Airport
Edinburgh International Airport
IATA Code: EDILocation: The airport is eight miles (13km) west of Edinburgh.
Time: GMT (GMT +1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Contacts: Tel: +44 0)844 481 8989.
Transfer to the city: Airlink 100 buses connect between the airport and the city centre every 10 minutes, from early morning until after midnight, and cost £3.50 (calling at the Waverley and Haymarket train stations); the journey takes approximately 25 minutes. There are many alternative buses including Night bus N22, Service 35 and Airdirect 747, that run to the city centre via a couple of stops en route. Stops for public buses are situated at stand 18 on the terminal forecourt road outside the UK Arrivals Hall. The designated taxi rank is also outside the UK Arrivals Hall beside the coach park. Car rental companies are also available.
Taxis: The taxi ranks for airport taxis and city black cabs are outside the east end of the airport terminal. The drive to the city centre takes approximately 25 minutes and costs about £18.50. Taxi arrangements are managed by Onward Travel.
Car rental: There is a new car rental centre located next to the parking area, connected to the terminal by a covered walkway. Car rental companies include Alamo, Avis, Europcar, Budget, Thrifty, Hertz and National.
Facilities: Facilities at the airport include ATMs, a bureau de change, shops, pharmacy, wi-fi, children's play area, baby change rooms, restaurants and bars. The Servicair Executive Lounge is available to departing passengers on the first floor past security, bookings can be made online via the airport's website. OHM Therapies is located near Gate 7 and offers a range of massages. The airport also has an art gallery displaying Scottish works near Gate 12. Disabled facilities are good; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Parking: The short-term car park is adjacent to the terminal building. The long-term car park is a few minutes away; a courtesy bus ferries passengers to the terminal. The airport offers Fast Track parking for speedy terminal access. There are discounts available if parking is pre-booked; book online or call +44 (0)121 410 5105.
Departure tax: None.
Website: www.edinburghairport.com
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Edinburgh
Presenting a rather Gothic cityscape as it spreads out below its ancient Castle, reaching out to the port of Leith, Edinburgh is far from dour. The canny Scots have crafted a capital that is crammed with culture, filled with fun and festivity, veneered with sophistication but reeking of history and mystery.
It's a heady combination that never fails to charm visitors to this city, built on a set of extinct volcanoes on the Firth of Forth, an inlet from the North Sea, just north of the border between Scotland and England.
The first thing that catches the eye is the looming battlements of the castle, sitting atop sheer granite cliffs that can only be accessed from one steep ridge. Today the castle heads up the Royal Mile and a linear set of streets making up the 'New Town', created when Edinburgh was re-designed in the 1700s, after the Act of Union with Britain. Tourists eagerly wander up and down the main street, Princes Street, all year round, browsing in the top quality stores and photographing the vista of the castle and the old town. When it comes to sightseeing, Edinburgh's attractions are largely based on historic stories and legends, from the churchyard where Greyfriar's Bobby, the terrier, refused to leave his master's grave, to the grand royal apartments of Holyrood House, where Mary Queen of Scots watched her husband kill her lover back in the 16th century.
Edinburgh oozes atmosphere, but never more so than during the summer months, when the vibrant Edinburgh Festival fills the city with drama, creativity and colourful visitors from around the world. Another occasion when Edinburgh pulls out all its stops is during the traditional Hogmanay New Year festival, when the jolly festivities are warmed by a great imbibing of Scottish malt whisky and ales pulled in the many local pubs.
Edinburgh is perhaps best summed up by one of its famous sons, the novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, who described it as 'a profusion of eccentricities; a dream in masonry and living rock'. Just remember that if you want to endear yourself to the locals, pronounce the city's name as 'Edinbruh' and not 'Edinberg'!
