How do you pay for the bus in Edinburgh?

Just tell the driver what ticket you want, pop the coins in the box or tap your contactless card/device, take your ticket and find a seat. If paying by cash, make sure you have coins with you before getting on the bus. You will need to have the exact money as our drivers cannot give you change (except on Airlink).



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Paying by card is also possible. You can also use mobile tickets, on the Transport for Edinburgh phone app, or a top-up 'citysmart' card, which you can purchase in the Lothian Buses Travelshops.

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Scottish ITSO Smartcards Depending on the operator, tickets can be loaded onto your chosen ITSO smartcard at ticket offices, ticket vending machines, on board or in advance online and can be paid for with cash, card or contactless.

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Who can get free bus travel? Every 5-21 year old living in Scotland for more than 6 months of the year can travel for free by bus if they have a valid National Entitlement Card (NEC) or Young Scot National Entitlement Card (Young Scot NEC). If you are 5-15 years old, your parent or guardian must apply for you.

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You can pay for tickets in cash when boarding the bus, by depositing the money in the box next to the driver, but be aware that exact change is required, as the drivers have no access to cash and are unable to give back change. Paying by card is also possible.

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Catch the bus Tickets for the Airlink 100, taking you straight to the city centre, can be purchased from the driver as you board using contactless card payment, m-tickets or the exact cash fare. Other bus routes and companies will accept either online bookings or payment on board using cash or contactless card payment.

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There's no need to choose what ticket to purchase, just tap your contactless card or device every time you need to travel. We'll automatically charge you the cheapest fare for the journeys you've made on that day – you'll never pay more than the appropriate Day, Night or Weekly Ticket.

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Single-journey adult ticket: A First ticket costs from £ 1.80 ( US$ 2.20) (depends on the distance of your trip), and a Lothian ticket is £ 1.70 ( US$ 2.10). Single-journey child ticket: Both Lothian and First single tickets cost £ 0.90 ( US$ 1.10).

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Scottish ITSO Smartcards Depending on the operator, tickets can be loaded onto your chosen ITSO smartcard at ticket offices, ticket vending machines, on board or in advance online and can be paid for with cash, card or contactless.

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The Airlink bus (service 100) runs between the airport and the city centre, reaching Waverley Bridge railway station in 25 minutes. A single adult ticket costs £ 4.50 ( US$ 5.60) and an open return is £ 7.50 ( US$ 9.30).

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Edinburgh's intimate size makes walking the best way to get around. Plus, many of the top attractions are huddled close together in New Town and Old Town. When you want to explore the farther-flung neighborhoods, you can rely on Edinburgh's efficient bus or tram system.

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An Edinburgh PlusBus ticket gives you unlimited bus & tram travel on participating operators' services around the whole urban area of Edinburgh city, as shown by the travel map (below).

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Payments by card In Edinburgh, and throughout Scotland, it is usually possible to pay with any debit or credit card in most locations.

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Taking a taxi is the most stress-free way of travelling from Edinburgh airport to the city centre. This can be especially useful if you are with a large group of people. You can pre-book an Edinburgh airport taxi here.

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Can a Visitor Oyster card or Oyster card be used in other cities like Bath, Edinburgh, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford and Cambridge? No, it is only eligible for travel on public transport in London.

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Travelling within Edinburgh couldn't be easier thanks to its world-class and easy-to-use public transport network and walkability.

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