£2–3 gets you from Heriot‑Watt/Sighthill to EDI without a taxi
Skylink 300 is a standard Lothian city bus that runs between Edinburgh Airport and the west/south‑west suburbs, hitting Sighthill, Wester Hailes and the Heriot‑Watt area in around 35–50 minutes depending on traffic. You pay regular city fares (roughly £2–3 single with contactless), not premium airport pricing, which is why students and airport staff rate it for everyday use.
The 300 stops right outside the airport terminal at the Lothian bus stance, so you walk less than 2–3 minutes from arrivals. Buses run roughly every 20 minutes during daytime, with thinner evening and Sunday service that can stretch gaps to 30–40 minutes if you just miss one. It uses low‑floor city buses, so expect front‑door boarding and standard stop buttons rather than luggage racks and seat reservations.
On the suburban side, the route loops through Sighthill and Wester Hailes and serves stops used by Heriot‑Watt students and staff, but locals say this loop is why it feels much slower than a 15–20 minute taxi. Some riders mention that stop naming around Heriot‑Watt can be confusing, and getting off one stop early can add a 10‑minute walk with bags. Check the stop names in the Lothian app and match them to your postcode before boarding.
How to ride Skylink 300 step by step
- 1. Find the stand at EDI: From arrivals, follow signs for buses for about 150–200 metres and look for the Lothian airport stands; check the shelter displays for “300 Skylink.”
- 2. Pay as you board: Have contactless card/phone or exact coins ready; a single to Sighthill/Heriot‑Watt sits in the standard Lothian city band at roughly £2–3.
- 3. Pick your seat smartly: With no dedicated luggage racks and prams using the wheelchair bay, regulars sit upstairs or at the back and slide smaller bags under seats.
- 4. Watch the loop: The bus threads through multiple housing estates in Sighthill and Wester Hailes, so watch the screen for your stop and expect a 35–50 minute ride instead of car‑style timings.
- 5. For early flights, have a backup: Heriot‑Watt students often switch to a short taxi to Edinburgh Park tram stop for 06:00–07:00 departures, because the 300’s early‑morning timetable can leave 30‑minute gaps.
What regulars do and what to watch out for
Airport staff along the route say they plan around specific 300 departures rather than treating the “every ~20 minutes” headline as turn‑up‑and‑go, especially after 21:00. Riders also warn that the slow grind through estates can add 10–15 minutes at rush hour versus off‑peak schedules.
Watch out for three things: limited space when prams and suitcases clash in the central bay, evening and Sunday waits of up to 30–40 minutes if you just miss a bus, and slightly confusing Heriot‑Watt stop names. One practical tip: screenshot the timetable for your exact stop and set an alarm 10 minutes before the bus you want; that small bit of planning usually saves a taxi fare of £20–30 from this side of town.