How to ride a tour bus in Edinburgh. Free bus tour of London

Edinburgh is a fairly compact city, which is convenient for tourists, because the main attractions of Scotland are located here (almost all of them are concentrated in the area of the Old Town and New Town). The distance between them is small - only about 15 minutes walk. But sometimes tourists tired of hiking are forced to use public transport.

Bus

The public transport system in Edinburgh is not very developed, compared, for example, with London or other capitals of Old Europe. The main mode of transport is buses, the schedule of which can sometimes be disrupted due to congestion and heavy traffic.

Bus services in Edinburgh are provided by two transport companies: Lothian (located in municipal ownership) and the private First. Bus stops are common for both operators, but route numbers are not duplicated, and fares are also different.

A large share of traffic belongs to the Lothian company. Their buses are very recognizable. Thanks to their characteristic coloring (burgundy and cream stripes), they have become one of the symbols of Edinburgh.

A single trip on the Lothian bus costs £1.70 (children 80p). Keep in mind that drivers do not give change, so if you do not want to overpay for the trip, be prepared with the required amount.

If you want to take a long tour of Edinburgh, it is better to purchase a day ticket for £4 for an adult and £2 for a child, a family ticket will cost £8.50. It will provide an opportunity to use all types of transport throughout the day. This is a great way to save money and not overpay for excursion buses. There are also night tickets costing £3 and so-called “day&night tickets”, valid from 18:00 to 4:30 on Lothian buses and trams. Cost £3.50. You can purchase a “day ticket and night ticket” from any bus driver or at the Lothian offices.

For the convenience of Edinburgh residents and visitors, the Lothian company has begun introducing the Bus Tracker service. It allows passengers to be provided with information about the movement of the bus in “real time”. On the main routes, special electronic boards are installed that show the waiting time for the bus. On the Internet, the same information is available for all stops, including those that do not yet have a sign. Each stop has a unique six-digit code. Website: mybustracker.co.uk. From a mobile phone - mobile.mybustracker.co.uk. In addition, special applications have been developed for iPhone (“Edinbus”) and Android (“My Bus Edinburgh”).

The Lothian company also works in the field of tourist transportation: City Sightseeing Tour excursion buses are available to city guests, each of which is assigned a specific route. The tourist ticket is valid for 24 hours, so it is a fairly convenient option for visiting the main attractions. Tickets cost £15 for adults (children £7.50). All excursion buses depart from Waverley Bridge on Princess Street, where the final destination of each route is also located.

The Fest company serves mainly routes remote from the center in the eastern and western parts of the city.

Train

This type of transport is convenient for those who want to visit the suburbs of Edinburgh: Balerno, Curry, Westerhales, Welliford, Prestonpence and others. Please note that for traveling by rail you will not be able to purchase a reusable subscription; tickets will have to be purchased at the box office each time. Another caveat is that leaving your belongings in a storage room directly at Waverley Station will cost much more than in a luggage room at the nearby bus station in St. Andrews Square.

It is convenient to buy tickets online on the two official websites of ScotRail and Virgin Trains East Coast. Prices are actually about the same everywhere.

Automobile

If you decide to get around Edinburgh by car, be prepared for a real challenge. Almost the entire historical center is a continuous labyrinth of narrow medieval streets, many of which end in dead ends. In New Town the situation is a little better, but you shouldn’t relax either. The fact is that it will be quite difficult for you to find a parking space, which is practically not allowed in the central part of Edinburgh. Violators are vigilantly identified by a special service - “Blue Meanies”. The fine for parking in the wrong place is quite large - 40 pounds. In addition, if your illegally parked car is taken to a parking lot, you will have to shell out an additional £150 to get the car back. Even in the suburbs, there are not many legal parking spaces. So, before you go on a tour of the Scottish capital by car, you should think carefully about how the imaginary convenience does not turn into unnecessary trouble.

