Edinburgh to Edinburgh Airport: Bus, Train, Tram, Taxi, Transfer & Car Rental

Edinburgh Airport Air Traffic Control Tower

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Planning on flying into Edinburgh Airport or have you just enjoyed a wonderful holiday in Scotland and you are due to depart from Edinburgh Airport?

Getting to Edinburgh city centre from the airport or vice versa has never been easier. The choice of travel is down to you and your budget. This guide will help you with the most frequently asked questions on how to get from Edinburgh to Edinburgh Airport or from Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh. 

How to get to  Edinburgh Airport

Getting to Edinburgh Airport by car is not difficult. The airport is easily accessible by most modes of transport.

It is situated in the Ingliston area of Edinburgh and is just five minutes from the M9, one of Scotland’s motorways.

To find the address of Edinburgh airport, you should use the postcode of EH12 9DN for your sat nav.

The distance from Edinburgh Airport to city centre is only eight miles, or around 20 minutes if travelling by car.

Edinburgh Airport Sign. Transport.

Edinburgh Bus from Airport

Edinburgh Airport buses to the city centre are frequent and cheap.

The Airlink 100 Edinburgh Airport bus or the Edinburgh Airport shuttle bus takes you straight to the city centre and means that getting from Edinburgh Airport to Princes Street will only take you about 30 minutes.

You pay on the bus by exact cash of £5.50 or contactless payments. You can also prebook this service by using the following link.

There are several places you can get a bus from Edinburgh to Edinburgh Airport for your return journey allowing you to make the most of your exploring before you head back to the airport for your return journey.

However, the main pick up point is St Andrews Square bus station.

If you have travelled by train and need to get to the airport, you can get the 100 bus at either the top of the Waverley Steps or outside Haymarket station. 

If you have opted for a park and ride at the two areas in Fife, you can get to the airport by using the 747 bus to Edinburgh Airport.

The journey takes around 36 minutes as it uses the old Forth Road Bridge rather than the new Queensferry Crossing. You can purchase an open return to use with a month of first travelling.

Read next | A quick guide to Edinburgh Bus Station

 

Edinburgh Airport Bus New Town Transport_

Tram

One of the newest ways to get from Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh is by tram.

There is no train station at the airport, so if you are coming from Edinburgh Waverley or Haymarket stations to Edinburgh Airport, you will have to use the tram.

A journey time of around 40 minutes, the tram takes you straight to the airport.

The cost of this is around £7.50 for a single ticket. If you plan on using the tram several times through your stay, you should purchase a multi-use ticket starting from £18 for a three-day ticket.  

Edinburgh New Town Tram Multrees Walk Harvey Nichols

Edinburgh Airport Private Transport

If you are looking for something a little more exclusive, then it is worth getting private transport.

Allowing you to skip the long line for taxis and buses, you can sit back and enjoy the luxury of being taken straight to the city centre or your hotel – whatever you decide to do first.

From £30 per person, it is worth splurging out a little.

Edinburgh Airport Air Traffic Control Tower

Pick Up/Drop Off

With thoughts of the final scenes of ‘Love Actually’ as you are being welcomed by your friends or family at the airport, it is wise to note that they will need somewhere to park.

Not every person picking you up is aware of the car parking at Edinburgh Airport. There are several to choose from, each with a varying cost amount. 

There is a dedicated multi story carpark at the airport.

Situated only 10 minutes walking time from the terminal, it is one of the most popular places to be picked up or dropped off.

If you know your way to this area, and your friends or family also know where to park, then this can be one of the quickest ways into or out of the airport. 

The dedicated drop off/pick up zone is on the ground floor of the multi story car park. You will need to know your timings of flights landing.

Getting through security, passport control and baggage collection can take some time and this will all add to the cost of this parking area.

Be aware that you cannot simply pass through this area as it is barrier controlled and even five minutes here will cost you £5.

Free Pick up/Drop off

There is a free drop off and pick up zone, at the long stay car park. You will find shuttle buses from here to take you to the main terminals. 

