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The long glazed ridge-and-furrow roof of Edinburgh Waverley seen from above, with North Bridge, Old Town rooftops and Arthur's Seat beyond

Scotland Station code EDB

Edinburgh Waverley

Edinburgh by train: arrive at Waverley between the Old and New Towns, steps from Princes Street, the Royal Mile and the castle. From about 4 hours from London.

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Waverley's low glass roof, seen from the Scott Monument, with Arthur's Seat on the skylinePhoto: Martin Dawes, CC BY-SA 2.0

About Edinburgh

Scotland's capital is one of the most striking cities in Europe. The medieval Old Town runs along a steep-sided ridge from the castle down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, while the Georgian New Town spreads out in orderly streets to the north, and the historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Few stations drop you so directly into a city's heart: Waverley sits in the valley between the two towns, below the North Bridge and beside Princes Street Gardens. Within minutes you can be climbing towards the castle, browsing the National Museum or looking up at the Scott Monument – the station itself is named after Walter Scott's Waverley novels.

Edinburgh is the northern terminus of the East Coast Main Line for most LNER trains, some of which continue to Aberdeen and Inverness, and it is a natural base for day trips across central Scotland.

Journey

EDB
Fastest from London King's Cross
Around 4 hours 5 minutes
LNER routes calling
3
Previous and next calling points on each LNER route serving Edinburgh Waverley
RoutePrevious stopNext stop
London – Edinburgh stop 18 of 18 End of route
London – Aberdeen stop 17 of 26
London – Inverness stop 10 of 24

May–December 2026 timetable · not every train calls at every station

The fastest trains in LNER's May–December 2026 timetable take about 4 hours 5 minutes; LNER runs roughly two trains an hour between King's Cross and Edinburgh.

Journey times are from LNER's May–December 2026 timetable and vary by train. Check yours with LNER timetables or the National Rail journey planner.

Key facts

Opened
1846 (rebuilt 1892–1900)
Architect
Blyth & Westland (engineers); booking hall by Herbert Waller Raithby
Heritage status
Category A listed (Historic Environment Scotland LB30270)
Platforms
20
Managed by
Network Rail
Passengers a year
22.8 million entries and exits (plus 1.6 million interchanges) (April 2024 – March 2025) Source: orr.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Did you know?

  • The name comes from Sir Walter Scott's Waverley novels: it was used from around 1854 for the three stations that then shared the site.
  • When it was rebuilt in the 1890s Waverley became the largest station in Britain, a title it kept until Waterloo was rebuilt in 1921.
  • Its low ridge-and-furrow glass roof was designed to keep the station out of Edinburgh's historic skyline; all of its glazing was replaced between 2010 and 2012.

Photos of Edinburgh

Arriving at Edinburgh Waverley

Waverley lies in a valley below street level, so every way out climbs. For Princes Street and the New Town, take the covered escalators (or the lift) up the Waverley Steps – buses stop on Princes Street and the St Andrew Square tram stop, for the airport, is about 200 metres away. For the Old Town and the Royal Mile, use the Market Street exit, which has a lift and a taxi rank. There is a second taxi rank on Waverley Bridge, reached by the ramps at the west end, and a drop-off point on Calton Road. The ticket office is in the travel centre off the main concourse, and the customer information point faces the main departure boards.

Waverley lies in the heart of the city in the valley between the Old Town and the New Town. Pedestrian exits lead up to Princes Street, Waverley Bridge, Market Street and Calton Road; the castle is just over half a mile away as the crow flies, but it is a steep climb.

Getting around

Most central sights are walkable. The nearest tram stop is St Andrew Square, about 200 metres away and next to Edinburgh bus station, with trams to the airport and Leith; some buses stop outside the station on Princes Street and taxi ranks are on Market Street.

