Planning Your Journey to Murrayfield Stadium
Whether you’re travelling to watch the Six Nations, an autumn international, a United Rugby Championship fixture or one of the stadium’s major concerts, planning your journey to Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in advance will make the day much more enjoyable. Unlike many sports venues, there is no general public parking at the stadium itself, while tens of thousands of supporters arrive within a relatively short period before kick-off or showtime.
Fortunately, Murrayfield is one of the easiest large stadiums in the UK to reach by public transport. The Edinburgh Trams stop sits directly outside the stadium, Haymarket railway station is within walking distance, and numerous Lothian Bus routes serve the surrounding roads. Whether you’re arriving from Edinburgh city centre, Glasgow, Edinburgh Airport or elsewhere in Scotland, there are plenty of straightforward options.
This guide explains the quickest ways to reach the stadium, where to park if you’re driving, how to avoid the biggest post-match queues, and the best areas to stay if you’re making a weekend of your visit.
If you’re flying in for the match, our Edinburgh Airport Transfers guide covers the direct tram route from the airport.
Where is Murrayfield Stadium?
Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium stands on Roseburn Street, around 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) west of Edinburgh city centre. With a capacity of more than 67,000 spectators, it is the home of Scottish Rugby and one of the country’s premier venues for international sport and live entertainment.
The stadium hosts every Scotland home Six Nations match, autumn internationals and major domestic finals, while over the years it has welcomed events including the Rugby World Cup, European rugby finals, American football, international football and some of the world’s biggest concert tours. Artists including Taylor Swift, Beyoncรฉ, Oasis, Harry Styles and The Rolling Stones have all performed here, making Murrayfield one of Scotland’s busiest entertainment venues.
Despite its size, the stadium isn’t located in the heart of the city centre. Instead, it sits within the residential districts of Roseburn and Murrayfield, where road space is limited and temporary traffic restrictions are introduced for almost every major event. That’s one of the main reasons public transport is strongly recommended over driving.
The good news is that the location also places Murrayfield directly on Edinburgh’s excellent tram network, making the journey surprisingly simple once you know which stop to use.
Taking the Edinburgh Tram
For most visitors, the tram is comfortably the easiest way to reach Murrayfield Stadium. The dedicated Murrayfield Stadium tram stop sits immediately beside the Roseburn Street entrance, meaning you’re only a couple of minutes’ walk from the turnstiles after stepping off the tram.
The stop lies on the main route between Edinburgh Airport and Newhaven, so whether you’re arriving from the airport, Haymarket, Princes Street, St Andrew Square or Leith, there’s no need to change trams. Services normally run every few minutes, with additional trams scheduled before and after major rugby internationals and concerts to cope with demand.
Buying tickets is straightforward, with ticket machines located beside the stop, while contactless payment is also available. The platforms are fully accessible, with both lifts and stairs connecting street level to the tram stop, making it suitable for wheelchair users and passengers travelling with luggage.
After large events, the tram system operates an organised queuing arrangement to keep thousands of supporters moving safely. Passengers heading towards Edinburgh city centre and Leith join the queue on one side of the platform, while those travelling towards Edinburgh Airport queue on the opposite side. This simple system keeps the crowds flowing remarkably well, although you should still expect a short wait immediately after the final whistle or concert finishes.
One thing to remember is that bicycles are not permitted on trams during major events, so if you’re planning to cycle part of your journey you’ll need to make alternative arrangements.
Travelling by Train
Although Murrayfield doesn’t have its own railway station, reaching the stadium by train is still straightforward thanks to nearby Haymarket Station, Edinburgh’s second busiest railway hub.
Haymarket sits around 15 to 20 minutes on foot from the stadium, following a largely level route through the West End. Many visitors choose to make the walk, particularly before a match when thousands of supporters are heading in the same direction and the atmosphere begins long before they reach the turnstiles.
If you’d rather avoid the walk, you can simply transfer onto the Edinburgh Trams outside Haymarket station and travel one stop to Murrayfield Stadium, a particularly useful option if you’re carrying luggage or travelling with young children.
Visitors arriving at Edinburgh Waverley should almost always continue by tram rather than attempting to walk. While the stadium is technically within walking distance, the journey takes around 45 to 50 minutes, whereas the tram provides a much quicker and easier connection.
ScotRail also strengthens services on major event days, adding extra trains and additional carriages where possible. After the event, passengers walking back to Haymarket are normally directed into a managed queuing system on Haymarket Terrace, where staff organise departures by destination before allowing passengers onto the platforms. Although it can look busy, the system generally moves quickly and safely, making rail one of the most reliable ways to travel to and from Murrayfield on Scotland’s biggest sporting occasions.
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Getting to Murrayfield by Bus
Edinburgh’s extensive Lothian Buses network provides another convenient way to reach Murrayfield, particularly if you’re staying somewhere that isn’t directly served by the tram. Several routes stop within a few minutes’ walk of the stadium, making buses a practical alternative on both match days and concert evenings.
