Edinburgh transportation question

[loveapug]

We will be visiting Edinburgh on August 25, 2023 via the cruise port in South Queensferry. Last year we had a stop in Edinburgh, took the Lothian X99 and then used the HOHO to see the town and to supplement our walking around town. What a wonderful city, and too much to see in one day! This year I'd like to visit the National Gallery, the Portrait Gallery, the Botanical Gardens and Holyrood Palace. If I read correctly the fair we pay for the Lothian bus return fare "DAY ticket" could be used to catch buses in the city. We enjoyed the HOHO and could certainly ride it again for transport in the city. My concern is about the volume of visitors in Edinburgh and wondering if it would be best to try to use the Lothian app to navigate in the city, versus potentially long waits at the stops for the HOHOs. Thank you for your assistance with this. 

[edinburgher]

11 hours ago, loveapug said:

My concern is about the volume of visitors in Edinburgh and wondering if it would be best to try to use the Lothian app to navigate in the city, versus potentially long waits at the stops for the HOHOs. Thank you for your assistance with this. 

 

You are correct in that the city will be really crowded as several festivals will be in full swing. Depending on your interests, August can be both the best or the worst time to visit.

 

Unless you plan to use a HOHO for sightseeing around the city, the local Lothian Buses will probably be more useful to you as they can easily take you from A to B.  Current cost for one adult  DAY ticket which is valid on Lothian buses and Edinburgh trams is £5.

 

i don't think you would need transport for either the National Gallery or the Portrait Gallery as both are centrally located.  The former at the foot of The Mound at the junction with Princes St, and the latter on Queen St just off St Andrew Square. Should be a walk of no more than 10 minutes between the two, perhaps a little less.

 

So pleased you are considering the Botanical Gardens as they are both beautiful and extensive. There is an entrance on Inverleith Row with a bus stop only a dozen or so steps away, and the stop for the return bus to town  is opposite.  Info on bus routes  which pass that way can be found on the Lothisan buses website. If using the route planner tool or the app, for best results the correct name is ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH

 

You probably already know that Holyrood Palace is at the opposite end of The Royal Mile from the Castle.

 

One little bonus tip.

 

The Floral Clock is in the corner of Princes St Gardens and the Mound through the gated entrance opposite the side of the National Gallery. Enter there and you will see a flight of stairs. (you only need go down approx 6 or 8 for the best view.)  The clock is immediately there on your right side and is always a work of art in itself and definitely worth a quick glance.

Hoping you enjoy your time in the city in spite of the expected crowds.

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by edinburgher

[loveapug]

4 hours ago, edinburgher said:

 

Thank you so much for all of the above and the insider tip about the floral clock! I've included a link in case anyone else would like a view of the clock designed for 2023.

https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2023/07/the-floral-clock-commemorates-100-years-of-the-flying-scotsman/    

[edinburgher]

3 hours ago, loveapug said:

hank you so much for all of the above and the insider tip about the floral clock! I've included a link in case anyone else would like a view of the clock designed for 2023.

https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2023/07/the-floral-clock-commemorates-100-years-of-the-flying-scotsman/    

There is a different theme each year, usually commemorating a special event or anniversary but whichever it is, it is always beautifully done.  I am sure any others looking at it via the link will also enjoy  the photos so thank you for uploading it.

Looking at the info above which I posted earlier, it occured to me to check the cost of the X99 Daysaver.  At £12pp including to and from the  S. Queensferry tender point at HawesPpier  it will be a better buy for you than paying 2x x99pp  to/from the city plus an additional £5pp once in town. Having said that you are unlikely to use a bus or tram to get to or from the airport and that X99 day ticket includes that.  The airport run is not included on the £5 day ticket.  a £5 day ticket would have done almost the same but would not have run from the tender point and would not be an express bus so the journey to/from the city would be quite a bit longer.

I had a quick look to see where the city centre stop is, and it is South St David Street, short and connects St Andrew Square to Princes St. literally a 2 or 3 minute walk from the Portrait Gallery should you want to begin there.

Edited July 22, 2023 by edinburgher

[Turtles06]

21 hours ago, loveapug said:

This year I'd like to visit the National Gallery, the Portrait Gallery, the Botanical Gardens and Holyrood Palace.

