Transport
in Edinburgh
Taxi Info
Taxi stands can be found throughout the city centre area - the following are the most convenient; the west end of Princes Street, South St. David Street and North St. Andrew Street (both just off St. Andrew Square), Waterloo Place, Waverley Market, and Lauriston Place. Or on the street, hail any taxi displaying an illuminated "For Hire" sign.
In Edinburgh, the cab trade was, essentially, made up of Black Cabs, and Airport Taxis - but this is changing with the airport fleet being merged into the city fleet.
Black cabs cover the usual public hire work, and most of the 1210 taxis are in one or other of the radio companies, around 250 are purely street taxis, with 100 or so with airport permits Airport taxis were ordinary saloon or estate cars which were licensed to operate solely from the rank at the Edinburgh airport. Fast disappearing, they are now replaced with traditional London-type taxis and hold ordinary Edinburgh licenses, allowing them to operate within the city as well. Most of them are white in colour.
Edinburgh Taxi Numbers
 Central Taxis - 0131 229 2468
Central Taxis has the largest fleet of cabs in the city. With over 30 years of experience and a range of services we are Edinburgh's premier taxi company.
Capital Castle Taxis - 0131 228 2555
Radiocabs - 0131 225 9000
City Cabs - 0131 228 1211
Train Info
Edinburgh has two stations - Haymarket and Waverley. The main station
is Waverley which is located in the city centre, just off Princes
Street between the New and Old towns. This has limited public parking,
making it very difficult for drivers to stay for any length of time.
Visitors arriving in Edinburgh for the first time often make the
mistake of getting off at Haymarket, (the smaller station in the
West end), - if you do make this error there is about a mile's distance
between the two stations, so a taxi is the best bet.
Scotrail - You
will probably be travelling on this company's trains if you are
just travelling within Scotland, whether it be Glasgow to Edinburgh,
or many of theother destinations in the Scottish Highlands.
Fares & Train Times - 08457 48 49 50
Telesales - 08457 55 00 33
Customer Relations - 0141 335 4612
www.scotrail.co.uk
GNER - The Great North Eastern Railway has trains running every
hour between Edinburgh and London, as well as services up to Aberdeen
and Inverness.GNER
GNER - Train and Fare Information -
08457 48 49 50
Telephone Sales Service -
08457 22 52 25
www.gner.co.uk
Railtrack -
An excellent site if you are travelling by train throughout the
UK - integrates the timetables of all individual railway companies
and routes.
Helpline - 08457 114141
Scottish Head Office - 0141 335 2424 (Office Hours)
Out of Office Hours - 0141 332 981
www.railtrack.co.uk
VIRGIN TRAINS
Virgin run the west coast line in the UK.
0870 789 1234
www.virgintrains.co.uk
NATIONAL RAIL
ENQUIRIES
08457 48 49 50
Bus Info
Edinburgh’s bus station is situated in the east end of the
city centre. The St Andrews Street Station is located between George
Street and the St James Centre. (currently the station is being
refurbished and the bus station has moved outside to St Andrews
Square).
Lothian Regional Transport - the distinctive red buses, everywhere
you look.
First Edinburgh Bus - have routes in the Central and Fife regions
and also run
First Edinburgh Overground - run buses within Edinburgh.
First Lowland - operating green-and-cream buses, provides much of
the service between Edinburgh and the Lothians.
National Express - run services to many parts of the country including
London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and many more
cities.
Scottish Citylink - the main service provider to most Scottish destinations
including Glasgow, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness, with northern
journeys crossing over the mighty Forth Road Bridge, giving stunning
views as you do.
Lothian Regional Transport
27 Hanover St. -- Tel. 0131 555 6363
Waverley Bridge -- Tel. 0131 555 6363 or 0131 554 4494
www.edinburghbuses.co.uk
First Edinburgh
Bus
Tel. 0131 663 9233
www.firstedinburgh.co.uk
First Lowland
St. Andrew Square bus station,
Tel. 0131 663 9233
National Express
Tickets on - 0990 010104
Credit Card booking line - 0990 808080
www.gobycoach.com
Scottish Citylink
Enquiries - 0990 50 50 50
www.citylink.co.uk
Lothian Traveline - 0131 225 3858
Car Info
If you arrive by car in Edinburgh you'll soon notice it is an impossible
mission. The best option is to park your car outside the "peripheral
zone" (where parking is free) and walk into the city centre.
Car parks are at Castle Terrace, which is convenient for Edinburgh
Castle and the west end of Princes Street; - at Lothian Road, a
surface car park near the west end of Princes Street; - at St. John
Hill, a surface car park convenient for the Royal Mile, the west
end of Princes Street, and Waverley Station; - and at St. James
Centre (entrance from York Place), a multistory car park close to
the east end of Princes Street.
Airport Parking
Edinburgh Airport Parking - Compare and book Edinburgh airport parking prices at 7 airport car parks. Prices compared between the top 5 UK parking providers.
Car Hire
HERTZ
- Airport Terminal Building Edinburgh
Tel. 0131 3331019
Fax. 0131 3353030
www.hertz.com
THRIFTY - 42 Haymarket Terrace EDINBURGH EH12 5JZ
Tel: 0131 337 1319
Fax: 0131 346 8522
www.thrifty.co.uk
AVIS - 100 Dalry Road Haymarket Edinburgh EH11 2DW
Tel: 0131 337 6363
www.avis.com
Roads
Major routes exist to all of Scotland’s main city’s.
Edinburgh is linked to Glasgow by the A8/M8 a journey of approx.
1hour.
The M9 leads to Perth via Stirling and then on through Aviemore
to Inverness (3.5 hours).
A90/M90 Goes North over the Forth Road Bridge to Aberdeen (2 hours)
via Dundee (1 hour). The A96 then carries on to Inverness.
Cycling Info
Edinburgh has one of the most extensive off-road cycle networks
in Britain. Many of these are built along the old railway network
which were shut down in the Sixties. By bike you can easily see
Edinburgh in a day, passing through all kinds of areas from housing
schemes to exclusive suburbs. An excellent route is along the seafront,
where you can travel all the way from Portobello to South Queensferry
and take in breathtaking views of the Rail and Road Bridges.
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