Edinburgh in August with Fringe Festival

[Love 2 Travel]

We will be in Edinburgh this August at the beginning on the Fringe Festival. We are only in port until 5pm so will need to make our way back to the ship by 3pm ( tender port in New Haven). I am wondering how much of the Royal mile will be restricted from bus traffic and in general how difficult will it be to get around even on foot because of the crowds? We will also be walking through Grassmarket and Victoria Street. Will this area also be effected by the Fringe Festival? We are so concerned that the events and the crowds will make it difficult to get around for our short stay in Edinburgh. Thanks for any insight from any locals or anyone with first hand experience.

[ontheweb]

Been a while since we were there in August (once on a land trip) and once as a cruise stop, but I remember the Royal Mile being blocked off from traffic.Though I guess there was bus traffic allowed as I remember my DW kneeling to take a picture and a bus driver honking his horn to get her to get out of the bus' way.

 

But one thing for sure, it will be very crowded!

[fruitmachine]

4 hours ago, Love 2 Travel said:

We will be in Edinburgh this August at the beginning on the Fringe Festival. We are only in port until 5pm so will need to make our way back to the ship by 3pm ( tender port in New Haven). I am wondering how much of the Royal mile will be restricted from bus traffic and in general how difficult will it be to get around even on foot because of the crowds? We will also be walking through Grassmarket and Victoria Street. Will this area also be effected by the Fringe Festival? We are so concerned that the events and the crowds will make it difficult to get around for our short stay in Edinburgh. Thanks for any insight from any locals or anyone with first hand experience.

There is no question that Edinburgh is busy.  As a ticketed event, The Fringe alone is only exceeded in size by the Olympics and the soccer World Cup!  It is everywhere in the city, with a large number of pop-up venues created or temporarily converted for shows.

 

The section of the Royal Mile between George IV Bridge and South Bridge is closed to all through-traffic year-round, and the Castlehill section has very little traffic anyway.  Last year, during the Festival, they closed the section between Castlehill and George IV Bridge to all but HoHo buses and coaches and I suspect that will happen again.

 

But getting around is still not a significant problem - I regularly drive straight across that section right through August.  On foot, you're slowed a little, but it's only locals like me "walking with purpose" that will feel a significant difference.  City buses will run and aim to keep to their usual timetable.  The tram will take a similar time to get from Newhaven to Princes Street and return.

 

Victoria Street is basically pedestrianised year-round, as is the north 3/4 of the Grassmarket.  Again, it's only if you are in a hurry that you'll notice being slowed down.

 

Two hours before last tender is a huge buffer.  Anyone with reasonable mobility could easily walk the 2.6 miles from The Royal Mile (mostly downhill) to Newhaven Harbour in well under an hour.  You'd take the bus or tram as a first choice (about 30 minutes walk & ride) but it's always a fallback option.

Edited June 27 by fruitmachine

[mskaufman]

We were there last year during Fringe.  The R. Mile was very crowded.  We found a taxi to go back to the port. 

[Scottishclover]

I agree with @fruitmachine. If you are on holiday and ambling then just enjoy the atmosphere and all the different street acts. For locals it’s a different story…. my husband needs to build in extra time to his walk to work when the Fringe is on.

Another annoyance is people handing out flyers for shows, although that may be a bit old school now. Haven’t been to the Fringe for a few years. And have to say the photos of those crowds would not entice me.

[edinburgher]

17 hours ago, Love 2 Travel said:

I am wondering how much of the Royal mile will be restricted from bus traffic

This reads as if you are considering a HOHO.

The HOHOS are of limited use in the Old Town at most times of the year and the best way to explore the Royal Mile, Victoria St, Grassmarket areas is actually on foot.

 

In August, given the crowds,  this is definitely more difficult if you are simply trying to get from A to B in a hurry, but as already pointed out, the Fringe brings with it different street sights and entertainment  and a very different atmosphere which many visitors enjoy.

 

For some August is the best time to visit, for others the worst.

