South Queensferry Tender for Edinburgh: Logistics?

[In Retirement]

Calling on cruisers who have tendered at South Queensferry for their port visit to Edinburgh: how have you arranged your travel into the city?

 

If by train: seeing approximately where the train tracks cross the road by the water, you must turn right and somehow arrive very much higher to the level of the tracks? What is involved? Hundreds of steps? Is there a railing? Are steps metal, or concrete/stone? Wonder if we have rain, what the conditions will be?

 

If by public bus: we have found the bus stop on "The Loan" and see the walk to the bus stop. Anyone out there actually do this walk? How long (distance) would you say it was? Was there more than one drop off and return location?

 

If by shuttle service: we have read many rumors that on a cruise ship day many shuttles offer their services for transport. What has been your experience? Price? Return trip? Drop off location or locations?

 

Our current issue is that the cruise ship is charging at least 3X more than retail for this service ($59USD) and allows very few hours between drop-off and return.

 

Your observations will be most valuable to our cruise and to those who use South Queensferry in the future.

DJ:)

[pj-atsea]

Well, I am not sure how much help I can be but we have been to South Queensferry twice. Both times we found taxi's waiting after we got off the tender. We teamed up with another couple waiting for a taxi and shared a cab into Edinburgh.He dropped us off at the top near the castle and said it was easier to start there and walk downhill that the opposite. I can't quite remember the cost but I remember that we thought it very reasonable when spit between two couples.If I had to guess what we paid I would say somewhere between 15 and 19 GBP per couple. We had no trouble at all getting a return taxi but of course we had to pay more since there was no one to share. Still we had the day to ourselves and could pretty much come and go when we wanted. pj

[KirkNC]

We plan on taking the train, our understanding is there are quite a few steps to climb to get to the station as well as from the station to the castle at the other end.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

The railway station is called Dalmeny

 

The steps

 

Coming off the peir turn left go under railway bridge short walk you turn right and meet the steps, once at the top you have about two hundred yards to station, loads of fast trains ticket is by a machine.

 

For Edinburgh you want Waverley Station however it is at the bottom of the Royal mile as such you have a long steep climb to the castle the pavements are good road is cobbled .

 

If not good on your legs take a taxi and get dropped of at the castle first that way its all down hill after that.

 

 

yours shogun

[JeffandMelissa]

Hi There

 

The railway station is called Dalmeny

 

The steps

 

 

Coming off the peir turn left go under railway bridge short walk you turn right and meet the steps, once at the top you have about two hundred yards to station, loads of fast trains ticket is by a machine.

 

For Edinburgh you want Waverley Station however it is at the bottom of the Royal mile as such you have a long steep climb to the castle the pavements are good road is cobbled .

 

If not good on your legs take a taxi and get dropped of at the castle first that way its all down hill after that.

 

 

yours shogun

 

 

Shogun - Thank you so much for posting this picture and for the additional instruction! The stairs don't look as daunting as I had envisioned! I may just give it a go! :D

 

Thanks so much again!

Melissa

[DeloreanGirl]

Same here. I pictured way more scary looking steps. Those steps actually look quite cute. (Ask me that when I reach the top, though...)

 

Thanks, Shogun. :rolleyes:

[nothriver]

Yes, thanks for the information! I'd love to take the scenic steps and ride the train, but traveling with my mother, I'd better plan on a taxi to save her the climb both to the train station and again to the castle once we got off the train.

 

Does anyone know if we can pre-book a taxi here?