Getting around Edinburgh: with and without a car

Good without a car Our reading of the sources below, not an official rating.

Newhaven Harbour, Leith & the WaterfrontPhoto: Steve Fareham, CC BY-SA 2.0

Haymarket Station, Haymarket & MurrayfieldPhoto: Fredrik Rubensson, CC BY-SA 2.0

Leamington Lift Bridge, Haymarket & MurrayfieldPhoto: Ostrichyearning, CC BY-SA 4.0

Stations, bridges and harbours from our guide where we hold a photo; each links to the area page that lists it.

Paying for local transport in Edinburgh

Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams

Lothian lists contactless on bus with "TapTapCap", described as "contactless payments with daily and weekly capping", Ridacards (valid on all services), the M-Ticket app, and cash with exact fares.Source: Lothian Buses (opens in new tab).
Lothian describes Airlink as "24/7 departures between Edinburgh Airport and the City Centre" with a "30-minute journey" and contactless payments available.Source: Lothian Buses (opens in new tab).
Lothian’s fares page (read Nov 1, 2026) says TapTapCap works out the cheapest adult daily or weekly fare when you use the same contactless card or device, that up to three children under 5 travel free with a fare-paying passenger, and that standard Lothian day tickets and caps are not valid on Airlink to the airport.Source: Lothian Buses (opens in new tab), checked Nov 1, 2026.

ScotRail (Scotland’s trains).ScotRail runs most trains within Scotland. Its tickets page refused automated access, so check ticket types and any Scotland-only offers on its site.ScotRail tickets (opens in new tab)

Without a car

Getting here

By air

Edinburgh Airport is about 5 miles (8 km) west of the city center. The trams and Lothian's Airlink bus both quote a journey time of around 30 minutes to the center. ¹

Edinburgh Airport transport (opens in new tab) · Airlink airport buses (opens in new tab)

By tram

Edinburgh Trams run between the airport and Newhaven via Haymarket, Princes Street, St Andrew Square (for Waverley) and Leith. ²

Edinburgh Trams (opens in new tab)

By train

Trains arrive at Edinburgh Waverley, in the middle of the city, and at Haymarket to the west. Operators include LNER, TransPennine Express, Avanti West Coast, Caledonian Sleeper and ScotRail. ³

National Rail (opens in new tab) · LNER (opens in new tab) · ScotRail (opens in new tab)

By coach

Edinburgh Bus Station is in the city center. National Express and Megabus serve it, and Traveline Scotland lists schedules for Scottish services. ⁴

National Express (opens in new tab) · Traveline Scotland (opens in new tab)

Once you are there

Walk the center

The Old Town and New Town are compact, but the Old Town is steep and cobbled in places. Allow extra time for hills and stairs.

Buses and trams

Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams accept contactless payment. Lothian says adults who tap the same card or device each time are charged no more than the cheapest daily fare. ⁵

Access information

Check access before you travel: Visit Edinburgh has a disabled access guide, and each tram has two spaces for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. ⁶

Stops near each area

From our area guides (Edinburgh): the stations and stops listed for each base. See each area's Getting there page for more.

Old Town & Royal Mile

Edinburgh Waverley: ScotRail, LNER and other operators. The main railway station, at the foot of the Old Town
St Andrew Square: Edinburgh Trams. The tram stop labeled "for Waverley"; a short walk to the Royal Mile
Princes Street: Edinburgh Trams. For the Mound and the way up to the Castle
Edinburgh Bus Station: National Express, Megabus and other coaches. Coaches arrive in the city center, a short walk from the Old Town

Old Town & Royal Mile: getting there

New Town

Edinburgh Waverley: ScotRail, LNER and other operators. The main station, at the east end of Princes Street Gardens
Haymarket: ScotRail and Edinburgh Trams. Rail and tram stop at the west end of the New Town
St Andrew Square: Edinburgh Trams. Tram stop for George Street and Waverley
Princes Street: Edinburgh Trams. Tram stop for the galleries and the gardens
West End: Edinburgh Trams. Tram stop for Charlotte Square and the west New Town
Edinburgh Bus Station: National Express, Megabus and other coaches. Coaches arrive just off St Andrew Square

