with entry and exit times before you travel; it speeds up any ANPR dispute on the intercom if the system misreads your plate on the way out.