Staying in Haymarket and Edinburgh's West End

What it's like to stay in Haymarket and the West End

Haymarket sits at the western edge of the city centre, where the West End's terraces meet the busy junction around Haymarket station. It is Edinburgh's second railway station, with fast trains to Glasgow, Stirling, Perth and the north, and the airport tram stops right outside.

That makes it one of the most practical places to stay in Edinburgh, especially if you are travelling on to other parts of Scotland, flying in late, or coming for an event at Murrayfield or the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC). Princes Street's west end is about ten minutes away on foot, and the castle is a little further.

The West End itself is a smart, quieter neighbourhood of Victorian and Georgian streets around Palmerston Place and St Mary's Cathedral, with the theatres and concert halls of Lothian Road close by. Evenings are calmer than in the Old Town, with plenty of pubs, independent restaurants and late-opening places around Haymarket and Dalry Road.

It is also a good base for walking. Dean Village and the Water of Leith are a short stroll north, and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art is a pleasant walk along the river from there.

Things to do in and around Haymarket and the West End

• Walk down to Dean Village and follow the Water of Leith to Stockbridge.
• Catch a show at the Usher Hall, the Lyceum or the Traverse.
• Visit the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (free) on Belford Road.
• See a rugby international or a summer concert at Murrayfield.

Getting to Haymarket and the West End

• From the airport, the tram to Haymarket takes about 20 minutes.
• Trains from Glasgow Queen Street stop at Haymarket before Waverley, so get off one stop early.
• Lothian buses run along Princes Street and Shandwick Place into the centre every few minutes.