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Students
You do you, we’ll do the travel
Welcome to Edinburgh!
Our buses are an essential part of everyday life in Edinburgh. Whether you’re heading to class, off for a night on the town or catching up with friends over a coffee, Lothian Buses is the best way to get around.
With a variety of payment options and frequent services across 365 days a year, Lothian Buses are here to help you navigate the city effortlessly. Hop on board and start exploring your new city today!
How to use the bus
Locate Your Bus Stop
Find the bus stop for your chosen bus service via the flag at the top of the bus stop. When you see your bus approaching, signal to the driver that you wish to board by extending your hand.
Pay For Your Travel
There are different ways to pay for your travel: Young Scot NEC (Free Under 22s Bus Travel), Student Ridacard, pre-paid app tickets, contactless, or cash.
Indicate Your Stop
As you approach your destination, please make sure you press the stop button to let the driver know in plenty of time that you wish to disembark.
Resident in Scotland?
Aged 21 and under?
You’re entitled to FREE bus travel!
We’ve got plenty of ways to pay.
Contactless
Contactless is the best way to pay for travel on our buses! You can use it to buy paper tickets from the driver, or adult passengers can benefit from discounted daily and weekly capping when using TapTapCap.
In-app Tickets
In the Bus & Tram app, you can purchase a range of tickets (including discounted bundles of Day Tickets) for use on Lothian Buses, East Coast Buses, Airlink, Skylink, Lothian Country, or Edinburgh Trams.
Cash
All of our buses accept cash payments when boarding. Please be aware that exact change is needed when paying with cash on our buses, no change will be given.
Cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard, ApplePay, GooglePay
American Express is not accepted. Please be aware that cards issued outside of the UK may incur overseas transaction fees applied by your bank or card issuer.
For adult passengers, tap the same card or mobile payment device for every journey across our entire network, and we’ll automatically charge you the cheapest daily or weekly fare for the journeys you’ve made. You’ll never pay more than you need to, even if your plans change.
Not eligible for free travel in Scotland? Grab yourself a Ridacard at a discounted student rate!
Ridacard offers you unlimited travel on:
Lothian city buses • NightBus services • Airport buses • Lothian Country (city zone & cityWEST zone) • East Coast Buses (city zone a & county zone b) • Edinburgh Trams
Student Ridacard Prices*
| 1-week Advance Purchase | £19 |
| 4-week Advance Purchase | £57 |
| 9-month Advance Purchase (available September/October only) |
£500 |
| Annual Advance Purchase | £570 |
| Direct Debit Monthly | £50 |
*To purchase a student Ridacard, you’ll need a currently valid, photo-ID matriculation card from one of the following Universities and Colleges: Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh Theological Seminary, Heriot-Watt University, Newbattle Abbey College, Queen Margaret University Edinburgh, SRUC (formerly Scottish Agricultural College), The Edinburgh College (formerly Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and Stevenson College) and University of Edinburgh. Full details can be found in our Ridacard Terms & Conditions.
You can pick up your Student Ridacard from one of our TravelHubs, handily located in Edinburgh’s city centre at either Shandwick Place or Waverley Bridge.
Route Maps & Journey Planning
Heriot-Watt University
Queen Margaret University
Newbattle Abbey College
Edinburgh Theological Seminary
Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)
West Lothian College
Simplify your late night travel
Most of our night services run from around midnight until 4.30am every day with tickets from £3.00.
Lothian has partnered with Strut Safe to provide additional support after your late-night travels. Strut Safe is a friendly voice to keep you company and help you feel safe until you are through the door.
Together, we’re committed to enhancing your experience in Edinburgh, ensuring you feel supported and connected as you navigate the city late at night.
Got a question that you can’t find an answer to?
Have a look at our Help Centre for our Frequently Asked Questions.