The closest services run along Corstorphine Road, with routes 12, 26 and 31 stopping near the stadium. Meanwhile, routes 1, 2, 22, 25 and 30 serve nearby Gorgie Road, leaving only a short walk to the turnstiles. If you’re travelling from Edinburgh city centre, you’ll find plenty of choice, with routes 1, 3, 12, 22, 25, 26, 30, 31 and 33 all passing within easy walking distance of Murrayfield.
For the biggest rugby internationals and concerts, Edinburgh also operates dedicated Park and Ride bus services. The X12 runs from Ingliston Park and Ride to Murrayfield Road approximately every 15 minutes before kick-off, while the X22 also departs from Ingliston roughly every 30 minutes. Visitors using Hermiston Park and Ride can take route 25, which runs around every 12 minutes to Gorgie Road before a short walk to the stadium.
Like the trams, Lothian Buses accepts contactless payment, with daily fare capping automatically ensuring you never pay more than the cost of a day ticket. Holders of a valid Scottish National Entitlement Card, including eligible under-22s, over-60s and disabled passengers, can also travel free on eligible services.
Although buses can take a little longer than the tram immediately after major events because of heavy traffic, they remain an excellent option if your accommodation is already on one of the direct routes.
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Driving to Murrayfield and Where to Park
If you’re planning to drive to Murrayfield, it’s important to know that there is no general public parking at the stadium for international matches, concerts or other major events. In addition, extensive temporary road closures are introduced around the surrounding streets, usually beginning around three hours before kick-off and remaining in place for up to four hours after the event finishes.
The residential areas surrounding the stadium, including Roseburn, Balgreen and Corstorphine, are also covered by controlled parking zones, with restrictions actively enforced on event days. Trying to find unrestricted street parking nearby is therefore unlikely to be successful.
For most visitors, Edinburgh’s Park and Ride network offers a much easier solution. There are seven official Park and Ride sites around the city, including Ingliston and Hermiston to the west, Ferrytoll to the north, Newcraighall and Wallyford to the east, and Sheriffhall and Straiton to the south. From these sites you can continue into the city using dedicated buses, trams or local public transport without worrying about congestion close to the stadium.
Many experienced supporters also choose to park at railway stations outside Edinburgh, such as Inverkeithing, Musselburgh or Dalmeny, before completing the journey by train or tram. This approach often saves considerable time after the match, allowing you to avoid the worst of the city centre traffic altogether.
Unless you have pre-arranged accessible parking or another specific reason to drive directly into the Murrayfield area, public transport is almost always the quicker and less stressful option.
Taking a Taxi or Ride-Hailing Service
While taxis and ride-hailing services such as Uber are widely available across Edinburgh, they are not usually the best way to reach Murrayfield on major event days. Temporary road closures and the sheer number of supporters travelling at the same time mean that journeys can take much longer than expected, particularly during the final approach to the stadium.
If you do decide to travel by taxi, arriving well before kick-off or the start of a concert will make the journey considerably easier. Drivers can normally drop passengers within a reasonable walking distance before traffic restrictions come into force, helping you avoid the busiest periods.
Leaving after the event can be more challenging. There is no dedicated public taxi rank at Murrayfield, and demand rises sharply once tens of thousands of spectators leave the stadium together. Waiting times can be lengthy, while surge pricing is common on app-based services.
If you’re staying nearby or travelling with a group, pre-booking a local taxi operator is often a better option than relying on an on-demand booking. Otherwise, most visitors will find the tram or train significantly quicker, with both designed to move large crowds efficiently after major events.
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Travelling from Edinburgh Airport
One of Murrayfield’s biggest advantages is its excellent connection with Edinburgh Airport. Thanks to the city’s tram network, you can travel from the airport to the stadium without changing services, making it one of the easiest major sports venues in the UK to reach by public transport.
The Edinburgh Trams run directly from the airport through Ingliston Park and Ride, Edinburgh Gateway, Edinburgh Park and Haymarket before arriving at Murrayfield Stadium. Because the stadium lies before the city centre, the journey is relatively quick, with trams operating every 7 minutes between 06:30 and 19:00, and every 10 minutes during the early morning and evening.
An alternative is the Airlink 100 express bus, which operates 24 hours a day between the airport and Edinburgh city centre. Although it doesn’t stop directly outside the stadium, it passes close to Corstorphine Road, allowing a relatively short walk to Murrayfield if you prefer travelling by bus.
If you’re arriving in Edinburgh with luggage before checking into a hotel, the tram remains the easiest option thanks to its level boarding, generous luggage space and direct access to both the stadium and the city centre. See our full Edinburgh Airport Transfers guide for more on both options.
Where to Stay for a Match or Concert
If you’re spending a night or two in Edinburgh before an event, choosing the right area to stay can make your visit much more enjoyable. While there aren’t any hotels immediately beside Murrayfield itself, the surrounding districts offer plenty of accommodation within easy reach of the stadium.
For most visitors, Haymarket is the best place to stay. Located around a 15 to 20-minute walk from Murrayfield, it combines excellent transport links with a wide choice of hotels, restaurants and pubs. Haymarket railway station provides direct services to Glasgow, Fife and much of eastern Scotland, while the Edinburgh Trams run between the station, the city centre and the airport. It also means you’re close enough to walk to the stadium while remaining within easy reach of Edinburgh’s main attractions.
