Travel from Belfast to Edinburgh by Coach

How to get to Edinburgh from Belfast (Northern Ireland) with National Express coaches

Updated January 2010

You can get from Belfast to Edinburgh (or Edinburgh to Belfast) by taking the National Express NI 923 (Ulsterbus) coach. The journey is 7 hours and 30 minutes for the quickest direct buses. You travel across to Scotland by ferry, to Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway and then you continue your coach trip to Edinburgh. Traveling by National Express is a cheap way to get from Belfast to Edinburgh with economy apex return tickets (very cheap tickets) starting at £51.50. Also check the Belfast - Edinburgh flights page for quicker travel.

Tickets and timetables for Belfast - Edinburgh coaches.

There are 2 coaches a day between Belfast Bus Station (Europa Bus Centre) and Edinburgh Bus Station (St. Andrew's Square). National Express through its subsidiary Eurolines UK is the only coach company operating services between Belfast and Edinburgh.

Direct buses from Belfast to Edinburgh (journey time between 7 hours and 30 minutes)

Weekdays Weekend
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Belfast to Edinburgh (NI923)
(departs at 06:30, arrives at 14:05)
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Book bus ticket
Belfast to Edinburgh (NI923)
(departs at 10:45, arrives at 17:50)
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Book bus ticket

Direct buses from Edinburgh to Belfast (journey time between 7 hours and 30 minutes)

Weekdays Weekend
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Edinburgh to Belfast (NI923)
(departs at 09:45 arrives at 17:05)
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Book bus ticket
Edinburgh to Belfast (NI923)
(departs at 15:00, arrives at 22:40)
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Book bus ticket

NOTE: the schedule of buses may change without notice. Please double check with the National Express for the latest travel times for getting to Belfast or Edinburgh.

There is a direct early morning bus only from Belfast to Edinburgh (not the other way around). All other coaches are mid-morning and afternoon services. There are no other direct buses other than the National Express (Eurolines) services listed above. See below the section on non-direct buses.

Instant fares for cheap flights from Belfast to Edinburgh and Edinburgh to Belfast.

All Edinburgh - Belfast buses (National Express) with service times

Direct buses

Daytime coaches

Overnight coaches

There are no direct overnight coaches between Edinburgh, Scotland and Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Indirect buses

National Express/Eurolines do not operate any indirect coaches between Edinburgh, Scotland and Belfast, Northern Ireland.

How long does it take to get from Belfast to Edinburgh by bus

The Belfast - Edinburgh bus takes between 7 hours and 5 minutes and 7 hours and 40 minutes depending on the time of day.

How much does the bus ticket from Belfast to Edinburgh cost

The Belfast - Edinburgh route is a National Express special offer route with Belfast Promo bus fares for return journeys starting at £51.50 (check availability now). These cheap bus tickets (amendable, refundable) are available only online when you book in advance.

Make sure to book in advance for travel on busy periods like Bank Holidays, Half-Term, Christmas Holidays and New Year's.

National Express bus fares between Belfast and Edinburgh

The cheapest National Express tickets for the Belfast coach are Belfast Promo tickets but you need to book these in advance.

Single fares

Return fares

Book Belfast - Edinburgh direct coach tickets

NOTE: Ticket prices may change without notice. Please double check with the National Express for up to date coach fares.

Where does the bus between Belfast and Edinburgh stop

Stops for direct buses

You can buy tickets for travel from any of these stops in Scotland or England to Belfast or Edinburgh.

The direct National Express/Eurolines NI923 bus goes via Stranraer and Glasgow. Full NI923 itinerary: Belfast, Stranraer (Stena Line ferry terminal), Ayr, Glasgow, Edinburgh.

National Express coach services - Web links

Bus Tickets, Timetables and Journey Planner
Use the form to get timetables and tickets for coach trips from Belfast to Edinburgh or Edinburgh to Belfast and anywhere else in the UK. Alternatively, you can buy your ticket from St Andrews bus station or Belfast coach station. Remember that the cheapest Edinburgh - Belfast bus tickets (funfare offers) are available ONLY online.

