United Kingdom
United Kingdom in 5 days
5 days through London and Edinburgh. Each city follows its own plan from the stop base, and the trains in between are counted.
- 2 cities
- 21 stops
- 4 h 08 by train
- £451 to £576 per person
Data checked on October 7, 2026
The route at a glance
London comes first because it has the biggest airports and the most flights, and Edinburgh closes the trip with a single train north. Fly into London and out of Edinburgh and you never retrace your steps.
Days 1 to 2
London
London is spread along the Thames, with the main sights in a few clusters: Westminster, the City and Tower, the South Bank and the West End. Many museums are free, while the Tower, the Abbey and St Paul's sell timed tickets.
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Day 1The City · Tower Hill
- 9:30 amSt Paul's Cathedral
- 11:57 amTower of London
- 5:27 pmBuckingham Palace
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Day 2Westminster · Bloomsbury
- 9:30 amWestminster Abbey
- 11:30 amBritish Museum
- 4:00 pmLondon Eye
- 5:22 pmBig Ben and Parliament Square
London to Edinburgh: 4 h 08 by train
London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley · LNER
Take a train early in the morning or the evening before, so the day in Edinburgh starts on time.
Days 3 to 5
Edinburgh
Edinburgh packs a castle, a royal palace and an extinct volcano into a few square kilometres. The Old Town runs down a ridge of cobbles and stairs, and the Georgian New Town spreads out flat to the north. Most of what you want to see sits within a 20 minute walk of Waverley station, though the hills make it feel longer.
Free walking tour of Edinburgh
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Day 3Holyrood and Arthur's Seat · Old Town
- 9:30 amArthur's Seat
- 1:58 pmNational Museum of Scotland
- 5:02 pmGreyfriars Kirkyard
- 5:51 pmGrassmarket and Victoria Street
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Day 4Old Town · Holyrood and Arthur's Seat
- 9:30 amEdinburgh Castle
- 1:40 pmSt Giles' Cathedral
- 3:00 pmPalace of Holyroodhouse
- 5:12 pmCalton Hill
- 6:24 pmThe Real Mary King's Close
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Day 5Old Town · Stockbridge and the Water of Leith
- 9:30 amThe Royal Mile
- 1:30 pmDean Village
- 2:55 pmRoyal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
- 5:08 pmStockbridge
- 6:44 pmLeith and the Shore
What to book for the whole route
These stops on the route need a ticket bought ahead.
What the route costs
Per person: tickets for the stops on the route, food and local transport. Trains between cities and the hotel are not included.
Stops with a ticket whose price we could not confirm are left out of the sum.
Trains between the cities
LNER runs the direct trains between King's Cross and Waverley, and Lumo also serves the route. Advance tickets are tied to one train, so buying early gives the widest choice of times, while flexible tickets let you take any train that day. On a busy day it is worth adding a seat reservation.
When to go
May, June and September give mild weather, long light and shorter queues in both cities. August is the busiest month, mainly because of the Edinburgh festivals.
Before you go
- Book timed tickets for the Tower of London and Edinburgh Castle before you leave home.
- Check the departure board at King's Cross early, because the platform is usually shown only shortly before the train leaves.
- Carry a rain layer in every season, because the weather changes quickly in both cities.
- Travel with the luggage you can carry up stairs: Edinburgh's closes and many Tube stations have no lift.