English (UK)
English (US)
Français
Deutsch
Español
Italiano
Nederlands
简体中文
Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium
Scotland’s national rugby stadium and the largest in the country, with a capacity of 67,144.
Directions Website Report a problem with Murrayfield Stadium
A mini guide to
Haymarket & Murrayfield
The theatre district, the canal basin, the rugby stadium and the zoo, all west of the Castle
Photos
1 / 5Welcome to the area
The theatre district, the canal basin, the rugby stadium and the zoo, all west of the Castle
The West End is a Georgian extension of the New Town, and today it holds the Usher Hall, the Royal Lyceum and the Traverse theatres, plenty of hotels and the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. Haymarket station is the city’s second largest.
Further west the trams run out to Murrayfield, the national rugby stadium, and on towards Edinburgh Zoo on Corstorphine Hill. South of the West End, the Union Canal ends at Lochrin Basin, a short walk from Fountainbridge.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo
Non-profit zoo of 82 acres on the south-facing slopes of Corstorphine Hill, founded in 1913.
Hill
Corstorphine Hill
Wooded ridge in west Edinburgh, mostly a local nature reserve open to the public.
Concert hall
Usher Hall
Concert hall of 1914 on Lothian Road, seating about 2,200 and hosting the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest.
Theatre
Royal Lyceum Theatre
Victorian theatre of 1883 on Grindlay Street, beside the Usher Hall.
Directions Website Report a problem with Royal Lyceum Theatre
Theatre
Traverse Theatre
New-writing theatre founded in 1962, a short walk from the Lyceum.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Haymarket & Murrayfield and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Book early for matchdays
Murrayfield holds 67,144 people, so rooms and trams fill up when Scotland play. Check the Scottish Rugby fixtures.
2
Take the tram west
Edinburgh Trams stop at Haymarket, West End and Murrayfield Stadium on the way to the airport.
3
Walk the canal
The Union Canal ends at Lochrin Basin, near the Leamington Lift Bridge, and a towpath runs west from there.
4
Plan the zoo separately
Edinburgh Zoo is on the slopes of Corstorphine Hill, about 2.5 km west of Haymarket; check the zoo’s site for opening times and how to get there.
Tips from the Britlens editors
Explore this guide
Everything for Haymarket & Murrayfield
Edinburgh
More areas to explore
9 sights · 23 places to eat
Bruntsfield & Morningside
Leafy southern suburbs with local high streets, Blackford Hill and a hillside observatory
Open the mini guide →
9 sights · 14 places to eat
Portobello & the Coast
A sandy beach and Victorian promenade on the Firth of Forth, about 5 km east of the centre
Open the mini guide →
16 sights · 22 places to eat
Old Town & Royal Mile
The Castle, the Royal Mile and a maze of medieval closes
Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Haymarket & Murrayfield (area photo): Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Murrayfield Stadium: Iain Lees, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Edinburgh Zoo: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Corstorphine Hill: Richard Webb, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Usher Hall: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Royal Lyceum Theatre: LochLowry, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Traverse Theatre: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- St Cuthbert’s Church: dun_deagh, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- St John’s Church: Euan Nelson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Haymarket Station: Fredrik Rubensson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Leamington Lift Bridge: Ostrichyearning, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lochrin Basin: Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Bruntsfield & Morningside: Macumba, Public domain, source
- Portobello & the Coast: M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Old Town & Royal Mile: Anthony O'Neil, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- New Town: Chris Morgan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Holyrood, Arthur's Seat & Calton Hill: Peulle, CC BY 4.0, source
- Stockbridge & Dean Village: Mike Shaw, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Leith & the Waterfront: Alan Murray-Rust, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Grassmarket & Southside: rboed*, CC BY 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Edinburgh