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Transports in Edinburgh

Updated byAnne-Lise Mtyon 11 July 2016

Find, in this article, an overview of Edinburgh's transports networks to help you travel without any worry.

Edinburgh is Scotland's capital city. Despite being less densely populated than other major cities, it has a developed and efficient transport network which will allow you travel anywhere without any worry. You can thus choose among buses, taxis, trains, among others. Moreover, the capital city's first tram network was launched in 2014.

By air

Edinburgh hosts an international airport which is around 8 km away, providing both domestic and international flights. You might want travel from Edinburgh to the rest of the country by air. Note that around 8 million passengers transit by this airport every year. However, local authorities expect some 30 million arrivals in the coming years thanks to extension works which should soon start.

On the road

In terms of land transport, you can choose from buses, tramway, train, or even rent a car if you have a valid driver's license.

Tramway

Edinburgh mainly relied on its bus network until the launch of its tramway network in 2014. Three additional lines should soon be available, one of which is expected to link the city center to the airport.

Train

Edinburgh's main train station is found in Waverley, that is in the city center. Millions of passengers travel by train every year. You can even travel to London or even Aberdeen from there.

The Edinburgh Cross-City Line, for its part, will allow you to cross the capital city from East to West.

Bus

The capital city hosts a comprehensive and efficient bus network which is available in most neighborhoods, even in the outskirts. A special shuttle is also provided to passengers from the city to the airport and back. A single ticket costs around £ 1.50. However, you can also opt for other formulas according to your needs. Note that the bus network is managed by Lothian Buses.

Car

If you have a valid driver's license, you may want to rent a car. Note, however, that it can be quite difficult to find parking lots in the capital city. Moreover, most parking lots are paid. The Ring system, for its part, allows you to use some parking spaces at specific rates.

Taxi

Taxis are available everywhere across the city. For example, you know when a black cab is free thanks to an orange lit sign on the roof.

Useful links:

Expat.com ' Transports in Edinburgh Forum
Edinburg Trams edinburghtrams.com
Lothian Buses lothianbuses.com

We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.

About

Anne-Lise studied Psychology for 4 years in the UK before finding her way back to Mauritius and being a journalist for 3 years and heading Expat.com's editorial department for 5. She loves politics, books, tea, running, swimming, hiking...

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All of Edinburgh's guide articles