Bus 45 in Edinburgh links Joppa Pans and Heriot Watt Campus. The route is 21.4 km long with 72 stops, and the official schedule from Lothian Buses puts the full trip at about 79 minutes. On a weekday it runs 26 trips in one direction, and 10 on a weekend day.
Route at a glance
| Mode | Bus |
|---|---|
| Route number | 45 |
| City | Edinburgh |
| Operator | Lothian Buses |
| Start → end | Joppa Pans → Heriot Watt Campus |
| End → start | Heriot Watt Campus → Joppa Pans |
| Route length | 21.4 km / 19.3 km in the opposite direction |
| Number of stops | 72 / 64 in the opposite direction |
| Travel time | about 79 minutes |
| Trips per day | 26 on weekdays, 10 on weekends one way |
| Frequency | peak 29–51 · midday 1–37 · weekend 58–60 |
| First / last trip from «Joppa Pans» | 05:54 / 18:38 |
| First / last trip from «Heriot Watt Campus» | 07:00 / 19:48 |
| Fare | 2.40 £ (fare in effect since 22 February 2026) |
| Updated | August 22, 2026 |
Route of Bus 45
Outbound: Joppa Pans → Heriot Watt Campus
This direction has 72 stops and runs 21.4 km. The route passes Seaview Terrace, Meadowbank House, Bruntsfield Place, Rustic Cottages. Below is the full list with the distance from the first stop.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joppa Pans | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Seaview Terrace | 0.2 km | |
| 3 | Coillesdene Drive | 0.4 km | |
| 4 | Morton Street | 0.8 km | |
| 5 | Brunstane Road North | 1.0 km | |
| 6 | Pitville Street | 1.2 km | |
| 7 | Bellfield Lane | 1.4 km | |
| 8 | Windsor Place | 1.6 km | |
| 9 | Portobello Town Hall | 1.9 km | |
| 10 | Bridge Street | 2.0 km | |
| 11 | King’s Road | 2.3 km | |
| 12 | Goff Avenue | 2.7 km | |
| 13 | Telferton | 2.8 km | |
| 14 | Parker Road | 3.0 km | |
| 15 | Moira Terrace | 3.2 km | |
| 16 | Piershill Cemetery | 3.5 km | |
| 17 | Piershill Square East | 3.9 km | |
| 18 | Piershill Square West | 4.1 km | |
| 19 | Meadowbank House | 4.4 km | |
| 20 | Meadowbank Stadium | 4.6 km | |
| 21 | Wishaw Terrace | 5.0 km | |
| 22 | Marionville Road | 5.1 km | |
| 23 | Abbeyhill | 5.3 km | |
| 24 | Brunton Place | 5.7 km | |
| 25 | Wellington Street | 5.9 km | |
| 26 | Brunswick Street | 6.2 km | |
| 27 | Leopold Place | 6.3 km | |
| 28 | Leith Street | 6.7 km | |
| 29 | South Bridge | 7.5 km | |
| 30 | National Museum of Scotland | 7.9 km | |
| 31 | Lauriston Place | 8.3 km | |
| 32 | Lauriston Building | 8.5 km | |
| 33 | Chalmers Street | 8.7 km | |
| 34 | Home Street | 9.2 km | |
| 35 | Whitehouse Loan | 9.6 km | |
| 36 | Bruntsfield Place | 10.0 km | |
| 37 | Holy Corner | 10.2 km | |
| 38 | Napier University (Merchiston) | 10.4 km | |
| 39 | George Watsons College | 10.8 km | |
| 40 | Gillsland Road | 11.1 km | |
| 41 | Gray’s Loan | 11.3 km | |
| 42 | Polwarth Terrace | 11.6 km | |
| 43 | Meggetland Terrace | 11.7 km | |
| 44 | Perdrixknowe | 12.1 km | |
| 45 | Craiglockhart Sports Centre | 12.5 km | |
| 46 | Glenlockhart Valley | 12.7 km | |
| 47 | Craiglockhart Campus | 12.9 km | |
| 48 | Craiglockhart Park | 13.2 km | |
| 49 | Craiglockhart Road | 13.4 km | |
| 50 | Elliot Road | 13.8 km | |
| 51 | Redford Barracks | 14.1 km | |
| 52 | Merchiston Castle School | 14.4 km | |
| 53 | Rustic Cottages | 14.6 km | |
| 54 | Colinton Village | 14.9 km | |
| 55 | Spylaw Bank | 15.5 km | |
| 56 | Muirend Avenue | 16.0 km | |
| 57 | Foulis Crescent | 16.3 km | |
| 58 | Juniper Green Kirk | 16.6 km | |
| 59 | Woodhall Drive | 16.7 km | |
| 60 | Baberton Avenue | 16.8 km | |
| 61 | Juniper Avenue | 17.2 km | |
| 62 | Muir Wood Road | 17.6 km | |
| 63 | Nether Currie | 17.8 km | |
| 64 | Bryce Road | 18.1 km | |
| 65 | Easter Currie | 18.3 km | |
| 66 | Currie Library | 18.6 km | |
| 67 | Currie Primary School | 19.0 km | |
| 68 | Weavers Knowe Crescent | 19.1 km | |
| 69 | Corslet Road | 19.6 km | |
| 70 | Garden Centre | 19.9 km | |
| 71 | The Avenue | 21.2 km | |
| 72 | Heriot Watt Campus | 21.4 km | Terminus |
Inbound: Heriot Watt Campus → Joppa Pans
This direction has 64 stops and runs 19.3 km. The route passes The Avenue, Muirend Avenue, Meggetland Terrace, South Bridge. Below is the full list with the distance from the first stop.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heriot Watt Campus | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | The Avenue | 0.2 km | |
