Edinburgh Rail Day Trip from London

London, United Kingdom

Tour Edinburgh your own way on an independent day trip from London. Everything is arranged for you: return rail tickets, Hop-on Hop-off City Tour, entry to Edinburgh Castle, and an Edinburgh city map and guide. The rest is up to you!

The train from London's King's Cross Station whizzes you due north, passing through the Midlands with its canals and market towns, past old mill towns built during the Industrial Revolution and skirting England's east coast.

Waiting for you right by the station when you arrive in Edinburgh is an open-top sightseeing bus, for a bird's-eye view of this majestic Scottish city. The hop-on hop-off ticket gives you the freedom to leave and re-join the bus as often as you like. Frequent departures throughout the day mean you have total flexibility to plan your day the way YOU choose!

You will want to see all the main sights, attractions and landmarks of this lovely city, including:

• The Old Town quarter
• Edinburgh Castle, including the dazzling Scottish Crown Jewels and the Royal apartments where Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to the boy who was to become King of Scotland and England upon the death of Queen Elizabeth in 1603
• Scotch Whisky Heritage Center
• Scott Monument, decorated with 64 characters from Walter Scott's novels
• Palace of Holyroodhouse, where state ceremonies and official entertaining take place when the Queen is in Scotland (though it has its own murderous history!)
• The Scottish Parliament Building
• St. Giles's Kirk
• John Knox's House
• Stroll along Princes Street checking out the tartan, whiskey and shortbread that have made Scotland famous

Please note this tour is unescorted

USD $240.16

Traveler Reviews

Review by: Hurtz74	April 2012
The day rail trip to Edinburgh is a must for a traveller who has a bit of time on their hands and want to see a bit more of the United Kingdom. The train ride itself was very relaxing but would recommend that you bring your own snacks and drinks as the train prices are a bit pricy. Remember to take a book or a game to pass the time. Edinburgh is beautiful. The whole city reminds you of medieval times with knights and dragons. Very interesting for younger travelers too.

Review by: BARBARA C	March 2012
The trip was OK, but getting the info to meet our group, etc. was stressful. It was minutes before our train departure, and we finally found our representative. I found another representateive from another tour that helped me contact my rep. Once we got on the train, it was OK - but yet another stressful situation! Not a good way to start the day off.

Review by: Herbie	March 2012
Excellent for a one-day tour. Everything was prepared and booked for us, no queue, no time waisted. Edinburgh is marvellous, we wished we have stayed a night. Even if the tour lasted 16 hours, we were really no tired and enjoyed the train voyage with its beautiful scottish sceneries.

Review by: Sandra B	March 2012
Higly recommended

Review by: mercedes i	March 2012
loved it!! how cool it was to visit scotland while vacationing in london..

Review by: Mark J R	March 2012
What a great way to see Scotland for a day! Viator made the trip effortless and fun; we were able to concentrate on the fun of the adventure instead of worrying over details and time constraints. What a great opportunity to make the most of limited time. Our time in Edinburgh will never be forgotten. Great fun, highly recommended!

Review by: Ms JC Y	November 2011
Edinburgh itself was spectacular! It's a very long day and a long trip. What was very bad for us was that the tour company (not Viator) made a mistake in our train bookings back to London - it was made for a month after the actual date!

Review by: Cheryl S	October 2011
A full on day, but worth doing. The hop on hop off bus wasn't really necessary. We sat for 30 precious minutes waiting for it to leave. We got off at the castle and then walked the Royal Mile ourselves. We certainly had time to see what we wanted to see and enjoy a memorable lunch at Deacon Brodies Tavern

Review by: Federico O	October 2011
Excellent! Edinburgh is a beautiful city worth the long trip. Off course this is only a taste... Will come back for at least 1 week to this beautiful city.

Review by: Linda F	July 2011
Great way to get a taste of Edinburgh. We arrived at the train station 15 minutes before time as not to be late. A representative from another tour company (Premiere)asked us who we were waiting for and we told them. He said the rep from Evan Evans tours should be there shortly. When they did not arrive I had to contact them at their office and they said they should be there soon. The Premiere rep came back to us and told us the Evan Evans rep was standing just a few feet from us. He did not even look for us, by that time we had 15 minutes before the train left and he told us to get on the last car. We did not know that we had reserved seats until more than half way to Edinburgh. Luckily the car we were in was not full and our group found seats together.