 

I would though very strongly advise that you pre-book timed entry slots for any attractions which offer this and which you intend to visit. The two which spring to mind would be Edinburgh Castle, where tickets for August entry have been on sale for some time already (so these should be a priority and booked while there is still a selection of available times) and The Real Mary Kings Close should either of these be on your "to do" list, (and anywhere else you want to consider)

 

Try not to plan too much for your day as crowds and distractions along the way will definitely  slow you down.

 

 

Edited June 28 by edinburgher

[Love 2 Travel]

How early are  the fringe performers out?

I am so disappointed that it will be so crowded on the streets. I suspected it would be the case. We will do our best to enjoy this beautiful city in spite of the extra crowds. We are only there for one short day so we see what we see. Who knows we may have the chance to return in the future and if we do, we would not go during August if we could help it.

Thanks for everyone sharing their experience. We appreciate it very much.

[Globaliser]

9 minutes ago, Love 2 Travel said:

How early are the fringe performers out?

 

The Fringe shows that are on while you are there (8 am to 5 pm on 5 August 2024) should be listed on this page (if the filtering carries through properly). Having a play with the filters suggests that shows can start from about 10 am.

 

However, if by "out" you mean on the streets, like those you see in the photos, those are more likely to be artists who are simply promoting their shows (hence the leaflets they're handing out) rather than performing on the streets.

 

For what it's worth, I'm not sure that Fringe time is necessarily extra crowded. I was there on a warm sunny Saturday afternoon in late March this year, and the streets looked pretty much like that. (Which, to a Londoner, isn't particularly crowded at all.)

[mskaufman]

5 hours ago, Love 2 Travel said:

How early are  the fringe performers out?

I am so disappointed that it will be so crowded on the streets. I suspected it would be the case. We will do our best to enjoy this beautiful city in spite of the extra crowds. We are only there for one short day so we see what we see. Who knows we may have the chance to return in the future and if we do, we would not go during August if we could help it.

Thanks for everyone sharing their experience. We appreciate it very much.

Some were out in the morning but it became really packed early afternoon.

[edinburgher]

16 hours ago, Love 2 Travel said:

How early are  the fringe performers out?

They are out during the day but I have no knowledge of the actual performances times.

 

I say "performances" as in addition to the leafleteers (is that a word?) there are mini stages set up in the section between George IV Bridge and S. Bridge and groups have alloted show times. There are boards set up with the timings for each mini show next to each stage. Additional performance or busking areas are to be found in various other central locations eg next to the National Galleries..

 

Difficult to know when you would find the city "quiet" as December is also one of the busiest months, but the city has become more and more busy year on year, and this year residents were commenting on how much busier than usual  it appeared to be in April, May and June.

 

We had to go out very early one morning at the end of May, leaving home just before 0700 and there were already small numbers of tourists out and about even at that time.

 

Having said that, August is far and away the busiest time, as in addition to "The Fringe" there is also the Edinburgh iIternational Festival and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, both of which also run throughout August..

Edited June 29 by edinburgher

[SophieM]

We will be in Edinburgh for the 9:30 p.m. performance of Tattoo (so excited, by the way) on Aug. 24 and need to find our way back to our ship docked in Rosyth. Could either of you Edinburgh folks give me a suggestion on where to have an Uber (or other car service) pick us up after the performance? We don’t mind walking a bit to get away from the crowd. I’d like to pre-book. I was thinking perhaps a pub or hotel, but I’m very open to suggestions. 
 

Thanks much!

[fruitmachine]

2 hours ago, SophieM said:

We will be in Edinburgh for the 9:30 p.m. performance of Tattoo (so excited, by the way) on Aug. 24 and need to find our way back to our ship docked in Rosyth. Could either of you Edinburgh folks give me a suggestion on where to have an Uber (or other car service) pick us up after the performance? We don’t mind walking a bit to get away from the crowd. I’d like to pre-book. I was thinking perhaps a pub or hotel, but I’m very open to suggestions. 
 

Thanks much!

A pub or hotel is definitely a good idea - if there's a delay with Uber, then you have somewhere to wait.  You might find that pre-booking a Rosyth/Dunfermline taxi is cheaper as Uber will likely be on surge pricing.  Just ask a driver at the taxi queue when you get off the ship.

