London to Edinburgh by direct coach
Bus to Edinburgh from London by National Express & Megabus
National Express bus from London to Edinburgh Coach services from London to Edinburgh are operated by two UKs’ well-known carriers - National Express and Megabus.
National Express and Megabus provide a direct intercity coach service between London and Edinburgh. There is no other coach operator, which offers similar shuttle service between these two cities.
National Express offers up to 4 direct services per day, while Megabus has about 4 connections a day.
Some National Express and Megabus services terminate in Edinburgh, but most of them are not intended to serve the route from London to Edinburgh only, the coaches run on larger distances and Edinburgh is only an intermediate stop.
The National Express direct coach links between London and Edinburgh have various numbers, there is no specific line. There are also some indirect NXs’ routes between these cities, which require connecting at Birmingham Coach Station. M17 & M20 are the Megabus lines from London to Edinburgh.
Megabus coach service from London to Edinburgh Most of the services from Edinburgh to London begin their journey at one of the UKs’ northern cities or towns, however, all terminate at Victoria Coach Station in London (see details below).
Useful links to coach timetables & fares
On this page you’ll also find:
- How to buy tickets online
- Carriage of luggage & bikes
- Alternate transportation: trains, car rentals, planes
- Accommodation in London and Edinburgh
National Express & Megabus’ coaches are high-class vehicles, equipped with toilet, air conditioning, reclining seats and radio. Both carriers put the safety and comfort of passengers first, so the vehicles are equipped with a large number of safeguards. The operators are using modern vehicles with large panoramic windows and increased legroom. Some coaches on this route provide free Wi-Fi and can take passengers in wheelchairs on board the bus.
Travelling between London and Edinburgh with National Express and Megabus takes about 9½ hours. This is one of the cheapest transport options between Central London and Edinburgh.
Go to National Express or Megabus website to check current timetable and prices and book a ticket for your journey.
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Timetables and fares...
Bus to Edinburgh from London by National Express
| National Express service number | ▼ | 591 |
591 |
596 | 594 |
| Days of operation | ▼ | Daily | Daily | Daily | Daily |
| Period(s) of operation | ▼ | - | a |
b | - |
| LONDON, Victoria Coach Station | Dep. | 09:00 | 11:00 | 23:00 | 23:00 |
| LONDON, (Golders Green) |
Dep. | 09:35 | - | - | 23:25 |
| HEATHROW AIRPORT, Central Bus Station | Dep. | - | - | 23:35 | - |
| TROWELL SERVICES, Pause | Time | - | - | - | 15mins |
| WOODALL SERVICES, Pause | Time | 35mins | - | - | - |
| KNUTSFORD SERVICES, Pause |
Time | - | - | 30mins | - |
| FERRYBRIDGE SERVICES, Pause | Time | - | 45mins | - | 15mins |
| EDINBURGH, Bus Station |
Arr. | 18:35k | 20:10 | 7:40 | 7:55 |
Bus to London from Edinburgh by National Express
| National Express service number | ▼ | 591 |
591 | 596 | 594 |
| Days of operation | ▼ | Daily | Daily | Daily | Daily |
| Period(s) of operation | ▼ | c | - | d | 1 |
| EDINBURGH, Bus Station | Dep. | 08:00 | 9:45 | 22:00 | 21:45 |
| FERRYBRIDGE SERVICES, Pause | Time | 45mins | - | - | 15mins |
| KNUTSFORD SERVICES, Pause | Time | - | - | 30mins | - |
| WOODALL SERVICES, Pause | Time | - | 35mins | - | - |
| TROWELL SERVICES, Pause | Time | - | - | - | 15mins |
| HEATHROW AIRPORT, Central Bus Station | Arr. | - | - | 5:55 | - |
| LONDON, (Golders Green) | Arr. | - | 19:05k | - | 5:55 |
| LONDON, Victoria Coach Station | Arr. | 17:20k | 19:50k | 6:40 | 6:20 |
1 = Does not operate 24 December.
a = Operates from 31 July until 27 August & then 21 - 24, 27 - 31 December & 2 - 5 January.
b = Operates from 23 May until 15 September & then 21 - 24, 27 - 31 December & 2 - 5 January.
c = Operates from 30 July until 26 August & then 20 - 23, 26 - 30 December & 1 - 4 January only.
d = Operates from 22 May until 14 September & then 20 - 23, 26 - 30 December & 1 - 4 January only.
k = Operates 15 minutes later Fridays (except 26 December & 3 April but additionally 2 April).
Bus and coach boarding points
| LONDON, Victoria Coach Station, Departure Hall |
| LONDON (Golders Green), Bus, Station, Stops GD/GE |
| HEATHROW AIRPORT, Central Bus Station |
| EDINBURGH, Elder Station, |
| WOODALL SERVICES, M1 Motorway |
| KNUTSFORD SERVICES, M6 Motorway, for stops/pauses only |
| FERRYBRIDGE SERVICES, junction A1/M62 Motorway |
| TROWELL SERVICES, M1 Motorway |
Prices for online tickets
| London to Edinburgh by NX |
Adult | Youth/Senior | Child | Online Booking | |||
| Single | Return | Single | Return | Single | Return | ||
| London to Edinburgh (Standard) |
from £42.80 | from £64.70 | from £34.20 | from £51.80 | from £21.40 | from £32.35 |
London to Edinburgh |
| Edinburgh to London (Standard) | from £42.80 | from £64.70 | from £34.20 | from £51.80 | from £21.40 | from £32.35 | Edinburgh to London |
| London to Edinburgh (APEX/Funfare) | from £16 one way | from £16 one way | from £16 one way | London to Edinburgh | |||
| Edinburgh to London (APEX/Funfare) | from £16 one way | from £16 one way | from £16 one way | Edinburgh to London | |||
- Age categories: Children: 3-15 years, Seniors: 60+ years. Children aged under 3 travel free.