Taxi

Like other English cities, Edinburgh offers two types of taxis: the so-called “Black Cabs” - they pick up passengers in parking lots or on the street - and “minicabs” - they must be booked in advance. An orange glowing signal on the windshield of a taxi indicates that the car is free. In general, finding an unoccupied taxi in the city center is not difficult. In addition, there are several official parking areas: at the main entrances of Haymarket and Waverley railway stations, opposite hotels (Caledonian Hotel, Sheraton Hotel, George Hotel, Crown Plaza Hotel), in St. Patrick's Square, near Leith Bridge. There are discounts on taxi services for people with disabilities.

Telephone numbers of city taxi services:

Central Radio Taxis +44 131 229 2468
City Cabs +44 131 228 1211
Edinburgh Taxi +44 131 610 1234
Festival Cars +44 131 552 1777 (large capacity cars, please indicate number of people when ordering)

A week ago I once again arrived in Edinburgh. On my last visit the weather was wonderful and I did well. I hope that on this visit, despite the gloomy weather, you will also enjoy walking around this wonderful city with me.

There were several reasons to return to this city. Last time I was unable to visit Edinburgh Castle and the royal yacht Britannia. Such gross mistakes had to be corrected and, of course, everything had to be filmed in detail and shown to you. Everything is done, a little patience and you will see everything. Today I collected photos I took while walking around Edinburgh.

1. This is the view from the window of my room:

2. A new tram was recently launched in Edinburgh. By the way, it moves from the city center towards the airport. This is what I recommend to use to get to the airport. Without traffic jams, with wi-fi and comfort. 45 minutes and you're there()

3. This is what it looks like against the backdrop of a city bus. However, you and I will still take a ride on the bus:

4. Interesting photo. A typical example of how medieval architecture can be integrated into modern design:

6. An umbrella in an urn is a typical picture of Great Britain. Strong winds simply break umbrellas and people throw them into the nearest trash can. You can buy a simple umbrella on every corner for £5:

7. Cute city benches. It’s a shame the weather wasn’t conducive to outdoor recreation:

8. I moved around Edinburgh (and not only) by public transport using Google maps. It turned out to be very convenient to build routes by public transport. I'll talk about this in a separate post. The buses always arrived at the same time. It was the same this time. I needed to get to the seaport where the yacht Britannia is located. Google built a route on the 22nd bus. The screenshot shows that it was taken at 10.50, it was easy for me to walk 320 meters (4 minutes) and I safely boarded the bus at 11.02:

9. Buses in Edinburgh are double-decker and, unlike London, are brown. This shot was taken in the evening, picture for clarity:

10. A single journey costs 1.5 pounds, a day ticket costs 4. You can buy tickets from the driver, but only without change. On the left of the frame you can see a box with a funnel. This is where you need to throw your change after showing the driver that you have an even amount. Then he will issue a ticket. You won't be able to get your money back:

11. The entire interior is made in tartan. They are very proud of their cage. First floor:

12. Space for luggage. Please note that the monitor is also in a case made of checkered material:

13. Narrow staircase to the second floor:

14. 2nd floor:

15. On my way to the port:

16. While driving the clouds cleared:

17. Before visiting Britannia, I decided to take a walk along the piers:

18. Powerful Arctic ship. I’m not good at specialized boats, tell me if you know what this is:

22. This shot shows a ship with a huge bay on board. It seems to me that these are the kind of ships that pull cables along the seabed. Internet including:

23. Well, here she is. For which I came to the port. Royal yacht Britannia. There will be several posts about it. Believe me, it will be very interesting. The yacht on which the royal family carried out state visits and received guests. Here's some information about her on Wiki.

24. From afar, it (the yacht) does not seem as voluminous as on board:

25. Let's take another look at the nose of the Skandi Arctic:

So, let's skip visiting Britannia for now and head back to the city. While I was examining the decks of the royal yacht, it began to get dark and the weather improved. I got to the center there by bus.