New Town: getting there

Holyrood, Arthur's Seat & Calton Hill

Waverley: ScotRail, LNER and other operators. The nearest main station; walk down the Royal Mile or to Calton Hill
St Andrew Square: Edinburgh Trams. For Waverley, Calton Hill and the walk to Holyrood
Picardy Place: Edinburgh Trams. The closest tram stop for the foot of Calton Hill
Edinburgh Bus Station: National Express, Megabus and other coaches. About a 15 minute walk to Calton Hill

Holyrood, Arthur's Seat & Calton Hill: getting there

Stockbridge & Dean Village

Haymarket: ScotRail and Edinburgh Trams. The nearest rail and tram stop for Dean Village, about 15 minutes on foot
West End: Edinburgh Trams. Tram stop for the walk to Dean Village via Dean Bridge
Edinburgh Waverley: ScotRail, LNER and other operators. The main station; allow about 30 minutes on foot or take a bus
Lothian Buses: City bus routes. Services link the city center with Stockbridge and the galleries; check the operator for routes

Stockbridge & Dean Village: getting there

Leith & the Waterfront

The Shore: Edinburgh Trams. Tram stop beside the waterfront restaurants
Foot of the Walk: Edinburgh Trams. Tram stop at the bottom of Leith Walk
Port of Leith: Edinburgh Trams. Tram stop for the docks and the northern waterfront
Ocean Terminal: Edinburgh Trams. Tram stop for the Royal Yacht Britannia
Newhaven: Edinburgh Trams. The terminus, beside Newhaven Harbour

Leith & the Waterfront: getting there

Grassmarket & Southside

Edinburgh Waverley: ScotRail, LNER and other operators. The main station; allow about 15 minutes on foot, uphill
Haymarket: ScotRail and Edinburgh Trams. Rail and tram stop on the west side of the center
Princes Street: Edinburgh Trams. Closest tram stop for the climb up to the Old Town
Edinburgh Bus Station: National Express, Megabus and other coaches. Coaches arrive in the city center, about 20 minutes on foot

Grassmarket & Southside: getting there

Haymarket & Murrayfield

Haymarket: ScotRail and Edinburgh Trams. Second largest station in Edinburgh, with trains to Fife and Glasgow and the tram to the airport
West End: Edinburgh Trams. Tram stop for the Usher Hall and the theaters
Murrayfield Stadium: Edinburgh Trams. Tram stop beside the national stadium
Lothian Buses: City bus routes. Routes run along Lothian Road, Dalry Road and Corstorphine Road; check the operator for services to the zoo

Haymarket & Murrayfield: getting there

Bruntsfield & Morningside

Edinburgh Waverley: ScotRail, LNER and others. Main city station; take a bus or taxi south, as there is no rail or tram stop in Morningside
Lothian Buses: City bus routes. Services run south from the center along Bruntsfield Place and Morningside Road; check Lothian Buses for routes
Haymarket: ScotRail and Edinburgh Trams. Nearest tram stop for the west end of Bruntsfield; check the walk before you travel

Bruntsfield & Morningside: getting there

Portobello & the Coast

Portobello High Street: Lothian Buses. Several Lothian bus routes serve the High Street; check Lothian Buses for routes and times
Brunstane: ScotRail. Station south of Joppa; check ScotRail for services and the walk to the sea
Edinburgh Waverley: ScotRail, LNER and others. Main city station; Portobello is about 3.1 miles (5 km) east of the city center

Portobello & the Coast: getting there

No schedules or fares are copied here: check the operator or Traveline for the day you travel. Taxis and ride-hailing apps operate in most towns, but we have no sourced coverage data for rural areas, so do not count on one at short notice.

With a car

Low Emission Zone

The City of Edinburgh Council says it has issued fines for vehicles that do not meet the standard since Jun 1, 2024. The zone runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is enforced by number plate cameras. The national standard for cars is gas Euro 4 or higher and diesel Euro 6 or higher (mygov.scot). The online checker cannot check vehicles registered outside the UK; mygov.scot suggests the vehicle manual, the manufacturer or your national vehicle authority. You cannot prepay a fine. ^7,8,9

Zones to check

Driving zones in Edinburgh
Zone	When	Cars	Amount	Official page
Edinburgh Low Emission Zone ^7,8,9	24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Fines issued since Jun 1, 2024.	Cars must be gas Euro 4 or higher, or diesel Euro 6 or higher, unless exempt. You cannot prepay to avoid a fine.	No daily charge. Penalty amounts are on the council's penalty page, not the page we read	Official page for Edinburgh Low Emission Zone (opens in new tab)

Amounts as the official page stated on Oct 25, 2026. For vehicles registered outside the UK see the full table on the driving guide.

