Edinburgh Waverley Station sits at the heart of the city, tucked into the valley between the Old Town and the New Town. It is Britain’s largest railway station outside London, handling long-distance, regional, and commuter services while serving as a key gateway to the Scottish capital.
The station is named after Waverley, the historical novel by Sir Walter Scott. Published in 1814, the book gave rise to the famous “Waverley Novels” and helped cement Scott’s reputation as one of Scotland’s most important writers. The novel’s central character, Edward Waverley, is an English soldier whose travels into Scotland reflect the period’s cultural and political tensions. The name links the station firmly to Edinburgh’s literary heritage, a theme echoed throughout the city.
Waverley has three main entrances, each connecting it to a different part of Edinburgh. The Waverley Steps link the station directly to Princes Street, while Waverley Bridge provides access from the west, close to the bus station and the Old Town. Market Street runs along the southern edge of the station, affording a more discreet route in and out beneath the historic Royal Mile.
The station is one of Edinburgh’s two mainline railway hubs, the other being Haymarket Station, located to the west of the city centre. Together, they handle the majority of long-distance rail traffic into and out of the capital. Waverley is the second-busiest station in Scotland, behind only Glasgow Central.
East Coast Main Line
Edinburgh Waverley is also the northern terminus of the East Coast Main Line, which runs south through England to London King’s Cross. This makes it an important stopping point for services linking Scotland with cities such as Newcastle, York, and London.
Layout
For first-time visitors, the station’s layout can feel confusing. The platforms sit in a wide curve, and navigation is not always intuitive. However, there is a logic to the design: the platforms are arranged in a broadly clockwise fashion, which becomes clearer once you are familiar with the station.
Today, Edinburgh Waverley Station is operated by Network Rail, which is responsible for its maintenance, upgrades, and day-to-day operation. Despite its size and complexity, the station remains an essential part of Edinburgh’s transport infrastructure and one of the city’s most important points of arrival and departure.
See the Haymarket Station page.