We visited Holyrood Palace last fall, and absolutely loved it. Their multi-media guide (audio, video, and photos), which you use for the self-guided tour, is incredibly well done.  Typically, we don’t have the patience to listen to such things all the way through, but this was different because it was just so excellent. 
 

What we found very useful was to listen to the guide before going into a specific room, and listen again as we went through that room and stopped at each thing that was being described. 
 

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

 

 

[fruitmachine]

On 7/22/2023 at 3:03 AM, loveapug said:

We will be visiting Edinburgh on August 25, 2023 via the cruise port in South Queensferry. Last year we had a stop in Edinburgh, took the Lothian X99 and then used the HOHO to see the town and to supplement our walking around town. What a wonderful city, and too much to see in one day! This year I'd like to visit the National Gallery, the Portrait Gallery, the Botanical Gardens and Holyrood Palace. If I read correctly the fair we pay for the Lothian bus return fare "DAY ticket" could be used to catch buses in the city. We enjoyed the HOHO and could certainly ride it again for transport in the city. My concern is about the volume of visitors in Edinburgh and wondering if it would be best to try to use the Lothian app to navigate in the city, versus potentially long waits at the stops for the HOHOs. Thank you for your assistance with this. 

Just to be clear here, the X99 return ticket is one and the same as a Network DAYticket and the ticket sellers at Hawes Pier will be advising you buy it.  The only people for whom it might not be appropriate are those who are planning on returning on the train (for example where their ship is in overnight or leaving later than the last X99 bus).

 

That Network DayTicket gets you everywhere on the tram and the wider Lothian Buses network, including west of Edinburgh to Bathgate, and east of Edinburgh to Dunbar and North Berwick (the latter being a very nice day-trip along the East Lothian coast).  The schematic diagram of the network is on this pdf: https://www.lothianbuses.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Network_Map_230528.pdf

 

Regarding the Lothian Bus app, you can download and use it, but for a one-day visitor there is little practical benefit over using Google Maps.  The bus app does show live buses on a map, but Google still have fantastic integration with the local bus timetables and live information.

[edinburgher]

2 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

Just to be clear here, the X99 return ticket is one and the same as a Network DAYticket and the ticket sellers at Hawes Pier will be advising you buy it.  The only people for whom it might not be appropriate are those who are planning on returning on the train (for example where their ship is in overnight or leaving later than the last X99 bus).

 

That Network DayTicket gets you everywhere on the tram and the wider Lothian Buses network, including west of Edinburgh to Bathgate, and east of Edinburgh to Dunbar and North Berwick (the latter being a very nice day-trip along the East Lothian coast).  The schematic diagram of the network is on this pdf: https://www.lothianbuses.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Network_Map_230528.pdf

Based on the OP's plans in the original question, I thought I had explained the difference between the regular £5 day ticket and the Network day ticket at £12 as the OP made no mention of travelling out of town or to the airport (as the regular £5 day ticket does not include these routes) however for anyone else reading and with different plans involving out of town trips,  your finer detail of the inclusions of a more expensive NETWORK day ticket  will prove helpful.

Edited July 23, 2023 by edinburgher

[edinburgher]

On 7/22/2023 at 3:03 AM, loveapug said:

Thank you for your assistance with this. 

loveapug, sorry but I had an afterthought as you might enjoy  Calton Hill which  is really quite near St Andrew Square and S. St David St. Entrance to it is via a staircase on Regent Road, (an extension of Princes St).If it is a clear day, would highly recommend you walk up for the 360 degree spectacular views. There are amazing views across the city in all directions as there is a circular walkway.  And if you walk to the right of the "Acropolis type" structure, once it is behind you there wonderful views of Holyrood Park,Salisbury Crags, Queens Drive and others. Once up the staircase it is a sloping walkway, once at the top, all of it is flat. If it is cloudy, don't bother. No vehicles are allowed up there

 

Given your sightseeing plans,i think you have chosen wisely as I don't think you will be in many, if any, crowded areas.

 

 

[2bc cruisers]

OP thank you for this post, I’ve gained some good insights for our Sept visit.  We will be adding the Princess street gardens to our plans. 

