The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, with over 3,000 shows. Playbill is currently Edinburgh during the month of August for the festival and we’re taking you with us. Follow along as we cover every single aspect of the Fringe, aka our real-life Brigadoon!
At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the entire city becomes a venue. It's no wonder, when there are over 3,000 shows being produced over the course of a month, you tend to run out of theatres. Fringe shows will to be performed in churches, in bars, and other atypical venues—this year, there are 279 venues participating. That means the Fringe takes place all around the city, which means the typical festival-goer needs to be OK with walking uphill, downhill, and then uphill again (possibly) to get to their shows.
Because Edinburgh is a walking city, the venues are grouped relatively close together—a typical walk between venues can range from a couple of minutes to 30 minutes. But if you're looking to rest your feet, here are some other ways to get around Edinburgh during the Fringe festival.
Buses
Edinburgh has two main bus lines: Lothian and First. Lothian has more extensive lines in city center, but suffice it to say, there are bus stops close to each venue (There's even a bus that takes you to and from the airport.) The buses operate 24 hours and there are over 50 lines that cover Edinburgh and the areas around the city.
A single bus fare is £2. The busses are equipped with a contactless payment option so all you need to do is tap using your phone or credit card and you're good to go. This is especially convenient because as long as you use the same phone or card to pay your bus fare, the fare is capped at £4.80 per day and £22.00 per week. That means for £4.80 per day, you can ride the buses as many times as you wish!
Visit Lothian Buses and First Bus for bus maps and timetables. You can also download the Transport for Edinburgh App for real-time bus information for Lothian buses; First Bus also has its own app.
Lothian and First buses are not to be confused with the double-decker tour buses that are common throughout Edinburgh. Those colorfully painted tour buses allow you to hop on and hop off at your leisure when you buy a day ticket. These tour buses are operated by two companies: Edinburgh Bus Tours and Bright Bus Tours. While we don't recommend them as a way to get from show to show, they are a convenient way to see the major sights of Edinburgh and to avoid going up and down hills.
Tram
The tram line runs on the ground in Edinburgh. It stretches from Edinburgh Airport into Edinburgh's city center. The stops include the bustling bars and restaurants of Haymarket, Princes Street (which gives you an easy walk to Edinburgh Castle), and the picturesque St. Andrews Square. And in a new development, this year the tram has been extended three miles to the Port of Leith on the coastline of Edinburgh (which is where the Playbill FringeShip will be docked in 2024). The tram terminates at the port district of Newhaven, next to Leith.
During the month of August for the Fringe, the tram will also be running 24 hours. A single ride on the tram is £2, while same day return trip is £3.80. Rides from and to Edinburgh Airport are £7.50. You can purchase tickets for the tram at the tram platform (which is required before you board). You can also download the Transport for Edinburgh App for real-time tram information and to purchase tickets for the tram.
Visit Edinburgh Trams for more information.
Other Ways to Get Around
Cycling is a common way to get around Edinburgh. There's even a cycling map available at innertubemap.com. Edinburgh doesn't yet have Citibike or major bike rental initiatives so if you want to rent a bike, you have to visit local services such as Cycle Scotland or through Zoomo (which rents e-bikes).
You can also call a taxi. Uber is a common way to get a taxi in Edinburgh. City Cabs is the oldest taxi service in Edinburgh and you can book a cab online or through their app (you can tell it's a City Cab by the yellow "taxi" sign on the hood of the car).
