Bus 8 in Edinburgh links Waterfront Gait and Royal Infirmary. The route is 13.8 km long with 49 stops, and the official schedule from Lothian Buses puts the full trip at about 60 minutes. On a weekday it runs 51 trips in one direction, and 35 on a weekend day.
Route at a glance
| Mode | Bus |
|---|---|
| Route number | 8 |
| City | Edinburgh |
| Operator | Lothian Buses |
| Start → end | Waterfront Gait → Royal Infirmary |
| End → start | Royal Infirmary → Waterfront Gait |
| Route length | 13.8 km / 14.5 km in the opposite direction |
| Number of stops | 49 / 57 in the opposite direction |
| Travel time | about 60 minutes |
| Trips per day | 51 on weekdays, 35 on weekends one way |
| Frequency | peak 20–22 · midday 20 · weekend 25–45 |
| First / last trip from «Waterfront Gait» | 04:58 / 23:57 |
| First / last trip from «Royal Infirmary» | 04:34 / 23:26 |
| Fare | 2.40 £ (fare in effect since 22 February 2026) |
| Updated | August 22, 2026 |
Route of Bus 8
Outbound: Waterfront Gait → Royal Infirmary
This direction has 49 stops and runs 13.8 km. The route passes Edinburgh College, Fraser Avenue, Broughton Street, Suffolk Road. Below is the full list with the distance from the first stop.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterfront Gait | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Edinburgh College | 0.3 km | |
| 3 | Granton Mains East | 0.4 km | |
| 4 | Caroline Park Grove | 0.8 km | |
| 5 | Royston Mains Street | 0.9 km | |
| 6 | Royston Mains Road | 1.0 km | |
| 7 | Pilton Drive North | 1.4 km | |
| 8 | Granton Primary School | 1.8 km | |
| 9 | Pilton Crescent | 2.0 km | |
| 10 | Wardie Crescent | 2.4 km | |
| 11 | Grierson Avenue | 2.7 km | |
| 12 | Boswall Green | 2.9 km | |
| 13 | Fraser Avenue | 3.2 km | |
| 14 | Wardie Road | 3.4 km | |
| 15 | St James Church | 3.8 km | |
| 16 | Goldenacre Terrace | 4.0 km | |
| 17 | Warriston Gardens | 4.1 km | |
| 18 | Warriston Drive | 4.3 km | |
| 19 | Royal Botanic Garden | 4.5 km | |
| 20 | Canonmills | 4.9 km | |
| 21 | Rodney Street | 5.1 km | |
| 22 | Mansfield Place | 5.5 km | |
| 23 | Broughton Place | 5.6 km | |
| 24 | Broughton Street | 5.8 km | |
| 25 | Leith Street | 6.1 km | |
| 26 | South Bridge | 6.9 km | |
| 27 | Surgeons’ Hall | 7.3 km | |
| 28 | St Partick Square | 7.6 km | |
| 29 | Bernard Terrace | 7.8 km | |
| 30 | Newington Road | 8.1 km | |
| 31 | Salisbury Place | 8.3 km | |
| 32 | Minto Street | 8.6 km | |
| 33 | Mayfield Gardens | 8.9 km | |
| 34 | East Savile Road | 9.2 km | |
| 35 | Suffolk Road | 9.5 km | |
| 36 | Lady Road | 9.8 km | |
| 37 | Nether Liberton Lane | 10.0 km | |
| 38 | Orrok Park | 10.1 km | |
| 39 | Glenallan Drive | 10.5 km | |
| 40 | Glenvarloch Crescent | 10.9 km | |
| 41 | Claverhouse Drive | 11.1 km | |
| 42 | Liberton High School | 11.5 km | |
| 43 | Moredun Park Gardens | 11.8 km | |
| 44 | Moredunvale Green | 12.0 km | |
| 45 | Moredunvale Loan | 12.2 km | |
| 46 | Nether Craigour | 12.6 km | |
| 47 | Little France | 12.8 km | |
| 48 | RH for Children & Young People | 13.2 km | |
| 49 | Royal Infirmary | 13.8 km | Terminus |
Inbound: Royal Infirmary → Waterfront Gait
This direction has 57 stops and runs 15.0 km. The route passes RH for Children & Young people, Glenallan Drive, South Bridge, Rosebank Grove. 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 | 0.8 km | |
