Will you be joining us for the 20th Annual Meeting of the Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering. (22nd) 23rd- 24th October 2024? Here are some travel tips.
Travel and accommodation
Travelling by plane
Edinburgh has a well-connected airport (EDI) with public transport links to the city centre. There are buses and trams that go between the airport and city centre – more on that below
Should you find yourself struggling to find a good connection to Edinburgh airport, it is also possible to fly to Glasgow (about 2 hours by bus from Edinburgh centre) or Manchester (about 3 hours by train, Scotrail).
Public Transport in Edinburgh
The best way to get around Edinburgh are buses and the tram. There is a guide for visitors here.
The tram or bus from the airport to the city centre takes around 35 minutes. For the tram, you can buy a single or return ticket from the machine at the platform. If you decide to take the bus, you can buy an airport single or return ticket from the driver.
Traveling on the bus within Edinburgh, it is best to pay with a contactless payment card when entering the bus. All fares within the city (excluding trips to or from the airport) cost the same. If you pay with the same card every time, the price for daily and weekly tickets is automatically capped, so you won’t overpay. Alternatively, you can also buy tickets in the Lothian app or pay in cash (but no change is given!).
Tram tickets always have to be bought at the platform – you cannot buy them on board. A ticket inspector will almost always check you so keep your ticket handy.
Google maps or the Lothian app can help you find the quickest connection to your destination. Stops on the bus are not always announced, so keep an eye on the map.
The conference venue is the Craiglockhart campus of Edinburgh Napier University. The campus is to the West of the city centre and direct bus connections to different parts of Edinburgh make for convenient travel from the city centre. Bus lines 4, 10, 27 and 45 stop directly outside the conference venue at the bus stop “Craiglockhart Campus”
Hotels
There are many hotels in the city centre. Staying a bit further from the centre, towards West end or Haymarket areas, might be cheaper and closer to the conference venue. The top of Leith walk and New town are also well connected and might offer guest house or hostel options.
There is more information on the Visit Scotland website.
Hotel suggestions in downtown Edinburgh, price per night including breakfast (prices are flexible so they might change):
Wilde Aparthotels Edinburgh Grassmarket – £204 per night
Apex City of Edinburgh Hotel – £172 per night
Point A Hotel Edinburgh Haymarket – £170 per night
ibis Edinburgh Centre South Bridge – £162 per night
The Haymarket Hotel – £117 per night
Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel – £84 per night
Also check out the below offer from our evening venue: (use code “FUNCTION” for 15% off)
Travelling to the UK
- If you bring electrical appliances, they will probably need an adapter to work with UK sockets – do not forget to pack one!
- The UK is outside the EU. You will most likely need a passport to enter the UK, even as an EU citizen.
- You can check if you need a visa here https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
- Nationals of some countries will also need electronic travel authorisation (ETA) -you can check that here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta
- Here is more information about what you can do as a visitor “on business” https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor/visit-on-business
- Roaming within the UK might not be included in your foreign mobile contract. The airport and Lothian buses have WIFI, if you find yourself stranded without data. It will also be available at the conference venue.
- The UK uses British Pounds. Most likely you won’t need cash, as card payments are widely accepted. Be aware of Scottish bank notes (three Scottish retail banks are allowed to issue currency and these are far more commonly seen than the Bank of England ones) and that they could be more difficult to exchange once you get home.
- Edinburgh is in time zone UTC+1 at time of the conference, one hour behind Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Stockholm…
- The weather in Edinburgh in October is generally moderate – pleasant but on the cool side. Bring clothes for wind and rain.
- The emergency number in the UK is 999 but 112 will also work. The non-emergency number for the police is 101.