Commutable stay for the Edinburgh fringe 2025?

[Cloo]

So I've long wanted to recreate a family holiday I had as a kid when we did the Edinburgh Festival/Fringe and then the Highlands. Kids are at a good age for it now, and thinking maybe train up there (or possibly overnight coach to save £££), the train to Highlands and hire a car there.

Now I knew Festival Edinburgh accommodation would be very expensive but having looked.... YIKES. We always do self catering but at this rate it looks like our only options are the teenagers will have to lump it and share a bedroom for 4 or 5 nights so we can be in Edinburgh 'proper', or we stay outside somewhere where you might be able to take a train back there until late in the evening that's no more than about a half hour away?

Any suggestions for managing this are appreciated. Hotels are out, sharing a small space is out - husband is a snorer so we need in the very least a sofa in a separate space that one of us can sleep on if required.

 

[dessiato]

Have a look at Port Seton. There's a decent bus service from there into Edinburgh. There's a Haven caravan place which is likely to be a lot but the caravans sleep up to 8 so per person will not be too bad.

You could go to Dunbar, although it's not especially close it has a good train service.

Avoid North Berwick. It's definitely commutable but is like to be very expensive, partly because they have a parallel fringe festival.

 

[kebabking]

It's a bit outside your parameters, but Berwick-upon-Tweed might be a good bet - you'll want to check on trains and stuff, but it's on the east coast mainline - it's about 55 minutes from the centre of Edinburgh by car.

You'll save a fortune.

My daughter did the Fringe this year with her theatre group - they all live in Glasgow and commuted. 45 minutes on the train.

 

[Sue]

Have you looked at accommodation hired out by the various universities? Also places like Polmont/Linlithgow/Falkirk are on two different main train lines running from Edinburgh. There are late services during the Festival and they're pretty quick to get to.

 

[Elpenor]

I’ve not been there but someone I know in Edinburgh tells me he wants to retire to Peebles, Not sure it’s on a train line though

 

[Sue]

I’ve not been there but someone I know in Edinburgh tells me he wants to retire to Peebles, Not sure it’s on a train line though

No, it's not. Driveable though not sure the roads are great.

 

[Elpenor]

No, it's not. Driveable though not sure the roads are great.

Ah, that’s interesting. Friend who mentioned it does not drive.

I was thinking along the lines of a nice place to be if you wanted the option to be away from Edinburgh but that’s the bias of someone who hates cities and crowds coming through I think

 

[Cloo]

I noticed a few caravans listed in Port Seton.

Oldest has said they are OK to share a room (they were the main one who might have an issue) - frankly since they took part in a protest last summer when they slept outdoor on a metal grate for a week with several other people they have basically lost the right to complain about sleeping arrangements

Will have to move quickly on a 2 bedder in Edinburgh as there's already not many available.

 

[kalmatthew]

I recently stayed in YHA style place Linlithgow very close to the station pretty cheap clean if basic I hand an ensuite room but some rooms had shared facilities. Train links to Edinburgh were pretty good. I'll see if I can dig out the details as I didn't book it.

 

[danny la rouge]

Have you looked at accommodation hired out by the various universities? Also places like Polmont/Linlithgow/Falkirk are on two different main train lines running from Edinburgh. There are late services during the Festival and they're pretty quick to get to.

of the three I’d choose Linlithgow. It’s a nice wee town. I’ve got several friends who live there.

I have fond memories of living in Falkirk in the 80s, but it’s not fared well and is pretty much a ghost town now.

 

[steeplejack]

If you drive, try Fife, Dunfermline’s decent & 30 mins away with a fair wind.

 

[Plumdaff]

If you're able to stay in the city it does mean you're more flexible and able to go to stuff on a whim, it's not the festival unless you go to something utterly random because you were handed a flyer.

Linlithgow's a decent shout, but I'd probably just stay in Glasgow, then you get two excellent cities, and it's easy to travel between them.

 

[Cloo]

I've found one possible Edinburgh airbnb - bit of a risk as it's new on. I don't think it's a scam or anything, but obviously without reviews you don't know if it's on a main road or next to a noisy pub etc. Might ask owner (who's already answered a query) if she might share the address so we can check exact location in order to assuage doubts. We did have a good experience with an unrated airbnb once when we had to abandon camping at the last minute due to weather in Cornwall, so it's not always a disaster.

Plumdaff - interesting thought about Glasgae...

 

[danny la rouge]

I'd probably just stay in Glasgow

I mean, that’s the best idea of all. Saves the travelling too.

 

[kalmatthew]

I recently stayed in YHA style place Linlithgow very close to the station pretty cheap clean if basic I hand an ensuite room but some rooms had shared facilities. Train links to Edinburgh were pretty good. I'll see if I can dig out the details as I didn't book it.

Sorry its take a while, it turns out it's the unimaginatively named Linlithgow Hostel

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

I've found one possible Edinburgh airbnb - bit of a risk as it's new on. I don't think it's a scam or anything, but obviously without reviews you don't know if it's on a main road or next to a noisy pub etc. Might ask owner (who's already answered a query) if she might share the address so we can check exact location in order to assuage doubts. We did have a good experience with an unrated airbnb once when we had to abandon camping at the last minute due to weather in Cornwall, so it's not always a disaster.

Plumdaff - interesting thought about Glasgae...

If she gives you the address, you could trying doing an HM Land Registry search to check the name on the title deed matches hers (if the register covers Scotland?).

The search only costs £3, which might potentially save you from losing hundreds in a scam.

 

[geminisnake]

I was going to suggest Dunfermline as well, especially if they up the train's during the festival, you can get a late night train back there, I've done that with Velouria.

 

[pogofish]

You can get quite a few places out of the centre but on a main bus/tram/night bus route that aren't nearly as bad price-wise, esp if you know your dates and can book early enough. Even they tend to rise significantly nearer the time though.

The main bus routes and some Citylink/Lothian routes run pretty late but the secondary routes can go on to a really infrequent service after the evening peak and are often pretty useless after 9pm. So that would rule-out many peripheral places that you need two buses to reach.

Glasgow is indeed a very viable option and IIRC they do tend to put-on a number of extra late night trains to help people get hone from events.

I have stayed out in Dunfermline before and its a place I have many fond memories of but I didn't find its late night transport access quite as good, although somewhere in easy reach of the Ferrytoll or Halbeath transport interchanges would have the best range of bus services/latest times.

If you have a vehicle, driving and parking in central Edinburgh is IMO really best avoided these days.

 

[pogofish]

The Airlink 100 airport bus service also goes through a good few residential areas and runs 24/7, although it goes on to an approx 30minute service sometime between 11pm and midnight till @4:30/5am, so somewhere along that route is also viable. The newer/cheaper Airport Express service also runs from 3:30am through to 11:55pm (10:55 on Sundays) on a 30minute off-peak/15minute-peak) schedule but to my memory has fewer stops outside the centre compared to the Airlink.

Times we have been down in recent years, the Premier Inn at Edinburgh Park Station has been our go-to. Easy access to/from the main roads north, out of the worst central traffic/congestion, no problems parking - and they will extend free parking to cover your departure day if you ask and supremely well connected to the city/central Scotland transport network - Several city and Lothian routes terminate right outside it, there is a station on the mainline to Glasgow and beyond (Balloch/Loch Lomond IIRC) across the road and over the station bridge, there is the tram stance and night bus stop, so 24/7!

OK, there is damn-all else in its immediate vicinity, its a modern hotel on a big/dull business park but if you just need somewhere to lay your head/have a bite of breakfast whilst spending most of your time in the centre, its a winner and often much cheaper than central places.