General rules (driving on the left, licenses, roundabouts, speed limits in mph, parking, tolls, EV charging): Driving in Britain. Charge points: Zapmap (opens in new tab).

To and from other regions

Straight-line distance from our region centers, and the fastest train time that National Rail publishes on its destination pages (not a schedule; it may include a change). Where we found no figure we say so. The full table is on getting between regions.

Distance and fastest published train time from Edinburgh to other regions
To or from	Straight line	Fastest train (National Rail)	Notes
Bath	511 km (318 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
Bristol	502 km (312 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
Cambridge	469 km (292 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
Cardiff	497 km (309 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
Cornwall	646 km (402 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
Glasgow	68 km (42 miles)	45 min ¹¹	The Glasgow page lists 46 min.
Liverpool	283 km (176 miles)	3 h 29 min ¹²	The Edinburgh page lists 3 hr 28 min.
London	534 km (332 miles)	4 h 20 min ¹¹	National Express and Megabus serve Edinburgh; coach schedules are on Traveline Scotland.¹³
Manchester	282 km (175 miles)	3 h 11 min ¹¹	National Rail's Manchester page lists 3 h 14.
Northern Ireland	268 km (167 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	The 2 hours 15 minutes is the Stena Line crossing between Belfast and Cairnryan only (about 12 daily sailings, per Stena). Stena says Edinburgh is reachable from Cairnryan in 3.5 hours.
Oxford	484 km (301 miles)	5 h 47 min ¹⁴	—
Portsmouth and Southampton	582 km (362 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
Stratford & Warwickshire	424 km (263 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
The Cotswolds	460 km (286 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
The Jurassic Coast	590 km (367 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
The Lake District	166 km (103 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
The Peak District	314 km (195 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
The Scottish Highlands	174 km (108 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
Wales	408 km (254 miles)	No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab)	—
York	259 km (161 miles)	2 h 23 min ¹⁵	—

Figures retrieved Oct 25, 2026 for the intercity data. Schedules change.

Stations in our data

32 stations and stops (Edinburgh)

OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via Overpass API. Fetched 2026-10-24. This is the list behind the near-me page, not a complete list of stations.

Balfour Street (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Balgreen (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Bankhead (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Brunstane (rail), ScotRail
Curriehill (rail), ScotRail
Edinburgh Gateway (rail), ScotRail
Edinburgh Park (rail), ScotRail
Edinburgh Park Central (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Edinburgh Waverley (rail), Network Rail
Eskbank (rail), ScotRail
Foot of the Walk (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Gogarburn (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Gyle Centre (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Haymarket (rail), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Kingsknowe (rail), ScotRail
McDonald Road (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Murrayfield Stadium (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Musselburgh (rail), ScotRail
Newcraighall (rail), ScotRail
Newhaven (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Ocean Terminal (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Picardy Place (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Port of Leith (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Princes Street (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Saughton (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Shawfair (rail), ScotRail
Slateford (rail), ScotRail
South Gyle (rail), ScotRail
St Andrew Square (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
The Shore (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
West End (tram), Edinburgh Trams Ltd.
Wester Hailes (rail), ScotRail

Official links

Edinburgh Airport: getting to and from the airport (opens in new tab): tram, bus, taxi and train
Edinburgh Trams (opens in new tab): routes, stops and tickets
Lothian Buses airport buses (opens in new tab): Airlink
National Rail Inquiries (opens in new tab): train times and fares
ScotRail (opens in new tab): trains across Scotland
Traveline Scotland (opens in new tab): journey planner for buses, trams and trains
City of Edinburgh Council: plan your journey (opens in new tab): official travel information
Visit Edinburgh: transport options (opens in new tab): all the ways to arrive

More on Edinburgh: Edinburgh guide · how to get there

Questions people ask

Can I get around Edinburgh without a car?

Edinburgh is built for visiting without a car. The center is walkable, and trams, buses and trains reach the airport and the main sights. A car adds little in the center and the city has a Low Emission Zone.

Do I need to check a driving zone in Edinburgh?

Yes: Edinburgh Low Emission Zone applies. The table on this page links the official pages.