Know before you go

• The street party needs tickets; the torchlight procession is on 30 December.

Airport to Princes Street and the castle

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

Streets close for the street party; walk.

Public transport directions to Princes Street and the castle

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 29 December to 2 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 30 December 2026 to 1 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's Hogmanay

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's Hogmanay 2026?

The next edition is 30 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, following the usual pattern. The organiser has not confirmed it yet.

How do I get from the airport to Princes Street and the castle?

Edinburgh airport (EDI) has trams and the Airlink 100 bus to the centre in 30 minutes. Streets close for the street party; walk.

Where should I stay for Edinburgh's Hogmanay?

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's Hogmanay?

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's Hogmanay?

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 and the castle from Edinburgh centre?

About 1 km in a straight line. Streets close for the street party; walk.

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