Driving in the UK as a Foreigner: Left-Hand Roads, Rural Scotland, Ferries and Everything In Between

I pushed past my fear and planned a summer-long trip to explore the UK, which meant driving in the UK with a European car. Obviously, most people fly to the UK and then rent a car. But in my case, as I travel for longer, do super long road trips in Europe and indulge in slow travel in Europe, I prefer, whenever I can, to drive there because, for a longer stay, it is indeed cheaper than renting a car. 

Also, driving from Romania to the UK let me test the LeShuttle (Eurotunnel) and the ferry and take my dog with me on this amazing adventure. 

And to that mix we will shortly add the particularities of driving in the UK, specifically in Wales and Scotland, which I now know very well after spending 3 months driving on all sorts of roads, but also in big cities. 

I have to say from the start that I am a very experienced driver, and I’ve driven in many places people don’t recommend, but I rented a car and explored them. 

But I will go over everything you need to know about driving in the UK in detail, especially if you are driving a foreign car, including the regions where I spent more time, so you can assess the situation for yourself and decide whether this is feasible for your future trip to the UK. 

I address this experience as driving in the UK as a European, because I chose to drive my personal car from my home country to the UK. However, aside from a few logistical details, this applies to any foreigner renting a car in the UK, as I focus on the driving conditions and situations a foreigner might find unfamiliar when first driving there.

The biggest adjustment: driving on the left in a left-hand drive country

Overall, driving a European car on the UK roads is surprisingly easier than expected. But it was pretty scary at first, as we all tend to be scared of the unknown. 

Driving in the UK with a European car, things to pay extra attention to:

• Roundabouts go clockwise
• When turning right, make sure you continue driving on the left
• The slow lane/first lane is the one on the left
• Follow road signs; they always tell you where to stand before an intersection
• Entrance and exit lanes from the motorway are a bit abrupt (more so than in other EU countries), so it’s better to stay in the middle lane when approaching those. 
• Always give priority to the right in traffic
• Don’t overtake if uncertain; wait for a safe moment

My experience 

I have some experience driving an appropriate left-wheel car in a right-hand-drive country. If you want to see how that went, I have an entire video on YouTube of me driving a rental car in Cyprus. It was weird at first, but I quickly got the hang of it. 

Before I get into any details, I have to say that driving in the UK with a European car was fun, easier than expected; other drivers were patient and polite in traffic, and I quickly built up the courage to drive in any kind of place (villages and bigger cities).

But what really terrified me was driving a European left-wheel car on the left side of the road. I will call this an extreme combination of driving, because the car is built for driving on the other side of the road (the right side), and I’m used to driving on the right. 

I didn’t have much time to contemplate this driving experience when I first arrived in the UK, as I was using LeShuttle. That experience is worth contemplating, so check out my LeShuttle review if you are wondering how it usually goes. 

And once you get disembarked from the train, you are simply directed onto the motorway, and your journey of driving on the left side of the road begins. Only after a few kilometres did a petrol station appear, and I was able to stop there. 

That first time driving off the train (or ferry, for some), it feels very weird. What really helped were the many road signs reminding you to drive on the left, “Keep Left” everywhere, and just trust that the road will take you where you need to go. 

I tended to check my mirrors as I normally would, but it wasn’t until I understood everything was backwards that I gained the confidence to press the accelerator. 

Roundabouts are tricky, and will continue to be so throughout the trip. It’s not the direction (roundabouts go clockwise in the UK), but the physical position of the driver, who sees less from sitting on the left side of the car. Also, I limited overtaking manoeuvres as much as possible during the first few days in the UK. 

How to prepare your European car for driving in the UK

One important detail is your car display. 

For modern cars, you should be able to go into the interface’s settings and select miles instead of kilometres. 

Do that as you board the ferry or train, because you will be too overwhelmed once you reach the UK to attend to this detail, and you won’t know what the speed limit is (hint: it’s a maximum of 70 miles per hour on the motorway, which is about 112 kilometres per hour). 

I’m going to be honest with you and tell you from the start that the first day driving in the UK will require a lot of concentration and attention. 

In a way, it’s all new: the driving rules and the landscape. 

Having an automatic car that could read the speed limits helped me a lot. 

What to know about your European car in the UK

Before driving a European left-hand-drive car to the UK, you need to know the legal requirements and practicalities. 

