Bus 49 in Edinburgh links Fort Kinnaird and Royal Infirmary. The route is 17.1 km long with 57 stops, and the official schedule from Lothian Buses puts the full trip at about 77 minutes. On a weekday it runs 55 trips in one direction, and 39 on a weekend day.
Route at a glance
| Mode | Bus |
|---|---|
| Route number | 49 |
| City | Edinburgh |
| Operator | Lothian Buses |
| Start → end | Fort Kinnaird → Royal Infirmary |
| End → start | Royal Infirmary → Fort Kinnaird |
| Route length | 17.1 km / 17.7 km in the opposite direction |
| Number of stops | 57 / 57 in the opposite direction |
| Travel time | about 77 minutes |
| Trips per day | 55 on weekdays, 39 on weekends one way (49 on weekdays → Fort Kinnaird) |
| Frequency | peak 2–21 · midday 20 · weekend 17–35 |
| First / last trip from «Fort Kinnaird» | 04:49 / 23:50 |
| First / last trip from «Royal Infirmary» | 05:38 / 23:11 |
| Fare | 2.40 £ (fare in effect since 22 February 2026) |
| Updated | August 22, 2026 |
Route of Bus 49
Outbound: Fort Kinnaird → Royal Infirmary
This direction has 57 stops and runs 17.1 km. The route passes Fort Kinnaird East, Portobello Road, Summerfield Place, Bernard Terrace. Below is the full list with the distance from the first stop.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Kinnaird | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Fort Kinnaird East | 0.3 km | |
| 3 | Milton Link | 1.4 km | |
| 4 | Corbiewynd | 1.6 km | |
| 5 | Parrotshot | 1.8 km | |
| 6 | The Jewel | 2.0 km | |
| 7 | Magdalene Drive | 2.2 km | |
| 8 | Milton Road | 2.4 km | |
| 9 | Durham Place Lane | 2.9 km | |
| 10 | Southfield Place | 3.3 km | |
| 11 | Brighton Place | 3.5 km | |
| 12 | Portobello Town Hall | 3.8 km | |
| 13 | Bridge Street | 4.1 km | |
| 14 | King’s Road | 4.3 km | |
| 15 | Portobello Road | 4.7 km | |
| 16 | Bryce Avenue | 4.9 km | |
| 17 | Vandeleur Avenue | 5.2 km | |
| 18 | Christiemillar Avenue | 5.5 km | |
| 19 | Craigentinny Crossroads | 5.6 km | |
| 20 | Loganlea Road | 5.8 km | |
| 21 | Loaning Road | 6.0 km | |
| 22 | Restalrig Drive | 6.2 km | |
| 23 | Findlay Avenue | 6.5 km | |
| 24 | Sleigh Drive | 6.8 km | |
| 25 | Lochend Avenue | 7.0 km | |
| 26 | Restalrig Circus | 7.3 km | |
| 27 | Ryehill Terrace | 7.5 km | |
| 28 | Summerfield Place | 7.8 km | |
| 29 | Somerset Place | 8.0 km | |
| 30 | Duke Street | 8.3 km | |
| 31 | Academy Street | 8.4 km | |
| 32 | Foot of the Walk | 8.7 km | |
| 33 | Balfour Street | 9.1 km | |
| 34 | Pilrig Street | 9.4 km | |
| 35 | Shrubhill | 9.7 km | |
| 36 | Elm Row | 10.1 km | |
| 37 | Leith Street | 10.5 km | |
| 38 | South Bridge | 11.3 km | |
| 39 | Surgeons’ Hall | 11.7 km | |
| 40 | St Partick Square | 12.1 km | |
| 41 | Bernard Terrace | 12.3 km | |
| 42 | Newington Road | 12.6 km | |
| 43 | Salisbury Place | 12.8 km | |
| 44 | Minto Street | 13.1 km | |
| 45 | Mayfield Gardens | 13.4 km | |
| 46 | East Savile Road | 13.6 km | |
| 47 | Suffolk Road | 14.0 km | |
| 48 | Lady Road | 14.2 km | |
| 49 | Cameron Toll Centre | 14.4 km | |
| 50 | Cameron Toll | 14.8 km | |
| 51 | Bridgend Cottages | 15.0 km | |
| 52 | Craigmillar Cemetery | 15.3 km | |
| 53 | Walter Scott Avenue | 15.6 km | |
| 54 | Kingston Avenue | 16.0 km | |
| 55 | Craigmillar Castle Road | 16.2 km | |
| 56 | RH for Children & Young People | 16.5 km | |
| 57 | Royal Infirmary | 17.1 km | Terminus |
Inbound: Royal Infirmary → Fort Kinnaird
