17 Day Trips from Edinburgh by Bus (2026): Routes, Times and Fares

You do not need a car, or a pricey train ticket, to get out of the capital. Regular services fan out from Edinburgh Bus Station and the city-centre stops to the East Lothian coast, the Borders, Fife, Stirling, Glasgow and Highland Perthshire, which makes day trips from Edinburgh by bus one of the cheapest and easiest ways to see more of Scotland.

This 2026 guide covers 17 places in the south and east of Scotland you can reach on one direct service and visit in a day. For each trip you get the operator and service number, where it leaves from, the time shown in the current timetable, and what to see and the history worth knowing when you arrive, with prices and winter hours checked on official websites. The section on prices explains which passes save money.

Updated 10 November 2026. Journey times come from the operators’ current timetables (East Coast Buses, Lothian, Borders Buses, McGill’s, Stagecoach and Citylink); prices and opening hours come from each attraction’s own website. Timetables change, so check before you set off.

Bus Day Trips from Edinburgh at a Glance

Times are typical for daytime trips, taken from the current published timetables (November 2026) to the town centre; they vary by time of day, and Sunday services are fewer.

East Lothian: Sandy Bays and Seaside Villages

East Coast Buses, the country arm of Lothian, runs every trip here. It picks up on Princes Street and at Waterloo Place rather than at Edinburgh Bus Station, and the price depends on how many zones you cross. All four trips suit a beach day.

1. North Berwick

North Berwick is the classic trip to the East Lothian coast: sand either side of the harbour, a tidal pool, and the volcanic North Berwick Law (187 m) above it for views along the shore, an easy climb. The Scottish Seabird Centre by the harbour looks out to Bass Rock, home to one of the world’s largest colonies of northern gannets; its Discovery Experience costs £13.50 for an adult and opens daily 10am to 4pm from November to January.

From here, East Coast Buses 120 runs out to Tantallon Castle, a red sandstone ruin on the cliffs (adult £7.50 online, £8.50 on the day; daily 10am to 4pm from October to March).

Getting there: East Coast Buses X5 is the quicker option at about 80 minutes from the West End, but it runs only a handful of times a day. Service 124 runs about every 30 min via the coast villages and takes around an hour and 45 minutes.

2. Dirleton and Gullane

Two villages on the same coast road make a quieter trip than North Berwick. Gullane Bents is one of the most popular beaches in the east of Scotland, a wide sandy bay that East Lothian Council says is about a ten-minute walk from the village.

Dirleton Castle, a medieval ruin with large gardens, is worth a visit too; it is a short stroll from the stop. Historic Environment Scotland lists adult entry at £4.50, and it is open daily 9.30am to 5pm from April to September, with fewer days in winter, so check before you go.

Getting there: Service 124 reaches Gullane in about 75 minutes and Dirleton a few stops later; the X5 also serves both, and has a stop right by the castle in Dirleton village.

3. Dunbar

Dunbar, about 30 miles east of the city, has a long history as a fishing port, two harbours, the cliff-top ruins of Dunbar Castle seen from Victoria Harbour, and John Muir’s Birthplace on the High Street, a free museum in the house where the conservationist was born in 1838 (Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 1pm to 5pm).

West of the town, John Muir Country Park covers 13 km of coastline, including the beach at Belhaven Bay and the “Bridge to Nowhere”, which you can walk across to the beach at low tide.

Getting there: East Coast Buses X7 runs about every 30 minutes on weekdays from Haymarket and Waterloo Place and takes about 70 minutes to Dunbar High Street.

See our things to do in Dunbar guide for the full picture.

4. Haddington

The county town of East Lothian is the shortest trip in this section and worth a visit. St Mary’s Parish Church, a large medieval kirk beside the River Tyne, is open to visitors free of charge from about 1.30pm to 4pm each day from 1 May to the end of September, and its Lauderdale Aisle can be seen whenever the church is open.

Next door, St Mary’s Pleasance is a garden beside Haddington House, and the wide High Street has independent shops and cafés for an easy afternoon.

Getting there: The X7 to Dunbar runs through Haddington, about 45 minutes from Waterloo Place; the X6 express also serves it.

Midlothian and the Scottish Borders

Roslin is a short ride on a Lothian city route. The longer Borders trips use Borders Buses from Edinburgh Bus Station and run through the hills of southern Scotland.

5. Roslin and Rosslyn Chapel

Founded in 1446 and still a working church, Rosslyn Chapel is famous for its carved stonework and for its part in The Da Vinci Code. Tickets are £12 for adults, £10 reduced, and free for under-17s with a family; the chapel is open every day except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday noon to 5pm. Visits run in 90-minute slots, so book online in advance.

Below the chapel, Roslin Glen holds the largest surviving stretch of ancient woodland in Midlothian, with paths along the River North Esk past the ruins of Rosslyn Castle.

Getting there: Lothian 37 (check the front says Penicuik/Deanburn via Roslin) leaves from Princes Street, shop side, or North Bridge and takes 45–60 minutes. The fare is £2.40 each way or £6 for a City DAY, and the stop at the Original Rosslyn Hotel in Roslin village is a short walk from the chapel.