Other train services and connections

  • ScotRail (including Glasgow Queen Street and services across Scotland)
  • CrossCountry
  • TransPennine Express
  • Avanti West Coast (London Euston via Carlisle)
  • Lumo (London King's Cross; some trains to Glasgow)
  • Caledonian Sleeper (London Euston)
  • Edinburgh Trams (St Andrew Square stop nearby)

Station facilities

  • Step-free accessStep-free to all platforms (National Rail category A), with lifts and escalators
  • LiftsTen lifts, including at the Waverley Steps (Princes Street), Market Street and the Calton Road entrance
  • StaffingStaffed Monday to Saturday 04:00–00:45 and Sunday 06:00–00:45; passenger assistance in the travel hall off the main concourse
  • Ticket officeIn the travel centre: Monday to Saturday 06:00–22:00, Sunday 07:00–22:00
  • Ticket machinesAt the Market Street entrance, on the east concourse by platform 4 and on the main concourse (west side)
  • First Class loungeLNER lounge on the first floor off the main concourse, near platforms 4 and 5: Monday to Friday 06:30–21:00, Saturday 09:00–17:00, Sunday 09:45–19:00
  • ToiletsOff the ticket hall
  • Accessible toiletsAccessible toilet near the ticket hall and a Changing Places toilet off the ticket hall
  • Baby changingAvailable
  • Food and drinkCoffee shops, a bar and food outlets with seating on the concourse
  • ShopsA wide range of shops, plus a passport photo booth
  • Cash machinesOn the concourse by the ticket office; currency exchange also available
  • Wi-fiStation wi-fi available
  • Left luggageAvailable; National Rail lists opening hours of 07:00–23:00, Monday to Friday
  • InformationCustomer information point on the main concourse, opposite the main departure boards
  • Car parkNew Street long-stay car park run by APCOA: 617 spaces including 11 accessible bays, with free short stays of up to 40 minutes
  • Cycle parking223 sheltered spaces with CCTV, by the lift at platform 2, at platform 3 and next to platform 19, plus more in New Street car park
  • TaxisRanks on Waverley Bridge and East Market Street
  • Buses and tramsLothian buses on Princes Street, the Airlink 100 express bus to the airport, and trams from St Andrew Square

Checked September 2026. Facilities and opening hours change — see the National Rail Enquiries station page (opens in a new tab) for the latest details.

History of the station

Three railway companies reached the valley below Princes Street – the drained bed of the old Nor' Loch – in the 1840s. The North British Railway opened its North Bridge station in June 1846, and the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway's General station and the Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway's Canal Street station followed in May 1847. Princes Street's proprietors fought the railway hard, and the lines were tucked into cuttings behind walls and embankments. From around 1854 the stations were known together as Waverley, after Scott's novels, and in 1866 the North British replaced them with a single station.

The station you arrive in today is mostly the result of a vast rebuilding in 1892–1900, at the height of the North British Railway's fortunes after it had opened the Tay and Forth bridges. The company spread a sea of low glass roofs over 23 acres, rebuilt North Bridge above the tracks while trains kept running, and added a Free Renaissance booking hall crowned by a glazed dome. Waverley is category A listed and is owned and managed by Network Rail; it remains Scotland's second-busiest station after Glasgow Central.

A day in Edinburgh

Castle, museum, palace and volcano – with the station at the centre of it all.

  1. Morning

    Edinburgh Castle

    Leave by the Market Street exit and climb to the castle on its rock. Tickets often sell out, so book ahead through the official site.

    Edinburgh Castle in Things to do

  2. Late morning

    National Museum of Scotland

    Walk across to Chambers Street for Scottish history, natural history and world cultures, with free general admission.

    National Museum of Scotland in Things to do

  3. Lunch

    Lunch on Market Street

    The Doric, a few steps from the station's Market Street exit, serves food upstairs in its bistro.

  4. Afternoon

    Holyrood and Arthur's Seat

    Head down to the foot of the Royal Mile for the Palace of Holyroodhouse, then climb Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park for views across the city and the Forth.

    Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat in Things to do

  5. Evening

    Oysters at the Café Royal

    Finish in the tiled Victorian bars of the Café Royal, a short walk north-west of the station, before your train.

Things to do near Edinburgh Waverley

Gallery

The National

Scotland's national gallery on The Mound – formerly the Scottish National Gallery – shows art from about 1300 to 1945, from Titian and Rembrandt to the Glasgow Boys. Free admission; open daily.

About 0.3 miles from the station as the crow flies Official website for The National (opens in a new tab)

Distances are approximate. Opening times and prices change — check the official website before you go.