One of the most important things is to check your car insurance and make sure it covers the UK. Some call this the car’s green card (it’s not green anymore; it’s just an older term that stuck, but it refers to the same car insurance from your home country). 

As you will be driving on the left side of the road, the car’s headlights might be set for driving on the right, and the right headlight can slightly point upwards, which, in the UK driving situation, can blind an oncoming car, and that’s illegal. 

How to fix the headlights? 

This varies greatly depending on the car you drive. 

Some newer, fancier cars have a setting for driving on the left that automatically lowers the headlights. 

Some cars will need manual adjustment (by yourself or at the mechanic’s shop), and others might need a headlight beam deflector sticker (you can buy them in France before going through the Eurotunnel or the ferry). 

The internet can’t tell you exactly what applies to your car unless you find a model that matches yours and has been to the UK. But chances are low. If you are unsure, it’s better to call the car’s dealer and ask, or contact the manufacturer. 

In my case, I drive a newer car, and I didn’t do anything because my headlights are flat (they don’t light up on the right side). 

You also don’t need a sticker on the car if you’re from the EU (your car’s plates already have the code of your country on them). Some people are confused about the sticker because UK cars driving in the European Union do need to put a “UK” sticker on the back of the car. 

Roads, tolls and fees in the UK

Roads in the UK are mainly easy to navigate and toll-free, with some exceptions. 

You don’t need a vignette as some EU countries do, and there are only a few tolls on certain roads, which are announced by road signs and are hard to miss. 

For instance, parts of the M6 require a toll, and there’s an automatic toll at the end of that section. There’s nothing you need to do; just stop and pay by card, and they will know how much to charge you. I did the entire thing on M6, and it was about 12 GBP in 2026. 

You must pay for the Dartford Crossing online, but you have plenty of time after you drive over it. You will see many signs on the road (they call it Dart Charge)  indicating when and where to pay online. See more details here. 

There were other small changes, but they were all charged on the spot, and there’s no way to miss them. 

But usually, the roads are free, and you won’t pay to drive in the UK. 

I think road tolls are only in England, while Wales and Scotland are toll-free. 

Fuel costs are comparable to Europe or lower; it depends on what you compare it to. However, given the economic context and ever-rising costs of petrol worldwide, it’s truly hard to compare any fuel costs anywhere in the world, so that will be something you will need to research at the time of your visit. 

For me, as I visited in the summer of 2026, fuel costs in the UK were lower than in Western Europe, and I didn’t complain. 

Parking is always a huge topic of debate in the UK, as most countryside attractions offer limited parking, which is often not free either. In Wales, most car parks have coin-only machines, so it’s a good idea to always have some coins set aside for parking. 

Alternatively, you can pay with a parking app. The two most used parking apps I’ve found are JustPark and RingGo. 

However, these parking apps can’t be downloaded from the App Store unless your App Store country is the UK. 

You can definitely change it to the UK, and it’s what I recommend. 

But there are some restrictions, such as any subscriptions on your account. Please do your due diligence before changing any settings on your phone. 

And to use parking apps in the UK, you will need a data connection on your phone. 

I generally recommend Holafly unlimited (Use code “JULIASOMETHING” to get 5% OFF), but it has some shortcomings, as do any other eSIM app.

I tested several eSIM apps while in the UK, and I recommend checking out my guide on how to pick the best UK eSIM for you, since that depends a lot on your itinerary and needs. 

If you plan to drive through cities in the UK, note that some have clean air zones in place. That means your car needs to be at least Euro 4 for petrol cars and Euro 6 for diesel cars, or you have to pay a fee. Check the official government website for more details. 

Speed cameras, mobile phones, passing places

Speed cameras and even mobile radars (placed on a police car) are frequent and functional. I’ve seen many different types of speed cameras all over the country, and they are always announced by traffic signs (except for the mobile cameras, which are usually a big police van stopped in a layby on the side of the road).

On some motorways there are average speed cameras, which measure the average speed between two points where the cameras are set.

Also, mobile phones are not allowed to be used while driving, even if you are stopped, waiting in traffic.

Always pay for parking. If you are unsure, check the signs around; paid parking will have clear instructions on how to pay.

Don’t stop in passing places, as you can become an inconvenience for other drivers. Passing places are designed on single-track roads to let cars pass one another, not for parking or taking pictures. In some cases, you will need to back up on those single-track roads if you are closer to the passing place or if the incoming traffic is made up of more cars and having them all back up would be very impractical. That’s why you always have to look out for incoming traffic and stop at a passing place before you meet on the road, and wait for them to pass.