Review by: Susan T	June 2011
Great Trip! However, the person that was suppose to meet us had no intification. Another tour director from another company pointed him out for us or we would have missed the train.....No Pun intented! Poor

Review by: karla b	June 2011
Loved the trip! Edinburgh is so beautiful and the countryside viewed from the train is not to be missed. I had a great time

Review by: Simeon M	May 2011
Edinburgh castle was great. We enjoyed it.

Review by: Connie	May 2011
This was a good tour. Everything went smoothly. Edinburgh is a nice town to see. However, one day is not enough. The train ride is long and does not leave enough time to even see Edinburgh and certainly not anything else. I recommend staying the night. This tour only allows a few hours to squeeze everything in and it's not possible.

Review by: TTraveler	May 2011
Fine trip for the semi-independent traveler, puts the right tickets in your hand, but that's about it. If you knew your way, you could do more for less. If you really need help, you'd want a guide. For me, it was just about right: rail tickets and hop on hop off. The train back was crowded, but it worked out fine for me. Loved Edinburgh and the scenic ride.

Review by: Colby G	May 2011
While the train ride there and (especially) back makes for a long day, it was well worth it! I will definitely recommend a trip to Edinburgh to any of my friends who travel to the U.K._br/_ Only issue we encountered was with the buses. Our package included travel on the "red" bus, but once we found it we were immediately approached to upgrade our tickets so we could ride all the buses. In hindsight we were glad we did because the "red" line did not seem to circulate as often as the other buses, but at the time we were confused and unsure about how to get around the town. So traveling around the town was our only issue, but it was a small one and the trip as a whole was fantastic.

Review by: Michael L	December 2010
Long train ride and not enough time in Edinburgh, but everything was well put toghther. It would help to have a specific meeting location at Victoria Station.

Review by: Katherine R	November 2010
My husband and I recently did this trip and loved it! Yes it was a full on day but the train was comfortable and a chance to see the countryside views was good. Edinburgh was a fantastic city even though we only had a shor time there. We would have no hesitation in recommending this day trip. Katherine & Richard Perth Western Australia

Review by: Marianne M	November 2010
For a one-day excursion, this tour is a great way to see a bit of Scotland. The train ride provides beautiful views of the landscape between London and Edinburgh. We got off the train and went straight to the castle via the bus passes provided. We had plenty of time to tour the castle and visit some other sights while we were there. Our group split up so we could see the sights that interested each of us. I toured the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which was definitely worthwhile, although I only listened to the first part of the audio tour in each room to save some time. Other places visited include Scottish Parliament and the Library. Plan well and you will be able to get a good taste of the city.

Review by: James L	September 2010
Our trip to Edinburgh was wonderful we really enjoyed the trip and recommend to others

Review by: Susan H	September 2010
This tour was ideal for those who wish to organise their time within a tour framework. The train trip up took us past some fabulous countryside although the trip back was slightly marred by the railways double booking our tickets.The tour bus was an excellent way to get around the 'old' city with step on/step off options to plan the day's activities.The sights of the city of Edinburgh were crowded with excitement with so many attractions and distractions that the time disappeared effortlessly. The Castle atop the massive volcanic outcrop dominated the city. Guides advise allowing about 3 hours to visit the Castle, however, I spent over 3 and a half hours and saw only those parts related to earlier than 1600AD and it was barely enough time. The place is stunning and could easily take all your time from dawn to dusk to see properly. The shops along the steep road leading to the Castle were fascinating, and to add to the excitement and colour, the Fringe Festival was in full swing. I also visited St Giles Cathedral as the High Church of Scotland and a distant part of my ancestry. I would recommend this church to all visitors as an excellent example of church architecture with particular emphasis on the glorious Thistle Chaple. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and appreciate the chance to visit Edinburgh in my short time in the UK.

Review by: Jay S	September 2010
nice... time for the castle, or the city tour and lunch, but watch your time for the train station! lol. beautiful city, well, worth seeing... just lovely.