[run4fun_2023]

Thanks for this post and all the replies. We will be in Edinburgh for 2 days in September after our cruise, would like to see the castle and Holyrood,  the Botanical garden, national gallery, writer's museum. Some bookshops, climb up for a view if we have the weather. I wondered about getting to Leith walk. Any other recommendations? 

We arrive about 10 am on a Wednesday by train, leave for Edinburgh airport about 10 am on Friday.  Thanks for any tips!

Gaby

[fruitmachine]

5 hours ago, run4fun_2023 said:

Thanks for this post and all the replies. We will be in Edinburgh for 2 days in September after our cruise, would like to see the castle and Holyrood,  the Botanical garden, national gallery, writer's museum. Some bookshops, climb up for a view if we have the weather. I wondered about getting to Leith walk. Any other recommendations? 

We arrive about 10 am on a Wednesday by train, leave for Edinburgh airport about 10 am on Friday.  Thanks for any tips!

Gaby

I would say you're an ideal candidate for the HoHo Royal Edinburgh Ticket which includes a 48 hour HoHo ticket for all their routes, and entry to The Castle, Holyrood Palace and The Royal Yacht Britannia.  Use the green route with the live guide in English in preference to the red route with a multi-lingual recorded track for the city centre circuit.  The route that goes to Britannia also passes the Botanic Gardens (free).  https://edinburghtour.com/royal-edinburgh-ticket/ 

 

I'm guessing that your hotel is somewhere on Leith Walk?  The tram runs the length of Leith Walk, the St Andrew Square stop is very near the station, and the end of the line is the airport (you need a more expensive ticket to get to the airport on your final day). https://edinburghtrams.com/  If you want to get directly to Britannia rather than go round the loop of the HoHo circuit, take it to Ocean Terminal stop.

 

If you might be taking the tram or the city buses multiple times in a day, buy a £5.00 DAYticket from either which gets unlimited access to both all day.

[run4fun_2023]

2 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

 Use the green route with the live guide in English in preference to the red route with a multi-lingual recorded track for the city centre circuit.  The route that goes to Britannia also passes the Botanic Gardens (free).  https://edinburghtour.com/royal-edinburgh-ticket/ 

 

I'm guessing that your hotel is somewhere on Leith Walk?  The tram runs the length of Leith Walk, the St Andrew Square stop is very near the station, and the end of the line is the airport (you need a more expensive ticket to get to the airport on your final day). https://edinburghtrams.com/  

 

If you might be taking the tram or the city buses multiple times in a day, buy a £5.00 DAYticket from either which gets unlimited access to both all day.

Thanks much for the info. Our hotel is near the train station but I thought we'd walk up Leith walk.

I don't have an interest to see the yacht, but good to know can get to the Botanical garden on that bus route. I was looking at the Day ticket, but we may just be walking most everywhere.  I'll look at the 48 hr bus you linked, thank you. 

Any place recommended to visit? May aim for National museum of Scotland and the medical museum. I need to map it out yet, so can do it all in a row. Mary's close? 

Thanks again for help,

Gaby

[edinburgher]

3 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

Thanks for this post and all the replies. We will be in Edinburgh for 2 days in September after our cruise, would like to see the castle and Holyrood,  the Botanical garden, national gallery, writer's museum. Some bookshops, climb up for a view if we have the weather. I wondered about getting to Leith walk. Any other recommendations?

 

40 minutes ago, run4fun_2023 said:

May aim for National museum of Scotland and the medical museum. I need to map it out yet, so can do it all in a row. Mary's close? 

Thanks again for help,

I think you already have too much for your two days here without adding extra attractions as those 2 days will pass quickly.. Can only suggest you look at your wish list and decide which will be your priorities, and also which will be prioritised depending on weather on those two days. If it is dry you could focus on outdoor sights, if wet switch to indoor.and maybe something for your one evening? You could check opening hours for some on your list to make the most of your time.

 

And check the castle website for date and time slot availability as best to pre-book to avoid a long wait for tickets on the day and they get posted a few weeks ahead.

