Transport
This page is still a work in progress…….but feel free to email any of your own travel ideas.
Although The Edinburgh Reporter aims itself and the news it reports at residents and not visitors, we do recognise that there are many tourists in town all year round. And why wouldn’t you want to come to Edinburgh? If you’re unsure about how to get here or want more information about getting around the City once you are here then here is our concise guide to travelling to and within Scotland’s capital.
Getting to Edinburgh
From within the UK:
Train: If you are travelling from the South of the the UK then East Coast or Cross Country trains will bring you up north. The further in advance you book a train ticket, the cheaper it will be. Raileasy is a good website to use in our experience. Edinburgh’s main station is Waverley, with a second train station, Haymarket, situated in the West End. If you are travelling within Scotland then you may get a ScotRail service. There are usually plenty of taxis waiting both inside the station and just outside it – look out for ‘taxi rank’ and ‘exit’ signs inside the station.
Bus: Nationwide bus services provided by Megabus and National Express are almost always cheaper than the train but journey times may take considerably longer. Buses may be a better option for you if you have a significant amount of luggage. The bus drivers are usually helpful with stowing the luggage under the bus. Other bus companies include Stagecoach and Scottish Citylink both of which offer free wifi on board.
Car: There are numerous ways of entering the City by car. By searching online for the distance between your location and Edinburgh, you can consider and choose from the many available routes. As well as bringing your car into the city centre however there are some other options. Park and Ride facilities are available at Straiton Park, Ingliston, Hermiston Park, Wallyford Park and Ferry Toll. Parking is free there all day, if you then take the bus into the city.
Plane: There are regular flights from within the UK to Edinburgh International Airport and also from many international departure points.
From abroad:
You will most likely travel by plane if you’re coming from abroad and Edinburgh International Airport is the capital’s airport. Once you arrive, the main buses to the centre of the City are the dedicated Airlink buses (blue and yellow) and the Number 35 Lothian Bus service, which you can also use to return to the airport. For more bus information, see below.
Getting around Edinburgh
Bus: Once you are in the capital, one of the most affordable ways of getting about is to travel by bus. Lothian Buses offer a three day pass called a Go-Ticket. Their website contains full timetable and route information, as well as up-to-the-minute information about most of their services. Fares are currently £3.20 for an adult all-day ticket and £2 for a child all-day ticket (allowing you to travel as many times as you want for an entire day), £1.30 for an adult single, £0.70 for a child single and £0.85 for those with a certified concession card such as the Young Person’s Bus Concession Card. A key thing to note is that the buses only accept exact change so make sure you have plenty before boarding to prevent embarrassment and delay! There are instructions on how to use the buses in several languages on Lothian Buses website.
Lothian Buses also provide an app called BusTracker which allows you to find out when the next bus will be either by searching by bus route or by the bus stop nearest you.
If you’re planning on using more than one bus service provider in Edinburgh for your journey then you should consider purchasing a One Ticket. The One Ticket allows you to travel on different buses and trains throughout East Central Scotland. The One Ticket website provides details on where to buy your ticket and the services you can use.
There is also a YouTube video explaining what to do:-
Taxi: You will not ever be far away from a passing cab, especially if you are in the City Centre or on one of the immediately adjoining roads such as Lothian Road. There are many taxi companies in Edinburgh offering a telephone booking service such as Central Taxis 0131 229 2468 or City Cabs on 0131 228 1211. The latter offers a phone app too.
Walk: One of the best ways of getting around the city is by walking, where you are sure to stumble upon many hidden gems.
Edinburgh Trams: The Edinburgh tram is not yet operational.