Be polite and nice to other drivers. In general, most drivers were very polite and patient, even though sometimes I was a bit confused. I encountered a few frustrated drivers as well, but those were the exception, not the norm.

Also, when a driver is allowing you to pass on a single-track road and is waiting for you in a passing place, it is polite to acknowledge that by making a small hand gesture or nodding your head. You’ll notice that all drivers do that, so it’s only polite to thank them back.

Driving in Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire is a very popular holiday spot in Wales and the roads to get you there are mostly on the motorway. 

But at some point, the motorway ends, and the roads turn from 2 tracks for each direction to one and, inevitably, to a narrow single-track road that gets you to many of the gorgeous natural attractions that Pembrokeshire has to offer. 

I spent my first month in the UK in Pembrokeshire, and except for a couple of roundabouts, the biggest concern I had wasn’t remembering to keep left (because it’s a lot of single-track), but always keeping an eye out for oncoming traffic and quickly deciding when to stop and wait for the other car to pass. 

Driving on the rural roads will quickly promote you to an expert driver, as there are no signs for a “passing place”, and you simply have to adjust on the spot when you see traffic coming your way. 

Typically, there are wider sections that allow 2 vehicles to pass, so it’s always good to remember those and know when to go and when to back up. 

I found most tourists were from England, and I hardly saw any foreign plates in Pembrokeshire. 

So in that sense, driving wasn’t difficult there because most drivers were used to these roads and rules. In most cases, they were patient with me when I drove more slowly or struggled to create space for them to pass. 

I found it a bit strange at the beginning, when I arrived at my Airbnb, how most roads are truly narrow and “fenced” by tall manmade, basically a raised earthen bank with hedgerow or vegetation planted on top, used for centuries to mark field boundaries and contain livestock. 

I later discovered that this is a very distinctive feature of the Welsh and Cornish countryside, and you will find it everywhere. 

While I eventually got used to that, at first it was very intimidating for me as a foreigner, to the point that it felt a bit claustrophobic, as there is no wiggle room on those roads. 

My issue with those roads is that they offer no visibility up ahead, and for someone unfamiliar with narrow, winding roads, that also adds a lot of blind spots and corners and raises my stress levels. 

Some locals tend to drive fast around there, so don’t drive faster than you can react (sudden brakes might be required). 

Unfortunately, most of the beautiful locations worth visiting in Pembrokeshire sit at the end of narrow, winding roads, so always allow more time than Google Maps suggests. 

That’s why I also suggest following intentional itineraries to explore more in one area, to cut down on the stress and the driving time to get to a location. Check out my guide on visiting the Green Bridge of Wales and see how I recommend planning the entire day around that place. 

Driving in the Cairngorms

I also spent 1 month in the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland, which has the A9 motorway passing by, and then the other roads are B roads, which are single carriageway and the limit is 60 MPH most of the time. I found those quite easy to drive on. 

I was based near Aviemore, which gets quite busy in summer, but once I got used to the traffic, it was easy to drive around the Cairngorms. 

The only concern is to always watch out for wild animals, which can jump in front of your car. There are many rabbits that jump around, especially at dawn and dusk, when they are the most active. 

There are also deer near roads, and unfortunately accidents happen because of them (some are really big). 

For the most part, I loved driving in the Cairngorms; it’s easy, and anyone can do it. 

I even drove on the snow roads, which are the scenic roads around the park, and the only thing to mention is the winding roads, but experienced drivers should have no issues there. You’ll get beautiful views all over, so please stop only in designated spots and stay safe. 

Driving the NC500 and North Scotland

The NC500 is short for the North Coast 500, a circular 516-mile scenic route around northern Scotland. 

This route is heavily marketed as a must-see and must-do road trip in Scotland, and it is very popular with tourists from all over the world. 

That’s why you will see many rental cars driven by foreigners, along with campervans, on this route. 

Unlike the Cairngorms, much of this NC500 route is a single-track road, which means that during high season you will be stopping often at passing places to let oncoming traffic pass. 

Locals are pretty annoyed by the increasing summer traffic and tend to get angry fast when tourists drive 30 MPH in a 60 MPH zone. 

