Edinburgh - Last minute and Luxury Holidays
Click here for holiday offers
Find great offers and deals on all types of holidays and travel including flights, hotels, car hire, package holidays, luxury holidays, last minute holidays and holiday resorts in Edinburgh and the UK.
Edinburgh (Gaelic: Dłn Čideann;) is the capital of Scotland, part of the United Kingdom, located in the Central Belt region of the country. With a population of approximately 450,000, "Auld Reekie" (Edinburgh) manages to combine both ancient and modern in a uniquely Scottish atmosphere. Watched over by the imposing Castle - the symbol of the city - Edinburgh combines medieval relics, Georgian grandeur and a powerful layer of modern life with contemporary avant-garde. In Edinburgh, medieval palaces rub shoulders with the best of modern architecture, Gothic churches with amazing museums and galleries. The throbbing night-life centre of the Scottish north, Edinburgh - "the Athens of the North" is also a feast for the mind and the senses, playing host to great restaurants, shops and an unequalled programme of city festivals throughout the year. Hogmanay - the Scottish New Year - kicks off the festivities, which culminate in the high summer with the Tattoo, the International and the Fringe, amongst many others.
Edinburgh is located on the east coast of Scotland's central Lowlands, situated on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth. Edinburgh's landscape is the product of ancient volcanism (both the Castle crag and Arthur's Seat are the eroded plugs of volcanoes) and more recent glaciation (carving out valleys south of the castle and the old Nor'Loch, presently the site of the Princes Street Gardens).
By air
Edinburgh International Airport (EDI), is situated some 10 miles west of the city. Sometimes referred to as "Turnhouse", Edinburgh Airport offers a wide range of domestic and international flights to Europe and North America. The vast majority of international visitors to the city, however, arrive via a connecting flight from London, the UK's main international hub.
A dedicated airport bus service, Airlink Express, service 100, runs from outside the terminal building to Edinburgh city centre every 15 minutes. Adult fares start at £3 for a single, £5 for an open return - the journey takes an average 25 mins.
A cheaper alternative is the ordinary Lothian Buses number thirty five, which runs from the bus stance outside the arrivals building to Ocean Terminal via the city centre. Although slower, and with less provision for baggage than the 100 it is far cheaper at £1 single, and also allows the use of day tickets and other options that work on all Lothian Buses services - a great option for getting straight to the city if travelling light, or on a budget.
Glasgow International Airport, is 55 miles west of Edinburgh and offers more long haul flight options with flights to Chicago, New York,Philadelphia, Toronto, Vancouver and Dubai. Connections to Glasgow Airport from Edinburgh on public transport are non-existent however, meaning you would have to take a train to Glasgow and then transfer by the airport bus.
By train
The main railway station in Edinburgh is called Waverley Railway Station and is an attraction in itself. First opened in 1846, Waverley Station was rebuilt 1892-1902. It lies between the old town and modern Edinburgh, adjacent to Princes Street, Edinburgh Castle and the Princes Street Gardens, where it serves over 14 million people per annum. Despite various refurbishments, the past still survives in the station's elaborate, domed ceiling where wreathed cherubs leap amid a wealth of scrolled ironwork.
For a different travel experience from London try the Caledonian Sleeper service, an overnight train leaving nightly from London Euston at between 2300-2345 and arriving at Waverley anywhere between 0630-0715 the following morning. Cabins sleep two people in bunkbeds and two rooms can be adjoining, sleeping 4 in total. See http://www.firstgroup.com/scotrail/content/caledoniansleeper/index.php.
There is a second railway station in the centre of Edinburgh, Haymarket, which is around a mile to the west of Waverley. A shuttle bus service links the two, and Haymarket is a better station to exit at if you are heading straight for the airport, zoo, or modern art gallery as you will avoid the city centre traffic and it is on the major west-bound bus routes.
Both Waverley and Haymarket stations had ticket barriers installed in 2004 so you will need to puchase a ticket in order to enter or leave the platform area. If you get on a train at an unmanned station you can purchase a ticket from the conductor on the train, or from a ticket inspector near the barrier gates - there is usually a long queue during the peak rush hour period. The barrier gates will retain single journey tickets, so be sure to get a receipt if you need one. If you have the larger kind of ticket that does not fit in the barrier you will need to go to the gate which is manned by a member of staff who will check your ticket and let you through. If you do not have a ticket, you will need to go to the ticket office behind the barrier (platform 14 at Waverley) to buy one.
Edinburgh Park is a new train station opened in 2004, which is some miles from the city centre, serves business parks and "The Gyle" shopping centre.
By road
By road, Edinburgh can be reached most immediately from the M8 (west from Glasgow), M9 (north-west from Stirling), A90/M90 (north from Perth and Dundee), the A1 (south-east from Newcastle upon Tyne and north-east England) and A701/M74 (south-west from Carlisle and north-western England).
From London the fastest route to Edinburgh is the M1 motorway, followed by the A1(M) and the A1 - a journey of 398 miles and approximately 8-9 hrs driving time (ensure that you rest or change drivers every 2 hrs!).
Edinburgh is famed for gridlocked traffic at peak hours and - with privitisation - the dedication of parking wardens to ticketing anything that is not moving legendary. Finding parking can be difficult, though there are several multi-storey car parks in the city centre (Castle Terrace for the West End, try St James Centre at the East End (access from York Place). It is often cheaper and quicker to find a railway station on the outskirts and park there for the day before completing the journey into central Edinburgh by train. Recently there have been massive changes to the traffic in the centre of town, making it almost impossible to traverse by car. However, there are two new Park and Ride systems in place, so it's even easier to just abandon your car on the outskirts.
By bus
The city is served by the major inter-city bus companies from around Scotland and England. Most long distance services start and end in the Bus Station in St Andrew Square.
Information provided by Wikipedia
Resorts and Hotels | Flights to Edinburgh | Car Rental
Book Your Holiday To Edinburgh From:
LastMinute.com - Book your travel including package, last minute or luxury holiday for last minute prices.
eBookers - For cheap package, luxury and last minute holiday offers.
Airline Network - Flights, Holidays, Hotels and Car Hire.
Expedia - Book cheap flights, accommodation, travel and package holidays.
British Airways Holidays - Book your holiday, flight or accommodation today.
Opodo - Opodo offers top offers and deals on travel with a secure booking system.