Why go
Arriving at Waverley gives Edinburgh an immediate sense of scale: the station sits below the Castle and beside Princes Street, with the Old Town rising on one side and the New Town on the other. It is also a useful rail hub for onward journeys across Scotland. Use the station as a central landmark when choosing accommodation, meeting points or the first walk of a visit.
The full story
Waverley is an arrival point that explains Edinburgh’s layout before you have left the station. It lies in the hollow between the Old Town and New Town, beside Princes Street Gardens and below Edinburgh Castle. Opened in 1846 and rebuilt between 1892 and 1902, it still carries the elaborate ironwork and domed roof of its Victorian rebuilding; cherubs appear among the scrollwork overhead. From the platforms, the city’s two main urban forms are close at hand: Princes Street and the planned Georgian streets to the north, and the rising medieval route towards the Royal Mile to the south. The station is also a major Scottish rail hub, so check your onward connection before leaving the platforms. Choose an exit that matches your final address, and allow extra time for the climb if your accommodation is in the Old Town.
Useful to know
- Allow time to find the correct exit at Waverley before setting off towards the Old Town or Princes Street.
- Check current rail operators, connections and advance-ticket rules before booking longer journeys.