edinburgh travel restrictions

COVID-19 Guidance & Advice for Holidays in Scotland

Let us make visiting Scotland simple with our Covid-19 information and advice.

Last updated: 23 January 2023

Bloodyfoot near Kinglassie

© Fife Council / Damian Shields

Covid-19 Travel Restrictions in Scotland

The landscape of Assynt looking towards the peak of Stac Pollaidh

© Unsplash

Visiting Scotland

There are no Covid-19 travel conditions to visiting Scotland, regardless of what country you live in or your vaccination status.

When in Scotland

• You no longer have to wear a mask in public places or on public transport.
• If you  develop Covid-19 symptoms , you should stay in your accommodation.

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Holiday Ideas for Scotland

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Roadworks and travel disruption

Roadworks and road closures.

As the local Roads Authority, The City of Edinburgh Council have a statutory duty to co-ordinate all works on the public road network.  We must use our best endeavours to ensure that works are carried out safely, with the minimum disruption to road users, and that the structure of the road is protected.

This duty is overseen by the  Scottish Road Works Commissioner , who is appointed by the Scottish Government. The Commissioner is the Keeper of the Scottish Road Works Register, which lists all road works in Scotland. The Roadworks Scotland website shows all programmed and emergency works undertaken by, or on behalf of utility companies, construction companies and the local authority.

The City of Edinburgh Council’s travel news team - Edintravel – produce a separate report which lists the medium-to-high impact current and future roadworks and major events in Edinburgh. A revised list is published most weekday afternoons. More frequent updates are posted on the Edintravel Twitter feed during the week. 

Download Edintravel roadworks and events lists or other key road closure documents.

Follow  Edintravel on Twitter  and Threads for real-time updates on traffic and travel delays, Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm. Find  Edintravel on Facebook  

Traffic Scotland provides  updates about trunk roads , including motorways and the City Bypass.

Report a problem with a pavement or road

Public utility works

In general, Public Utility companies such as gas, water, electricity and telecommunications are responsible for digging holes in the road to maintain their apparatus or installing new assets. As the local Roads Authority we repair or replace the road or footway surface and other Council-maintained assets.

Public Utility companies are legally required to display a sign at their works indicating their name and their 24 hour contact telephone number.

Comments, queries and complaints about roadworks should be directed to the undertaker of the appropriate work in the first instance.

Major local authority projects

Links to more information on the Council's major active travel and transformation projects:

City Centre West to East Link

Roseburn to Union Canal

George Street and First New Town

Meadows to George Street

West Edinburgh Link

Leith Connections (Low Traffic Neighbourhood)

Corstorphine Connections (Low Traffic Neighbourhood)

Check in your bags the night before -

Hand luggage rules explained: items you can and can't take through security.

Navigating airport security will be a familiar experience for many, particularly those frequent flyers who pass through on a regular basis.

But there are also many people who are less confident when it comes to knowing the rules, and particularly the finer details on what you can and can’t take with you before boarding your flight.

So we thought we’d answer some burning questions like ‘do wet wipes count as a liquid’ and ‘what should I do with my nail clippers’.

Here’s a quick and easy hand luggage guide featuring some of the items you may be unsure about, and this can be used when preparing your bags ahead of arrival at EDI.

Sports equipment

For this one it totally depends on what you are taking. Baseball and cricket bats, golf clubs and darts are not allowed.

You’ll also not get through security with martial arts equipment such as nunchucks in your hand luggage.

However tennis rackets, snooker and pool cues, and fishing rods are all good to go.

Check out your check-in desk opening times at Edinburgh Airport

Electronics

It’s a yes for most day-to-day electronic items.

So mobile phones, laptops, tablets, electric shavers and e-cigarettes are fine.

Hairdryers, straighteners and travel irons are also allowed.

You’ll also be able to get through security with spare batteries.

Remember you'll need to take any large electronics out of your bag and place them in the tray.

‘Personal items’, work tools and walking sticks

If you’re looking to get a corkscrew, knife or large scissors (longer than 6cm blade) through we’ve got bad news for you. They are all prohibited in hand luggage.

The same goes for credit card sized wallet tools and work tools such as pliers, hammers, screwdrivers and crowbars.

Personal items such as small scissors, spoons, disposable razors, nail clippers and files, tweezers and knitting needles are allowed.