27. Light arches were installed on the Royal Mile leading to Edinburgh Castle. Every evening before Christmas there is a real celebration here:

29. Let's walk along the north bridge:

31. Right on the mountain you can see the outlines of Edinburgh Castle. Let me remind you that there will be a separate photo report about it:

32. Scott Monument and Ferris wheel from the North Bridge. Let's go to them:

33. A very impressive attraction for people with a stable vestibular system:

34. How do you like it?

35. A Christmas skating rink was set up at the Scott Monument:

36. Very cute:

37. There is a Christmas market nearby. Edinburgh is ready for Christmas:

38. You can ride the Ferris wheel. Of course not, but for Edinburgh it’s the best:

39. Interesting bus stop. When I told you that stops are often turned with glass towards the roadway. Here the stop is closed with glass on both sides and forms a corridor for boarding and waiting:

40. Well, here is the sculpture of Walter Scott itself at the base of the monument:

41. On the other hand:

42. It’s already dark and it’s time for me to go to the airport:

43. These letters with the name of the city are installed at Edinburgh airport. In general, the airport really impressed me. New, modern and beautiful. An hour of flight and I will find myself almost in my home country.

But that's a completely different story.

That's all! I hope you enjoyed the walk.

My last visit to Edinburgh -

Today, the main form of passenger transport in Edinburgh is buses. They operate around the clock and strictly on schedule. At each stop there is an electronic board that displays the arrival time of buses. The interval of their movement is from 10 to 30 minutes. Find out more information about Edinburgh bus routes at Mybustracker.co.uk.

An unlimited day ticket for an adult costs £3. In addition, the city has a system of transport cards (for three, seven days). Tickets are sold from machines installed at bus stops; they are easily recognized by their bright red color. You can also buy a ticket from drivers, but they usually don’t have change, so you need to prepare an even amount of money.

For tourists, an Edinburgh Pass is issued - a card that gives the right to free entry to most museums, provides discounts in restaurants and shops, and free travel around the city and to the airport. The cost of a card for one day is 24 pounds, for two days - 36 pounds, for 3 days - 48 pounds. You can buy the Edinburgh Pass at information offices at the airport, train station and in the city itself.

Edinburgh was once famous for its trams, but more than fifty years ago the tram service was discontinued. Currently, work is underway to restore it, and by 2014 it is planned to launch 27 updated tram lines.

More detailed information about Edinburgh's transport system is contained in the corresponding section of the city's official website.

Tourists who wish to independently move around Edinburgh and its surroundings by car can use

The Scottish capital is a stunning city, beckoning with its elegant narrow streets, interesting museums, peerless Gothic temples and other remarkable places. Knowledgeable tourists advise exploring all these attractions on foot in order to feel the fabulous spirit of an unusual city. However, if you are in Scotland for just a couple of days, but want to learn as much as possible about its wonderful capital, tourist buses in Edinburgh– this is exactly what you need for the most complete and informative introductory tour.

Excursion transport in the Scottish capital, as in many other European cities, is represented by beautiful colored buses traveling along the city's circular routes, which cover the most popular attractions. Edinburgh also operates the hop-on hop-off principle, familiar to all experienced tourists, which allows you to move freely on buses of one of the carrier companies during the validity period of the purchased ticket. During the journey you will be able to:
- choose a convenient seat on the second or first floor of the bus, from where it will be most convenient for you to enjoy the trip
— use an audio guide that will tell interesting stories about the most iconic places of the city that you come across along the way
- leaf through tourist brochures describing routes and pointing out the main attractions of the capital
— get off at your favorite stop and take any passing bus after you finish exploring this area.
Additionally, sightseeing buses are the most suitable option for traveling to noteworthy places in the Edinburgh suburbs.

Tourist bus routes in Edinburgh

is a small city, but the location of many unique attractions on its territory has made it possible to create an extensive system of excursion transport in it. There are six tourist bus routes in the Scottish capital:
1) Green Route or Edinburgh Tour. Traveling in this direction allows you to enjoy the beauty and grace of the series of streets of the Old Town, which have become one of the most interesting routes in the Scottish capital. This trip allows you to see many of the city's attractions on the Royal Mile: Holyroodhouse Palace, Edinburgh Castle, the Scottish Parliament building, the amazing Our Dynamic Planet museum and some others.
2) The Red Route or City Sightseeing Edinburgh allows you to go on an exciting trip through the expanses of not only the Old, but also the New City and, in addition to the places listed above, also see: the National Gallery of Scotland, the Royal Academy, a stunning portrait gallery and other monuments.