Edited August 3, 2023 by edinburgher

[run4fun_2023]

24 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

 

I think you already have too much for your two days here without adding extra attractions as those 2 days will pass quickly.. Can only suggest you look at your wish list and decide which will be your priorities, and also which will be prioritised depending on weather on those two days. If it is dry you could focus on outdoor sights, if wet switch to indoor.and maybe something for your one evening? You could check opening hours for some on your list to make the most of your time.

 

And check the castle website for date and time slot availability as best to pre-book to avoid a long wait for tickets on the day and they get posted a few weeks ahead.

Thank you for replying. I do put a bit on the schedule,  then I can pull things off if time flying.  We do have two evenings there, we come in Wednesday morning at 10, our flight out is Friday afternoon, so that morning is just packing and breakfast. 

I saw tickets are posted for the castle, my husband wants to see. Do you think the hoho bus is worth it? That will have entrance to the castle,  so I shouldn't buy my own, correct? 

I'm more interested in museums, and just walking about to see the city.

[edinburgher]

18 minutes ago, run4fun_2023 said:

Do you think the hoho bus is worth it? That will have entrance to the castle, 

It depends where all you want to go and how much of the city you hope to see. Many places on your wish list are fairly close to each other for walking and others such as the Royal Botanic Garden are a little bit further but have public bus stops outside.  see Lothian buses website for info. You could buy a day ticket for buses and trams at £5pp or pay £2 pp single ride each way to the Gardens. And some of your sights have free entry unless paying for a special exhibition area.  You need to work your priorities and compare any entry fees plus a day ticket or separate rides cost with the cost of the HOHO ROYAL ticket which will be more costly than a regular HOHO without the added inclusions of the ROYAL ticket..

 

Many many previous threads about Edinburgh.  Find them and read by using the SEARCH tool under your username.

Edited August 3, 2023 by edinburgher

[edinburgher]

14 minutes ago, run4fun_2023 said:

I do put a bit on the schedule,  then I can pull things off if time flying. 

Bear in mind that a castle visit can be 2-3 hours and Holyrood Palace is a mile away with many diversions along the way.  And the Nat Museum of Scotland merits a half day at least, as do the Botanic Gardens.  Maybe a better all round experience to spend more time on fewer because there isn't much to gain by walking into an entrance and out again 10 minutes later, but it is your trip not mine.

[fruitmachine]

2 hours ago, run4fun_2023 said:

Thanks much for the info. Our hotel is near the train station but I thought we'd walk up Leith walk.

I don't have an interest to see the yacht, but good to know can get to the Botanical garden on that bus route. I was looking at the Day ticket, but we may just be walking most everywhere.  I'll look at the 48 hr bus you linked, thank you. 

Any place recommended to visit? May aim for National museum of Scotland and the medical museum. I need to map it out yet, so can do it all in a row. Mary's close? 

Thanks again for help,

Gaby

All your choices are good options, though as@edinburgher said and you accept, you may need to prioritise and drop some. 

 

The advantage of the Royal Edinburgh ticket is that you don't have to decide to buy it until you're here.  The pinch-point on numbers is the castle (often selling out online days in advance), but there is a special allocation of Castle tickets for the Royal Edinburgh fare.  The HoHo ticket sellers also get a (separate) allocation of Castle tickets that they can add as a single attraction to any of the base HoHo fares.  These will sell out, typically during the morning of the day in question.  If you really don't have an interest in Britannia (those that go seem to like it) then choose the latter add-on option rather than the Royal Edinburgh ticket.

 

Although Edinburgh is very walkable, I'd still recommend the HoHo bus for a good overview of the city and an excellent commentary from (most of) the live guides, rather than as a pure transport option.

 

Unless you have a special reason, I'd not bother visiting Leith Walk, other than perhaps to visit Valvona & Crolla's Italian Deli. https://www.valvonacrolla.co.uk/

[edinburgher]

4 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

I need to map it out yet, so can do it all in a row

I should have suggested that you read this very recent thread as it has some sightseeing tips further into it closer to the end. Iignore the subject line and the initial posts.