As are glass items – however you might want to check they are well protected before packing them up.

Walking poles can’t be taken with you as hand luggage but umbrellas, walking sticks, crutches, wheelchairs and pushchairs are also on the ‘allowed’ list.

When should I arrive at Edinburgh Airport for my flight?

Liquids, foods and wet wipes

When in airport security liquids include drinks, soups, jams, toiletries and cosmetics, sprays, pastes, gels and contact lens solution.

Containers of no more than 100ml are allowed, and all liquids must be in a transparent, resealable bag no larger than 20cmx20cm in size. The bag must be sealed and shown at security. There’s a limit on one bag per person.

There are some exemptions to the 100ml rule, however. If liquids are for essential medical purposes or special dietary requirements they’ll be allowed.

You’re allowed one lighter and it must be placed inside a clear, resealable bag, and can’t go in hold luggage. Baby food and baby milk is allowed, although milk must not be in a container any larger than 2,000ml and it can’t be frozen.

You’re fine with most solid food, but be wary if it’s in a sauce as this will count as a liquid.

And anyone for a fun fact? Wet wipes are allowed and don’t count as liquids.

Flying for all the family: Top tips if you're coming to Edinburgh Airport with the kids

Medicines and other substances

You can get through with tablets and capsules, essential liquid medicines, inhalers, cooling gel packs and food and liquid needed for medical reasons.

Hypodermic syringes are allowed and these, along with liquid medication, will need to be supported by medical evidence such as a doctor’s letter or prescription.

But you’re not allowed substances such as bleach or car body repair kits, self-defence or disabling sprays like mace, and rat poison. Paint, paint thinner and turpentine are also a big no.

If you are unsure about anything we’d advise you to contact the airline you are flying with. Further details can also be found on gov.uk.

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Where each of our car parks are located, and directions to get to them

When you should arrive

It's the age-old question, and there are several things to consider.

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Foreign travel rules updated

More countries designated as high risk.

Ministers have agreed, on the basis of advice from the Joint Biosecurity Centre, to place additional restrictions on travellers arriving in Scotland from Ethiopia, Oman, Qatar and Somalia. All passengers travelling to Scotland will be required to enter managed quarantine if they have been in one of these countries in the 10 days before arrival, including people travelling on from elsewhere in the UK or in Ireland.  Exemptions from isolation will be cut, and available only for a short list of essential workers. 

Flights from Qatar will still operate, but Border Force will refuse entry to the UK, using reserved immigration powers, for travellers from those countries who are not British, Irish, or have the right to reside in the UK.  Aviation and maritime crew will not be required to enter managed isolation.

The Joint Biosecurity Centre also assess risk of travel from Portugal and Mauritius is reduced, and they are removed from the list of acute risk countries.  Travellers arriving in Scotland will still enter managed isolation, but additional roles will be considered for exemption. Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “The virus continues to pose real risks to health and to life here and around the world and we need to interrupt the rise in cases, meaning we need to limit the importation of variants of concern. We need to continue the comprehensive approach to managed isolation to reduce risk from new cases and strains entering the country, particularly associated with the variant first identified in South Africa in the case of these countries.

“These changes are essential preventative action and address the risk of new variants entering Scotland with the potential to increase the numbers of cases testing positive or reduce the effectiveness of vaccine. “Our message remains clear that people should not currently be undertaking non-essential foreign travel. People need to stay at home to help suppress the virus, protect our NHS and save lives.”

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Traffic and Travel

Edinburgh Live brings you the latest traffic and travel updates every week. Tens of thousands of journeys are made each day in the Edinburgh region as well as millions of journeys by public transport every year. Edinburgh's road, rail, air and sea network is constantly evolving to keep up with the daily demand of travellers

Sign up to our Daily News newsletter here to get all the latest traffic and travel stories sent directly to your inbox.

UK's best and worst airports for delays revealed

The average delay for flights across all airports was almost 20 minutes and 42 seconds - down from 23 minutes and 12 seconds in 2022.

News reporter @TomGillespie1

Friday 12 April 2024 13:23, UK

London Gatwick was the worst airport for UK flight delays last year, analysis has found.

Departures from the airport, which is the second busiest in the UK, were an average of almost 27 minutes behind schedule in 2023, according to a Press Association study of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data.

Gatwick was badly affected by air traffic control staff shortages across Europe last year, and repeatedly suffered the same problem in its own control tower.