Prefer a guide? See our Rosslyn Chapel tour options.

6. Peebles

Peebles is a handsome Tweed Valley market town with walk paths along both banks of the Tweed and a High Street full of independent shops. Just east of town, Glentress Forest is celebrated for some of the best mountain bike trails in the country and has waymarked walking routes too.

Borders Buses has run bike-friendly double-deckers here, so you can bring a bike for the forest trails or simply walk.

Getting there: Borders Buses X62 leaves Edinburgh Bus Station about every 30 minutes on weekdays and reaches Peebles in about 75 minutes, continuing past Glentress to Innerleithen and Galashiels; on the way it runs through the village of Eddleston.

7. Melrose

At Melrose Abbey, a small memorial in the chapter house area marks the spot where a heart believed to be that of Robert the Bruce is buried. You can climb the bell tower for views over Melrose; entry is £7.50 for adults, open daily 10am to 4pm from October to March (some areas are closed for conservation).

Also worth a visit beside the abbey, Harmony Garden (National Trust for Scotland) is open daily from spring until 31 October, and the three Eildon Hills rise just to the south for a good half-day hike.

Getting there: Borders Buses 51 leaves Edinburgh Bus Station roughly every 90 minutes and takes about 2 hours via Lauder and Earlston. The Borders Railway to Tweedbank, about 2 miles away, is faster.

West Lothian, Stirling and Glasgow

Heading west into central Scotland, Lothian Country and McGill’s use street stops, while Citylink goes from Edinburgh Bus Station. The Glasgow route has the most departures of any in this guide.

8. South Queensferry

The old ferry port sits right under the three Forth bridges: the red Forth Bridge (1890, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015), the Forth Road Bridge (1964) and the Queensferry Crossing (2017). Walk the High Street and the shore for the views.

From Hawes Pier, Maid of the Forth sails from Easter to October; its 90-minute three-bridges cruise costs £18 for an adult, and longer sailings land on Inchcolm Island.

Getting there: Lothian Country 43 starts by St Andrew’s House on Regent Road, picks up on Queensferry Street and takes about 45 minutes, with departures roughly every 20–30 min in the daytime.

More in our South Queensferry guide.

9. Linlithgow

Linlithgow Palace, the lochside ruin where Mary Queen of Scots was born in 1542, is the reason to visit and the heart of the town’s history. Adult entry is £10 online or £11 on the day, and from October to March it opens daily 10am to 4pm (the North Range is closed for conservation).

Next to the palace, St Michael’s Parish Church and the loch path make easy add-ons.

Getting there: McGill’s X38 leaves George Street about every 30 minutes and takes about 70 minutes via Kirkliston. ScotRail takes about 21 min if you would rather save time.

10. Stirling

Stirling Castle, home to the kings and queens of Scotland and central to its history, has an adult price of £18.50 online or £20.50 on the day, and opens daily 9.30am to 5pm from October to March. Across the river, the National Wallace Monument (adult £12.20) has 246 steps to the top.

Note that the Bannockburn visitor centre closed in September 2026 for redevelopment and is due to reopen in mid-2028; the battlefield grounds stay open.

Getting there: Citylink 909 runs from Edinburgh Bus Station via Edinburgh Airport and Bo’ness and takes about 1 hr 30 min. Check the timetable, as there are fewer departures than on the Glasgow route.

Plan your day with our Stirling guide.

11. Glasgow

The largest city in Scotland is the easiest long trip of all, with plenty to visit for free. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the Riverside Museum and the Burrell Collection are free, as is Glasgow Cathedral, and the Necropolis behind it is open daily from 7am to 4.30pm for views over the city.

Add the street art murals and an evening in the West End and you have a full day.

Getting there: Citylink 900 runs around the clock, up to every 15 min at busy times, from Edinburgh Bus Station; Citylink quotes a quickest journey time of 1 hr 19 min and a day return of £10.

Our Glasgow guide has more ideas.

Fife and Perthshire

Stagecoach runs the express services into Fife over the Queensferry Crossing, and Citylink heads north on the M90 to Kinross, Perth, Dundee and Pitlochry. Both start from Edinburgh Bus Station, and the Perthshire trips are the longest in this guide.

12. Dunfermline

Dunfermline is rich in royal history: Dunfermline Abbey, burial place of Robert the Bruce, is free to visit, and the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum, also free and open daily 11am to 4pm until 13 December 2026, then closed until 15 March 2027.

Pittencrieff Park, known locally as the Glen, is next to the abbey.

Getting there: Stagecoach X55 runs frequently from Edinburgh Bus Station and takes about an hour to Dunfermline bus station.

13. St Andrews

St Andrews is the home of golf, with a ruined cathedral and castle on the sea front. The St Andrews Cathedral grounds are free, and St Andrews Castle costs £10 online or £11 on the day; the R&A World Golf Museum by the Old Course charges £17.50 for adults.

West Sands, the long beach beside the links, is free and good for a walk.

