Know before you go

• Weekday evenings are calmer than weekends.

Airport to Princes Street Gardens

Edinburgh airport (EDI) has trams and the Airlink 100 bus to the centre in 30 minutes.

Next to Waverley station.

Public transport directions to Princes Street Gardens

Where to stay by budget

Three hotels we would book

• Budget: Premier Inn Edinburgh City Centre (Haymarket)
• Mid-range: Motel One Edinburgh-Royal
• Splurge: The Balmoral

Links search the nights from 13 November to 4 January. Event weekends sell out early and prices rise as the date gets closer: book a cancellable room as soon as you know you are going.

Day plans for the free hours

Built around the usual visit schedule for 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Session times change: check the official timetable and move the blocks around.

Family-friendly picks

• Edinburgh Zoo pandas and penguins.
• Camera Obscura.
• Dynamic Earth.

Evening and day-trip tours

After dark

• Grassmarket and Cowgate pubs.

7 tours worth booking for Edinburgh Christmas

Event weeks sell out. Book tours with free cancellation as soon as the session times are published.

Where to eat

• Oink Hog roast rolls
• The Witchery by the Castle Gothic dining room
• Mother India's Cafe Indian tapas
• Leith Shore restaurants Seafood by the water
• Ting Thai Caravan Cheap Thai street food

Reserve dinner for the nights around the event: restaurants near the venue fill up days ahead.

Rainy-day backups

• National Museum of Scotland.
• Scottish National Gallery.
• Real Mary King's Close.

Getting around on event days

• Lothian buses and the tram take contactless.
• Murrayfield is a 25-minute walk or a short tram ride from the West End.
• Tap in with a contactless card on buses, trams and most urban trains.
• Book long-distance trains early on the operator app or Trainline: walk-up fares are expensive.
• Uber works in most UK cities; local black cabs are metered.

Day trips from Edinburgh

• Stirling: 50 minutes by train
• St Andrews: 1.5 hours
• Glasgow: 50 minutes by train

Questions people ask

When is Edinburgh Christmas 2026?

The next edition is 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, following the usual pattern. The organiser has not confirmed it yet.

How do I get from the airport to Princes Street Gardens?

Edinburgh airport (EDI) has trams and the Airlink 100 bus to the centre in 30 minutes. Next to Waverley station.

Where should I stay for Edinburgh Christmas?

For most visitors the best base is Old Town and New Town: Walk to the castle, Royal Mile and Princes Street.

What else can we do around Edinburgh Christmas?

Good short outings in Edinburgh include Edinburgh Castle, Whisky tasting experience, Harry Potter walking tour. See the day plans on this page for a full schedule.

What is there for kids and families near Edinburgh Christmas?

Family-friendly picks: Edinburgh Castle, Ghost tour of the underground vaults, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies. Edinburgh Zoo pandas and penguins.

How far is Princes Street Gardens from Edinburgh centre?

About 1 km in a straight line. Next to Waverley station.

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