Edinburgh Day Trip from London by Train - 1 Day Tour

Yes. Thanks to the fast rail connection, a day trip from London to Edinburgh is entirely possible.

Our tour travels from London Kings Cross directly to the heart of Edinburgh, giving you time to explore Scotland’s capital, enjoy an open-top city tour and visit Edinburgh Castle before returning to London by train the same evening.

The London to Edinburgh train journey typically takes just over 4 hours.

Subject to availability, we normally book these train times:

Outbound
London Kings Cross Dep: 07:30 hrs
Edinburgh Arr: 11:38 hrs

Return
Edinburgh Dep: 17:00 hrs
London Kings Cross Arr: 21:11 hrs

Along the way, the route passes historic cities including York, Newcastle and Berwick-upon-Tweed before crossing the Scottish border and continuing to Edinburgh.

Yes, you can. This tour includes admission to Edinburgh Castle with a downloadable audio guide.

You’ll have time to explore the castle and see highlights, including the Honours of Scotland - the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Royal Palace and St Margaret’s Chapel.

You can also enjoy spectacular views across Edinburgh from the castle ramparts.

The hop-on, hop-off Edinburgh City Tour introduces you to many of the capital’s most famous attractions. Highlights include the medieval Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish Parliament, the historic Grassmarket, and Greyfriars Bobby.

You’ll also explore the elegant Georgian New Town and see some of the Edinburgh locations associated with J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter stories.

This carefully planned semi-independent tour will stretch your holiday time to the max without making you feel rushed.

A unique combination of travel by train and quality sightseeing will give you extra time to explore Edinburgh in greater detail.

We'll email you all the documentation you need, including your rail tickets. Just show them on your smart device as you go, if required. If you have any questions, just email or WhatsApp us. We’re here to help.

On tour, you’ll travel independently by train to and from London. We’ll make sure you have a reserved seat, and we’ll send you a comprehensive itinerary so you know what’s happening at any time during your tour, plus a helpful route guide to download to your smart device.

When you arrive in Edinburgh, it’s just a short walk to join your open-top bus tour - your itinerary will give you directions! The Edinburgh city tour is a hop-on, hop-off tour with conveniently located stops for visiting the city's key attractions.

Admission to mighty Edinburgh Castle is included, and you can explore using the official castle audio guide.

We do not recommend this tour package for customers who have walking or mobility issues. Please contact us before booking if you would like more information. 

We'll email all your documentation about 21 days before your tour starts. If you require your documentation earlier, just let us know, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your request.

All vouchers and tickets will be electronic, so all you need to do is download them to your smart device, and you’re good to go.

If you don’t have a smartphone or prefer hard copies, the documents we send are printer-friendly.

Yes, of course. Children of all ages are welcome on this 1-day trip from London.

Children aged 0-4 inclusive travel for free. Please email us at bookings@scottishtours.co.uk if you have a young traveller in your party, so we can make the necessary arrangements.

Please note that a seat on the train is not guaranteed. To ensure your child has a seat, please book a place at the child rate.

Children aged 5 to 15 inclusive travel at the discounted child rate.  

No, it’s a semi-independent tour package, which means there will be some elements of the trip where you are on your own and others when you will be travelling as part of a guided tour.

As part of your tour documentation, you’ll receive a personalised itinerary that explains all the tour arrangements, and a tour expert is available by WhatsApp, phone or email if you require any assistance during your trip.  

These tours are ideal for independent spirits, offering a blend of structured sightseeing and relaxing free time.