Transportation
By air
Edinburgh International Airport is located just 8 miles west of the city center and is connected to the city by fast and frequent bus service. Edinburgh has a wide choice of direct air links from Europe, North America and the rest of UK.
By car
Edinburgh has excellent road connection to other parts of Scotland and the rest of the UK. The city is directly linked to London by the M1, to Glasgow by the M8 and from Glasgow to England and Wales by the M74 - the A74 and M6 further to the south toward Manchester. Approximate driving time from Glasgow - 1 hour, from Manchester - 4 hours 15 min, from London - 7 hours 30 min.
By train
Edinburgh has two railway stations - Haymarket and Waverley. Edinburgh's main station is Waverley Station. It is located in the city centre and has direct or connecting trains to all part of Scotland and the rest of the UK. There are particulary frequent services to London and to Glasgow. For London it's a real alternative to air travel as the 4-hour centre-to-centre rail trip takes just about an hour longer than flying in actual travelling time.
By coach
National Express operates regular coach services to Edinburgh from both London and Manchester. Scottish Citylink offers services from within Scotland.
Public transport
There is no tram system within the city and Edinburgh commuters rely on the frequent bus service. Lothian Buses and First Edinburgh provide bus service within the city and to outlying districts. The bus service works from 6.00 until 24.00 after which the night bus service comes into operation.
Taxis
Taxis in Edinburgh are mainly black hackney cabs. All the taxis are licensed and have meters. Edinburgh's taxi companies include the City Cabs and Central Radio Taxis. Rates are rather expensive and a tip of 10% is expected.
Travel insurance
It is strongly recommended that visitors to the UK arrange travel insurance to cover the loss of possessions and money as well as health and dental treatment.
Vaccinations
No vaccinations are required prior to visiting the UK.
Value-added tax (VAT)
All purchases in Britain, with the exception of unprepared food and books, are subject to VAT, which increases the cost of an item by 17.5%. This is generally already included in the requested price. Visitors from non-EU countries can claim a refund of VAT from selected shops on goods that are to be taken out of the country, under the Retail Export Scheme.
Visas
EU members may travel and work in the UK without a visa. Citizens from the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia or New Zealand do not require a visa to visit the UK but are prohibited from working. Citizens from other countries require a visa, which can be obtained from their nearest British Consular office. For additional information on UK immigration and visa requirements visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site (www.fco.gov.uk).