| 3 | Little France | 1.0 km | |
| 4 | Nether Craigour | 1.2 km | |
| 5 | Craigour Drive | 1.5 km | |
| 6 | Craigour Avenue | 1.6 km | |
| 7 | Craigour Grove | 1.9 km | |
| 8 | Moredun Park Drive | 2.1 km | |
| 9 | Moredun Park Road | 2.5 km | |
| 10 | Moredunvale Road | 2.7 km | |
| 11 | Liberton High School | 3.0 km | |
| 12 | Claverhouse Drive | 3.3 km | |
| 13 | Glenvarloch Crescent | 3.5 km | |
| 14 | Ivanhoe Crescent | 3.7 km | |
| 15 | Glenallan Drive | 4.0 km | |
| 16 | Orrok Park | 4.3 km | |
| 17 | Nether Liberton Lane | 4.4 km | |
| 18 | Lady Road | 4.7 km | |
| 19 | Suffolk Road | 5.0 km | |
| 20 | East Savile Road | 5.3 km | |
| 21 | Mayfield Gardens | 5.6 km | |
| 22 | Minto Street | 5.8 km | |
| 23 | Salisbury Place | 5.9 km | |
| 24 | Newington Road | 6.2 km | |
| 25 | Bernard Terrace | 6.5 km | |
| 26 | St Patrick Square | 6.9 km | |
| 27 | Surgeons’ Hall | 7.2 km | |
| 28 | South Bridge | 7.7 km | |
| 29 | Leith Street | 8.5 km | |
| 30 | Broughton Street | 8.7 km | |
| 31 | Mansfield Place | 9.1 km | |
| 32 | Bellevue Crescent | 9.2 km | |
| 33 | Rodney Street | 9.5 km | |
| 34 | Inverleith Terrace | 9.8 km | |
| 35 | Royal Botanic Garden | 10.1 km | |
| 36 | Warriston Drive | 10.3 km | |
| 37 | Warriston Gardens | 10.5 km | |
| 38 | Goldenacre Terrace | 10.6 km | |
| 39 | St James Church | 10.8 km | |
| 40 | Wardie Road | 11.0 km | |
| 41 | Rosebank Grove | 11.2 km | |
| 42 | Fraser Avenue | 11.4 km | |
| 43 | Boswall Green | 11.7 km | |
| 44 | Grierson Avenue | 11.9 km | |
| 45 | Wardie Crescent | 12.3 km | |
| 46 | Pilton Crescent | 12.6 km | |
| 47 | Granton Primary School | 12.8 km | |
| 48 | Pilton Drive North | 13.1 km | |
| 49 | Royston Mains Road | 13.4 km | |
| 50 | Royston Mains Street | 13.6 km | |
| 51 | Caroline Park Grove | 13.8 km | |
| 52 | Granton Mains East | 14.1 km | |
| 53 | Edinburgh College | 14.3 km | |
| 54 | Waterfront Gait | 14.5 km | |
| 55 | Pennywell Cottages | 14.8 km | |
| 56 | Pennywell Cottages | 14.7 km | |
| 57 | Waterfront Gait | 14.5 km | Terminus |
Schedule and frequency
According to the official schedule from Lothian Buses, the route runs 51 trips in one direction on a weekday, and 35 on a weekend day.
| Direction | Weekdays | Weekends and holidays |
|---|---|---|
| From «Waterfront Gait» | 04:58 — 23:57 | 04:58 — 23:57 |
| From «Royal Infirmary» | 04:34 — 23:26 | 04:31 — 23:26 |
Frequency calculated from the departure table: in the morning peak buses run every 20–22 minutes, most often every 20; midday every 20 minutes; in the afternoon peak every 20–22; on weekends every 25–45 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 8 cost?
2.40 £ for a single ride — fare in effect since 22 February 2026.
When do the first and last trips run?
From Waterfront Gait the first is at 04:58 and the last at 23:57. From Royal Infirmary they are 04:34 and 23:26.
How long does the trip from Waterfront Gait to Royal Infirmary take?
About 60 minutes end to end — the median of full trips in the official schedule.
How many stops does the route have?
49 outbound and 57 inbound according to the official GTFS feed. The two lists do not match exactly.
Does bus 8 run on weekends?
Yes. On weekends and holidays there are 35 trips in one direction, running from Waterfront Gait between 04:58 and 23:57.
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)).