EDINBURGH GUIDE EDINBURGH GUIDE MONEY Currency: Pound Sterling, £1 = 100 pence present it together with your purchased goods Essential Information and receipt to custom authorities upon your de- Money 3 Exchange your money at the airport if you can parture. There is a special booth for this purpose – the bureaux de change (currency exchange of- just prior to the entrance to the international area Communication 4 The capital of Scotland is a place full of his- fices) situated there usually offer a good rate with at the international port, gate or airport. The tory and culture. Its medieval historical her- little or no surcharge. The banks are your second goods must leave the EU within three months of Holidays 5 itage is recognized by UNESCO and its mu- best option. Be aware that bureau de change of- purchase. fices in the city may have good exchange rate but Transportation 6 seums, galleries and university belong to the most renowned in the UK. the fees can be very high. Prices 8 When you venture beyond the compact old Food Meal, inexpensive restaurant – £17.75 town you will be amazed by the colorful di- Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, how- Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant, three-course Events During The Year 9 versity of the districts – from the Royal Mile, a ever Amex and Diners Club cards may not be ac- – £44.91 showcase of history, to the busy shopping area cepted everywhere. At the entrance to any es- 10 Combo Meal at McDonalds or similar – £4.55 Things to do of the West End or charming Leith, situated by tablishments, there are always stickers showing Bottle of water at supermarket – £0.67 the sea. Wherever you go, you will discover a which cards are accepted. In Scottish shops, it is DOs and DO NOTs 11 Domestic beer (0.5 liter, draught) – £2.89 unique combination of history, urban culture very common to pay even the smallest amounts Cappuccino – £1.83 and contemporary innovations. with a card. Activities 15 Souvenir t-shirt – £15 No trip to Edinburgh is complete without tak- Gasoline (1 liter) – £1.27 ing part in some festival as the city is often . Hostels (average price/night) – £15 called the world's Festival City. The choice 4* hotel (average price/night) – £120 of festivities is amazing and the experience is The local banks issue Scottish banknotes. They Car-hire (medium-sized car/day) – £40 memorable: the streets liven up with events, are valid in the rest of UK as well but some shops Emergency Contacts may not accept them, but they can be exchanged performances and spontaneous gatherings. Tipping Emergency number: 999, 112 in UK banks for British Pounds, or if you want to Time Zone make sure you receive British pound bills, with- Tipping is common in restaurants, however if ser- draw your money with from an ATM run by a for- vice is included in the bill, it is still customary to tip GMT/UTC +00:00 hour eign bank. 10 – 15%. It doesn’t work the same way in pubs BST – British Summer Time UTC/GMT +1 though – there may be tipping trays but generally hour, March to September Scotland is a relatively expensive country and the it is not expected. Tip 10% to the taxi driver or a costs of living here are higher than in other Euro- bit more if he helps you with your luggage. pean countries. Tax Refunds You are eligible for a VAT (Value Added Tax) re- fund on your shopping if you are non-EU citizen and spend your money in a shop that is part of the Tax Free network. VAT is 16 % and the minimum amount that needs to be spent varies across shops. Don’t forget to fill out the form and 2 3 COMMUNICATION HOLIDAYS Electricity January, 1 – New Year's Day The standard electricity supply in Scotland is 240 January, 2 – New Year Holiday volt (50 Hz AC). You will probably need an adapter Good Friday with three large rectangular pins arranged in a tri- Easter Monday angular pattern. May Day (1st Monday in May) Spring Bank Holiday (last Monday in May) Languages Summer Bank Holiday (1st Monday in August) November, 30 – St. Andrew's Day English is the main language though Scottish December, 25 – Christmas Day Gaelic is sometimes spoken here as well. Scots, December, 26 – Boxing Day a local dialect and accent, is quite different from what tourists are used to as 'English'. Apart from Opening Hours the most touristy places, don’t expect people to The general opening hours are Monday to Sat- have mastered any other languages. urday 9 AM to 5 PM. Many shops are open on Sundays, too. Some larger supermarkets are Mobile Phones open 24/7. Post offices are open Monday to Scotland uses the standard GSM mobile network. Friday 9 AM to 5 PM and banks operate from If coming