Best Public Toilets in Edinburgh — Free, Accessible & Festival-Ready

Edinburgh City Council currently operates 20 public toilet locations across the city — every single one is free. This is in contrast to many English cities where charges remain common. The council has invested over £1 million in new permanent facilities (£600,000 in 2023/24 and £750,000 in 2024/25) as part of a broader £5 million public toilets plan. Use our Edinburgh toilet finder for live locations near you.

Key Toilet Locations in Edinburgh

Princes Street Gardens (Ross Bandstand and West end): centrally located, accessible
The Meadows, Hope Park Terrace: new permanent facility opened 2025, includes Changing Places
Inverleith Park: new facility near MILK Kiosk, southern end — includes Changing Places
Portobello: two locations serving the seaside area
Saughton Park: two facilities
South Queensferry / Hawes Pier: two facilities including a Changing Places toilet
Edinburgh Waverley Station: paid facilities (station-operated, ~40p)
St James Quarter shopping centre: accessible, baby changing

The new park facilities — at The Meadows, Inverleith Park, and Leith Links — are modular permanent structures with: family accessible cubicles, accessible toilet, baby change, Changing Places unit, outdoor water fountain, eco-friendly sedum roof, LED lighting, and CCTV.

Changing Places Toilets in Edinburgh

Edinburgh has three confirmed Changing Places toilets managed by the council:

Hawes Pier, South Queensferry
Inverleith Park (new, opened 2025)
Middle Meadows Walkway, The Meadows (new, opened 2025)

Edinburgh residents consistently tell the council that more public toilets is their top priority for visitor levy (tourism tax) spending — placing it above other infrastructure improvements in public consultations.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe — August Toilet Demand

Every August, Edinburgh absorbs over 2 million visitors for the world's largest arts festival, with 3,800+ shows across 290 venues in the Old Town alone. This creates extraordinary demand on the city's limited public toilet infrastructure — the Victorian street network was not designed for this scale.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society identified public toilets as critical festival infrastructure. In 2024, Who Gives A Crap sponsored eco-toilets on Parliament Square and the Royal Mile for the full month of the festival — the first time a toilet paper brand provided temporary public conveniences as a sponsorship arrangement.

If you're visiting Edinburgh during August: plan your toilet access. The main Fringe venues all have toilets for ticket holders, and St James Quarter, the Waverley Mall, and Princes Street Gardens provide public provision. Waverley Station's facilities are available (charged) 24 hours.

Accessible Toilets in Edinburgh

13 of Edinburgh's 20 council-operated locations have accessible toilets. A previous council budget proposal would have closed all but two of Edinburgh's public toilets — public pressure reversed this decision. The investment programme that followed has significantly improved accessibility.

A RADAR key gives access to locked disabled facilities throughout Scotland. Keys cost £5 from Disability Rights UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all Edinburgh's public toilets free?

Yes — all 20 council-operated public toilet locations in Edinburgh are free to use. The only charged facilities are those operated by Edinburgh Waverley Station.

Where can I find a Changing Places toilet in Edinburgh?

Three Changing Places toilets are operated by Edinburgh City Council: at Hawes Pier (South Queensferry), Inverleith Park, and The Meadows. New facilities opened in 2025 as part of the £5 million investment programme.

Where can I find toilets during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

The Royal Mile area is the most challenging during August. St James Quarter, the Waverley Mall, and Princes Street Gardens provide public options. Festival venues provide facilities for ticket holders. Use our Edinburgh toilet map for live locations.