Transportation from Edinburgh Airport into Downtown Edinburgh:

I just returned from a long trip playing golf in and around Scotland. Our last stop was in Edinburgh Hilton Airport location before departing on our flight back to the United States. Unfortunately this was the exact time that the volcano in Iceland was becoming active (April 2010) so we had a few extra days staying right near the airport. I had returned the rental car and was still wanting to use my time and go back into the city centre of Edinburgh from the hotel. I had driven into Edinburgh with the rental car, but I don't suggest this for most casual drivers since the streets are chaotic to maneuver through. Hiring a taxi or cab from the airport is an expensive route if you want to get into downtown Edinburgh. The easiest and best solution is to go with a bus or coach. There are lots of buses leaving the airport every few minutes, some go directly into the city centre while others head out in other directions. Be sure to get on the right bus, just ask the driver if need be. The ideal spot for taking the bus into downtown is to be dropped off right at Waverley Bridge which is in the middle of town and perfect for starting your sightseeing or shopping.


You can see a complete bus route map (in PDF format) HERE. A bus from Edinburgh Airport to city centre is available right out front of the airport and most leave every 10 to 20 minutes. For us, we caught the bus right in front of the Hilton Hotel on it's way back into Edinburgh. I found it to be a relaxing ride compared to the stress involved of driving into downtown with our rental car and having to try and find parking. Edinburgh is a very walkable city, although some areas do have hills to climb, such as the Royal Mile up towards the Edinburgh Castle. Once you get dropped off near Waverley Station, you can catch other buses to take you further into the city or just get out on foot and walk around. Get yourself a good map and see the city. Getting back to the transportation options from the airport, if you have multiple people in your party, then perhaps a taxi is a reasonable bet. The cost is roughly 15 GBP ($24 US) to get a taxi from the airport to the city centre. They can drop you off anywhere you want versus the bus which only stops at certain places.

Airlink 100 Bus Edinburgh:

Want the best way to get from EDI (Edinburgh International Airport) into the downtown city centre? Go with the Airlink 100 Bus that departs right from the airport. The Airlink bus was a breeze for me and I don't take buses anywhere in the United States. You can get all the details online at http://www.flybybus.com. They have a route map showing where the bus stops along the way and where you end up in downtown Edinburgh. The journey from the airport to city centre takes about 30 minutes which is pretty good given the congestion you run into in the downtown region. If you are wanting to catch the bus from downtown and head to the airport, rest assured there are luggage racks for your suitcases so it's very convenient. When I was in downtown catching the bus back out to EDI, there were 3 buses lined up ready to go. They leave every 10-20 minutes. Inside the bus the seats are nice - way nicer than what you find on American buses. The buses are double deckers, so there is plenty of room to spread out if you want. You will find tables on the bus as well, pull out your laptop and work via their free Wi-Fi connection. How much are tickets? You can get the standard roundtrip ticket for 6 GBP. Just hop on the bus and pay the driver or get your ticket at the airport or bus station. All the stops are announced or you can just push the STOP button to get off. The bus runs 7 days a week and 24 hours a day. There is a schedule shown on the website - be sure to see that the N22 bus is the night bus on this route. Night buses run every 30 minutes - not quite as often as those in the daytime - but still very efficient for travelers.

Tramway Coming in 2011:

There is a new Tramway coming to the airport in 2011 (maybe later due to contract disputes currently ongoing). We saw the model tram car out in front of the airport on our recent visit. It will depart from the airport and wind through Haymarket, Prince Street, Waverly Station, Port of Leith and down to Ocean Terminal. The locals say it will be a good thing, but money and time are holding up the final project.