3) Red and White Route, also called MacTours City Tour. Allows you to explore the traditional sights of the capital with the help of interesting stories from a live guide. This direction involves a trip through: the Old Town, one of the central streets of Edinburgh, Princes Street, and a ride along the foot of the largest hill, Canton Hill.

4) Blue and yellow buses heading in the direction of the Majestic Tour, the main purpose of which is to introduce tourists to the incomparable Royal Botanical Garden, as well as departure to the wonderful metropolitan yacht Britannia, owned by the royal family and long ago turned into an extraordinary museum on the ocean.
5) Orange route or Edinburgh World Heritage Official Tour. It allows you to enjoy a wonderful journey through Edinburgh's museums. The planned route of this bus involves an exciting trip from the National Gallery to the museums of modern art. The highlight of the route is the passage through the wonderful green oasis of the city, reminiscent of a small European village - Dean Village, as well as a walk along the beautiful Water of Leith river.
6) The Bus & Boat Tour route is the most modest route of tourist buses; its cars only deliver city guests to the central port, from the piers of which luxury white boats depart for a picturesque cruise along the Firth of Forth.

You can distinguish a bus of a particular route by the corresponding inscriptions on the body (usually they are covered with liveries indicating the Latin names of the directions that were noted above), as well as the color of the cars, which, as a rule, corresponds to the color of each of the routes.
The starting and ending point of each destination is Waverley Bridge, located on the expanse of Princes Street. The frequency of excursion transport on all routes is 10-20 minutes.

Tourist bus ticket prices

Tourist bus ticket prices in Edinburgh depends on the selected duration of the subscription (usually from 1 to 3 days). For an exciting one-day introductory tour, adults will pay around £14, while a child's ticket will cost around £6. Some pricing features may vary depending on the route chosen.

We began our study of Scotland with walks around the capital of this region - Edinburgh. We also chose this city for accommodation, as it turned out to be the most convenient in terms of location, transport accessibility and the presence of a huge number of attractions. And the evenings are much more fun in a big city like Edinburgh, which is full of people.

The second largest city in Scotland is Glasgow, but to me it seemed more impersonal and focused on youth and student life.

And Edinburgh is a real fairy tale city; it seems that a carriage or a medieval knight is about to appear around the corner. And people in national costumes - checkered kilts, golf socks, hats, playing bagpipes - are not uncommon here.

Edinburgh, like Moscow, is located on the hills, but here they are visible from almost anywhere in the city. In the center of the Old Town rises Castle Hill with an ancient royal fortress, and in another part of the city you can see a real mountain range called “Arthur’s Seat”. And the streets themselves either go down or go up. Thanks to this topography, the city has a huge number of viewing platforms from which stunning views of Edinburgh open. And the architecture and layout of the city are like nowhere else in the UK. Everything here is so harmonious that the eyes only rejoice and admire what they see.

Edinburgh is divided into the Old Town and the New Town, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Old Town is a rock with Edinburgh Castle, from which the main thoroughfare of the city stretches - several streets, united by the name “Royal Mile”, leading to Holyrood Palace. This road appeared in the 12th century, when artisans and traders began to settle outside the castle walls, and financial organizations, barnyards, and pubs were also located here.

In the Old Town of Edinburgh, apartment buildings appeared in the 15th century. The complex urban terrain meant that Edinburgh initially only grew in height. Already in the 16th century, there were multi-story buildings with six floors; by the 18th century, even fourteen-story buildings appeared, which was a real miracle for other Europeans and foreigners. It was only with the advent of the so-called New Town in the 18th century that Edinburgh began to expand. The new neighborhoods were more spacious, with small parks and public gardens. The houses here were built in the fashionable neoclassical style. Of course, when going to Edinburgh, it is better to familiarize yourself with the history of Scotland in advance, but we had to fill in the gaps in knowledge when we returned home.
On the way from our hotel to the city center we see the Cathedral of Saints Paul and George, built in 1818, and nearby the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, dating from approximately the same period.

