Edinburgh is one of the UK’s best places to live or visit, which is why many people choose to study with us at our English Language college. We asked the team at Â鶹ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø Edinburgh to tell us some great places to visit from Edinburgh by train or bus, and here are their recommendations for easy day trips from Edinburgh without a car.

Stirling Castle

Explore one of Scotland’s largest and most important castles. It sits impressively on a volcanic hill that overlooks the city and stands high above the surrounding land for miles around. The castle is where Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned in 1542 and is now preserved by Historic Scotland.

St. Andrews

Head north to the stunning seaside city of St. Andrews and spend a day picnicking on its long sandy beaches or exploring the Cathedral ruins overlooking the sea. Predominantly famous for golf, St. Andrews also hosts traditional Scottish Highland Games in the summer!

Approximate journey time: 1.5 hours by train and bus from Waverley or Haymarket (train to Leuchars, 11-minute bus journey from Leuchars to St. Andrews).

The Islands

Visit the beautiful Isle of Arran for a weekend, arriving at the small town of Brodick by ferry.  Here you can explore Brodick Castle, discover the home of Arran Aromatics, take a tour around the Isle of Arran Brewery or even join a Mogabout Safari Day Tour to see more of the island.  Alternatively, if you like hiking, there are also plenty of walking routes from Brodick.

Approximate journey time: 4.5 hours by train and ferry from Waverley or Haymarket (train to Ardrossan Ferry Terminal via Glasgow, ferry from Ardrossan to Arran)

The Highlands

There are many organised bus tours leaving from Edinburgh, taking you to unmissable areas of Scotland such as Glencoe, Loch Ness and the Highlands. You can book a day tour, a weekend trip or even a week away, with accommodation included in your package!

Approximate journey time: The journey time may vary depending on where you plan to visit in the Highlands most trips leave from Waterloo Place or the Royal Mile.

South Queensferry and Inchcolm Island

Hop on the Number 40A Stagecoach bus from Princes Street or George Street and head to South Queensferry, a lovely seaside town just on the edge of Edinburgh where you can see the iconic Forth Rail Bridge close up.  You can also catch a boat to Inchcolm Island, the most beautiful island in the Firth of Forth, with an impressive Abbey, small sandy beaches, and old wartime fortifications.

Approximate journey time: 30 minutes to South Queensferry by bus + 3 hour boat trip to Inchcolm Island and back.

We hope you have enjoyed this guide to day trips from Edinburgh without a car. Would you like to discover Scotland and improve your English at the same time?  Find out more about BSC Education’s English courses in Edinburgh, or contact us for more information.

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Traditional Scottish Foods

Reasons to live in Edinburgh

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Edinburgh is a beautiful city known for its incredible architecture, coastline and cosy pubs. The only drawback is that it can be rather expensive if you don’t know the right places to go. To help you make the most of the city on a budget, we asked our teachers and staff at about the best things to do for free in Scotland’s capital city.

Visit the National Museum of Scotland

Discover the history of Scotland and its people at the – look out for the interactive Millennium Clock Tower that plays at regular intervals throughout the day!

Enjoy the view from Arthur’s Seat

Climb up the dormant volcano Arthur’s Seat for a beautiful panorama of chimney tops, green rolling hills and blue sea.

Discover the beautiful Portobello beach

Take the bus to Portobello beach and enjoy an ice cream along the promenade.

Take a Walk to Dean Village 

On a sunny day, there’s nothing more relaxing than taking a wander along the Water of Leith through the woodland to Dean Village, one of Edinburgh’s oldest villages.

Watch the street performers on the Royal Mile

Be mesmerised by the street performers on the Royal Mile and Princes Street during the Edinburgh Festival.

Admire the artwork in the National Portrait Gallery or the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art

One of the amazing benefits of living in Edinburgh is the fact that many of the city’s museums are completely free to visit. Spend an afternoon browsing the National Portrait Gallery and the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art and get out of the cold weather.

Take in the views at Cramond

Walk along the beach at Cramond, a small village that is easily accessible from central Edinburgh. At low tide, you can even get there by walking across the causeway.

Play the oldest short-hole golf course in the world

On Bruntsfield Links by the Meadows, you can bring your own gear or rent from the Golf Tavern from April to September.

Explore the monument on Calton Hill

Climb up Calton Hill and wander between its many monuments – see what happens to the white ball at the top of Nelson’s Monument at 1 pm when the daily gun goes off at Edinburgh Castle!

Visit the Museum of Edinburgh

Another one of Edinburgh’s free museums is the This museum is home to the original collar of Greyfriars Bobby, the city’s well-loved dog!

Do you want to discover more of Scotland? Find out more about learning English at our English language college in Edinburgh city centre.

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Day trips from Edinburgh without a car

Traditional Scottish food to try

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