 

If you're happy with a 10-15 minute (0.7 mile) walk, Ten Hill Place is a good option.  It's far enough away to be clear of the crowd (but not too far) and the walk there is on the flat.

 

If you're happy with a downhill and then small uphill walk, InterContinental Edinburgh The George is a little closer at 0.5 miles

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, SophieM said:

We will be in Edinburgh for the 9:30 p.m. performance of Tattoo (so excited, by the way) on Aug. 24 and need to find our way back to our ship docked in Rosyth. Could either of you Edinburgh folks give me a suggestion on where to have an Uber (or other car service) pick us up after the performance? We don’t mind walking a bit to get away from the crowd. I’d like to pre-book. I was thinking perhaps a pub or hotel, but I’m very open to suggestions. 
 

Thanks much!

Sorry, can't help. Our experience with the Tattoo and the ship docked in Rosyth was we had round trip train tickets, but the train was no longer running when we got there! We ended up taking a taxi.

[SophieM]

1 hour ago, fruitmachine said:

A pub or hotel is definitely a good idea - if there's a delay with Uber, then you have somewhere to wait.  You might find that pre-booking a Rosyth/Dunfermline taxi is cheaper as Uber will likely be on surge pricing.  Just ask a driver at the taxi queue when you get off the ship.

 

If you're happy with a 10-15 minute (0.7 mile) walk, Ten Hill Place is a good option.  It's far enough away to be clear of the crowd (but not too far) and the walk there is on the flat.

 

If you're happy with a downhill and then small uphill walk, InterContinental Edinburgh The George is a little closer at 0.5 miles

Thanks!

[edinburgher]

20 hours ago, SophieM said:

Could either of you Edinburgh folks give me a suggestion on where to have an Uber (or other car service) pick us up after the performance? We don’t mind walking a bit to get away from the crowd. I’d like to pre-book. I was thinking perhaps a pub or hotel, but I’m very open to suggestions. 
 

This is a trickier question to answer  than you might have expected it to be, even for locals.

 

Edinburgh Council has been declaring war on motorists for many years now, and there are obstacles to parking and even to pulling in kerbside.  The latter as there have been a number of cycle lanes constructed and these are separated from general traffic by poles which prevent kerbside stops.  And the new LEZ (Low Emission Zone) kicked in on June 1st.  As taxis and private car hires are not exempt, should you pre-arrange one, you would need to check the vehicle your driver would be driving would be compliant and can enter this zone which covers much of Central Edinburgh. To further complicate matters, many coaches bring groups to the Tattoo from out of town and these park up during the event. They used to park on George IV Bridge but that is no longer possible as it is now reduced to only two lanes, one for each direction. They also used to park on Chambers St which may still be possible, also on Johnston Terrace which I think is also still possible.  This means that these areas will be extra busy as audience members will be making their way to their coaches.

 

Should you pre-arrange a taxi or private hire, ask the driver where he/she would suggest.  My personal suggestion would be either Castle Terrace or King's Stable Road next to it. a few minutes walk to both but all downhill with some of it on even ground, and that would put you  on the west side of the central area in position to head westward to Rosyth so the getaway should be a little faster. 

 

To get there, once you walk the short distance down Castlehill, take a sharp right at the little mini roundabout and walk all the way down Johnston Terrace until you reach the foot of the hill.  Castle Terrace and King's Stable Road are both 2 minutes walk from there, but that is only a suggestion as I do not know for certain due to restrictions, route changes and any ongoing roadworks.. Taxi drivers should definitely know.

Edited June 30 by edinburgher

[SophieM]

40 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

This is a trickier question to answer  than you might have expected it to be, even for locals.

 

Edinburgh Council has been declaring war on motorists for many years now, and there are obstacles to parking and even to pulling in kerbside.  The latter as there have been a number of cycle lanes constructed and these are separated from general traffic by poles which prevent kerbside stops.  And the new LEZ (Low Emission Zone) kicked in on June 1st.  As taxis and private car hires are not exempt, should you pre-arrange one, you would need to check the vehicle your driver would be driving would be compliant and can enter this zone which covers much of Central Edinburgh. To further complicate matters, many coaches bring groups to the Tattoo from out of town and these park up during the event. They used to park on George IV Bridge but that is no longer possible as it is now reduced to only two lanes, one for each direction. They also used to park on Chambers St which may still be possible, also on Johnston Terrace which I think is also still possible.  This means that these areas will be extra busy as audience members will be making their way to their coaches.