Before walking around Edinburgh, we decided to climb Calton Hill, which was located not far from our guest house. This volcanic hill is located almost in the center of the city and offers stunning views of different areas of Edinburgh. You can climb Calton Hill in eight minutes along a good road winding through the trees. There are a number of attractions at the top.

The oldest building is the City Observatory, which was built back in 1776 and then slightly rebuilt. But since Edinburgh was heated with coal for a long time, and there was a fireplace in every apartment, and there were quite a few of them here, by the end of the 19th century the smog in the city was such that it became impossible to observe the celestial bodies from here, and the telescope was moved to south of the city. And in the observatory building there was a museum telling about Edinburgh. By the way, such strong smoke in Edinburgh in the past led to the fact that houses made of sandstone were covered with a black coating. The townspeople never thought of removing it, and now it gives Edinburgh a special flavor.

The most noticeable structure on the hill is the Scotland Monument in the form of antique columns. It began to be built in 1822 in memory of the soldiers who died in battles with Napoleonic troops. However, funds for the monument soon ran out and it was left unfinished. After all, it was conceived in imitation of the Athenian Parthenon, but only a few columns were built. Since then, this monument has been called the “Shame of Scotland.”

Nelson's Tower rises nearby. There are many monuments to this admiral in Great Britain. In honor of his victory in the Battle of Trafalgar, a monument appeared in Edinburgh. The lighthouse tower was erected in 1816. At the end of the 19th century, a clock ball was installed at the top, connected by an electric wire to the clock cannon in Edinburgh Castle. Every day at one o'clock in the afternoon a cannon shot was heard, during which the ball on Nelson's tower went down. Thus, passing ships could synchronize their watches. We have already seen a similar installation in Greenwich.

Now inside the tower there is a small museum with an excellent observation deck, rising 30 meters above Calton Hill.

Nearby there is a monument to the Scottish philosopher Dugald Stewart, made in the form of an antique gazebo with columns. This monument offers perhaps the best view of Edinburgh.

In the distance you can see the Walter Scott monument and the Balmoral Hotel clock. They say that this clock is always two minutes fast. The fact is that there is a train station next to the hotel, and so that people do not miss the train, the clock on the turret was specially moved a little forward so that passengers would have some extra time.

On the other side of the hill we see Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Rock, at the foot of which there is an unusual building with a white roof from which beams protrude. This is a museum created on the eve of the Millennium, which was called “Our Dynamic Earth”. Inside there are many interactive rooms and exhibits that tell how our planet has changed over millennia, and what awaits it in the future.

In addition, from the hill you can see the Cannon Gate Church, built in a Dutch style unusual for Edinburgh, and the cemetery next to it. The famous economist Adam Smith and poet Robert Fergusson are buried here, as well as many other famous Scots. On the other hand, there is another ancient cemetery - Kaltonovskoye.

Due to the huge number of ancient burials, the city is said to be full of ghosts. They even created special excursions for tourists to the crypts and other places associated with mystical stories.

From the opposite side of Calton Hill we see the New Town.

After enjoying the wonderful views, we went down to the Scottish Government building and the Calton cemetery, opened at the beginning of the 18th century. Several Scots who fought on the Northern side during the American Civil War are buried here. A monument to American President A. Lincoln was erected at their burial site.

Next we headed to Princess Street, which roughly separates the Old and New Towns. Most of the shops and large shopping centers are located on this street. The alleys with cozy pubs and restaurants branch out from it, where we often had lunch or dinner.

At the beginning of Princess Street there is a railway station and the five-star Balmoral Hotel, built in 1902. It was named after the royal castle, also located in Scotland.

Unfortunately, we never made it to Balmoral Castle.

On one side of this luxury hotel is the National Archives in an ancient building, in front of which stands the Wellington monument, and on the other is the North Bridge leading to the Old Town.