The neighbouring areas of Roseburn and Corstorphine offer a quieter alternative, with a mixture of independent hotels, guesthouses and apartments. They’re particularly convenient if you’re attending an evening concert and would prefer to avoid the busiest crowds immediately after the event.
Staying in Edinburgh city centre is equally practical. The tram journey from Princes Street or St Andrew Square takes only a few minutes, allowing you to enjoy everything the Scottish capital has to offer before heading to the stadium. If it’s your first visit to the city, this is usually the best option, as you’ll also be within walking distance of attractions such as Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and Princes Street Gardens.
If you’re looking for ideas on what to see while you’re in the city, our Things to Do in Edinburgh guide covers the highlights, while visitors staying for a longer break may also enjoy our Day Trips from Edinburgh guide.
Leaving Murrayfield After the Event
When more than 67,000 spectators leave Murrayfield at the same time, it’s inevitable that the surrounding streets become busy. Fortunately, Edinburgh has developed an excellent transport plan that helps clear the crowds surprisingly efficiently, provided you know what to expect.
The Edinburgh Trams operate additional services after international matches and major concerts, with staff managing organised queues at Murrayfield Stadium tram stop. Passengers travelling towards the city centre and Leith join one queue, while those heading towards Edinburgh Airport use the opposite side of the platform. Although you may need to wait for one or two trams, the queues generally move steadily.
If you’re returning by train, supporters are directed along designated walking routes towards Haymarket Station, where Network Rail and ScotRail staff organise passengers into holding areas before allowing them onto the platforms by destination. It can look daunting when you first arrive, but the process is well managed and usually far quicker than attempting to leave the area by car.
Drivers should remember that road closures often remain in force for up to four hours after the event, meaning taxis and private vehicles can experience significant delays. If you’ve parked at one of Edinburgh’s Park and Ride sites or at an outlying railway station, you’ll usually find the journey home much smoother than trying to drive directly away from the stadium.
Before travelling, it’s worth checking Traffic Scotland for any planned roadworks or additional travel advice, particularly if you’re driving from elsewhere in Scotland. Building a little extra time into your journey is one of the simplest ways to make the end of the day considerably less stressful.
Accessible Facilities at Murrayfield
Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium has a wide range of facilities designed to make attending matches and concerts as straightforward as possible for visitors with additional accessibility requirements.
Wheelchair-accessible seating is available throughout the stadium, although these tickets should be requested when booking, particularly for high-profile fixtures such as the Six Nations, where demand is exceptionally high. A limited number of Blue Badge parking spaces are also available for major events, but these must normally be pre-booked at least two weeks in advance and are frequently allocated by ballot because of the limited capacity.
Inside the stadium you’ll find a fully equipped Changing Places toilet in the West Stand, complete with a height-adjustable changing bench and ceiling hoist, alongside accessible toilets and a gender-neutral facility within the West Fan Village. On major event days, Scottish Rugby’s Blue Crew volunteers are also on hand to provide assistance, answer questions and help visitors navigate the stadium if required.
The Murrayfield Stadium tram stop is fully accessible, with both lifts and stairs providing step-free access between the platforms and street level. This makes travelling from both Edinburgh Airport and the city centre particularly straightforward for wheelchair users and anyone travelling with limited mobility.
If you have specific accessibility requirements that aren’t covered when booking your tickets, it’s always worth contacting the Murrayfield Experience team before travelling. They can provide the latest information on accessible seating, parking, mobility assistance and event-day arrangements to help ensure your visit runs as smoothly as possible.
Rupertโs Handy Travel Tips
Heading to a match or concert? A few things worth knowing before you set off:
- Take the tram, not a taxi: it stops right outside the turnstiles and avoids the road closures.
- There’s no stadium parking: use one of the seven park and ride sites instead.
- Book accessible parking early: spaces must be requested at least two weeks ahead.
- Allow extra time to leave: road closures can last up to four hours after the event ends.
Want to meet the reindeer behind our travel tips? Find out more in our page Who is Rupert?.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a tram stop right at Murrayfield?
Yes, the Murrayfield Stadium tram stop sits directly outside the Roseburn Street turnstiles.
Can I park at Murrayfield Stadium?
No, there is no public parking at the stadium for events. Use one of the seven park and ride sites instead.
What is the nearest train station to Murrayfield?
Haymarket, around a 15 to 20-minute walk, or a short tram ride away.
How do I get to Murrayfield from Edinburgh Airport?
The tram runs directly from the airport to the Murrayfield Stadium stop with no need to change.
How long do road closures last after an event?
Typically up to four hours after the final whistle or the end of a concert.
Further Reading
Flying in for the match? Our Edinburgh Airport Transfers guide covers the direct tram route from the airport in full.
Making a weekend of it? See our Things to Do in Edinburgh guide, or our Day Trips from Edinburgh guide if you have extra time to spare.
Travelling from Glasgow for the match? Our Glasgow to Edinburgh guide compares train, bus and car for the journey.
Last Updated
July 2026
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