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The airport has said in a statement it is "working closely with our airline partners to improve on-time performance".

Luton had the second poorest punctuality record last year, with an average delay of almost 23 minutes.

The airport has said the average delay figures are "not helpful" without context and insists the vast majority of its flights left on time - claiming that most delays were due to factors out of its control.

In third place was Manchester, with an average delay of nearly 22 minutes.

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Belfast City had the best performance, with a typical delay of 12-and-a-half minutes.

Liverpool John Lennon was second best with an average delay of 13 minutes and 24 seconds, while East Midlands was next with an average wait of 15 minutes and 18 seconds.

The average delay for flights across all airports was almost 20 minutes and 42 seconds - down from 23 minutes and 12 seconds in 2022, when the aviation sector struggled to cope with a surge in demand for holidays following the end of coronavirus travel restrictions.

Departures from Heathrow, the UK's busiest airport, were typically delayed by 20 minutes last year.

The analysis took into account all scheduled and chartered departures from the 22 commercial UK airports with at least 1,000 outbound flights last year. Cancellations were not included.

The full ranking of UK airports based on worst average delay

1: Gatwick (26 minutes and 54 seconds)

2: Luton (22 minutes and 54 seconds)

3: Manchester (21 minutes and 54 seconds)

4: Edinburgh (21 minutes and 48 seconds)

5: Birmingham (21 minutes and 30 seconds)

6: Bristol (20 minutes and 24 seconds)

Joint 6th: Bournemouth (20 minutes and 24 seconds)

8: Heathrow (20 minutes)

9: Newcastle (19 minutes and 48 seconds)

10: Belfast International (19 minutes and 18 seconds)

11: Stansted (19 minutes and six seconds)

12: Aberdeen (17 minutes and 42 seconds)

13: Southampton (17 minutes and six seconds)

14: Leeds Bradford (16 minutes and 54 seconds)

Joint 14th: Cardiff Wales (16 minutes and 54 seconds)

16: Teesside International Airport (16 minutes and 48 seconds)

17: Glasgow (16 minutes and 36 seconds)

18: Exeter (15 minutes and 42 seconds)

19: London City (15 minutes and 36 seconds)

20: East Midlands International (15 minutes and 18 seconds)

21: Liverpool (John Lennon) (13 minutes and 24 seconds)

22: Belfast City (George Best) (12 minutes and 30 seconds)

Gatwick said in a statement: "As the most efficient single runway airport in the world, we aim to deliver a seamless passenger experience.

"The majority of cancellations are caused by poor weather, airspace constraints across Europe and inefficient third party ground operations.

"We are working closely with our airline partners to improve on-time performance.

"In addition, we have published a six-year capital investment programme setting out significant improvements to develop and enhance infrastructure and facilities to build the resilience of the airport."

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Gatwick imposed a temporary cap on flights in September 2023 in an attempt to reduce the number of short-notice cancellations and delays due to staff shortages in its ATC tower.

A Luton Airport spokesperson said: "Without context, these figures are not helpful to passengers. In 2023, the vast majority of flights from London Luton Airport departed on time and, out of 50,402 departing commercial flights, just 163 (0.3%) were delayed due to factors within our direct control, rather than external factors such as weather, air traffic restrictions and the late arrival of an aircraft."

Read more: Two planes at Heathrow Airport collide wings Airport security liquid limit won't be scrapped in time for summer Average Ryanair fares up 24%

A Manchester Airport spokesperson said: "This analysis ignores important context. Punctuality can be affected by a number of factors, most of which are outside of an airport's control. The two most significant factors contributing to delays in the last year have been industrial action affecting air traffic control in Europe and the weather.

"Last month 79.8% of flights from Manchester Airport took off on time, comfortably above the national average of 67%.

"As an industry we are working collectively to achieve the best possible on-time departure rates, while protecting flight schedules and avoiding the need for cancellations."

What are your rights when flights are delayed?

When flights are significantly delayed or cancelled, airlines are required under consumer laws to provide passengers with assistance such as refreshments, a means of communication and overnight accommodation if required.

If the cause of disruption is under an airline's control, passengers are also due compensation of up to £520 depending on the length of the delay and the distance of the flight.

But air traffic control (ATC) issues are generally considered to be an "extraordinary circumstance", meaning affected passengers are not entitled to payouts.