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Major city · United Kingdom

DunbarDùn Bàrr

Give Dunbar one night, or a day trip from Edinburgh (20 min by train): harbour, John Muir's Birthplace and a coastal walk, then move on.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Dunbar is a small East Lothian harbour town of about 10,000 people, 30 miles (48 km) east of Edinburgh on the East Coast Main Line. The compact centre holds two free museums, a ruined castle above a cut-through Victorian harbour, and the start of the John Muir Way. Most travellers see it in half a day; one night lets you add a coastal walk, Belhaven Brewery or the Torness visitor centre.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (short days, harbour drawbridge often open)
Airport
EDI
Nights
1
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Dunbar999 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance999
  • Police non-urgent101
  • NHS non-urgent111

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Dunbar, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course£12–20 (≈ US$16–30)
  • BeerPint of ale£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi across towncheck£5–8 (≈ US$7–11)
  • Budget bedHostel or bunkhouse bed, a night, per person£25 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedB&B or small-hotel double room, a night, per room£110 (≈ US$150)
  • High-end bedB&B or small-hotel double room, a night, per room£160 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £80 (≈ US$110) · High £140 (≈ US$190)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

John Muir's BirthplaceDunbar Castle and the harboursJohn Muir Way coastal trailBelhaven Brewery
Airports
EDI Edinburgh Airport (About 45–60 min by road; train from Edinburgh Waverley to Dunbar takes about 20 min)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    9°C (48°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    11°C (52°F)

  5. May

    Best

    14°C (57°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    17°C (63°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    17°C (63°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    13°C (55°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    10°C (50°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

Best: May–Sep. Avoid: Nov–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (19°C (66°F)), coolest Jan (1°C (34°F) low), wettest Jan (17 rain days), driest Jun (11). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Dunbar: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

7°C (45°F)

1°C (34°F)

17 rd

Feb

7°C (45°F)

1°C (34°F)

13 rd

Mar

9°C (48°F)

2°C (36°F)

14 rd

Apr

11°C (52°F)

4°C (39°F)

12 rd

May

14°C (57°F)

6°C (43°F)

12 rd

Jun

17°C (63°F)

9°C (48°F)

11 rd

Jul

19°C (66°F)

11°C (52°F)

12 rd

Aug

19°C (66°F)

11°C (52°F)

12 rd

Sep

17°C (63°F)

9°C (48°F)

13 rd

Oct

13°C (55°F)

7°C (45°F)

16 rd

Nov

10°C (50°F)

4°C (39°F)

16 rd

Dec

7°C (45°F)

2°C (36°F)

16 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable in 10–15 minutes end to end. Buses stop along Belhaven Road and High Street and terminate at Asda; there is no bus station. Taxis are town firms. Belhaven Bikes hires and repairs bikes. A car helps for Torness, the beaches and the coastal villages.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

North Berwick

go

Door to door: About 30–40 min

Train from Dunbar, about 15–20 min; or the scenic A198 by car

Scottish Seabird Centre and boat trips to Bass Rock; Tantallon Castle is nearby.

Edinburgh

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Train from Dunbar, about 20 min, roughly hourly

Easy half-day or full-day add-on; book peak trains ahead.

Musselburgh

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Bus 106 from Dunbar, about 1 h

Racecourse and harbour; only worth it if you are already heading west.

South Queensferry

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Train to Edinburgh, then ScotRail to Dalmeny

Forth bridges views; a long half-day from Dunbar.

Linlithgow

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 45 min

Train to Edinburgh, then train to Linlithgow

Palace and loch; better as a stop between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Livingston

skip

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Train to Edinburgh, then train or bus west

Shopping and a shopping centre; no reason to route through it.

Penicuik

skip

Door to door: About 2 h

Train to Edinburgh, then bus south

A commuter town; the Pentland Hills are the only draw and need a car.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Town centre (High Street and Queen's Road)

Walk to both museums, the harbour and the station; most B&Bs and small hotels sit here.

Belhaven and the west edge

Quieter, near Belhaven Bay and the brewery; about 20–25 min on foot to the centre.

East Links and the golf course

Coastal and green, but you need a car or a taxi for everything.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
£70–120 (≈ US$95–160) excl. bed
High
£120 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
B&B or small-hotel double room1 × 1 night × £110£110
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £80£160
Train Edinburgh–Dunbar, both ways2 × £16 · check£32
Belhaven Brewery tour2 × £15£30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £10£20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£35
Trip total≈ £194 per person per day, bed included£387≈ US$550

2026 estimate in pounds; travel to Dunbar excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Bakery pie or roll£2–4 (≈ US$3–6)
Pub main course£12–20 (≈ US$16–30)
Pint of ale£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
Fish and chips£10–16 (≈ US$14–25)
Train Dunbar–Edinburgh, off-peak singlecheck£7–10 (≈ US$10–14)
Taxi across towncheck£5–8 (≈ US$7–11)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A quiet, low-crime town; the real risks are tide-cut beaches, wet coastal path sections beside the A198, and cold water. Standard UK precautions apply.
  • The harbour drawbridge is usually open in winter, so the outer pier can be cut off.
  • West Beach is reached at low tide; the approach floods at high tide.
  • Torness tours must be booked 3–4 weeks ahead and have a minimum age of 8.
  • Some coastal path sections join the busy A198: walk facing traffic.
  • Book summer B&Bs and the brewery tour ahead; both are small.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
999
Police non-urgent
101
NHS non-urgent
111

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

DunbarDùn Bàrr

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance999
  • Police non-urgent101
  • NHS non-urgent111

Embassy

No embassies in Dunbar; the US consulate-general is in Edinburgh, and most other countries have embassies in London.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Train Dunbar → Edinburgh Waverley: about £7–10 (≈ US$10–14) off-peak single, about 20 min (check)
  • Bus X7 Dunbar → Edinburgh: about £5–8 (≈ US$7–11), about 80 min (check)
  • Taxi across town: £5–8 (≈ US$7–11) (check)

Say or show

  • Excuse me / Sorry — Excuse me / Sorry
  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Please — Please
  • Where is the station? — Where is the station?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • One ticket to Edinburgh, please — One ticket to Edinburgh, please

English is spoken everywhere; no phrase list is needed.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Dunbar. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (short days, harbour drawbridge often open) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for EDI: last train and bus times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with anchors: High Street museums, the harbours and castle, Belhaven and the bay, East Links.
  3. Place pages with verified hours for John Muir's Birthplace, the Town House Museum, Belhaven Brewery and Torness.
  4. Eat pages with last orders for the High Street cafés and The Creel.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources