Getting around in Edinburgh

Almost all my life have I lived in the South of England, so a journey to Edinburgh was to become a great experience. I had been planning to book myself into a days training course with Tony Stockwell, a well known psychic & medium of television fame, and well respected by many. Not many classes are available throughout the year, so when this one came up, based in Edinburgh, I booked a ticket straight away. I am actually living in Cornwall, so when I found a cheap flight from Newquay to Edinburgh, I paid for the ticket there and then. The flight only took one hour. I had booked a 5 day return ... more

As I had always wanted to visit Edinburgh, my husband organised our honeymoon to include Edinburgh and as much of Scotland as we could. We took a roundabout route to actually getting to Edinburgh along the coast from Newcastle and into the city itself. I had never seen anything like the sites I saw there, a wonderful shopping centre and a castle perched on what appeared to me to be a mountain. As the city was somewhat overwhelming in contrast to where we live, we decided to go out of the city and stayed in Portobello, which is only about 2 miles away from the centre. We opted to use the public ... more

Like many European capitals, Edinburgh is highly walkable. As a local resident, I often find walking quite effective, especially in the congested town centre. Be advised, however - like Rome and Lisbon, Edinburgh is built on seven hills - and they're steep. It can also be pretty cold when the east wind blows, and pretty wet any time. If the climate is really friendly, their are few more beguiling cities to walk in. And there are some fascinating hidden gems, so wander off the beaten track by all means. Unlike many European capitals, there is no metro, or trams and few suburban rail links. A ... more

The best thing that I can say about LRT buses is that there are lots of them. There has to be a lot of them because they never manage to come when scheduled. I see from the side of their buses that they were voted "The Best Bus Service in Britain". This leaves me a sense of pity about how bad the service must be in other cities of the U.K. Another problem with LRT buses is the drivers. They are unhelpful, unfriendly, and seen to gain perverse pleasure in closing the doors on people’s faces as they run to catch the bus. Edinburgh is a city that relies on tourists for a lot of money during ... more

The main bus company in Edinburgh (and surrounding area) is LRT, Lothian Regional Transport. Their distinctive maroon-coloured buses run a very efficient service, which has helped the company win an award for being the best bus company in the UK! Maps of the routes can be picked up from the LRT shops in the town centre, including one near Waverly station. The main hub for buses is Princes Street, services radiating out from there to other areas. The fares vary according to distance but, for an adult, the average journey will cost 80p (exact fare, no change given on board). There are good ... more

Lothian buses do their job well and I have to say staying somewhere that it costs me 75p to travel about 10 minutes into the town, Edinburgh buses give good value for money! The downside to the transport is its exact chance only but the bus drivers are all too happy to accept over the price if you have no change, funny that! However there is good reason for the exact fare rule, it speeds up start and stop times for buses, so instead of handing out change to each person you just drop your money in a slot, which makes it a more efficient service although it is annoying if you forget to get ... more