Getting there: Stagecoach X59 leaves Edinburgh Bus Station about once an hour and takes about 2 hours to St Andrews.

More in our St Andrews guide.

14. Kinross and Loch Leven

The Loch Leven Heritage Trail is a mostly level 13-mile (21 km) circuit of the loch, good for walking or cycling. Out on an island, Lochleven Castle is where Mary Queen of Scots was held captive; it reopens in April (closed 1 November to 31 March), and you choose a boat time from the pier at the end of Sandport Close when you book the £10 online adult ticket.

In winter, the trail and the birdlife are the draw, and the trip is short.

Getting there: Citylink services to Perth and Inverness stop at Kinross Park & Ride, about an hour from Edinburgh Bus Station.

15. Perth

Perth Museum, which opened in March 2024, is free to visit and is home to the Stone of Destiny, the ancient coronation stone of Scotland; timed tickets for the Stone are issued at the desk. The riverside parks along the Tay make it an easy half day.

Getting there: Citylink Perth services take about 1 hr 20 min to Broxden Park & Ride and about 1 hr 30 min to the stop on Leonard Street in the city.

16. Dundee

V&A Dundee, Scotland’s design museum since 2018, is free and open daily 10am to 5pm. Next to it, RRS Discovery, Captain Scott’s Antarctic ship, is the centrepiece of Discovery Point (off-peak pass £14), and The McManus art gallery and museum is free.

Getting there: Citylink services leave Edinburgh Bus Station about once an hour and take about 1 hr 50 min to Dundee Seagate bus station.

17. Pitlochry

Pitlochry is the gateway to Highland Perthshire and an easy town to visit on foot. Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre has exhibitions on hydro power and the salmon life cycle and is open Wednesday to Sunday in winter (from 2 November 2026), a good stop on any trip here. Blair Athol Distillery tours start from £21. Note that Edradour distillery is currently closed to the public.

Walks along the River Tummel and up to Black Spout waterfall start from the centre.

Getting there: Citylink services to Inverness stop in Pitlochry about 2 hours after leaving Edinburgh Bus Station; Citylink advertises a price from £18.

More ideas in our Perthshire guide.

Places Easier by Train or Tour

Some favourites on day-trip lists are better reached another way, and one trip is too long for a day. The Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel, Aberdour and North Queensferry are quicker by rail; see our rail trips guide.

Glencoe, Loch Ness and Skye are too far for a return trip on public transport in a single day. For those, join one of the Highlands tours from Edinburgh or browse our guided day tours.

Where Buses Leave From in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Bus Station, on Elder Street in the New Town (EH1 3DX), is the starting point for most trips in this guide and is used by Citylink, Stagecoach, Borders Buses and long-distance operators. It is open from 4.30am to 12.30am, the ticket office opens 9am to 5pm, and lockers cost £5 to £10 for six hours. Our Edinburgh Bus Station guide has the details.

On the routes in this guide, Lothian, Lothian Country, East Coast Buses and McGill’s do not use the bus station. They stop on the street: Princes Street, North Bridge, Waterloo Place, Regent Road, Queensferry Street, George Street and the West End.

Bus Fares and Passes in 2026

Lothian revised its prices on 22 February 2026. These are the costs and passes that matter for a day out.

• Lothian city prices. One journey costs £2.40 for adults and £1.20 for children aged 5–15. A City DAY costs £6 (£5.70 by contactless with TapTapCap) and covers zones A–B on Lothian and the trams.
• East Lothian and West Lothian. East Coast Buses and Lothian Country charge by zone, from £2.40 up to £6.40 for six zones, so tell the driver where you are going. A City&Country DAY (£9.60, or £9.30 with TapTapCap) covers every zone on all their services, including the city buses.
• Citylink. Book online; the 900 to Glasgow has a £10 day return. An Explorer Pass gives three days of travel in five for £66, five in ten for £98 or eight in sixteen for £132.
• Stagecoach in Fife. A DayReturn to and from Edinburgh is £7.40 or £8.50 for adults depending on where you start (prices from 3 May 2026), valid after 9am on weekdays and all weekend.
• Free bus travel. Everyone aged 5 to 21 who lives in Scotland rides free with a National Entitlement Card under the Under 22s scheme, and residents over 60 or with a disability can get free travel too. Under-5s already travel free.
• The £2 fare cap currently applies in the Strathclyde and Highlands and Islands areas, not on these routes from Edinburgh.

Practical Tips for Your Trip

• Check the timetable for your day of travel on the operator’s site or Traveline Scotland, especially at weekends.
• Note the time of the last service back before you set off, so the ride back is not a rush; country services finish earlier.
• Contactless works on Lothian, East Coast Buses and Lothian Country, and TapTapCap caps your spend at the day-ticket price.
• Many castles keep shorter hours from October to March and some close for the season, so winter trips need a little more planning.
• For a coastal or hill trip, pack a waterproof: the weather by the sea in Scotland can change fast.
• Our guide to heritage passes shows when membership pays for itself, and our free things to do in Edinburgh help keep costs down back in the capital.