from non-GSM country, you may need Monday to Thursday between 9.30 AM and 12.30 to check your phone for compatibility. PM and again from 1.30 PM to 3.30 PM. Pubs usually close at 11 PM. The main museums are The mobile phone coverage of some rural parts open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. Almost all shops of Scotland is still not satisfactory. and institutions are closed on the main holidays, namely Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Christmas Internet Day, and New Year’s Eve. There are also regional Free Wi-Fi hotspots and internet kiosks are read- holidays which vary from city to city but don’t ily available all around Edinburgh and Scotland’s usually affect opening times. other cities. Internet access in McDonalds, Star- buck’s and other chains is a sure thing. Internet Resources Scotland Tourist Board (www.visitscotland. com) Edinburgh's Official Internet Site (www.edinburgh. org) 4 5 TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION Public Transportation Prices are calculated according to length of Central Edinburgh is not very suitable for driving Buses – the principal means of public transport journey and distance, with a surcharge applic- if you don’t know the city well – it is a labyrinth in Edinburgh and, operated by Lothian Buses, able at night and on national holidays. of one-way streets. Note that on-street parking is one of the most extensive transport systems If you wish to travel beyond the City of Edin- in the center is forbidden unless you have a resi- in the UK. The First Edinburgh Company mostly burgh area, you need to settle on the price in dents parking permit. This rule is enforced strictly runs buses connecting Edinburgh with surround- advance. and the fines are quite high. ing towns. Though the companies share bus +44 131 229 2468 (Central Radio Taxis – Black Speed limits: stops, tickets are not transferable and the tariff Cabs) Built-up areas: 30mph (48km/h) systems are different. Tickets can be purchased +44 131 228 1211 (City Cabs – Black Cabs) Outside built-up areas: 60mph (96km/h) from the driver; you need to have the exact fare +44 131 610 1234 (Edinburgh Taxi minicabs) Motorways: 70mph (112km/h) ready as drivers do not have access to cash and Dual Carriageway and Motorway: 70mph Regional Transportation cannot give change. (112km/h) Lothian buses: Trains – First ScotRail (www.scotrail.co.uk) and Blood alcohol limit: 80mg of alcohol per 100ml A single ticket valid for one journey regardless of National Rail (www.nationalrail.co.uk) – operate of blood distance or time is £1.40 (70p for children). A day the majority of Scottish train connections. Trav- Drive on the left. ticket is £3.50 (£2 for children). The Night ticket – eling by train is very comfortable but also a bit Children under 12 and 135cm must be seated unlimited travel throughout the night is £3, child pricey. in a child seat. fare not available. It is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving. Coaches – the slower but cheaper option. Main Walkability Fares with First Edinburgh vary according to the operators are: Megabus (www.megabus.com) destination – just tell the driver where you want and Citylink (www.citylink.co.uk) Note that when Edinburgh is definitely a walkable city, compact to go. traveling from Edinburgh or Glasgow, the roads enough to be explored on foot. Many attractions may be very congested and the journey delayed are located around the Royal Mile and the major- Trains – Waverley station is the main transporta- considerably. ity of other sights are conveniently reachable as tion hub. Trains are handy for reaching the south well. western and south eastern suburbs and adjacent Ferry – regular services operate between most towns. Standard National Rail fares are valid on of the islands. The main operator is Caledonian trains; you need to check before boarding. MacBrayne (www.calmac.co.uk) Edinburgh First (www.firstgroup.com) Lothian Buses (lothianbuses.com) Driving National Rail (www.nationalrail.co.uk) The first thing to note is that you drive on the left. The the major access roads to the main cities are Taxis likely to get congested during peak hours. Due to The system is the same as in other British cities. the mountainous terrain, the journey may take Black Cabs – can be hailed from the street or considerably longer than expected. Be aware at Taxi ranks. that Scottish drivers tend to be less careful and Minicabs – need to be booked in advance. respectful than those in England. Apart from in All taxis have to be equipped with meters. the Central Belt, road conditions are questionable and well below European standards.