Edinburgh train stations for zoo

shabby_chic

Can anyone please tell me which is the closest train station for Edinburgh zoo? We are travelling from North East and looking to book accommodation near to the station and also find the easiest route to the zoo.
TIA

safesound

From all the research I've done on Edinburgh recently (I'm planning an overnight trip at Halloween to see the scary underground) I can tell you there are two stations in Edinburgh and the nearest to the zoo is the Waverely train station (EDB), you would then need to walk north about 300yrds to Princess Street where you can catch a bus to the zoo (practically ALL buses go past the zoo but see here for a list LINK.) Luckily there are TONS of hotels in central Edinburgh (where Waverely Station is) but I opted for the cheap and cheerful Travelodge on Princess Street because its centrally located, only £29 a night and gets fair reviews on Tripadvisor.

alanrowell

safesound wrote: »

I can tell you there are two stations in Edinburgh and the nearest to the zoo is the Waverely train station (EDB)

Your research needs changing as there are several stations in Edinburgh and Haymarket is the nearest to the zoo and it's a short walk to the main road for the buses that pass the zoo.

However if coming from the NE then Waverley is the best choice and, unless things have changed recently, you can use the number 100 airport bus from opposite the station to get to the zoo but only pay the normal Lothian Bus rate of £1.30 per ride or £3.20 for a day ticket. Other buses include the 12, 26, 31 & (X)48

http://lothianbuses.com/find-your-bus/route-maps.html

wdw2003

The nearest station is Haymarket, but it's nowhere near the zoo, although it's on the bus route from Waverley/Princes St. Like safesound says, loads of buses go from the centre to the zoo, both Lothian and First, so you should never have to wait more than 5 minutes. The journey takes about 15-20 minutes from the centre and tickets are £1.30 single or £3.20 for a day pass.

podperson

Haymarket is your nearest train station to the zoo, if you get the bus from Haymarket Terrace as you come out of the station then all those buses will go to the zoo (alanrowell has given the numbers above). If you do get off at Waverley please don't listen to the advice that nearly all the buses from there go to the zoo, there are dozens of buses that stop on Princes St and only 4 of them go to the zoo, which isn't really most of them! Regarding hotels, there's a Premier Inn close to Haymarket or various Travelodges etc in the centre.

shabby_chic

Thanks for all the replies.
Just one more question - is Leith far from the centre of Edinburgh?

alanrowell

shabby_chic wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies.
Just one more question - is Leith far from the centre of Edinburgh?

15 minutes by bus, the 22 bus is the best - see my earlier link - but unlike the zoo there are LOTS of buses that go that way.

Mark_Hewitt

podperson wrote: »

Haymarket is your nearest train station to the zoo, if you get the bus from Haymarket Terrace as you come out of the station then all those buses will go to the zoo (alanrowell has given the numbers above). If you do get off at Waverley please don't listen to the advice that nearly all the buses from there go to the zoo, there are dozens of buses that stop on Princes St and only 4 of them go to the zoo, which isn't really most of them! Regarding hotels, there's a Premier Inn close to Haymarket or various Travelodges etc in the centre.

I've stayed in the Premier Inn at Haymarket, very nice, but a 20 minute or so walk into the centre of Edinburgh - i.e. the middle of Princes Street.

Travelodge off the Royal Mile is ok too, but rather run down in comparison.