Remember, they need to get somewhere while you take pictures of the scenery. 

So please drive normally, don’t stop in the middle of the road to take pictures, and always find a proper parking spot before getting out to take pictures and admire the landscape. 

Also, some of the foreign tourists renting cars might not be very familiar with left-hand-side driving in Scotland, and they tend to drive slower or get confused about which side to stop on. 

It’s better to be cautious and keep your distance from others. 

Note that the NC500 has many mountain roads that are steep, narrow, single-track, and have blind spots, and some aren’t suitable for campervans (please follow the signs; if they say “no campervan”). 

I could read the dread on many of these drivers’ faces when on some of these roads, and they were clearly struggling. 

I’d also recommend saving at least 5-7 days for this entire route to enjoy it and not just drive it like a madman, because the point is to enjoy the different stops along the way. 

Overall, the road conditions are good on the NC500 (at least in summer), but parking is often limited at popular spots (and they fill up fast). 

Many complain about campervans in summer, as they move slower than cars and leave less space to overtake. 

If you’re not used to driving in the UK, or you’re driving a European car like I was, overtaking a larger vehicle like a campervan might not be a good idea. Some drivers are courteous and will pull left to let you overtake. 

Driving to and on the Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye is one of the most popular spots to visit in Scotland, and people from all over the world come here. The traffic is definitely heavier than in other parts of Scotland, and here you’ll find many rental cars (from people who are not familiar with left-hand driving) and many tourist buses. Parking is always a struggle, and you might not find any spots at popular attractions. 

Honestly, this is where I felt most stressed, as tourists drove like crazy around the island, and locals were very angry about the constant queues everywhere they went. 

Also, some roads are in pretty bad shape, especially the stretch to get to Quiraing. The best strategy is to always wait in a passing place if you see oncoming traffic. And of course, have lots of patience. 

I wouldn’t recommend driving on the Isle of Skye unless you’re an experienced driver on all kinds of roads. There are steep and narrow single-track mountain roads that can very quickly put you in a dangerous situation if you don’t know how to drive on them. 

Some locals complain that the tourist situation is out of control and they don’t love it. So be kind to locals, to others you meet on your trip, and to other drivers. 

I have mixed feelings about the Isle of Skye. The landscape is beautiful, but it was a real hassle to drive around and explore it. 

Driving in the Outer Hebrides

I visited all of the drivable islands in the Outer Hebrides. 

I took the ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway, then a ferry to the Uist islands and another to Barra, from where I took a 4.5h ferry back to mainland Scotland in Oban. I’ll post the full itinerary soon. But driving on the islands was an experience in itself. 

Unlike most parts of Scotland, the Outer Hebrides are much quieter than expected, even in the peak summer season, when all accommodations are fully booked. Most roads are single track, although you will find portions of single carriageway roads when driving on the main road of the islands. But don’t get too used to that because it will quickly turn into a single-track road again. 

I found that you will need to learn and adapt to the passing place more than ever on the islands, as locals go up and down all day and are usually in a hurry, so they want to make the drive as efficient as possible. 

Locals drive fast, sometimes even exceeding the local speed limit, but you shouldn’t do that. Although I have never seen speed cameras on the islands, safety matters, and for foreigners not used to the roads there, it should definitely be a concern. 

The roads are almost never straight, winding and bending, with some blind summits and turns, many sheep on the roads and occasionally some cows, and breathtaking views all around. 

The biggest struggle while driving around the Outer Hebrides was the parking. At first, it will seem like there are no places to park anywhere, no place to stop and admire the scenery. 

There is no side of the road, and finding parking seems impossible. 

But after a while, you get used to it, and you carefully assess each spot as a potential place to stop the car. That’s why it’s so important to study the map and craft your itinerary to include parking before driving someplace on the islands. Even popular spots with parking usually offer very limited spaces. 

The islands reminded me that roads are not natural, and in the end it is we, humans, who have increasingly conquered the land, but nature there won’t have it. The Outer Hebrides is a perfect example of how Earth merely tolerated us but doesn’t embrace or encourage us. 

My advice is to follow local rules, try not to inconvenience locals too much, as they live there every day and have places to be. If you can’t drive faster, always use a passing place to let others overtake you; that’s the polite and kind thing to do. 

Scottish ferries (taking your car on CalMac)

The only way to travel between mainland Scotland and all its islands is by ferry, all owned by CalMac. 

