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London to Edinburgh by train
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First train06:12
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Last train23:53
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Avg changes0
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Fastest journey4hr 16m
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Distance533 kilometres
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Trains per day27
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Avg. journey time5hr 10m
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Train operators
Travelling from London to Edinburgh by train
Fast trains from London to Edinburgh take around 4 hours and 16 minutes, covering a distance of approximately 533 kilometres. There are frequent services on the rail route between London and Edinburgh.
1. Are there direct trains from London to Edinburgh?
Direct trains from London to Edinburgh have been found.
We usually find around 27 direct trains on the route from London to Edinburgh every weekday.
Trains are typically more frequent on weekends, when we found around 29 departures.
2. How long is the train journey from London to Edinburgh?
The London to Edinburgh train travel time is normally about 4 hours and 16 minutes, whatever time you make the journey.
3. What are the London to Edinburgh train times and schedule?
On weekdays the earliest direct train to Edinburgh is usually scheduled to depart London around 06:12 and the last train is around 23:53. This is the same at the weekend.

What's the London to Edinburgh train price?
The earlier you book the better, and the cheapest tickets we've found for trains from London to Edinburgh are $31.58.
Trains departing 30 days in advance will cost around $59 while booking 7 days in advance the price is around $48. Booking on the day of travel is likely to be more expensive, so it is worth booking in advance if you can to save money.
When to book London to Edinburgh train tickets?
Trains in the UK usually open for booking around 3 months in advance. If booking is not yet open for your dates then you can set a booking alert to receive an email on the day that the cheapest tickets are released for your journey from London to Edinburgh by train.
Which train companies operate between London and Edinburgh?
More than one train company operates on the route from London to Edinburgh, so you’ll be travelling with one or more of the following rail operators:
- Caledonian Sleeper
- East Coast
- London North Eastern Railway
- Serco Caledonian Sleeper
- Virgin East Coast
You can check which train you’ll be travelling on by looking for the train name in search results.
Other journeys to Edinburgh (Waverley, city centre) View all journeys to Edinburgh (Waverley, city centre)
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From York From $20.19
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From Glasgow From $18.40
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From Aberdeen From $6.87
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From Leeds From $24.44
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From Newcastle From $14.42
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From Birmingham From $32.68
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From Dundee From $7.28
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From Peterborough From $26.50
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From Doncaster From $25.68
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From Lancaster From $42.98
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From Sheffield From $25.27
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From Crewe From $15.11
East Coast route
It is easy to take the train from London to Edinburgh, the classic Flying Scotsman route. Since 2015, the train services from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh have been operated by Virgin Trains East Coast. All trains offer a choice of First and Standard-Class seating. There are no spectacular mountain landscapes on the route from London to Edinburgh, but you will catch a glimpse of a trio of English cathedrals (Peterborough, York and Durham) and there is some very fine coastal scenery as the train crosses the Anglo-Scottish border.
An alternative route to Edinburgh leaves from London Euston station. There are both daytime and overnight services on the Euston route, but even the fastest daytime trains take an hour longer than the main East Coast line from King’s Cross.
London to Edinburgh (Waverley, city centre)

Your journey to Edinburgh starts at London King’s Cross station – the station from where Harry Potter departs on the legendary Hogwarts Express. The fastest services to the Scottish capital make just four intermediate stops – normally at York, Darlington, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Berwick-upon-Tweed. Some slower services may make as many as eleven stops. Sit on the right of the train for fine coastal views on the latter part of the journey. The trains on this route are mainly modern electric InterCity 225 services. A small number of London to Edinburgh services rely on older but extremely comfortable diesel trains (called HSTs).
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