Edinburgh is one of the easiest capitals in Europe to arrive in. The airport has a tram to the door, the main railway station sits in the valley between the Old and New Towns, and once you are here the centre is compact enough to walk.
By air: Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
Scotland’s busiest airport is about eight miles (13 km) west of the centre, with direct flights from across Europe, North America and the Gulf. There are three good ways into town:
- Tram — from just outside the terminal to the West End, Princes Street and St Andrew Square in about 35 minutes, continuing to Leith and Newhaven. Trams run every few minutes through the day. Buy a ticket from the machine on the platform before you board; the airport fare is higher than the standard city fare.
- Airlink 100 express bus — to Haymarket, the West End and Waverley Bridge in around 30 minutes, day and night. Pay by contactless on board, or book ahead.
- Taxi or ride-hail — 25 minutes in clear traffic, considerably longer at rush hour. Black cabs wait at the rank; app-based cars use a separate pick-up zone.
By train
Edinburgh Waverley is the main station, in the dip between Princes Street and the Royal Mile. Haymarket, a mile west, is handier for the West End and is on the tram line. Direct trains run from London King’s Cross in roughly four and a half hours, and there are frequent services from Glasgow (under an hour), Newcastle, York, Manchester, Aberdeen and Inverness. The Caledonian Sleeper runs overnight from London Euston.
Waverley has several exits on different levels. For the Old Town, use Market Street; for Princes Street and the New Town, the Waverley Steps (with escalators) or the Princes Street lifts; for taxis, follow signs to the Calton Road or Market Street ranks.
By coach
Long-distance coaches from London, Glasgow, Inverness and elsewhere arrive at Edinburgh Bus Station, on the north-east corner of St Andrew Square, beside a tram stop. Coaches are usually the cheapest way to arrive and the slowest.
By car
You do not need a car in Edinburgh and will not enjoy having one. Streets are narrow, parking is scarce and expensive, and a low emission zone covers the city centre: older, more polluting vehicles are fined for entering, so check your vehicle before you drive in. If you are touring Scotland, pick the car up on the day you leave the city, or use a park-and-ride site on the edge of town.
| From | How | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Airport | Tram | About 35 min | To Princes Street; buy ticket before boarding |
| Edinburgh Airport | Airlink 100 bus | About 30 min | To Waverley Bridge; runs day and night |
| Glasgow | Train | 45–55 min | Several trains an hour to Waverley |
| London | Train | About 4.5 hours | From King’s Cross; book ahead for low fares |
| Newcastle | Train | About 1.5 hours | East Coast main line |
| Inverness | Train | About 3.5 hours | Scenic route through the Cairngorms |
Getting around on foot
Walking is how you will see most of Edinburgh. From the castle to Holyrood is a mile; from the Royal Mile to Princes Street is ten minutes. Two things catch visitors out: the hills, which are steeper than a map suggests, and the fact that the city is built on several levels, so a street that looks adjacent may be thirty feet below you. Closes and flights of steps are the shortcuts.
Lothian buses
The maroon-and-white buses of Lothian cover the whole city, frequently and until late, with night buses on main routes. Tap a contactless card or phone on the reader as you board: you pay a flat fare per journey, and the total is capped each day and week if you use the same card. Cash is accepted but drivers give no change. Route numbers change from time to time, so use the Lothian app or a maps app for the current service.
Trams
A single line runs from the airport through Murrayfield, Haymarket, the West End, Princes Street and St Andrew Square, then down Leith Walk to The Shore, Ocean Terminal and Newhaven. For visitors it is the easy way to reach Leith and the Royal Yacht Britannia. Buy a ticket at the stop before boarding, or tap a contactless card on the platform validator; within the city, tram and bus fares are the same.
Sightseeing buses
Open-top hop-on hop-off buses leave from Waverley Bridge on several routes, including one out to the Botanic Garden and Britannia. They are a good way to get your bearings, and to avoid the uphill walk back from Holyrood.
Taxis, bikes and accessibility
Black cabs can be hailed in the street or found at ranks; all take wheelchairs. Ride-hailing apps operate across the city. Cycling is pleasant on the off-road paths — the Water of Leith Walkway, the old railway paths to Leith — and hard work on the cobbled hills. For visitors with limited mobility, the New Town and Princes Street are fairly level, while the Old Town’s steep cobbles and closes are challenging; buses and trams are fully accessible.