 

Should you pre-arrange a taxi or private hire, ask the driver where he/she would suggest.  My personal suggestion would be either Castle Terrace or King's Stable Road next to it. a few minutes walk to both but all downhill with some of it on even ground, and that would put you  on the west side of the central area in position to head westward to Rosyth so the getaway should be a little faster. 

 

To get there, once you walk the short distance down Castlehill, take a sharp right at the little mini roundabout and walk all the way down Johnston Terrace until you reach the foot of the hill.  Castle Terrace and King's Stable Road are both 2 minutes walk from there, but that is only a suggestion as I do not know for certain due to restrictions, route changes and any ongoing roadworks.. Taxi drivers should definitely know.

Thanks, Edinburgher!! Would you happen to have a taxi or car service you would recommend?

[fruitmachine]

1 hour ago, SophieM said:

Thanks, Edinburgher!! Would you happen to have a taxi or car service you would recommend?

Use a Fife-based taxi to come and pick you up.  Much cheaper, plus you're spreading around the money that's usually concentrated in Edinburgh during the Festival: https://www.cruiseforth.com/content/getting-around-rosyth/

[SophieM]

T

3 minutes ago, fruitmachine said:

Use a Fife-based taxi to come and pick you up.  Much cheaper, plus you're spreading around the money that's usually concentrated in Edinburgh during the Festival: https://www.cruiseforth.com/content/getting-around-rosyth/

Thanks!

[edinburgher]

4 hours ago, SophieM said:

Would you happen to have a taxi or car service you would recommend?

Sorry, no, as we use public buses when not using our own car.

Edited June 30 by edinburgher

[onyx007]

August must be hell in Edinburgh, not only of the heath, and remember it's not only Fringe, but the only month the Military Tattoo is on, and as I have seen at the same time there is also a book festival and probably many other events...

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, onyx007 said:

August must be hell in Edinburgh, not only of the heath, and remember it's not only Fringe, but the only month the Military Tattoo is on, and as I have seen at the same time there is also a book festival and probably many other events...

Probably more for residents than visitors with much to see and do. I've been in Edinburgh twice in August, once on a land trip and a second time from a cruise. The cruise had an overnight, so we went to the Scottish Military Tattoo.

 

(DW was probably there more times as her father was born in Scotland before emigrating to the US to work for British Airlines (still BOAC at the time.)

 

[fruitmachine]

On 6/28/2024 at 9:46 PM, Globaliser said:

 

The Fringe shows that are on while you are there (8 am to 5 pm on 5 August 2024) should be listed on this page (if the filtering carries through properly). Having a play with the filters suggests that shows can start from about 10 am.

 

However, if by "out" you mean on the streets, like those you see in the photos, those are more likely to be artists who are simply promoting their shows (hence the leaflets they're handing out) rather than performing on the streets.

 

For what it's worth, I'm not sure that Fringe time is necessarily extra crowded. I was there on a warm sunny Saturday afternoon in late March this year, and the streets looked pretty much like that. (Which, to a Londoner, isn't particularly crowded at all.)

 

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Probably more for residents than visitors with much to see and do. I've been in Edinburgh twice in August, once on a land trip and a second time from a cruise. The cruise had an overnight, so we went to the Scottish Military Tattoo.

 

You've just got to love that only in Edinburgh will there be 1,056 results in @Globaliser's link for shows on one day, only between the hours of 8am and 5pm!  

 

A few locals get grumpy, but they usually fail to see that there are benefits as well as down-sides to almost any economic activity.  This lifelong resident wants everyone to enjoy themselves and return another year, whether in August or on a dreich winter day. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-50476008)

Edited Monday at 05:18 PM by fruitmachine

[edinburgher]

2 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

link for shows on one day, only between the hours of 8am and 5pm!  

And those will be the early ones as some shows begin late evening and others after midnight and even some shows during the night for those with the stamina😁

Edited Monday at 07:35 PM by edinburgher