To give you an idea of what ferries I took to visit the Outer Hebrides, here’s my itinerary:

• Ullapool to Stornoway 
• Talbert to Lochmaddy (it was supposed to be Leverburgh to Berneray, but CalMac changed my ticket for the same day but different ports due to some ferry technical issues). 
• Eriskay to Barra
• Castlebay to Oban

I booked all these ferry tickets about 6 weeks in advance using their website. I selected the “pet in lounge” ticket, which is free, but you need it if you have a pet and want to take him or her with you on the ferry instead of leaving him or her in the car. 

The sea is always unpredictable, so some routes can get delayed or even cancelled, so it’s better to keep an eye on the app as your travel date approaches. The best time to travel is in summer, when there are fewer disruptions. 

If you are travelling by car, you must book your ferry tickets in advance, as some routes get fully booked in summer. 

For instance, the ferry we took from Ullapool to Stornoway (Lewis Island) was full of cars. 

This is one of the largest ferries that run between the islands, and no more cars would have fitted on that ferry. If you are travelling on foot, there is always extra space, but car spots are limited and sell out.  

Travelling with a dog in the car across the UK

The UK is one of the best countries in Europe to travel to if you want to take your dog with you. Most places are dog-friendly, and it will truly feel like a holiday for all of you. 

Of course, you have to get all your paperwork in order, so please check out my guide on what you need to if you want to travel with your dog in Europe.

The UK, like Norway and a few other Europe countries, is tapeworm-free, so your dog needs tapeworm treatment before entering the country. 

In your case, as we drove all across Europe, we booked a vet appointment in Belgium for him to get that pill, which was 2 days before our crossing to the UK with the LeShuttle train. Everything was smooth, and after that checkpoint, where they checked his microchip and passport, nobody else ever checked him again. 

While we booked all Airbnbs in advance to accept dogs, some of the hotels we stayed at in between longer stays we booked just 1 or 2 days in advance, and it was still easy to find dog-friendly accommodation. 

I noticed that some places mentioned how they only welcome 1 or 2 pets per room. That’s because many people in the UK seem to own more than 2 pets. 

Also, most hotels (but not Airbnbs) charge a pet fee for staying with your dog in the room. I have a small 7 kg dog, and fees usually range from 10 GBP to 25 GBP (some are per night and others are per stay) and are payable at check-in. 

Most tourist attractions also allow dogs inside, such as castles (mostly in ruins), but always check, as there can be surprises. 

For ferry trips, book the “pet in lounge” ticket, which is free but must be added at the time of purchase. 

The CalMac ferries have a pet lounge area where dogs and their owners can sit inside the ferry. If you don’t book that (or there is no availability), your dog must stay in the car for the duration of the trip, and owners cannot access the car deck during the trip. 

Overall, it was very easy to travel with my dog in the UK, and I would absolutely do it all over again. 

What locals from Scotland say about tourism

I know it is all so beautiful and gorgeous, and we just become a different person when we go on holiday and spend all that money.

But the more I travel, the more I see locals in different parts of the world, particularly in Europe, where I explore the most, being annoyed with tourists. 

Why is that? 

It seems that when travelling, some people forget that what they are experiencing as a holiday destination is someone else’s home. 

Local from the Isle of Skye:

“Don’t treat Skye like your personal Disneyland. Treat the land with some respect. Clean up after yourselves and spend in local businesses! Restaurants especially. Many locals rely on working in hospitality”

Local from the Isle of Lewis:

“We just don’t have the necessary infrastructure to cope with such large volumes of tourists. From issues caused by giant motorhomes that are unsuitable for our roads, driven by people who have no idea what they’re doing, parking problems in popular areas, littering and just general disrespect for our land and environment, it’s getting ridiculous. I’m lucky I was born and raised in Lewis, and I understand the appeal of our islands, but we can’t cope, and the number of visitors who act so entitled and disrespectful is causing a lot of friction with locals.”

I got this honest, constructive feedback after posting on my TikTok about the places I was experiencing, and many locals joked that I shouldn’t tell others about those places. I specifically asked for it in the comments section. 

I understand their reaction, and I can only imagine what they feel like when they see their raw islands being disrespected by crowds of foreigners who can’t be bothered to even respect locals. 

I’m sharing this because it genuinely changed how I travel, and I hope this guide helps you have a better, more respectful experience driving through the UK.