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Location notes
This location is 5 - 10 minutes walk from Edinburgh Waverley station.
Railway type and traffic
The location is the entry point to Edinburgh for both trains off the Glasgow and Aberdeen routes and has crossovers from the 4 tracks that make up both routes.
Passenger trains include ScotRail Class 156 / 158 / 170 / 318 / 322 on local services; East Coast HST and Class 91+DVT on ECML services, Cross Country Voyagers and the daily Virgin West Coast Pendolino to Euston.
Freight traffic is sparse and unpredictable as there is the option of sending trains via the suburban loop but DB Schenker coal trains, Freightliner cement trains and the daily DB Schenker steel train between Lackenby and Dalziel may appear.
Passenger trains include ScotRail Class 156 / 158 / 170 / 318 / 322 on local services; East Coast HST and Class 91+DVT on ECML services, Cross Country Voyagers and the daily Virgin West Coast Pendolino to Euston.
Freight traffic is sparse and unpredictable as there is the option of sending trains via the suburban loop but DB Schenker coal trains, Freightliner cement trains and the daily DB Schenker steel train between Lackenby and Dalziel may appear.
Environment
The line passes between Edinburgh Princes Street Gardens and the base of Edinburgh Castle and is in shade at certain times of the day.
Road directions
Car parking is notorious but there is an NCP park nearby.
Drive along Princes Street to the West End along the A8 marked 'Glasgow'. At the end of Princes Street take the left turn onto Lothian Road marked A702 for 'Lanark'. After 100 yards take the first of 2 left hand turns into Kings Stables Road and the NCP entrance is on the right hand side.
Once the car is parked return to Kings Stables Road and the entrance to the gardens will be seen. Walk through and follow the path to the railway foot bridge; at this point veer to the right keeping the railway on your left hand side and continue to the next footbridge.
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Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens map co-ordinates
Drive along Princes Street to the West End along the A8 marked 'Glasgow'. At the end of Princes Street take the left turn onto Lothian Road marked A702 for 'Lanark'. After 100 yards take the first of 2 left hand turns into Kings Stables Road and the NCP entrance is on the right hand side.
Once the car is parked return to Kings Stables Road and the entrance to the gardens will be seen. Walk through and follow the path to the railway foot bridge; at this point veer to the right keeping the railway on your left hand side and continue to the next footbridge.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens map co-ordinates
Parking
Best in the NCP car park as described above.
On street parking is both expensive and closely monitored.
On street parking is both expensive and closely monitored.
Public transport
From Waverley station:
Simply walk up the ramp onto Waverley Bridge and cross the road. Turn right and follow the pavement round to the left keeping the gardens on your left hand side. Continue walking along Princes Street until the next main road on your left - called The Mound. Cross the road and the entrance to the main Princes Street Gardens is immediately ahead. Go down the steps to the promenade then continue down to the bottom level and follow the footpath to the bandstand. At the bandstand veer to the left and walk around, keeping the bandstand on your right hand side. On your left will appear a footpath leading over the footbridge; continue over and the location is immediately underneath.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Simply walk up the ramp onto Waverley Bridge and cross the road. Turn right and follow the pavement round to the left keeping the gardens on your left hand side. Continue walking along Princes Street until the next main road on your left - called The Mound. Cross the road and the entrance to the main Princes Street Gardens is immediately ahead. Go down the steps to the promenade then continue down to the bottom level and follow the footpath to the bandstand. At the bandstand veer to the left and walk around, keeping the bandstand on your right hand side. On your left will appear a footpath leading over the footbridge; continue over and the location is immediately underneath.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
Toilets are just at the end of the footbridge. There are plenty of food outlets in the area.
Accommodation
Plenty of accommodation is available in Edinburgh.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens
Streetmap links
Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens general view map
Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens
Googly map
Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens general view map
Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
The location runs on an east - west axis but is in the lee of both Edinburgh Castle and the cutting in which it sits.
Trains can be shot in both directions but the use of crossovers makes it difficult to know the direction of travel until very much the last minute.
The favoured location is the pedestrian bridge behind the bandstand and most people stand under the bridge - The use of a small pair of ladders (3 steps) is highly recommended.
Trains can be shot in both directions but the use of crossovers makes it difficult to know the direction of travel until very much the last minute.
The favoured location is the pedestrian bridge behind the bandstand and most people stand under the bridge - The use of a small pair of ladders (3 steps) is highly recommended.
General views - All photographs © Fred Kerr unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking east
A train departing from the local tunnel crossing over onto the Glasgow route.
Fig 2 - Looking west
A Voyager approaching on the Glasgow route
Fig 3 - Looking east
A Voyager departing on the Glasgow route.
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