Eat & drink near the station

  • Pub

    The Doric

    A bar downstairs and a bistro upstairs in an old building on Market Street; it describes itself as Edinburgh's oldest gastropub and cooks with fresh local produce.

    On Market Street, about 0.1 miles from the station as the crow flies Website for The Doric (opens in a new tab)

  • Bar

    Café Royal

    A category A listed Victorian bar and oyster bar with Doulton tile pictures of famous inventors and stained-glass windows, serving seafood, classic dishes, beers and whisky.

    About 0.1 miles north-west of the station as the crow flies Website for Café Royal (opens in a new tab)

Day trips from Edinburgh

  • The Forth Bridge and Inverkeithing

    Cross the UNESCO-listed Forth Bridge to the Fife shore, where three bridges from three centuries span the firth.

    LNER's Aberdeen trains reach Inverkeithing in about 23–25 minutes (four a day on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable); ScotRail runs frequent trains too.

  • Dundee

    V&A Dundee, the RRS Discovery and the McManus make a full day on the Tay waterfront.

    LNER's Aberdeen trains take about 1 hour 20 minutes (four a day on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable); ScotRail also runs between Edinburgh and Dundee.

  • Berwick-upon-Tweed

    Walk the Elizabethan ramparts of England's northernmost town and admire the Royal Border Bridge.

    LNER trains take about 42–47 minutes (around 12 a day on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable).

Annual events

Dates change from year to year — check the official website before you plan a trip around an event.

Where to stay in Edinburgh

The Old Town, New Town and the streets around Waverley offer everything from budget to luxury, all close to the station. Book early for busy periods.

Tips for your visit

  • Edinburgh Castle warns of lookalike websites selling fake tickets – book through its official site.
  • Waverley has several exits at different levels; check signs for Princes Street or Market Street depending on whether you are heading to the New Town or the Old Town.
  • Some LNER trains continue north beyond Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Inverness, calling at Haymarket first.

Questions about Edinburgh Waverley station

Which exit should I use for the Royal Mile or Princes Street?

Take the Waverley Steps (escalators and a lift) for Princes Street and the New Town, and the Market Street exit for the Old Town and the Royal Mile.

Is Edinburgh Waverley step-free?

Yes. National Rail lists step-free access to all platforms, with ten lifts and escalators, including lifts at the Waverley Steps, Market Street and Calton Road entrances.

Is there left luggage at Waverley?

Yes. National Rail lists a left-luggage service open 07:00–23:00, Monday to Friday (checked September 2026).

Where is the LNER First Class lounge?

On the first floor off the main concourse, near platforms 4 and 5. It opens Monday to Friday 06:30–21:00, Saturday 09:00–17:00 and Sunday 09:45–19:00 (National Rail, September 2026).

How do I get from Waverley to Edinburgh Airport?

Take a tram from the St Andrew Square stop, about 200 metres away, or the Airlink 100 express bus run by Lothian Buses. National Rail also sells through tickets to 'Edinburgh Airport' via Waverley.

Can I park at the station?

Yes. The APCOA-run New Street long-stay car park has 617 spaces, including 11 accessible bays, and offers free short stays of up to 40 minutes.

Sources we checked (September 2026)

We researched this page using the sources below. They are listed for transparency and are not links; always check official websites for the latest details.

  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Waverley_railway_station
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh
  • assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/7jQOjS38muWdVQbPCRGxyV/809f4c4fe0a29fcd38233147ab0f48…
  • edinburghcastle.scot/
  • rct.uk/visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse
  • nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland
  • nationalgalleries.org/visit/scottish-national-gallery
  • historicenvironment.scot/visit/all/holyrood-park/
  • cultureedinburgh.com/our-venues/scott-monument
  • royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/
  • rbge.org.uk/
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Castle
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holyrood_Palace
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Scotland
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_National_Gallery
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur's_Seat
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holyrood_Park
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Monument
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMY_Britannia
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Botanic_Garden_Edinburgh
  • nationalrail.co.uk/stations/edb/
  • dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage/
  • portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB30270
  • portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB29619
  • the-doric.com/
  • caferoyaledinburgh.com/
  • edfringe.com/
  • eif.co.uk/
  • edwinterfest.com/hogmanay

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