Review by: Jay S	September 2010
Loved Edinburgh...!! only really had time for the castle and lunch, and some shopping. but it was very fun. sit on the right side going to scotland on the train, you can see the north See coast! :) lovely city. if you have time, do it!

Review by: Anonymous	August 2010
the trip was good. the train left on time. it's just that we didnt get to have enough time in edinburg.

Review by: Morgan P	August 2010
The tour was fantastic and the scenery unbelievable would definately recommend. Drawback Making connections with the tour guide at the train station. We found it stressful to wait until the last possible minute to see if they would arrive with our train tickets, etc. They need a sign in a specific place so people who have never been in that station before know where to meet!

Review by: David H	July 2010
10 hours on a train is a bit much! However, Edinburgh was delightful. Be prepared for rain, which I wasn't!

Review by: TIFFANY G, United States of America	June 2010
This was a really well planned trip and so much fun. The train ride is really long 4 12 hrs but the countryside along the way is stunning and it's fairly easy to sleep. Edinburgh Castle was really amazing and I would recommended taking the guided tour, which is free, you get good information about the Castle and about Scotland. The hop-on, hop-off was a nice way to see the town and appreciate the history. We recommend taking the bus tour directly to the castle, spend as much time as you want in the castle you'll also be there for the 1pm gun and then ride the bus tour in it's entirety to see the rest of the town. You'll have plenty of time to shop and eat along the way. We actually finished early, around 430-5pm and since the tickets are open tickets, you can take the early trains back to London. It was a really nice day and we really enjoyed Scotland.

Review by: Stuart H, Australia	June 2010
The trip itself was fantastic. The sights of Edinburgh are worth seeing. We did have issues though Our booking sheet referenced "Reserved seats". We did not have reserved seats and on the return trip nearly ended up without a seat as the train was full. I even called the booking agent prior to boarding and he told us to "just get onto the first car after first class and grab a seat". In my mind this does not equate to "reserved seating". i would also recommend doing this trip as the 2 day version as 5 hours each way on the train in one day makes for a long day but the train does have power outlets for charging ipods, laptops etc UK socket.

Review by: PEGGY K, United States of America	May 2010
Although the train ride is very long, the city of Edinburgh and the castle are well worth the trip. We were told to be at the train station by 630 A.M., but the Evan Evans Representative was 10 to 15 minutes late. Also the letter of instructions from Evan Evans explaning where to get tickets was confusing. A woman where we received the bus tickets was equally confused by the letter and made several calls to see where we should get tickets for the castle. We eventually went to the castle and received our tickets there. Despite the confusion, little time was wasted and the trip was great.

Review by: Anonymous	April 2010
It is a very long trip to do in one day. The castle was amazing, but it was exhausting.

Review by: Carolina G, Argentina	April 2010
Worth doing if you have little time, but Edinburgh definitely deserves to be visited for a few days. Amazing city!

Review by: Richard M	December 2009
Although the train trip is quite long, the city is absolutely beautiful. We didn't have enough time to use the bus since our main attraction was the castle. However, you can get around by walking. I highly recommend the restaurant next to the station. Great food. Great trip!

Review by: Vanessa M, United States of America	December 2009
Although the train trip is quite long, the city is absolutely beautiful. We didn't have enough time to use the bus since our main attraction was the castle. However, you can get around by walking. I highly recommend the restaurant next to the station. Great food. Great trip!

Review by: Manfred C	October 2009
Great value for money. Travelled from London to Edinburgh saw that many palaces and castles to last a life time at an extremely reasonable cost.

Review by: Janet C	October 2009
Meeting the co-ordinator. would have been better if they were highlighted, espicailly at that time in the morning, and the tickets for edinburgh castle should be explained that they are VIP tickets and you dont have to queue. but collected from the vip shop. Apart from those two things. fantastic. Edinburgh is perfect for a one day trip like this, and gives a glimpse into all the things that would be great to go back and see again, for longer. Everything else was brillantly explained, and easy. A long day, and a good day. well worth money and time.

