The city of Edinburgh is small and easily accessible. Most of the areas that you would want to visit are within walking distance from the centre of the city. The first thing that you should know about travelling in the city is that you should not always depend on public transportation.
The city transportation buses can be extremely crowded, untimely and slow, especially during peak hours. A substantial amount of the population travel by the city buses which leads to congestion. The city has made several plans to mitigate the congestion but till now city bus transportation has not been the most favored, especially by tourists.
The city buses are operated by two services, namely Lothian Regional Transport and the First Bus Company. Most of the Lothian buses cost 1.20 Euros. You must be aware of the fact that the conductors don’t give you change.
The city also operates train services. But they connect only a few places and are not very frequent. Edinburgh Waverly and Haymarket are some of the important stations connected by the rail network in the city. As a tourist, city trains are definitely not a recommended option as they generally venture out of town to residential areas far from amenities.
The city is developing a tram service that could benefit tourists in the future, but this will not be fully operational until after 2011 and is currently causing delays to public bus services as their routes have been altered.
If you are planning to enjoy the scenic beauty of the city without having to go through the hassles of public transportation, you can drive your own car or rent a car service. Let us consider the merits of the first option
Driving your car seems to be a very inviting prospect as you can enjoy the city in all its beauty without worrying about bus timings and crowded trains. But there is an inherent problem with driving a car. The city laws on parking are very strict and because the city is frequented by many, it is not possible to park your car at place for a considerable amount of time. Short term ticketing machines are installed everywhere and parking attendants are constantly in vigilance to look out for cars which are overstaying their allowance. Fines can be quite fat! Further to this, as a tourist navigating throughout a busy city can be stressful.
The best option to travel around the city in comfort is by utilizing one of the many Edinburgh taxi services available. By doing so, you can utilize restricted bus lanes without being in a crowded coach, and at a cheaper rate than traditional Hackney Cabs. Travelling by private hire in Edinburgh is an affordable, comfortable option and recommended to all.
Tags: bus talk, bus transportation