Mercat Cross, Old Town & Royal Mile

A mini guide to

Old Town & Royal Mile: getting there

Stops, stations and how to reach Old Town & Royal Mile

Stops and stations

Getting to Old Town & Royal Mile

Choose the stop closest to where you are going.

Stop or stationServicesGood for
Edinburgh WaverleyScotRail, LNER and other operatorsThe main railway station, at the foot of the Old Town
St Andrew SquareEdinburgh TramsThe tram stop labelled "for Waverley"; a short walk to the Royal Mile
Princes StreetEdinburgh TramsFor the Mound and the way up to the Castle
Edinburgh Bus StationNational Express, Megabus and other coachesCoaches arrive in the city centre, a short walk from the Old Town

Within walking range

Stations near Old Town & Royal Mile

Stations and stops mapped in OpenStreetMap within 2.5 km of the centre of Old Town & Royal Mile, nearest first. Distances are straight lines; walking times assume 5 km/h and are a minimum.

Station or stopTypeDistanceOn foot
Picardy PlaceTram stop (Edinburgh Trams Ltd.)900 mabout 10 min
West EndTram stop (Edinburgh Trams Ltd.)1.2 kmabout 14 min
McDonald RoadTram stop (Edinburgh Trams Ltd.)1.4 kmabout 17 min

Station data: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), read 24 October 2026. Check step-free access with the operator before you travel.

Walking from nearby areas

Reaching Edinburgh

Official travel information

Edinburgh has an international airport west of the centre, two main railway stations and a central bus station. Always check the operator for current times, fares and disruption.

Times, fares and disruption change: use the operator pages above for live information.

All ways to reach Edinburgh

Plan your journey here

Enter your starting point and Google Maps will show routes to Old Town & Royal Mile. Public transport is selected; change it on the map. Check operator sites for live disruption.

Old Town & Royal Mile: The Royal Mile looking down towards St Giles' Cathedral

Photo credits

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits