Eco-friendly travel

As the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh is well connected to other parts of the UK via many low carbon transport options. Once you arrive in the city, there are lots of options for getting around quickly and easily without leaving a huge carbon footprint.

Getting here

Edinburgh’s bus and rail networks boast regular connections to many other parts of the UK. Travel the green way to Edinburgh and arrive in one of the city’s main transport hubs right in the centre of town. 

By rail

Scotrail offers local services to Edinburgh from the rest of Scotland, including Glasgow, Inverness, the Borders and Fife. You can also get to Edinburgh from various locations across Scotland and the North of England via Transpennine Express, which serves cities such as Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Hull.

LNER connects Edinburgh with the East Coast railway, which stops at Aberdeen, Dundee, Newcastle, York, Darlington, Peterborough and London King’s Cross, to name a few. 

Edinburgh itself is home to two of the UK’s busiest railway stations: Edinburgh Haymarket and Edinburgh Waverley. Haymarket Station is located at Edinburgh’s West End and is the best option for hotels such as The Leonardo Royal Hotel, Staycity Aparthotels and The Bonham Hotel, as well The EICC, the city’s principal convention and conference centre. 

Discover more about Edinburgh’s West End

Edinburgh Waverley is the most central railway station, located right beside The Balmoral Hotel and within easy walking distance of hotels such as Mercure Edinburgh, Hotel Indigo and The Old Waverley Hotel. Princes Street is also the city’s main shopping thoroughfare, where you’ll find a variety of high-street names, as well as an excellent range of cafes, bars and restaurants.

Discover more about Princes Street in our guide to Edinburgh’s New Town

By road

Another low-carbon way to travel into Edinburgh is via bus or coach. Edinburgh Bus Station is centrally located on St Andrew Square, which in turn offers excellent local transport links throughout the rest of the city. 

Scottish Citylink connects Edinburgh to five of Scotland’s main cities: Aberdeen, Perth, Glasgow, Dundee and Inverness at least once an hour during peak times. There is also a daily service to Fort William which stops at some of the most popular destinations in the Highlands including Glencoe and Bridge of Orchy. You can even get the bus to Belfast and Londonderry with a connection via the Stena Line Ferry. 

If you’re coming to Edinburgh from England and the South, Megabus and National Express connect Scotland’s capital with major cities across the UK, including London, Bath and Birmingham. 

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Getting around

Once you arrive in Edinburgh, it is very easy to get around in a low carbon way. Most of the city’s main attractions are within walking distance of each other and longer journeys are well served by our extensive bus, tram and cycle network.

By bus

Lothian Buses are one of Edinburgh’s biggest public transport providers and have continually invested in low-emission solutions like hybrid and fully electric buses.

Committed to learning about emerging technologies to provide a sustainably responsible service, their Bus2020 pledge continues to reduce emissions by running their entire fleet at Euro V standard, offering cleaner air for all. Since 2011, they have removed over 12,000 tonnes of CO2 from their carbon footprint.

Discover more about sustainability at Lothian Buses 

By tram

In addition to the comprehensive bus network, Edinburgh Trams offer another safe, reliable and efficient way of getting around the city.

The route runs from Edinburgh Airport to Newhaven in the north of the city, with trams every 7 minutes. Stops along the route include Murrayfield Stadium, Haymarket Station, Princes Street and Ocean Terminal.

By bike

Explore a different side of Edinburgh and its many hidden gems by hopping on a bike. 

EZ Bike Tours offer tours and hire using award winning electric bikes. Reliable, comfortable and stylish, the bikes can be ridden by anyone over 14 years old. They also have two longtail bikes that can carry two infants on the rear – the first bicycle tour company in Edinburgh to offer this service.

They offer a guided city tour which takes in both the Old and New Towns, Carlton Hill and Arthur’s Seat, and a coastal tour which follows the waterline to neighbouring South Queensferry and its iconic views of the UNESCO Forth Bridge. 

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