0-30 minsFree
30 mins to 1 hour£12
Entry and ExitBarrier controlled
Payment methodsCash and card
No maximum stayCharges begin after 30 mins

The rest of the multi story car parking is available for those of you who have friends or family travelling a distance to pick you up.

You can park here, with easy access to the airport, the minimum charge is for a three hour period at £20 for non booked visits. If you book in advance, you will get a more competitive rate. 

Edinburgh Airport Parking

You won’t be surprised to hear that it is cheaper to book parking at the airport in advance.

There are a variety of options, depending on how far you are willing to walk (1-12 minutes) with luggage.

The cheapest option requires a 10 minute shuttle.

Edinburgh Airport NCP

If you are looking to park your car at the airport for your holiday or business trip, there is an NCP parking area at the airport, just a short four-minute bus ride from the car park.

They provide a free bus from here. For a week’s parking here, you will pay around £55. 

Car Hire at Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh Airport offers a variety of car hire companies to suit your budget where you can collect your vehicle or drop one off if it is your return journey.

If you are collecting a car, you need to head out of the terminal to the car hire area, which is a short 10-minute walk under a covered area next to the multi-story car park.

Dropping off your car is in the same area with the short walk over to the terminal.

Edinburgh Airport Departures_

Taxi

Another popular way to get to and from Edinburgh Airport is by taxi.

The Edinburgh Airport taxi company is able to drop you off or collect you from the dedicated area on the ground floor of the multistory car park.

The cost of a taxi from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre is around £30. It is advisable to prebook a taxi, particularly if your group is over five people.

Most taxi companies have a pre-arranged price for this journey. It is wise to ask about this before you book. 

Don’t miss our guide on the best area to stay in Edinburgh.

Ross Fountain Princes Street Garden Summer Castle Edinburgh

Final Words

This guide has given you some of the options available to you for your travel to and from Edinburgh Airport.

Check out the Edinburgh Airport app for details on your flight and lines at check out.

Enjoy your time in Edinburgh and Céad Míle Fáilte! 

Essential Edinburgh Information 

Plan your trip, tips & advice
Where to stay in Edinburgh
Food & drink in Edinburgh
Best time to visit Edinburgh
Things to do in Edinburgh
How much does Edinburgh cost?
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Plan Your Trip To Edinburgh 

Book accommodation at Booking.com
Reserve a skip the line pass or guided tour at GetYourGuide
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About The Author

Hi, I am Ruth. A Highlander living in Fife longing for the mountains of home but I can’t give up the delights of the big city!

Any questions or comments?
Let us know below.

 

8 thoughts on “Edinburgh to Edinburgh Airport: Bus, Train, Tram, Taxi, Transfer & Car Rental

  1. Arthur Butterfield says:

    HI EXCITED to attend festival .Have attended many in South Africa. If I find accomodation around Bristo or George square do I need to hire a car. Thanks Arthur Butterfield

  2. Richard says:

    My son and I are flying into EDI and will need to get to St Andrews and back for golf. How often is transportation available by train or bus. Is it better to rent a car? Thank you R

    • Everything Edinburgh says:

      Hi Richard. I’ve heard with the golf that you can’t drive into St Andrews, so you’d need to check with Stagecoach, which is the bus company that runs from Edinburgh to St Andrews.

  3. Patrice Roesler says:

    Hi, Ruth – I will be returning a Budget/Avis rental car to Edinburgh airport and need transportation from there to Waverly train station. I am traveling with two elderly mobility-challenged seniors, not in wheelchairs but very slow with canes. Can you share any details about the required walking from the point of delivery of the car to the nearest taxi queue?

    • Everything Edinburgh says:

      Hi Patrice, it’s Gemma. I actually used to work for Avis at the airport and at that time there was a mini bus drop off as the check in isn’t directly at the check out desk.

      Avis will be able to help you with the best advice of how they can help at the airport.

      As for the trip between the airport and Waverley, you may want to consider a taxi for a direct option.

      There’s elevators and escalators at Waverley for getting down to the platform.

      Have a great trip!

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