Plan your journey: check festive timetables for Edinburgh and Lothian
Lothian Buses has published its Christmas and New Year bus timetables with transport running throughout the festive season and special night buses for Hogmanay.
Willie Hamilton, Head of Operations for Lothian Buses, said the company was well prepared and ready for a busy few weeks but checking timetables was essential for passengers.
“We would advise customers to plan their journey and stay informed. We are running services throughout Christmas and the New Year,” he said.
Christmas and New Year bus times
Lothian buses will finish operating earlier on Christmas Eve at 9.30pm and a special service timetable will run on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
A Saturday service will operate from Monday December 27 until Thursday December 30.
On December 31 a Saturday service will operate up until about 9.30pm with extended city centre diversions in place and some services curtailed.
After the bells, a night bus service will operate to get revellers safely home after a night of fun and fireworks across the city and beyond.
On New Year’s Day, January 1, and January 2 a special timetable will operate.
Busy Hogmanay expected
“We are incredibly lucky to have a fantastic team working all year round,” said Willie. “We will have drivers, engineers and support colleagues on the ground throughout Christmas and New Year.
“Hogmanay is quite a big operation for us – we cover key points across the city to ensure customers can get to where they need to go.
“It will be busy and we are expecting a good turnout for the celebrations. We would advise customers to plan in advance and make sure they know where to catch their bus on the night. ”
Contactless is easiest
Bus passengers can pay by cash (exact fare only) or can pay in advance for tickets using the app. But using your bank card or mobile payment device to make a contactless payment is the easiest way to travel on Lothian Buses.
Capped contactless payments always work out the cheapest fare, said Willie. A daily cap is set so that no matter how many times you use your contactless card on the buses you will never pay more than the maximum daily fare. And if you travel regularly then it’s worth knowing that journeys made between Mondays and Sundays are capped at the same price as a weekly pre-paid ticket – which will include your special Hogmanay night bus ticket.
For more information and to check out the Christmas and Hogmanay timetable please visit the website here.