Transportation Back to Newhaven AFTER Edinburgh Tattoo Show?

For independent Tattoo show attendees, what is the "chaos" like, after the show (11pm) to get independent transportation back to the Newhaven cruiseship tender area. Taxi lines, bus service, train, walk? It is a late time, so what is the availability of these return options given the thousands leaving the show?

Thanks.

Some on our cruise last year did not get back to the ship until 3am due to taxi & tender issues. We were very lucky that a roll call member organized 3 busses for getting into Edinburgh and back to Newhaven after the Tattoo- we were back aboard the Silhouette by 12:30 am.

One option that several cruisers chose was getting a hotel room within walking distance of the Tattoo.

Hopefully someone who took a taxi can provide you with insider tips!

I would either walk back to Newhaven ( if you are capable) or walk to Lothian Road/ West end and get a Fast Black (aka Taxi) from there

We're having Seven Sevens (aka Capital Cars) transfer service pick us up at the ship: http://www.capitalcarsscotland.co.uk/online-booking/online-cash-booking.html

Not sure if the trains work going in your direction but have you looked into that? For us going home, we plan to take the train from Waverley after the 7:30 show back to Inverkeithing then a taxi from there to our dock in Rosyth. I'm hoping this plan is practical and will work.

Getting a hotel room isn't easy near the Tattoo in August at this late date (depending on the night). I tried many months ago and couldn't find anything under $350 a night. For just using it as a dayroom, that was steep.

Some on our cruise last year did not get back to the ship until 3am due to taxi & tender issues. We were very lucky that a roll call member organized 3 busses for getting into Edinburgh and back to Newhaven after the Tattoo- we were back aboard the Silhouette by 12:30 am.

 

One option that several cruisers chose was getting a hotel room within walking distance of the Tattoo.

 

Hopefully someone who took a taxi can provide you with insider tips!

Thanks for the info. I did reserve a hotel room walking distance and since the ship is staying overnight at Newhaven, I thought it would easier to stay in town then spending 2-4 hours returning/tendering to the ship with at least 1000 people afterwards. Can you really WALK from Tattoo arena to the Newhaven port easily (looks about 2.5 miles) at that time of night?

Thanks for the info. I did reserve a hotel room walking distance and since the ship is staying overnight at Newhaven, I thought it would easier to stay in town then spending 2-4 hours returning/tendering to the ship with at least 1000 people afterwards. Can you really WALK from Tattoo arena to the Newhaven port easily (looks about 2.5 miles) at that time of night?

I think Edinburgh is a safe city and I certainly walk around at night but would NOT recommend walking from the Castle to Newhaven at night. You would was through less pleasant areas and isn't an easy walk.

Taxis are pre-bookable and I did this for people last year at the port and they were collected at a hotel just a short walk down the Royal Mile from the Castle. I have posted these phone numbers before and if anybody else is interested in booking one, the numbers are 0131-777-7777 - website as posted above or 0131-555-5555 http://www.ecph.cab

Thanks for the info. I did reserve a hotel room walking distance and since the ship is staying overnight at Newhaven, I thought it would easier to stay in town then spending 2-4 hours returning/tendering to the ship with at least 1000 people afterwards. Can you really WALK from Tattoo arena to the Newhaven port easily (looks about 2.5 miles) at that time of night?

Depending on your length of time in Edinburgh the day after the Tattoo, you could join one of Rabbie's or Timberbush's day tours that depart from the Waverly area. Leave your bags at the hotel and collect them post-tour. We used Timberbush for a private tour with pickup at the tender pier for Stirling Castle/Loch Lomond. It was excellent, but traffic was horrendous- would have been easier to do as our fellow cruisers did from an Edinburgh hotel.

Depending on your length of time in Edinburgh the day after the Tattoo, you could join one of Rabbie's or Timberbush's day tours that depart from the Waverly area. Leave your bags at the hotel and collect them post-tour. We used Timberbush for a private tour with pickup at the tender pier for Stirling Castle/Loch Lomond. It was excellent, but traffic was horrendous- would have been easier to do as our fellow cruisers did from an Edinburgh hotel.

Personally I wouldn't do Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle from Edinburgh. Too much travelling. Other ports are great fro touring and seeing scenery but Edinburgh for me is about Edinburgh as it's such an iconic city. Each to their own:D

Personally I wouldn't do Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle from Edinburgh. Too much travelling. Other ports are great fro touring and seeing scenery but Edinburgh for me is about Edinburgh as it's such an iconic city. Each to their own:D

Agree- we'd previously been to Edinburgh on a land trip and we did get to spend time there pre-Tattoo otherwise we'd not have wanted to venture further afield on Day 2.

I think Edinburgh is a safe city and I certainly walk around at night but would NOT recommend walking from the Castle to Newhaven at night. You would was through less pleasant areas and isn't an easy walk.

Yes, you could walk from the Tattoo to Newhaven. However, I wouldn't just because of the distance, especially if you have been sightseeing all day before going to the Tattoo .. it's more like 4 / 5 miles depending on the route taken (albeit downhill in the majority) - but as a port volunteer at Newhaven - and a life long resident - I can assure you it would not take you though any "less pleasant areas".

