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We’re off to the North Berwick area and want to visit Edinburgh a couple of times whilst we are up there.
What is the best way in for the day?
Book parking? Park and Ride buses? Train?
There are 4 of us, so that needs to be factored into any public transport costs.
We've used the park and ride before. Although if North Berwick I'd just get the train from there.
If you have the bikes with you its a pleasant ride back as well. Train it and ride back on John Muir Way. "Visit East Lothian" has some maps I think or just Google for John Muir Way. But bike security in Edinburgh is a factor to consider if you are visiting something.
Train is easily the best way.
Check Scotrail website for "group tickets" - if all 4 are travelling together in both directions that is likely the cheapest option. Can be bought at the actual ticket office and I think the Scotlrail App but not (as far as I could find) in the machines on the platform or trainline.
Train. Parking in Edinburgh particularly at this time of year is difficult
Train.
Train is by far the quickest and most convenient. If you're coming back late at night you might need to consider the nightbus service N124. There's also the 124 and X5 services if you want a slower journey or a different view while you're travelling. There's no point in driving to a P&R from North Berwick - it won't save you any time and probably not much money.
Parking in town is a nightmare and expensive and there's also a LEZ in the city centre so depending on your car you might not be able to drive there anyway.
£62 for four of us in the train!
Will look at Park and Ride.
Using the park and ride from Newcraighall brings it down to £24, £32 from Wallyford with free parking.
We're staying near Haddington, so the North Berwick bit was misleading.
£62 for four of us in the train!
is that with GroupSave: https://www.scotrail.co.uk/tickets/leisure/group-discounts/groupsave
Travel together, save together. Save up to 1/3, when you travel by train as a group of three, four or five.
What routes is GroupSave available on?
- Glasgow - Edinburgh (all routes and intermediate stations)
- Dunblane/Stirling - Glasgow/Edinburgh (including intermediate stations
- Alloa to Glasgow/Edinburgh
- Motherwell - Edinburgh
- Edinburgh - Inverkeithing / Tweedbank / Kirkcaldy / North Berwick / Dunfermline / Dalmeny
- Ayr - Glasgow
- Perth - Glasgow
- Dundee - Perth
GroupSave is now also available for travel between the following stations:
- Inverness - Inverness Airport / Nairn / Forres / Elgin / Keith / Huntly / Aberdeen
- Aberdeen - Dyce / Kintore / Inverurie / Insch / Huntly / Keith / Elgin / Forres / Nairn / Inverness Airport / Portlethen / Stonehaven / Laurencekirk / Montrose
Where to buy GroupSave tickets
- By phone on 0344 811 0141
- From a ticket office at a staffed station
- On-train when boarding at a station where there are no booking facilities
Benefits
- 1/3 off ticket price when travelling with three to five people
- There's no need to book in advance
- Travel anytime at the weekend
- Travel on off-peak trains Monday to Friday.
Off-peak generally means after 9.15am with some additional restrictions in the evening peak - Kids for a Quid tickets can be used along with GroupSave
Don't forget
- You must all travel together on both the outward and return journey
- Discount applies to adult tickets only
- It’s only available for Standard Class
- You can't get Railcard discounts
- You can’t break your journey, except to change trains
- It’s not valid on CrossCountry trains
- There’s an admin fee for changes or refunds. See Refunds page for details
Just get the train. Its the fastest most convenient way. How much is your time on holiday worth?
Stepping off the train, walking up to Waverley Bridge, with Edinburgh Castle coming into view -a solid 10/10.
We're staying near Haddington, so the North Berwick bit was misleading.
Aye, that makes a difference.
If you catch the train after 0915 it drops the price to £9 return instead of £15 per person.
If you're in Haddington catch the train from Longniddry or Wallyford. Both have free parking.
Or look at the X6 and X7 bus from Haddington.
if driving appeals you could park in Leith at Ocean Terminal for free and get the tram in?
https://www.oceanterminal.com/visitor-info/free-parking-coach-visits-91
Or drive to Newcraighall or Sheriffhall. There are plenty of buses if you want to drive a bit further in and park, it's not the nightmare some make it out to be. Edinburgh is fairly small so you want have to walk far.
Where are you getting your prices from? There's no way it's £32 from Wallyford. Peak time it's £24 or £20 off peak or £18 on the bus.
