travel
getting to Edinburgh
rail
Within Scotland there are direct services to the capital from many parts of the country and Scotrail operate a GroupSave scheme for people travelling in groups.
One of the easiest ways to get to Edinburgh from most of England or Wales is by train. State-owned East Coast Trains run a frequent service between London and the Scottish capital which is often cheaper than or the same price as flying. The journey takes between four and five hours depending on the time of day.
A brilliant way of saving money by avoiding paying for accommodation the night before and after the conference is to use the Caledonian Sleeper. The Caledonian Sleeper is run by Scotrail and leaves London Euston for Edinburgh and Glasgow at around midnight every day of the week except Saturday. This can often be cheaper than taking the day train, with beds in shared cabins sometimes available for as little as £19. There is an all-night bar car with sofas and it will deposit you in the centre of Edinburgh at 07:00 the following morning. More information can be found here.
One of the easiest ways to get to Edinburgh from most of England or Wales is by train. State-owned East Coast Trains run a frequent service between London and the Scottish capital which is often cheaper than or the same price as flying. The journey takes between four and five hours depending on the time of day.
A brilliant way of saving money by avoiding paying for accommodation the night before and after the conference is to use the Caledonian Sleeper. The Caledonian Sleeper is run by Scotrail and leaves London Euston for Edinburgh and Glasgow at around midnight every day of the week except Saturday. This can often be cheaper than taking the day train, with beds in shared cabins sometimes available for as little as £19. There is an all-night bar car with sofas and it will deposit you in the centre of Edinburgh at 07:00 the following morning. More information can be found here.
bus & coach
Most buses and coaches from outside Edinburgh arrive at the St Andrew Square Bus Station. Bus companies operating from the rest of the UK to Edinburgh include Megabus, Scottish Citylink and National Express.
http://www.megabus.com/
http://www.citylink.co.uk/
http://www.nationalexpress.com/
http://www.megabus.com/
http://www.citylink.co.uk/
http://www.nationalexpress.com/
air
Direct flights to Edinburgh are available from a number of cities around the UK, including London, Southampton, Exeter, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast, Norwich, East Midlands, and a number of others. Airlines to check include British Airways, EasyJet, RyanAir, Virgin Little Red, FlyBe, and LoganAir.
Check skyscanner for the best fares.
From Edinburgh Airport, you can take a taxi to the city centre (expect to pay at least £20) or you can travel by bus or tram. The Airlink Express bus (service 100), which runs 24 hours a day, will take you to the city centre in 25-30 minutes (£4.00 single or £7.00 return), with the final stop on Waverley Bridge. The tram costs the same as the bus and takes around the same time, with several convenient stops in the city centre. Stops for both buses and trams are directly outside the terminal building.
Airlink bus: http://www.flybybus.com/ – N22 night bus: http://www.nightbuses.com/rn22.php
Check skyscanner for the best fares.
From Edinburgh Airport, you can take a taxi to the city centre (expect to pay at least £20) or you can travel by bus or tram. The Airlink Express bus (service 100), which runs 24 hours a day, will take you to the city centre in 25-30 minutes (£4.00 single or £7.00 return), with the final stop on Waverley Bridge. The tram costs the same as the bus and takes around the same time, with several convenient stops in the city centre. Stops for both buses and trams are directly outside the terminal building.
Airlink bus: http://www.flybybus.com/ – N22 night bus: http://www.nightbuses.com/rn22.php
road
Edinburgh is reasonably inaccessible by road and parking in the city centre and around the University of Edinburgh is very poor. The organisers do not recommend that delegates travel by car.
travelling around Edinburgh
Buses are an easy and inexpensive way of getting around Edinburgh. The main company operating within the city is Lothian Buses, the largest municipally owned bus company in the UK.
Lothian Buses’ standard daytime fares are currently:
£1.50 single
£3.50 day ticket
Tickets are available from the driver, but make sure you have the exact amount, as no change is given! Alternatively, there is a mobile app available to purchase tickets.
http://www.lothianbuses.com/
Traveline Scotland journey planner: http://www.travelinescotland.com/journeyplanner/enterJourneyPlan.do
Lothian Buses’ standard daytime fares are currently:
£1.50 single
£3.50 day ticket
Tickets are available from the driver, but make sure you have the exact amount, as no change is given! Alternatively, there is a mobile app available to purchase tickets.
http://www.lothianbuses.com/
Traveline Scotland journey planner: http://www.travelinescotland.com/journeyplanner/enterJourneyPlan.do