The taxi numbers previously given are perfectly appropriate, or alternatively, walk down from Edinburgh Castle to Waverley Station, which would give you the best chance of picking up a taxi off the street.

I think Edinburgh is a safe city and I certainly walk around at night but would NOT recommend walking from the Castle to Newhaven at night. You would was through less pleasant areas and isn't an easy walk.

 

Taxis are pre-bookable and I did this for people last year at the port and they were collected at a hotel just a short walk down the Royal Mile from the Castle. I have posted these phone numbers before and if anybody else is interested in booking one, the numbers are 0131-777-7777 - website as posted above or 0131-555-5555 www.ecph.cab

Could you please suggest some names of hotels to mention when contacting the taxi companies for arranging a pick-up after the tattoo in August.

Thanks for your help.

Robin

Could you please suggest some names of hotels to mention when contacting the taxi companies for arranging a pick-up after the tattoo in August.

Thanks for your help.

 

Robin

If you walk down the Royal Mile a couple of blocks after the Tattoo to avoid the crowds, the nearest big hotels are

G&V Royal Mile Hotel - which on the corner of the Royal Mile and George IV Bridge. Once you've walked down from the Castle, it's on the right

https://www.quorvuscollection.com/en/gandv-hotel-edinburgh/gallery

Radisson Blu Hotel - which is on the Royal Mile, two blocks down from the Castle on the side of St Giles Cathedral

https://www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-edinburgh

Just left Tatoo....here was my timeline

Tatoo over 10:39. We were in row S section 8

Took 10 minutes to walk to G&V Royal Mile Hotel

Arrive hotel 10:39. Zero taxi line. Cab pulls up...hop in...arrive Newhaven Harbour 11:02

Uber is also available.

I prebooked a cab for an 11:00 pickup but canceled it since line was so short.

If you are sitting further away than I was, there may be more of a line by the time you get to hotel , but my advise is....prebook a cab for a pickup at G and V hotel....have your UBER app ready as well....

Just left Tatoo....here was my timeline

 

Tatoo over 10:39. We were in row S section 8

Took 10 minutes to walk to G&V Royal Mile Hotel

Arrive hotel 10:39. Zero taxi line. Cab pulls up...hop in...arrive Newhaven Harbour 11:02

 

 

Uber is also available.

 

 

I prebooked a cab for an 11:00 pickup but canceled it since line was so short.

 

 

If you are sitting further away than I was, there may be more of a line by the time you get to hotel , but my advise is....prebook a cab for a pickup at G and V hotel....have your UBER app ready as well....

How was the Tattoo? We are planning to go next summer. How were your seats, would you recommend that area or another area? Any other hints that may be helpful to us?

We have already booked with airb&b for an apartment that is supposed to be 3-5 minutes walking distance from the Castle. We elected to overnight in the city. We will have more time to enjoy the area if we don't have to go back and forth from the ship for those 2 days.

How was the Tattoo? We are planning to go next summer. How were your seats, would you recommend that area or another area? Any other hints that may be helpful to us?

 

 

 

We have already booked with airb&b for an apartment that is supposed to be 3-5 minutes walking distance from the Castle. We elected to overnight in the city. We will have more time to enjoy the area if we don't have to go back and forth from the ship for those 2 days.

We enjoyed the Tattoo. Check out past performances on you tube to see what you can expect.

We were in Section 8 and we paid for the BRUCE package since we booked late and had no other choices. We ordered our ticket directly from the venue - recommended as way cheaper than going thru the ship.

If I had the time to book anywhere, I would book one of the cheaper seats along the side, about a third of the way up.

Edinburgh has UBER - recommended - worked great.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

We enjoyed the Tattoo. Check out past performances on you tube to see what you can expect.

 

We were in Section 8 and we paid for the BRUCE package since we booked late and had no other choices. We ordered our ticket directly from the venue - recommended as way cheaper than going thru the ship.

 

If I had the time to book anywhere, I would book one of the cheaper seats along the side, about a third of the way up.

 

Edinburgh has UBER - recommended - worked great.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

thanks, I appreciate the information.

If you have an overnight cruise stop for the Tattoo take my advice and just stay in a close hotel overnight if you have to bus and tender back to the ship after the show. It was a disaster in the pouring rain when hundreds of cruise ship passengers tried to transport and tender back to ship this past August 2017 Celebrity Slhouette trip. Some got back at 3am and waited hours for the tenders. Best walk to hotel we stayed at was the Doubletree which is a 8 minute walk from the Tattoo.

If you have an overnight cruise stop for the Tattoo take my advice and just stay in a close hotel overnight if you have to bus and tender back to the ship after the show. It was a disaster in the pouring rain when hundreds of cruise ship passengers tried to transport and tender back to ship this past August 2017 Celebrity Slhouette trip. Some got back at 3am and waited hours for the tenders. Best walk to hotel we stayed at was the Doubletree which is a 8 minute walk from the Tattoo.

We have an overnight in Edinburgh, so we got an airbnb on the Royal Mile. We were pleasantly surprised that they allowed one night rental. Cheaper than a hotel room for the 4 of us. So that's another option.