Transport links
Edinburgh city region is one of Scotland's best-connected areas,
with a sophisticated transport network linking it with the rest of
the UK, Europe and beyond.
London is an hour away by air and 4.5 hours away by rail, while
ten EU capital cities including the European hub airports of
Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and Paris now have direct
connections with Edinburgh, recognising its growing importance as a
major financial and tourism hub.
Traffic congestion is relatively low in
comparison to many urban areas in the UK, particularly in the
south-east, and there is an ambitious programme of transport
improvements underway. Of particular importance are the
introduction of trams, upgrading Waverley and Haymarket railway
stations and improving the speed and quality of rail links to
Glasgow.
The Inspiring Capital has also established an
international reputation as a sustainable transport pioneer and
since 2000, over £130m has been invested into its transport
infrastructure. An additional £545m is pledged for the city’s tram
network, which will link the growing areas of Edinburgh’s
waterfront, city centre, west Edinburgh and the airport.
Edinburgh's transport highlights include:
- 60 flights a day to London and a further 20 domestic
routes
- More than 50 international destinations including New York
- Two mainline rail stations. Waverley Station carries 23m
passengers a year
- 80 trains a day to Glasgow and 20 a day to London
- Britain's sixth most car-friendly city
- Scotland's largest enclosed deepwater port and new cruise liner
terminal
- 150km of off and on-road cycle lanes
- The highest bus use per head of population of any UK city
outside London
- A network of city centre off-street car parks and dedicated
permited zones for resident and visitor parking.
