Edinburgh, Scotland

The bus journey from Stansted Airport to Edinburgh takes 10 hours and 20 minutes at its fastest and costs from 59 GBP for a standard return. The first bus departs at 06:20 and there are also two overnight services. There are no direct coaches between Stansted Airport and Edinburgh so to make the journey you will have to change bus at either Birmingham or Milton Keynes.

A 50% discount on bus fares from Stansted Airport to Edinburgh is available to those over 60 years old see the - discount leaflet.. As there are not many coaches making this connection they can get quite booked so it is advisable to book in advance online. To book in advance on the secure official website just use the form below:

After booking online, you will be issued with an e-ticket, which you need to print out and take with you, or an m-ticket, which is sent to your mobile phone. Otherwise you can get a ticket at the bus station.

If you are on a tight budget you may also consider taking a bus to central London and then taking a Megabus from London to Edinburgh. A number of bus companies operate between Stansted Airport and London including National Express - see booking form above or alternatives include Easybus and Terravision buses. To check out Megabus fares and timetables from London to Edinburgh or Glasgow use the button below:

Megabus

By train, it takes around 6 hours to get between Stansted Airport and Edinburgh. There are 2-3 trains per hour but you will need to change trains at Peterborough. Alternatively, a number of trains go via London's Liverpool Street station, where you need to transfer by London Underground to King’s Cross Station. From Liverpool Street station, take the westbound Circle (yellow), Hammersmisth and City (pink) or Metropolitan (burgundy) line to King’s Cross. Exit the underground and follow the signs for the mainline station. A single fare from King's Cross to Edinburgh costs between 41 GBP and 167 GBP depening on time of travel and how far in advance you book.

Book Train Tickets

The UK train ticketing system is notoriously complicated. It is usually cheaper to buy your tickets up to 6pm on the day before you travel than on the day. And fares are more expensive if you travel before 09:30. You get the best fares by booking up to three months in advance. You can buy your tickets online, at the station ticket counter, or from the ticket machines on the main concourse. If you book online you will need to collect your tickets from the ticket machine using the same credit card you used to book your tickets online.