Or drive to Newcraighall or Sheriffhall. There are plenty of buses if you want to drive a bit further in and park, it's not the nightmare some make it out to be. Edinburgh is fairly small so you want have to walk far.
Or drive to Newcraighall or Sheriffhall. There are plenty of buses if you want to drive a bit further in and park, it's not the nightmare some make it out to be. Edinburgh is fairly small so you want have to walk far.
Haddington is 9 miles from North Berwick and not really much going for it
Are you 4 adults or 2 adults and 2 kids?
Kids are £1 return (kids for a quid ticket - has to be bought on the train) on the trains when travelling with an adult. Length of journey doesn't matter.
Where are you getting your prices from? There's no way it's £32 from Wallyford. Peak time it's £24 or £20 off peak or £18 on the bus.
That was me being a bit dim and not seeing the return ticket off the bottom of the screen. Can get a return ticket for £22.80 from Wallyford for all four of us.
We're not staying in down town Haddington. We're on a farm a couple of miles out.
The answer is still the train.
Its faster and it drops you right in the centre where the action is.
Just lean into the holiday.
Having just been in Fife for a week with 2 trips into Edinburgh, ScotRail every time. Driving into Edinburgh is a terrible, terrible idea.
Only alternative would be the S Edinburgh alternative to Ferrytoll P&R if you've a bus pass
We're doing the train. Free parking at Wallyford and train in. Flexible return tickets. Thanks for the input everyone.
I shall be starting a thread about castles and beaches soon.
my only advice for driving in Edinburgh is the following:
DO NOT DRIVE IN EDINBURGH.
It is absolute shite.
Edinburgh Council are deservedly known as absolute morons when it comes to anything to do with cars and the public driving in their toon...
Edited to add - get the train.
As someone who drives in Edinburgh everyday I don't get all the fuss, especially just now when the schools are on holiday. But I do appreciate driving in a strange place can be stressful. I live in Midlothian and we have a train station but the buses are more frequent and cheaper.
We're doing the train. Free parking at Wallyford and train in. Flexible return tickets. Thanks for the input everyone.
I shall be starting a thread about castles and beaches soon.
Tantallon and dirleton castles.
Cove harbour for a unique beach experience.
Every yellow beach between gullen and newcastle is lovely pick one.
not a beach or a castle but the museum of flight is really good
As someone who drives in Edinburgh everyday I don't get all the fuss, especially just now when the schools are on holiday
As said above, with a bit of planning,it doesn't have to be painful.
How about driving (after 9.00-10.00) in to the 'Modern One' (National Galleries of Scotland) car park, which does very well priced day parking(donation).
It's a 20-25 min walk to Haymarket/Westend .
BTW Both galleries ,Modern One and Two are both excellent for a wander around 👍
Mate of EpicJnr was in Edinburgh just recently - I asked him, he said 3 As.
(Sorry, they're a little pre-occupied as is MrsEpic.....just days to go now)
As someone who drives in Edinburgh everyday I don't get all the fuss, especially just now when the schools are on holiday. But I do appreciate driving in a strange place can be stressful. I live in Midlothian and we have a train station but the buses are more frequent and cheaper.
Its not a particularly interesting drive. Why spend you holiday driving and having to deal with ANY traffic when you can get dropped right in the centre have skooted through the countryside in significantly less time?
Correct answer is drive AND train. Drive up A1. Park at Newcraighall for train into town. Easy drive, easy parking and cheap off peak train. If you can work out Scotrail ticketing voodoo you might get a offpeaksupersaverflexiover50groupopenreturnsecretspecialdeal ticket to a random station elsewhere to save money.
The best way is to travel back in time to 2007, then drive to Kirkcaldy and take the hovercraft. £3.50 - bargain.
Yeh, but then you'd be in Kirkcaldy, so not recommended.
Update: Did Wallyford park and ride and the 124 bus. £15:40 total for the 4 of us. Absolute doddle.
Thanks for all of the input.
I was back home in Edinburgh this weekend.
The roads! The road works! The tourists!
Sometimes I wonder why I left. Sat on a bus watching a jogger run faster than a bus down London road ( top of Leith walk to Easter road) reminded me of some of the reasons.
Buses and trains? I'm sure riding unicycles while juggling chainsaws turned on would have been better! 🤣