How to travel from London to Edinburgh

Thu, Oct 15
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London North Eastern Railway
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London North Eastern Railway
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Avanti West Coast
1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare train, bus, and flight for London to Edinburgh

Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from London to Edinburgh among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the bus, with an average ticket price of €46 For those with little time, consider booking a flight, which has an average total journey time of 4h 22m. If you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint, the train is your best option, with estimated CO2 emissions of 0.2 - 0.5kg. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €46, while a flight costs an average of €207.

Distance: 331 miles (534 km)

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Bus
Flight
Driving

€105

Average price

€46

Average price

Cheapest

€207

Average price

€162

Average price

(fuel + tolls)

5h 11m

Average total duration

4h 41m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

10h 26m

Average total duration

9h 56m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

4h 22m

Average total duration

Fastest

2h 22m

Onboard

+

2h 0m

Additional time*

7h 54m

Average total duration

(door-to-door)

0.2 - 0.5kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

0.5 - 1.3kg

CO2 emissions

1.6 - 3.2kg

CO2 emissions

-

CO2 emissions

London North Eastern Railway

Most popular train company

FlixBus

Most popular bus company

British Airways

Most popular airline

Your own car or car rental

Direct Options

Direct Options

Direct Options

Direct Options

Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.

The cheapest way to travel from London to Edinburgh is a bus with an average price of €46.

This is compared to other travel options from London to Edinburgh:

A bus is €59 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from London to Edinburgh costing on average €105.

A bus is €161 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from London to Edinburgh costing on average €207.

The fastest way to travel from London to Edinburgh is by flight with an average journey time of 4h 22m.

Other travel options to Edinburgh take longer:

Train takes on average 5h 11m.

Bus takes on average 10h 26m.

It's helpful to compare your options as there are 3 ways to travel between London and Edinburgh including taking a train, bus, and flight.
We recommend using the train as it is the most popular way to get from London to Edinburgh among Omio's users.
Take the train. On this route, it beats driving on both time and money.

The journey is about 3h 13m faster (4h 41m by train vs 7h 54m by car) and roughly €58 cheaper once you factor in fuel and tolls (€105 vs €162). You'll also arrive in the city centre rather than hunting for parking, and you can work, read, or watch the landscape go by instead of concentrating on the road.

Driving is still worth considering if you want to stop along the way or need a car once you arrive.

Travel options
from London to Edinburgh

How to get from London to Edinburgh by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

bus

The best way to travel from London to Edinburgh is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

  • FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus · FlixBus
    8:30 PM13h39
    London, Victoria Green Line Coach Station
    10:09 AMEdinburgh, Drum Brae South
    €421One-way
    2 transfers

Cheapest

  • FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus · FlixBus
    8:30 PM13h39
    London, Victoria Green Line Coach Station
    10:09 AMEdinburgh, Drum Brae South
    €421One-way
    2 transfers

Fastest

  • easyJetU2314
    9:35 PM1h15
    London Stansted Airport
    10:50 PMEdinburgh Airport
    €2051One-way
    0 transfers

Other options

  • LumoG25678
    8:30 PM4h12
    London Kings Cross (KGX)
    12:42 AMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    €701One-way
    0 transfers
  • LumoG25679
    12:14 PM4h21
    London Kings Cross (KGX)
    4:35 PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    €771One-way
    0 transfers
  • LumoG25677
    5:45 AM4h12
    London Kings Cross (KGX)
    9:57 AMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    €871One-way
    0 transfers
  • National ExpressNX598
    10:00 PM9h40
    London, Victoria Coach Station
    7:40 AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
    €461One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    12:25 AM7h50
    London, Finchley Road ("Subway" restaurant)
    8:15 AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
    €471One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    11:25 PM7h50
    London, Finchley Road ("Subway" restaurant)
    7:15 AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
    €471One-way
    0 transfers
  • easyJetU2829
    6:10 AM1h30
    London Gatwick Airport
    7:40 AMEdinburgh Airport
    €1101One-way
    0 transfers
  • easyJetU2302
    7:55 AM1h20
    London Luton Airport
    9:15 AMEdinburgh Airport
    €1121One-way
    0 transfers
  • easyJetU2808
    8:35 AM1h35
    London Gatwick Airport
    10:10 AMEdinburgh Airport
    €1221One-way
    0 transfers

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, buses and flights

Compare train, bus, and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.

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How to Travel from London to Edinburgh

There are a number of options for those traveling from London to Edinburgh in the United Kingdom. Edinburgh and London are 534 km apart. Edinburgh also uses the Pound Sterling (£) as its currency. Travelers from London to Edinburgh stay in the same time zone (UTC±00:00). As this trip from London to Edinburgh stays in the United Kingdom, no additional visa is required.

Trains from London to Edinburgh | Buses from London to Edinburgh | Flights from London to Edinburgh

London to Edinburgh Travel Comparison

Average Price

Travel Time

Cheapest Time to Book

Bus

$28

9:30 h

1 Week Before

Train

$75

4:17 h

1 Week Before

Flight

$54

1:10 h

1 Month Before



What is the best way to travel from London to Edinburgh?

Cheapest way to travel from London to Edinburgh

Taking the bus is the cheapest way to travel from London to Edinburgh with next-day bus tickets starting from $31. National Express buses that travel from London to Edinburgh depart from Victoria station in central London. There are 4 direct buses per day from Monday to Friday and 3 on weekends. Buses depart in the morning and late at night with an additional evening bus departing during the week. Buses arrive at Edinburgh Bus Station in the city center and a typical journey takes between 9.5-10 hours. A Megabus service is also available with changes en route.