This direction has 57 stops and runs 17.7 km. The route passes RH for Children & Young people, Newington Road, Somerset Place, Bryce Avenue. Below is the full list with the distance from the first stop.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Infirmary | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | RH for Children & Young people | 0.7 km | |
| 3 | Craigmillar Castle Road | 1.0 km | |
| 4 | Kingston Avenue | 1.3 km | |
| 5 | Walter Scott Avenue | 1.6 km | |
| 6 | Craigmillar Cemetery | 1.9 km | |
| 7 | Bridgend Cottages | 2.1 km | |
| 8 | Cameron Toll | 2.5 km | |
| 9 | Cameron Toll Centre | 2.8 km | |
| 10 | Suffolk Road | 3.2 km | |
| 11 | East Savile Road | 3.5 km | |
| 12 | Mayfield Gardens | 3.9 km | |
| 13 | Minto Street | 4.0 km | |
| 14 | Salisbury Place | 4.2 km | |
| 15 | Newington Road | 4.4 km | |
| 16 | Bernard Terrace | 4.8 km | |
| 17 | St Patrick Square | 5.1 km | |
| 18 | Surgeons’ Hall | 5.4 km | |
| 19 | South Bridge | 5.8 km | |
| 20 | Leith Street | 6.6 km | |
| 21 | Elm Row | 7.0 km | |
| 22 | Shrubhill | 7.5 km | |
| 23 | Pilrig Street | 7.8 km | |
| 24 | Balfour Street | 8.1 km | |
| 25 | Foot of the Walk | 8.3 km | |
| 26 | Duke Street | 8.7 km | |
| 27 | Vanburgh Place | 9.0 km | |
| 28 | Somerset Place | 9.2 km | |
| 29 | Gladstone Place | 9.4 km | |
| 30 | Ryehill Terrace | 9.7 km | |
| 31 | Restalrig Circus | 10.0 km | |
| 32 | Lochend Avenue | 10.2 km | |
| 33 | Sleigh Drive | 10.4 km | |
| 34 | Findlay Avenue | 10.6 km | |
| 35 | Restalrig Drive | 10.8 km | |
| 36 | Loaning Road | 11.0 km | |
| 37 | Loganlea Road | 11.3 km | |
| 38 | Craigentinny Crossroads | 11.4 km | |
| 39 | Christiemillar Avenue | 11.6 km | |
| 40 | Vandeleur Avenue | 11.8 km | |
| 41 | Bryce Avenue | 12.0 km | |
| 42 | Portobello Road | 12.4 km | |
| 43 | King’s Road | 12.7 km | |
| 44 | Bridge Street | 13.0 km | |
| 45 | Portobello Town Hall | 13.2 km | |
| 46 | Brighton Place | 13.5 km | |
| 47 | Southfield Place | 13.9 km | |
| 48 | Durham Place Lane | 14.2 km | |
| 49 | Milton Road | 14.4 km | |
| 50 | Magdalene Drive | 14.8 km | |
| 51 | The Jewel | 15.0 km | |
| 52 | Parrotshot | 15.2 km | |
| 53 | Corbiewynd | 15.5 km | |
| 54 | Milton Link | 15.7 km | |
| 55 | Fort Kinnaird East | 17.0 km | |
| 56 | Whitehill Road | 17.2 km | |
| 57 | Fort Kinnaird | 17.7 km | Terminus |
Schedule and frequency
According to the official schedule from Lothian Buses, the route runs 55 trips in one direction on a weekday, and 39 on a weekend day.
| Direction | Weekdays | Weekends and holidays |
|---|---|---|
| From «Fort Kinnaird» | 04:49 — 23:50 | 05:09 — 23:50 |
| From «Royal Infirmary» | 05:38 — 23:11 | 06:02 — 23:11 |
Frequency calculated from the departure table: in the morning peak buses run every 2–21 minutes, most often every 20; midday every 20 minutes; in the afternoon peak every 18–25; on weekends every 17–35 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 49 cost?
2.40 £ for a single ride — fare in effect since 22 February 2026.
When do the first and last trips run?
From Fort Kinnaird the first is at 04:49 and the last at 23:50. From Royal Infirmary they are 05:38 and 23:11.
How long does the trip from Fort Kinnaird to Royal Infirmary take?
About 77 minutes end to end — the median of full trips in the official schedule.
How many stops does the route have?
57 outbound and 57 inbound according to the official GTFS feed. The two lists do not match exactly.
Does bus 49 run on weekends?
Yes. On weekends and holidays there are 39 trips in one direction, running from Fort Kinnaird between 05:09 and 23:50.
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)).