Taking the train from south queensferry to edinburgh

Thanks, Tartanexile81, for the information you provided here. We did the train ride from South Queensferry to Edingburg May 2017, following the instruction provided here. We had a wonderful day in town. Some photos here.

Thanks for being our info person for SQ! We’re arriving on the Royal Princess in July. Please update us on the shuttle cost for 2018 and if there is option for a one way only. It may be easier for some in our group to go down those stairs vs up so taking bus out would be the best option. However if it’s wet we may skip train because of the muddy areas on the path.

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Thank you so much for all this information.

Thanks Tartanexile81 for all the info. We will be in Edinburgh in June on Royal Princess. We will be on a Princess excursion but want to stay in Edinburgh a little longer and head back to the ship on our own. I have been thinking of taking a taxi back but have read somewhere that the traffic to South Queensbury in the late afternoon is pretty bad and we could be stuck in traffic for over an hour. Is that true?

If we took the train, I have also read somewhere that there are regular train cancellations. The last thing I want is to miss the ship as the next day is a sea day so it will be pretty hard for us to catch up with the ship if we missed the sail off time. I appreciate your advice.

Thanks

Thanks Tartanexile81 for all the info. We will be in Edinburgh in June on Royal Princess. We will be on a Princess excursion but want to stay in Edinburgh a little longer and head back to the ship on our own. I have been thinking of taking a taxi back but have read somewhere that the traffic to South Queensbury in the late afternoon is pretty bad and we could be stuck in traffic for over an hour. Is that true?

 

If we took the train, I have also read somewhere that there are regular train cancellations. The last thing I want is to miss the ship as the next day is a sea day so it will be pretty hard for us to catch up with the ship if we missed the sail off time. I appreciate your advice.

 

Thanks

Edinburgh is a working city as well as a popular tourist destination so yes the trafffic can be busy to get back to the port but you would just have to leave town early enough. A good taxi driver willl know how to avoid the roads where the worst jams will be. To be sure leave 90 minutes before the last tender.

Trains are very reliable; I use the line regularly and a cancellation is rare

We are there during the Tattoo and so expect even more congestion than usual. Why are trains ever cancelled? Do they ever add trains during the Tattoo? We think taking the train would be the easiest but travel mates are saying they prefer taking a taxi back to the port for our 5pm sailing. That just seems like a huge chance to have major traffic congestion if we take a taxi - plus added expense being stuck in traffic. Does anyone have a guesstimate as to how long each mode of transport would take from Edinburgh to South Queensferry? Or additional rationale to sway me one way or they other? Thanks

Another quick question about the walk up the stairs to the train station. About how long does the walk take?

thanks

Great thread. But I can use a bit more detailed advice. (I love CCfolks!):).

We are on the Brilliance of the Seas tendering on SATURDAY 6/23, We are in "port" from 7-6. As I see it we can take the $15 (R/T) shuttle to the new part of town. BUT we need to allow for time to get back. The train seems like it's more cumbersome and can't be much cheaper.

Anyway my original plan was to get to the Castle as easily as possible by other than foot and see it first =- buying advance tickets a few weeks in advance. Then walking DOWN the Royal Mile to the new Parliament House., If we do that - stopping for a snack, I think that would FILL the day. (of course cruises are great but getting to a site can be cumbersome)

So, does anyone here have a plan for us to accomplish this. We do like to walk but not really UP HILL.

Thanks!

Another quick question about the walk up the stairs to the train station. About how long does the walk take?

 

thanks

the walk should take about 15 minutes if you're reasonably fit and active

Great thread. But I can use a bit more detailed advice. (I love CCfolks!):).

We are on the Brilliance of the Seas tendering on SATURDAY 6/23, We are in "port" from 7-6. As I see it we can take the $15 (R/T) shuttle to the new part of town. BUT we need to allow for time to get back. The train seems like it's more cumbersome and can't be much cheaper.

Anyway my original plan was to get to the Castle as easily as possible by other than foot and see it first =- buying advance tickets a few weeks in advance. Then walking DOWN the Royal Mile to the new Parliament House., If we do that - stopping for a snack, I think that would FILL the day. (of course cruises are great but getting to a site can be cumbersome)

 

So, does anyone here have a plan for us to accomplish this. We do like to walk but not really UP HILL.

 

Thanks!

The train costs £4.70 one way from Edinburgh Waverley to Dalmeny. We always take the train to and from the city centre during the festival. It's just a more reliable way to travel, when the traffic is so busy. Whatever way you decide to get into the city, you will have an uphill walk to the Castle. If you go by shuttle bus, you could get a taxi from Charlotte Square where the shuttle bus drops you off.

From the castle, you're right in thinking it's a downhill walk to The Scottish Parliament Building and Holyrood house. There is lots to see on the way and numerous pubs and restaurants where you could eat and I'm sure you could easily fill a day without any trouble.

On 1/24/2018 at 6:05 AM, ROCruiser said:

Thanks, Tartanexile81, for the information you provided here. We did the train ride from South Queensferry to Edingburg May 2017, following the instruction provided here. We had a wonderful day in town. Some photos here.

Thank you ROCruiser.I was searching for something else and came across your bog and photos which are great.Thanks for the mention :)

I just want to say that we too used Tartanexile's directions a couple of years back and they were the most concise and excellent directions that we had ever come across.  Thanks again for posting and helping folks get to Edinburgh from S. Queensferry.

Barb