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Getting to Edinburgh |
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Getting to EdinburghWhere is Edinburgh?Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, home of the Scottish Parliament and one of the United Kingdom's most important cities. It is located on the east coast of Scotland, near the Firth of Forth and is described as being in both the Central Belt and the South-East of the country. Edinburgh by RoadGiven its importance, you would think that Edinburgh would have a high-speed motorway connection with London. It doesn't. This is a sad reflection on the London government's neglect of the UK's regions over many decades. The main road south is the A1 which is gradually being given dual carriageway or motorway status in a piecemeal fasion. There are still dangerous, slow stretches of single carriageway of the road north of Newcastle. An alternative to the A1 is to take one of the other A class roads that leave Edinburgh like the spokes of a wheel and enjoy driving through largely open country until you reach the M74 (M6 in England) or the A1 south of Berwick. Edinburgh and Glasgow are connected by the dual carriageway M8 (another route to the M74), while the M9 takes you to Perth. The M9/A9 is the main route north across the Forth Bridge. You should note that parking in central Edinburgh can be expensive and the city is somewhat congested at rush hour times. Most people will not require a car for Edinburgh itself as the buses are good and most of the main tourist attractions are within relatively easy walking distance. Ideas for a congestion charge on entry to Edinburgh appear to have been shelved for the moment after a negative response in a city referendum. Like all major UK cities, Edinburgh is served by inter-connecting coach services to its central bus station from destinations as far apart as Wick and Plymouth. Edinburgh by AirEdinburgh airport is comparatively near the city and is currently served by a regular good-value Airbus service and taxis. There are plans for rail and tram/guided busway connections in the not-too-distant future. The airport has been growing constantly for the past two decades - both in passenger numbers, facilities and the range of destinations. Numerous daily flights connect Edinburgh with the various London airports, mainly provided by British Airways and BMI. A number of low-cost airlines have introduced cheap connections to regional airports in both the UK and Europe. BMI Baby is particularly popular for Cardiff - a useful hub for Wales, the English Midlands and the West Country. In fact, the regional connections are so good that overseas travellers can consider a multi-destination vacation in the British Isles including, for example, any combination of the capital cities: Belfast, Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh and London. Edinburgh by RailRail has been compared unfavourably in comparison with air on a number of occasions - typically in respect of cost and journey times. Out of fairness, you should remember the need to get to an airport and the sometimes lengthy check-in times. A one hour flight can be a total of 4 hours or more in real travelling time. A press release from the rail operator GNER stated the following in January 2005: NEW research (...) shows that travelling on GNER’s high-speed trains is consistently more reliable than domestic air travel. Figures from industry regulators reveal that over a year-long period there was an average of 85.9 per cent of right time arrivals by GNER trains versus 75.9 per cent for air travel. The data compared GNER punctuality with domestic air travel performance between the London and Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh routes, on a monthly basis between October 2003 and September 2004 inclusive. Rail delivered better punctuality than air on all three routes. On the Leeds to London route an average 89.7 per cent of trains were on time compared to 77.5 per cent of flights. For journeys between Newcastle and London 87.6 per cent of GNER trains were on time compared to 77.3 of planes. Passengers travelling between Edinburgh and London with GNER also experienced a more reliable journey, with 80.3 per cent of trains arriving on time compared to 72.9 per cent. GNER corporate affairs manager, Alan Hyde, said: "This independent research shows that, contrary to popular belief, rail travel is consistently more punctual than flying. "When taking reliability, city-centre to city-centre journey times, add-on costs and convenience into consideration, rail offers a very competitive alternative to domestic air travel. As a result GNER is steadily gaining market share from the airlines on the popular business routes between London and Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh. "Thanks to a multi-million pound overhaul programme GNER now operates the most reliable train fleet in the UK. However, we are not complacent and recognise that, despite being more punctual than the planes, GNER must continue to do more to ensure the reliability of our passengers’ journeys improves still further.” Edinburgh: Scotland's Festival City Edinburgh International Festival
More travel articlesIsland-hopping to Scotland’s far northScotland's New Attractions Staying in London for Less Dylan Thomas Trail |
 The Rough Guide to Scotland - Edition 7 by Rob Humphreys, Donald Reid From the glens of Loch Lomand to the lively Edinburgh festival, the "Rough Guide to Scotland" tells you all there is to know about this stunning and varied country. The 24-page, full-colour section introduces all of the Scotland's highlights, from the spectacular wildlife of the Hebrides to the deserted golden beaches in South Harris, with three additional 4-page, full-colour inserts: 'Festivals', 'Architecture' and 'Great Outdoors/Activities'. More information and prices from: Amazon.com - US dollars Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars Amazon.co.uk - British pounds SeekBooks.com.au - Australian Dollars Amazon.de - Euros Amazon.fr - Euros Northern Isles Papa Westray is one of the most northerly of the Orkney islands. Orkney is located to the north of mainland Scotland. Papa Westray has been described as Orkney in miniature. It has archaeology, including the Knap of Howar (the oldest standing domestic building in north-west Europe), an RSPB site where thousands of birds breed in early summer, beaches and seal colonies, cliff walks and just 60 inhabitants. It is also famous for the shortest scheduled flight in the world. A quiet place for walking, thinking, photography, relaxation. For more information go to: Papa Westray |
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