Europe > United Kingdom > Benbecula (BEB)
The Car or no Car advice for Benbecula can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Benbecula ; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Benbecula ?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Benbecula?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.
In the immediate local area, walking works fairly well. Balivanich, the island’s main settlement, is compact. You can reach shops, cafés, the coastline, and short walking routes without difficulty. Nevertheless, walking alone won’t take you to the vast majority of beaches or viewpoints found elsewhere on the island, let alone the neighbouring Uists.
Public transport in Benbecula consists mainly of buses that connect North Uist, Benbecula, and South Uist. They run, but often infrequently, and they’re designed around local needs rather than visitor convenience. They’re perfectly workable for residents, yet not particularly suited to flexible sightseeing. Meanwhile, taxi services exist but must be booked in advance and are better for essential transfers rather than all-day touring.
This brings us to car rental. A car becomes incredibly useful for multi-stop touring across all three Uists. It gives you access to beaches, historical sites, wildlife areas, loch viewpoints, and scenic causeways without being tied to timetables. Furthermore, many of the best spots are photogenic and isolated, meaning that the freedom to stop whenever you like is a major advantage.
📌 Note on Car Hire
Car rental is available on Benbecula, but options are extremely limited and cannot usually be booked online. You must contact local providers directly. For a far wider selection and guaranteed online booking, consider hiring a car from Inverness, Glasgow, or Edinburgh and bringing it across by ferry.
| Your plan in Benbecula | Car needed? |
|---|---|
| Staying in one village | ❌ No |
| Using buses | ❔ Optional |
| Visiting multiple beaches | ❔ Optional |
| Touring all the Uists | ✅ Yes |
🎯 Conclusion: Should You Rent a Car in Benbecula?
-
❌ Skip the car only if you intend to stay in a single location.
-
❔ Consider a car for wider Uist exploration because distances are long and services limited.