>>> National Express BUS TO EDINBURGH on-line booking <<<
Timetables and fares...
Coach to Edinburgh from London by Megabus
| Various service numbers | ▼ |
MB |
MB | MB | MB | MG |
| Days of operation | ▼ | Daily | Daily | Daily | Daily | Daily |
| LONDON, Victoria Coach Station | Dep. | 09:30 | 15:00 | 16:30 | 22:30 | 23:00 |
| EDINBURGH, St Andrew's Square Bus Station | Arr. | 18:50 | 01:15 | - | 7:15 | 7:15 |
| EDINBURGH, North St David Str. |
Arr. | - | - | 1:40 | - | - |
MG = MegabusGold sleeper service
Coach to London from Edinburgh by Megabus
| Various service numbers | ▼ | MB | MB | MB | MG | MB |
| Days of operation | ▼ | Daily | Daily | Daily | Daily | Daily |
| EDINBURGH, St Andrew's Square Bus Station | Dep. | 05:15 | 05:45 | 11:35 | 22:45 | 23:00 |
| LONDON, Victoria Coach Station | Arr. | 15:30 | 15:30 | 21:00 | 6:50 | 8:00 |
MG = MegabusGold sleeper service
Bus and coach boarding points
| LONDON, Victoria Coach Station, Departure Hall |
| EDINBURGH, St Andrew's Square Bus Station |
| EDINBURGH, North St David Str. |
Prices for online tickets
| London to Edinburgh by Megabus |
Adult | Youth/Senior | Child | Online booking |
|||
| Single | Return | Single | Return | Single | Return | ||
| London to Edinburgh |
from £1+50p one way | from £1+50p one way | from £1+50p one way | London to Edinburgh | |||
| Edinburgh to London |
from £1+50p one way | from £1+50p one way | from £1+50p one way | Edinburgh to London | |||
- Age categories: Children: 3-15 years, Seniors: 60+ years. Children aged under 3 travel free.
>>> Megabus BUS TO EDINBURGH on-line booking <<<
How to buy tickets online for travel from London to Edinburgh?
To purchase tickets online for National Express routes you can do it directly at the Europebus home page using a journey planner provided. You can also do it on the National Express website. For Megabus connections visit Megabus website. Simply fill out all fields in the journey planner and follow the instructions to buy a ticket. Discounted tickets are also available for youths, children and seniors. If you book early and your travel dates and times are flexible, you may get ticket with a discount. Early booking is highly recommended, because services between London and Edinburgh are very popular and the coaches are fully booked on some days.
Carriage of luggage and bikes
Luggage policy for the National Express bus to Edinburgh: The National Express’ coach driver will load and unload customers’ luggage but customers are responsible for seeing their own luggage onto and off the coach on which they are travelling.
Each customer has a free luggage allowance of two medium sized suitcases, weighing no more than 20 kilograms each and 1 piece of hand luggage, which must be located on the shelf above your head or under the passenger seat. >>> NX's BUS TO EDINBURGH on-line booking <<<
Luggage policy for the Megabus bus to Edinburgh: Megabus doesn’t check luggage or provide receipts for luggage transported on the bus by the passenger. Passengers are advised that Megabus will accept up to one piece of luggage per passenger. For guidance this should be no more than the size of a standard suitcase and should not weigh more than 20kg. Passengers can also take on board one small piece of luggage that must fit either on your lap or under the seat in front of you. >>> Megabus BUS TO EDINBURGH on-line booking <<<
Of course you can take a bike but... In a bike bag as carry-on luggage, semi-dismantled, free of charge. You can take a bicycle with you as carry-on luggage free of charge on any coach, if you put it in a zip-up 'bike bag', with wheels and pedals removed and handlebars turned. Bike bags are available from most cycle shops, for example www.wiggle.co.uk
Overview of alternative transports between London and Edinburgh. Trains & airlines services within the UK
If our information is insufficient for you to convince you to travel by coach, or simply you don’t like this transportation arrangement then we encourage you to take advantage of rail or in some cases flight services. If you want to travel for example from London to Edinburgh or vice versa by train we suggest you to visit the Train Line website, while good flights between British cities are recommend on the Budget Air’s website
Rail services in the UK are fast, frequent and convenient. Tickets can be bought in advance easily via a train reservation service available at the Train Line website
Regular air links to distant cities in Britain can be checked and booked at www.budgetair.co.uk. Flights connections are available to various destinations in the UK, Europe and worldwide.
Car Rental
If you need a car abroad, please use the information provided on Rent a car page. There you can rent a car online with proven rental agency located throughout Europe. You'll save money because you don't have to pay commission to the agent. Car hire online
Are you looking for a budget hotel or hostel?
On our Accommodation page you can book a hotel room or place in a hostel. This online hotel reservation system is easy to use. With this tool you can choose from thousands of hotels, offered all over the world. You also save time and money because you do not pay intermediaries.