Public bus & tram services

The University of Edinburgh is served by a comprehensive network of buses & trams.

This page provides an overview of the public transport network in the city. For guidance on specific connections to University locations, see the "How Do I Get To...?" pages.

Transport connections to University campuses

Buses

Lothian Buses

The main bus provider in the city is Lothian Buses (including EastCoastBuses and Lothian Country services). They operate a frequent and reliable service covering the whole city and its surrounding area. Their website has route and network maps, journey planning tools, and timetables.

Lothian Buses

They also run several services to and from Edinburgh Airport (including a 24/7 service), as well as an extensive network of nightbuses:

Other bus operators

Smaller bus operators in the Edinburgh region include:

Edinburgh Trams

Trams are provided by Edinburgh Trams. Tram services run from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre, and then onto Newhaven via Leith.

Tram tickets must be purchased or validated before boarding the tram.

Edinburgh Trams.

Tickets for Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams

Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams are part of the same publicly owned company, and operate a shared ticketing system. There are several ways to buy a ticket, summarised below:

The easiest way to pay is by contactless payment. Just tap the reader when you get on the bus, or at the tram stop before you board. So long as you use the same card or device, you will automatically be charged the cheapest daily or weekly fare for the journeys you make. This is cheaper than buying a day ticket.

When using the tram, you must remember to tap off as well, or else you will be charged the full price for a trip to the Airport fare zone.

TapTapCap contactless payments


You can pay for individual tickets using cash or card:

Lothian Buses

Buy a cash fare from the driver using exact cash, as no change is given. You can buy a single ticket (valid for one bus only - if changing buses you need a new ticket), or a day ticket, which is valid all day on all Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams. There are no return tickets on Lothian Buses.

Fares and tickets

Edinburgh Trams

Buy a ticket before you board from the machine on the platform using cash or card. You can buy singles, returns, and day tickets.

Tram ticket options


A Ridacard is a season ticket which provides holders with unlimited travel on Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Tram services for a particular period of time. It provides excellent value for money if you are using public transport every day. Student discounts are available on Ridacards.

Paying by TapTapCap (see above) is usually better value if you are only travelling ocassionally.

Ridacard prices


If you are a resident in Scotland and are any of the following:

  • Under 22 years old
  • 60 years or older
  • Disabled

Then you are likely entitled to free bus travel in Scotland. This is provided through a NEC, which you should apply for.

Apply for a National Entitlement Card


Pre-paid travel cards for business use

Departments can order pre-paid travel cards from the Transport & Parking Office. These enable staff to easily use Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams for business travel, without the hassle of claiming expenses. More information is available on our website.


Edinburgh Bus & Tram App

You can download the official Edinburgh Bus & Tram app, which allows you to track real-time departures, plan your journey, and buy mobile tickets.

Download the Bus & Tram App.

One-Ticket - season ticket for all operators

One-Ticket is a season ticket for use with the different public transport operators across Edinburgh. With One-Ticket, you get 'unlimited' travel by bus and train in East Central Scotland. It provides excellent value-for-money if you are travelling via different operators every day.

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