 

.https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2952246-edinburgh-transportation-question/#comment-65787356

 

And some of the posts on this thread too

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2954353-edinburgh-castle-and-holyrood-palace-location-and-tour/#comment-65833031

 

 

Like fruitmachine, I cannot understand your interest in Leith Walk especially when your time is already challenging, but if you must, you could spend a couple of hours walking up and down it, or ride it on a tram as the very new extension line to Newhaven opened very recently and Leith Walk  is a major part of that tram route.  See the Edinburrgh trams website for info.

 

I think that time walking Leith Walk would be better spent walking around the architecturally interesting Georgian New Town as this area is something you won't find in many other cities and Edinburgh's New Town is quite famous..

Edited August 3, 2023 by edinburgher

[run4fun_2023]

23 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

All your choices are good options, though as@edinburgher said and you accept, you may need to prioritise and drop some. 

 

The advantage of the Royal Edinburgh ticket is that you don't have to decide to buy it until you're here.  The pinch-point on numbers is the castle (often selling out online days in advance), but there is a special allocation of Castle tickets for the Royal Edinburgh fare.  The HoHo ticket sellers also get a (separate) allocation of Castle tickets that they can add as a single attraction to any of the base HoHo fares.  These will sell out, typically during the morning of the day in question.  If you really don't have an interest in Britannia (those that go seem to like it) then choose the latter add-on option rather than the Royal Edinburgh ticket.

 

Although Edinburgh is very walkable, I'd still recommend the HoHo bus for a good overview of the city and an excellent commentary from (most of) the live guides, rather than as a pure transport option.

 

Unless you have a special reason, I'd not bother visiting Leith Walk, other than perhaps to visit Valvona & Crolla's Italian Deli. https://www.valvonacrolla.co.uk/

Thanks much. Yes, the castle is the only must do for my husband,  well skip the yacht,  and palace is optional,  depending on time. 

Museums and walking , Calton hill and the flower clock, will fit in.  

Thanks for the italian deli recommendation,  we always need to eat 😊

 

[run4fun_2023]

18 hours ago, edinburgher said:

I should have suggested that you read this very recent thread as it has some sightseeing tips further into it closer to the end. Iignore the subject line and the initial posts.

 

.https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2952246-edinburgh-transportation-question/#comment-65787356

 

And some of the posts on this thread too

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2954353-edinburgh-castle-and-holyrood-palace-location-and-tour/#comment-65833031

 

 

Like fruitmachine, I cannot understand your interest in Leith Walk especially when your time is already challenging, but if you must, you could spend a couple of hours walking up and down it, or ride it on a tram as the very new extension line to Newhaven opened very recently and Leith Walk  is a major part of that tram route.  See the Edinburrgh trams website for info.

 

I think that time walking Leith Walk would be better spent walking around the architecturally interesting Georgian New Town as this area is something you won't find in many other cities and Edinburgh's New Town is quite famous..

I had seen the first thread but not the second,  thanks for the link. 

Leith walk isn't a must do, but I like to see secondhand shops in other places, you see interesting things. Someone had said I could find some there.

[edinburgher]

1 hour ago, run4fun_2023 said:

but I like to see secondhand shops in other places, you see interesting things. Someone had said I could find some there.

Hardly any there now after years of pandemic and tramworks disruption as a number of businesses closed, although there may still be a few but you would need to check as I don't know.

 

There are a number of second hand shops on Clerk St close to Surgeons Hall.  There must be at least 7 or 8 within a stretch of a couple of hundred yards,  mostly neighbouring each other with  several charities represented and  including a Barnardos Bookshop,  and a small number in the Stockbridge area too.

 

One with more unusual items is Bethany, next door to Summerhall beside The Meadows, an approx 10 minute walk from the ones on Clerk St, but there are a couple of random ones scattered along that route, but Clerk St close to Tesco supermarket and across from Southside Community Centre  is where the majority are clustered.

Edited August 4, 2023 by edinburgher

[run4fun_2023]

Thanks!

[trrn2016]

Looking for ideas for transportation, both ways, from port to St. Andrews. Any ideas?

[gnome12]

33 minutes ago, trrn2016 said:

Looking for ideas for transportation, both ways, from port to St. Andrews. Any ideas?

Which port? There are multiple locations for Edinburgh.

[trrn2016]

3 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Which port? There are multiple locations for Edinburgh.

I believe we tender into Queensferry.