Fastest way to travel from London to Edinburgh


The fastest way to travel from London to Edinburgh is by taking a flight. A London to Edinburgh flight usually requires only 1:15 of flight time; however, when transport to and from the London and Edinburgh airports are taken into consideration, the journey will take approximately 3:30 hours. Flights traveling from London to Edinburgh depart from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, London City and Luton Airports. Airlines traveling from London to Edinburgh include EasyJet, Ryanair, British Airways and Flybe with flights departing throughout the day. All flights land at Edinburgh Airport. Regular shuttle buses and trams traveling to the city center are available at Edinburgh airport.


Most popular way to travel from London to Edinburgh

Most travelers from London to Edinburgh who book with Omio choose to travel by train. Trains traveling from London to Edinburgh depart every day. During the week, Virgin East Coast trains depart approximately every 30 minutes from early morning until evening. All trains leave from Kings Cross Station and take between 4 to 5 hours to reach Edinburgh. There is an overnight sleeper train every night of the week except Saturday. ScotRail's Caledonian Sleeper takes about 7 hours to reach Edinburgh and departs from London's Euston station.


How to get from London to Edinburgh

The Best Way According to our Users

Whether it is for business or leisure, in order to travel from London to Edinburgh, 71,64% of our customers choose the train as their preferred mode of transportation. By traveling by train on this route, you can enjoy the comfort of spacious seats, spectacular views—and in some cases free Wi-Fi—in both second and first class. Our customers have decided that the train is the best way to get from London to Edinburgh and have chosen to enjoy this fast, safe and efficient way to arrive at their destination. Taking the train also avoids long lines or potential expenses for transfers to/from the station—especially since most main railway stations are located in the city center. Train companies in Europe vary from country to country, but most of them offer high-speed train routes, therefore when you add up at the end-to-end journey time, the train is often also the fastest way to get to your destination.

Search on Omio to find cheap tickets from London to Edinburgh. It’s easy to find the most attractive prices and choose your preferred route for your journey. Book on web or app, and travel with your mobile ticket —without the stress of printing your ticket.

More than 1,000 travel companies trust us to sell their tickets all in one place.

Trenitalia
Easyjet
Deutsche Bahn
SNCF

FAQs: Travel from London to Edinburgh

Travel to Edinburgh easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from London to Edinburgh.

FAQs
There are 3 options to travel between London and Edinburgh including taking a train, bus, and flight.
The cheapest way to travel from London to Edinburgh is a bus with an average price of €46.

This is compared to other travel options from London to Edinburgh:

A bus is €59 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from London to Edinburgh costing on average €105.

A bus is €161 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from London to Edinburgh costing on average €207.

The fastest way to travel from London to Edinburgh is by flight with an average journey time of 4h 22m.

Other travel options to Edinburgh take longer:

Train takes on average 5h 11m.

Bus takes on average 10h 26m.

The distance from London to Edinburgh is approximately 331 miles (534 km).
The average frequency per day from London to Edinburgh is:
  • Around 38 flights per day.
  • Around 34 trains per day.
  • Around 29 buses per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between London and Edinburgh as scheduled services by train, bus, and flight can vary by season or day of the week.

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from London to Edinburgh:
  • Flights mostly depart from London Heathrow Airport and arrive in Edinburgh Airport.
  • Trains mostly depart from London Kings Cross (KGX) and arrive in Edinburgh Waverley (EDB).
  • Buses mostly depart from London, Victoria Coach Station and arrive in Edinburgh, Bus Station.
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from London to Edinburgh, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with FlixBus, National Express, Megabus to go to Edinburgh by bus.
  • Travel with easyJet, British Airways, BA Cityflyer, Ryanair, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa Cityline, Swiss, Lufthansa City Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Baltic, Loganair, Edelweiss Air to go to Edinburgh by flight.
  • Travel with London North Eastern Railway, Lumo, Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Caledonian Sleeper, Transpennine Express to go to Edinburgh by train.
Yes, there are direct services available from London to Edinburgh with the following travel companies:
  • 13 direct buses per day with FlixBus, National Express, Megabus.
  • 26 direct flights per day with easyJet, British Airways, BA Cityflyer, Ryanair.
  • 24 direct trains per day with London North Eastern Railway, Lumo, Avanti West Coast, Caledonian Sleeper.
Omio customers who travel from London to Edinburgh often also extend their vacation to go to Glasgow, Paris, Inverness, Manchester, Dublin. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Edinburgh and these popular destinations at a great price.
Most travelers need at least three days in Edinburgh to see the main sights at a comfortable pace. If you want day trips or a slower itinerary, consider adding extra time.
In Edinburgh, visitors can explore the vibrant atmosphere of Grassmarket, enjoy a ghost tour of the haunted streets, attend shows at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre, and visit the Royal Botanic Garden. Discover hidden gems at the Stockbridge Market. Key sights include Edinburgh Castle, Arthur's Seat, The Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace, and The National Museum of Scotland.
For a fulfilling experience, spending 2 to 3 days in Edinburgh allows you to explore its historic sites, such as Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile, enjoy cultural attractions, and immerse yourself in the local atmosphere.
HomeTravelTravel to United KingdomTravel to EdinburghHow to travel from London to Edinburgh

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