Getting Around Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and the seat of the Scottish Parliament. The city splits into two historic halves: the Old Town, with the castle and the Royal Mile running down to Holyrood, and the Georgian New Town across Princes Street Gardens. The financial and conference district lies to the west, around Haymarket, where the EICC (Edinburgh International Conference Centre) holds up to 2,000 people in its largest hall.
Edinburgh Waverley, between the two towns, is the main station, with trains from London King's Cross and Glasgow; Haymarket is the second stop in the centre. Add the train and its arrival time to the booking, and the car is scheduled for that arrival.
Waverley Bridge is open only to airport buses, so general traffic cannot reach Princes Street that way, and some streets in the Old Town are narrow or closed to cars. If your hotel is on the Royal Mile or close to the station, send the full address with the booking and we will tell you how close the car can go. For a day split between meetings at the EICC and visits around the city, booked by the hour, one chauffeur and one vehicle stay with you for the time you reserve.
Airport Transfers in Edinburgh
Edinburgh Airport, the busiest in Scotland, is 8 miles west of the centre, 35–50 minutes by car. Its one terminal served 16.97 million passengers in 2025, with routes across Europe and summer flights to New York. Glasgow Airport is 56 miles west, 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes and offers a different set of routes. The right one depends on your airline and route.
Book with your flight number. For an arrival, your chauffeur checks the flight status and times the pick-up to when you actually land, and your booking confirmation shows where to meet the chauffeur. For a departure from Edinburgh, what counts is the length of the drive, not the time on the clock: the city bypass and the roads out to the airport take longer at rush hour and in festival weeks, when the centre is at its fullest. Journey times vary with traffic and weather. You set the pick-up time yourself, and the confirmation shows it.
Long-Distance & Day-Trip Travel from Edinburgh
North of the Forth, two names stand out for golfers. St Andrews, the Home of Golf, is 53 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes, and Gleneagles in Perthshire, the resort that hosted the 2014 Ryder Cup, is 44 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 5 minutes.
Stirling, with its castle above the old town, is 38 miles west, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, is a full day on the road: 157 miles, 3 hours 35 minutes to 4 hours 40 minutes, a one-way transfer with the start of a Highland tour at the other end. Heading south, Newcastle is 121 miles, 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 35 minutes.
By car, golf bags and suitcases stay in one vehicle all day, and there is no change of train at a small station. Booked by the hour, one chauffeur takes you out and brings you back the same day; a single transfer drops you at a hotel up north, and the trip back is a new reservation.
Groups & Event Travel in Edinburgh
August is Edinburgh's busiest month. The Festival Fringe runs from 6 to 30 August 2027, its 80th edition, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo plays on the Castle Esplanade from 6 to 28 August. Just before that, The Open is played on the Old Course at St Andrews from 15 to 18 July 2027, for guests based in Edinburgh, the course is a daily drive away.
When you book for other people, all their transfers can be kept in one account, each with its own booking and confirmation. If a theatre company or a corporate party lands on several flights, every arrival gets a transfer of its own. For a company travelling with sets and costumes, a Sprinter van carries up to 12 people with their bags, and bigger groups go by coach, with up to 56 seats; the vehicle is matched to the load.
Local vehicles and drivers are booked up early for The Open week, the whole of August and Hogmanay. If your plans go beyond a standard booking, write to support with the dates, addresses, number of passengers, flights and luggage, and the team will arrange it.