Review by: jan c, United Kingdom	October 2009
Meeting the co-ordinator. would have been better if they were highlighted, espicailly at that time in the morning, and the tickets for edinburgh castle should be explained that they are VIP tickets and you dont have to queue. but collected from the vip shop. Apart from those two things. fantastic. Edinburgh is perfect for a one day trip like this, and gives a glimpse into all the things that would be great to go back and see again, for longer. Everything else was brillantly explained, and easy. A long day, and a good day. well worth money and time.

Review by: Janet C	September 2009
The train ride was very long and cold, but other than that the trip was great, the hop on hop off tour was great, and had a live guide. Beautiful country.

Review by: Jacqueline H, United States of America	September 2009
The train ride was very long and cold, but other than that the trip was great, the hop on hop off tour was great, and had a live guide. Beautiful country.

Review by: Anonymous	August 2009
Everything was very well organized. Would love to do again.

Review by: John N, United States of America	August 2009
Really the train trip and excursion were fine except, we were told once we arrived to go to Market and someone would take care of the bus tour. No one knew what Market was or what it meant! After walking all directions we came across a Market St. over a block away on the top of a hill which can't be seen from the station exit where the tour buses were. Then we had to go from bus to bus to find out who would honor the tour. Other than that 20 to 30 minutes wasted, everything else was wonderful!

Review by: Janice B	July 2009
Another trip where the seats on the train were to be side by side for my daughter and me and were actually across the aisle with 3 rows between us! We enjoyed our day other than the train ride. I cannot believe, even when we asked specifically if our seats were together and were told yes, that they weren't. We were travelling together, and I was showing her the sites of the UK and Paris, and this did not help us at all.

Review by: BRUCE L	June 2009
Very nice overall, but 9 hours on the train was grueling after having flown from NYC to London just the day before. The trip was picturesque. Wish we had more time in and around the castle. Having no guide and being in a foreign land was a little overwhelming and had a bit of an 'Amazing Race' quality until we found the hop on hop off sightseeing bus. Better instructions on what to do after exiting the train would be helpful.

Review by: Marissa L, United States of America	June 2009
Edinburgh is magnificent. It is completely unescorted - so do your research into what you want to see!

Review by: Anonymous	May 2009
Don't buy this tour, you can do this on your own for cheaper.

Review by: Lisa G, United States of America	March 2009
Beautiful city. Loved the architecture. Very friendly people. Long train ride but definitely worth the ride!

Review by: Spyros B, Greece	November 2008
Excellent package. Be warned that most of the time is spent in the train going and getting back. If you are prepared for that you will definitely enjoy your day trip.

Review by: Susan A, United States of America	October 2008
It's a long train ride from London to Edinburgh and back but the city is definitely worth visiting. Edinburgh Castle was great. We saw a near full moon over the ocean on the way home. Very nice.

Review by: Ronald A, United States of America	October 2008
One of the highlights of our trip. Forget Rome and even Paris, though Paris is beautiful, Edinburgh has to be the most beautiful city we saw in our trip. Edinburgh Castle was amazing, the sights were great, and we even got to see the palace of Mary Queen of Scots. Of all the day tours we took, this was the best organized. While other day tours take you by bus and waste your time, this sets you on a fast train to Edinburgh, gives you a double decker bus to see the sights, and gives free entry to the most important sites. This tour was worth every dollar we paid and then some.

Review by: Jaelithe M, United States of America	September 2008
Absolutely loved it, but there was not nearly enough time to do everything. It's breathtakingly beautiful, and there are hundreds of amazing shops. We only had enough time to take the bus tour, do a quick run through the castle, and do a small amount of shopping. There isn't enough time to do it all. I highly recommend doing this trip as a two-day excursion, rather than a one day. If you can manage an overnight stay, and have the entire next day to explore, you will be able to enjoy so much more.

Review by: Marco F, Italy	August 2008
Considering the distance between London and Edinburgh, this tour is probably the better solution you can hope for. You must allow for 9-10 hours in the train, but you still have 5-6 hours to spend in Edinburgh. We visited Edinburgh Castle, took a coach tour of the city, and had additional free time to visit the main streets in the city center, Princess Street and the Royal Mile, and do some shopping. Edinburgh would deserve an overnight stay, but in any case this tour permits a good overview of the capital city of Scotland.