Address of Belfast Bus Station

Eurolines Coach Station in Belfast
Europa Bus Centre
10 Glengall St
Belfast
County Antrim
Tel: +44 (28) 90337007
Postcode: BT12 5AH

Address of Edinburgh Bus Station

National Express Coach Station in Edinburgh
St Andrew's Square
Edinburgh
Scotland
Tel: +44 (131) 5556363
Tel: +44 (131) 2253858

No exact postcode has been found for St Andrew's Bus Station in Edinburgh

Hotels in Belfast or Edinburgh

LateRooms Hotel Search Edinburgh Hotels
Discount Edinburgh hotels and accommodation in the City Centre.

LateRooms Hotel Search Belfast Hotels
Centrally-located Belfast hotels and accommodation.

>> Back to Edinburgh Coach Travel guide index

All Edinburgh coach travel articles:

See the articles below for more information on travelling by bus or coach to and from Edinburgh.

Coach tickets and discounts Where to buy cheap coach tickets online and available discounts.

St Andrew's Square Bus Station Description of coach station in Edinburgh's St. Andrew's Square and walking directions.

Edinburgh - London by coach Cheap way to get from London to Edinburgh and return is by National Express coach. Travel by day or take the overnight coach.

National Express coach tickets Where to buy cheap funfare tickets for National Express coach routes to Scotland.

Megabus coach tickets Where to buy cheap coach tickets for Megabus bus routes to Scotland from London and within Scotland.

Eurolines passes to Edinburgh How to travel with Eurolines to Edinburgh via London.

Bus from Edinburgh to Glasgow Airport Getting to Glasgow Airport from Edinburgh City Centre by bus.

Bus from Glasgow to Edinburgh Airport Getting to Edinburgh Airport from Glasgow City Centre by bus.

Edinburgh to rest of Scotland by coach Tickets and bus times for popular bus routes within Scotland from Edinburgh or Glasgow to Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth with Megabus/Scottish Citylink.

Around Edinburgh by coach Information on coach travel from Edinburgh to the Scottish Borders and Fife.

Bus routes to and from Edinburgh

Also see:

Edinburgh coach tours Suggestions for tours from and to Edinburgh by private or public coach.

Glasgow - London coach travel Cheap fares and online tickets for getting from Glasgow to London by bus.

Edinburgh travel guide How to travel to and from Edinburgh by different means of transport.

Plan the Best Edinburgh Holiday:

Edinburgh Travel Essentials

Ghost & History Walks to explore the Old Town and Underground Vaults. Dramatised or realistic, from £7.50. Walking Tours

Beautiful Photos from Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle from Salisbury Crags at sunsetEdinburgh panorama from Salisbury Crags with the Castle and the Festival Hub in the center. Photo #G3930

The Shore, Leith Docks, EdinburghImage of the Prince of Wales Dock and the Hydraulic Pumping Station in Leith, Edinburgh. Photo #G0876

Edinburgh Castle from GrassmarketImage of the fortress on Castle Rock seen from Edinburgh's Grassmarket area in the Old Town. Photo #G3730

Origin of 'Edinburgh'

Tourists have problems with the name of Edinburgh. There are hundreds of ways people write it and the most common writings include 'edinburg', 'edinborough', 'edimburgh', 'edinbourgh', 'ediburgh', 'edinbugh', 'edinboro', 'edingburgh', 'edinbrugh', 'edimburg', 'edinburugh', 'edingurgh', 'edinbrough', etc.

According to the Scottish Place Names dictionary, the name Edinburgh means 'Fort of the Rock Face'. The 'edin' part comes from Scottish Gaelic and means 'rock face', while 'burgh' comes from Old English meaning stronghold.

Some more obscure (and quite funny) ways of writing Edinburgh include: edinburough, edingburg, edinbourg, edinburh, edinurgh, edenburg, edinbough, edinbourough, edinbrgh, edingborough, edenburgh, edinberg, edinborgh, edinborugh, edinburge, edinburhg, edingbourgh, etc.

Edinburgh is spelt Edimburgo in Spanish and Italian and Édimbourg in French.

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