Public Transport

Travelling within Edinburgh couldn’t be easier thanks to its world-class and easy-to-use public transport network and walkability. 

On foot

Edinburgh is a great walking city – you can reach most of the attractions in the centre on foot. 

In the Old Town, walking the cobbled streets is all part of the experience, with something to explore around every corner or visitors can enjoy luxury shopping, international dining options, and Scottish pubs in the city’s 250 year old New Town.  

Visitors can walk between the Old and New Town, which is also one of two UNESCO World Heritage sites, easily and quickly.

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Buses

An excellent bus service transports residents and visitors across the city throughout the day and night including a regular 24 hour service to Edinburgh Airport. Visitors can plan their journey within Edinburgh with Lothian Buses or with First Group for those coming from further afield.

Lothian Buses 

Edinburgh has a great value, modern, reliable bus network, run by Lothian Buses. As the main bus operator, Lothian can get you anywhere in the city, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. There are various ways to buy a ticket, but the simplest is to board the bus, tap your contactless card, then sit back and enjoy the ride. For adult passengers, tap the same card or mobile payment device for every journey across the network and you’ll automatically be charged the cheapest adult daily fare for the journeys you’ve made.

We recommend downloading the Bus and Tram app, which makes it simple to plan a journey, buy tickets, and view live arrival times. 

Visit Lothian Buses for more information on bus services, tickets and fares.  

Airport Express

Airlink 100 buses offer a frequent, direct link between the city centre and Edinburgh Airport. This service has ample storage space for luggage, USB charging points and free Wi-Fi, and travels to or from the airport to city centre in 30 minutes. 

Edinburgh Bus Tours 

Edinburgh Bus Tours are a convenient way to explore the city, with three different open-top bus tours covering all the must-see sights. All three tours offer wheelchair accessible spaces with personal display screens and tickets are valid for 24 hours, allowing visitors to hop on and off wherever they choose.

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Trams

Glide your way through the city with Edinburgh Trams. Running every 7 minutes from Edinburgh Airport to Newhaven in the north of the city, there are 23 stops along the route, including Ingliston Park and Ride, Murrayfield Stadium, Haymarket Station, St Andrew Square and Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre at Leith.

All trams have two dedicated spaces for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, high visibility handrails and passenger alert buttons signposted in Braille for blind and partially sighted users.

Single tickets can be paid for using the contactless ‘Tap On, Tap Off’ system. Simply hold your card or payment device against one of the Platform Validators before boarding the tram, and again when you reach your destination. This will charge you a standard single fare. Failure to Tap Off will result in a full airport fare of £7.50. Please note, the same card or device should be used when tapping on and off.

You can also purchase tickets (including day fares and tickets for multiple travellers) in advance on Edinburgh Trams or via the Bus and Tram app.

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Taxis

There are over 1000 black cabs which can be hailed in the street or picked up from one of the taxi ranks within the city centre. Generally, there are clusters of taxis gathered outside any of the big hotels waiting for a fare. There are also designated taxi ranks dotted across the city – a few of the most notable are on Market Street, South St Andrew Street, and Lothian Road. If their lights are on, your customers can flag them down.  

Accessibility

The majority of taxis can carry up to 5 passengers and are accessible for wheelchairs although it is worth noting that for medical reasons, some taxi drivers are exempt from carrying wheelchair users.  Such drivers will have a wheelchair exemption certificate clearly displayed within the taxi.

Taxi companies

There are two licensed black cab taxi companies in Edinburgh:

Central Taxis is a key provider of taxis in the city, they can be hailed in the street or pre-booked on. Telephone: 0131 229 2468.

City Cabs is one of Edinburgh’s major taxi companies. Hail them on the street or pre-book by calling telephone: 0131 228 1211.

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