Edinburgh has a network of local bus services allowing frequent travel throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians making this a great – and cost effective – way of getting around the city. Local bus companies offer daily bus tickets, which allow you unlimited travel in and around Edinburgh. You buy these tickets, and single journey tickets, on board the bus from the driver – remember that no change is given, so you’ll need the exact fare.
If you’re heading further afield, you can buy your coach tickets for UK and Scottish travel from the bus station in St Andrew Square in advance. And if you’re heading to the airport a regular express service runs from Waverley Bridge to Edinburgh Airport, with pick up points along the way.
You can also take in the sights of the city on one of the many Edinburgh bus tours – City Bus Tour tickets can be bought in person at the Edinburgh and Scotland Information Centre, 3 Princes Street or on Waverley Bridge, which is where the tours start.
The following companies can provide more information
For travel in and around Edinburgh including Edinburgh Airport, city bus tours and night buses Lothian Buses contact number – 0131 555 6363
For Travel in and around Edinburgh, Central and The Borders
First Buses contact number – 08708 72 72 71
Edinburgh has two main train stations: Edinburgh Waverley, which is in the city centre and Haymarket train station in the West End. Both stations operate security barriers so you need to buy your tickets before boarding the train (for some services you can’t get onto the platform without a ticket). There are other stations in the area which operate local and fast express services, tickets for these trains can be purchased at the station you’re travelling from or on board the train. Remember that it may be better value to buy your ticket at the station rather than on the train.
The following companies provide more information on trains to Edinburgh
Travelling to and from Edinburgh to all around Scotland:
First Scotrail contact number – 08457 48 49 50
For all your timetables and fares UK wide:
National Rail Enquiries contact number – 08457 48 49 50
For all your rail travel requirements:
Traveline contact number – 0870 608 2 608
Edinburgh’s a great place to see by bike – but remember some of the hills are pretty steep, so be prepared for a bit of a work out! The city is cycle friendly – at peak times, cyclists are allowed to share the buses’ green lanes in and around the city centre, which means you can keep moving. Edinburgh also has about 50 junctions with advance cycle stop lines.
There’s also an extensive network of traffic free cycle routes in Edinburgh, often running along old railway lines, cycle campaign group Spokes have excellent maps of them; for more info, check out the spokes website.
Away from the city centre, you can generally avoid heavy traffic by using quieter side streets instead of the main roads – a map or A-Z guide of the city will help you find your way and it’s a great way to see a new side of the city.
As well as the hills we mentioned earlier, it’s also worth remembering that some streets in the Old and New Towns have cobbles which, while perfectly safe for cyclists, may take some getting used to if you’ve never cycled on this kind of road surface before.
If cycling is more of a hobby than a way of getting around, you can enjoy some great days out in and around Edinburgh. Within the city, the Canal Path and some sections of the Water of Leith walkway are easy routes with great scenery. For the more adventurous there’s some great mountain biking terrain in the Pentland Hills Regional Park.
The area around Edinburgh has some great scenic routes of varying levels of difficulty, so you don’t necessarily have to be super fit to make the most of them. Find out more about these bike routes on the bike routes website.
For other ideas you might also like to try the Visitscotland.com cycling website.
Spokes cycling maps also contain loads of useful information for cyclists planning to explore the city and surrounding areas, view these on the Spokes website. for more information.
Both the National Cycle Network and the North Sea Cycle Route run through Edinburgh – you can find out more about the National Cycle Network’s Edinburgh routes from the Sustrans website.
If you want to explore beyond the city, you can take your bike on Scottish trains for free, however on many routes you will need to make reservations in advance, so remember to book ahead. Find out more about taking your bike on the train here.
Edinburgh is a compact city, so it’s easy to get around on foot. Remember that the city is built on several hills, so expect a few gradients – don’t worry though as most of them are easily tackled by anyone of average fitness, and the views on offer are worth the effort!
If you fancy a quiet stroll away from the traffic, the city has a number of peaceful parks you may like to explore. In the city centre itself, you’ll find Princes Street Gardens where you can relax with an ice cream or cup of coffee as you take in one of the best views of the Castle there is. Outside the city centre there’s The Meadows, Inverleith Park, the Hermitage and the Pentland Hills. And, not far from the Royal Mile, there’s Holyrood Park, where you’ll find the imposing sight of Arthur’s Seat, this extinct volcano is a well-known Edinburgh landmark and is worth climbing if you’re feeling energetic (we advise that you wear sensible walking shoes if you decide to do this!).
For a relaxing walk and the chance to glimpse some local wildlife, take a stroll along the Union Canal or Water of Leith walk ways.
Beyond the city you’ll find some great countryside and Country Parks which are great places to take a walk. To the west of the city you’ll find Almondell Country Park, Beecraigs Country Park and Polkemmet Country Park.
Head south of the city and you can explore Vogrie Country Park, Roslin Glen Country Park and the Penicuik to Dalkeith Walkway. You can find details of these and other good walks in this area by checking out the Parks and Landscape pages of the Sports and Leisure section of Midlothian Council.
East and South East of the city, you’ll find stunning coastal walks, railway routes and the Lammermuir Hills – find some great ideas for walks in this area at East Lothian Council.
For more ideas for country walks in and around Edinburgh, take a look at the countryside walks section of our area guide.
While it is possible to bring your car into the city, it’s worth remembering that there are parking restrictions, which you must always follow, throughout the city.
Short Term Parking for Cars – Because time limits vary, it’s essential to check the parking ticket machine you’re using for the maximum amount of time allowed. Check for restrictions too, as you may be required to move your car once your ticket expires. Parking attendants regularly check cars throughout the city so please be careful and if you get a parking ticket don’t ignore it.
Motorcycle Parking – As long as your bike doesn’t have a sidecar, you can park it free of charge in designated areas.
Useful information on all aspects of parking and driving in Edinburgh can be found on the parking pages of the City of Edinburgh Council website.
Anchor Car & Van Hire
Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental
Avis Rent-A-Car
Condor Self Drive
DeVere Prestige and Sports Car Hire Edinburgh
Eastern Motor Company
Edinburgh Self Drive
Enterprise Rent A Car UK Ltd
Ford Rental
Thrifty Car Rental
Edinburgh International Airport is 12km (8 miles) west of the city centre and is easy to reach thanks to an excellent – and regular – Airlink Coach service and good taxi services.
The Airlink Shuttle is a fast and cost effective way to get to and from Edinburgh Airport – the journey usually takes just 25 minutes. The buses run round the clock, with departures every 10 minutes from 0700 to 0020 (a limited service runs through the night). You can either buy your ticket from the driver when you board the bus, at the Edinburgh and Scotland Information Centre at 3 Princes Street or online, a single (one way) journey costs £3 and an open return costs £5. More information about the Airlink bus service can be found here.
You’ll find official airport taxis at the taxi rank outside the terminal building (follow the signs within the airport). It costs about £25 to get a taxi from the airport to the city centre and the journey takes about 25 minutes (remember during the rush hour, the journey may take longer and could cost more).