| 3 | Garden Centre | 1.7 km | |
| 4 | Corslet Road | 2.0 km | |
| 5 | Weavers Knowe Crescent | 2.4 km | |
| 6 | Currie Primary School | 2.7 km | |
| 7 | Currie Library | 3.0 km | |
| 8 | Easter Currie Court | 3.2 km | |
| 9 | Bryce Road | 3.5 km | |
| 10 | Nether Currie | 3.8 km | |
| 11 | Muir Wood Road | 4.0 km | |
| 12 | Juniper Avenue | 4.4 km | |
| 13 | Juniperlee | 4.6 km | |
| 14 | Baberton Avenue | 4.7 km | |
| 15 | Juniper Green Kirk | 5.0 km | |
| 16 | Foulis Crescent | 5.3 km | |
| 17 | Muirend Avenue | 5.5 km | |
| 18 | Cross Road | 5.8 km | |
| 19 | Spylaw Bank | 6.1 km | |
| 20 | Colinton Village | 6.7 km | |
| 21 | Rustic Cottages | 7.0 km | |
| 22 | Merchiston Castle School | 7.3 km | |
| 23 | Redford Barracks | 7.6 km | |
| 24 | Elliot Road | 7.9 km | |
| 25 | Elliot Place | 8.1 km | |
| 26 | Craiglockhart Road | 8.2 km | |
| 27 | Craiglockhart Park | 8.4 km | |
| 28 | Craiglockhart Campus | 8.6 km | |
| 29 | Glenlockhart Valley | 8.9 km | |
| 30 | Craiglockhart Sports Centre | 9.2 km | |
| 31 | Perdrixknowe | 9.4 km | |
| 32 | Meggetland Terrace | 9.7 km | |
| 33 | Polwarth Terrace | 10.1 km | |
| 34 | Gray’s Loan | 10.3 km | |
| 35 | Gillsland Road | 10.6 km | |
| 36 | George Watsons College | 10.8 km | |
| 37 | Napier University (Merchiston) | 11.2 km | |
| 38 | Holy Corner | 11.3 km | |
| 39 | Bruntsfield Place | 11.5 km | |
| 40 | Viewforth | 11.7 km | |
| 41 | Whitehouse Loan | 12.0 km | |
| 42 | Home Street | 12.4 km | |
| 43 | Glen Street | 12.6 km | |
| 44 | Lauriston Building | 13.0 km | |
| 45 | Forrest Road | 13.4 km | |
| 46 | National Museum of Scotland | 13.6 km | |
| 47 | South Bridge | 13.9 km | |
| 48 | Leith Street | 14.6 km | |
| 49 | Leopold Place | 15.2 km | |
| 50 | Brunswick Street | 15.4 km | |
| 51 | Wellington Street | 15.6 km | |
| 52 | Brunton Place | 15.8 km | |
| 53 | Abbeyhill | 16.1 km | |
| 54 | Marionville Road | 16.4 km | |
| 55 | Meadowbank Stadium | 16.7 km | |
| 56 | Meadowbank House | 17.2 km | |
| 57 | Piershill Square West | 17.4 km | |
| 58 | Piershill Square East | 17.6 km | |
| 59 | Piersfield Terrace | 17.8 km | |
| 60 | Piershill Cemetery | 18.1 km | |
| 61 | Moira Terrace | 18.4 km | |
| 62 | Parker Road | 18.6 km | |
| 63 | Goff Avenue | 18.9 km | |
| 64 | Marine Garage | 19.3 km | Terminus |
Schedule and frequency
According to the official schedule from Lothian Buses, the route runs 26 trips in one direction on a weekday, and 10 on a weekend day.
| Direction | Weekdays | Weekends and holidays |
|---|---|---|
| From «Joppa Pans» | 05:54 — 18:38 | 08:22 — 17:20 |
| From «Heriot Watt Campus» | 07:00 — 19:48 | 09:17 — 18:17 |
Frequency calculated from the departure table: in the morning peak buses run every 29–51 minutes, most often every 30; midday every 1–37 minutes; in the afternoon peak every 35–40; on weekends every 58–60 minutes.
Fare and payment
A single ride costs 2.40 £ — fare in effect since 22 February 2026. The same fare applies to Lothian buses in Edinburgh.
A single bus journey costs £2.40 and covers one journey only — it gives no transfer and is not valid on Edinburgh Trams. A City DAYticket is £6.00 and works on both bus and tram; contactless travel is capped at £5.70 a day.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a ride on bus 45 cost?
2.40 £ for a single ride — fare in effect since 22 February 2026.
When do the first and last trips run?
From Joppa Pans the first is at 05:54 and the last at 18:38. From Heriot Watt Campus they are 07:00 and 19:48.
How long does the trip from Joppa Pans to Heriot Watt Campus take?
About 79 minutes end to end — the median of full trips in the official schedule.
How many stops does the route have?
72 outbound and 64 inbound according to the official GTFS feed. The two lists do not match exactly.
Does bus 45 run on weekends?
Yes. On weekends and holidays there are 10 trips in one direction, running from Joppa Pans between 08:22 and 17:20.
Every route number with its termini, operating hours and travel time is collected in the Edinburgh buses overview.
Data current as of August 22, 2026. Schedule and termini — Lothian Buses. Fares — Lothian Buses. Stop list, schedule and route geometry come from the official GTFS feed (Bus Open Data Service (BODS)).