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Major city · United Kingdom

North Berwick

Give it one full day from Edinburgh by train (35 min, off-peak singles from about £3) for the Law, the harbour and a boat trip; sleep over only if you want the Bass Rock at dawn.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Jul for nesting seabirds; Sep–Oct for seal pups
avoid Nov–Feb (short days, many boat and café closures)
Airport
EDI
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
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.

North Berwick is a small East Lothian coastal town 20 miles east of Edinburgh, reached by an hourly ScotRail branch train in 35 minutes. The draw is the sea: a conical volcanic hill you can walk up in under an hour, two sandy beaches, a harbour, and boat trips to the Bass Rock gannet colony. It works as a day trip; a single night buys you a quiet evening and an early boat.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

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

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

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

  • CoffeeCoffee and a pastry£4–7 (≈ US$6–10)
  • Street or quick mealSoup or sandwich lunch£7–12 (≈ US$10–16)
  • BeerPint in a town bar£5–6.50 (≈ US$7–9)
  • Budget bedHostel or bunkhouse bed, a night, per person£25 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room£160 (≈ US$250)
  • High-end bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room£260 (≈ US$350)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £80 (≈ US$110) · High £150 (≈ US$200)

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 →

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.

North Berwick LawBass Rock gannet colonyScottish Seabird CentreSeabird boat tripsTantallon Castle
Airports
EDI Edinburgh Airport (Tram or bus to Edinburgh Waverley, then ScotRail to North Berwick, about 1 h 30 min door to door)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

North Berwick: 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

2°C

12 rd

Feb

7°C

2°C

10 rd

Mar

9°C

3°C

11 rd

Apr

11°C

4°C

9 rd

May

14°C

7°C

9 rd

Jun

17°C

10°C

9 rd

Jul

19°C

12°C

10 rd

Aug

19°C

12°C

10 rd

Sep

16°C

10°C

10 rd

Oct

13°C

8°C

12 rd

Nov

9°C

5°C

12 rd

Dec

7°C

2°C

12 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

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

Getting around

The town is small enough to walk: station to harbour is about 15 minutes. Buses X5 and 124 from Edinburgh run along the coast road and turn at Tesco; Eve Coach 120/121 serve Tantallon Castle, Drem and Haddington. Bicycles can be hired in town, but note bikes are not allowed on the new A1. A car helps for Tantallon, Dirleton and the Museum of Flight.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Tantallon Castle

caution

Door to door: About 20–30 min by bus

Eve Coach 120, or cycle/walk the John Muir Way east

Site closed for masonry repairs: check before setting out.

Dirleton Castle

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Bus or bike west towards Gullane

Medieval ruin with gardens; pair it with a walk to Yellowcraig beach.

National Museum of Flight, East Fortune

go

Door to door: About 30–40 min

Eve Coach 121 towards Haddington

Hangars and aircraft indoors; a good wet-weather half day.

Edinburgh

go

Door to door: About 45 min

ScotRail from North Berwick, hourly

Off-peak singles from about £3; the obvious base for a North Berwick day out.

Dunbar

go

Door to door: About 50 min

Eve Coach 120

Harbour, castle ruin and the John Muir Country Park; few Sunday buses.

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 Quality Street)

Walk to harbour, beaches and station; most eating and drinking is here.

Dirleton Avenue and west end

Quieter B&B and hotel strip, 10–15 min walk to the centre and close to the station.

Harbour and Cromwell Road

Sea views and the Seabird Centre on the doorstep; the priciest rooms.

Tantallon Road, east edge

Caravan and camping park, open Apr–Oct; a mile east of town, so you need a car or a 20-min walk.

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 hotel double room1 × 1 night × £160£160
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £80£160
ScotRail return from Edinburgh, off-peak2 × £8£16
Seabird Centre adult ticket2 × £12£24
Non-landing boat trip, about 1–2 h2 × £25£50
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £8£16
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£43
Trip total≈ £235 per person per day, bed included£469≈ US$650

2026 estimate in pounds; travel from Edinburgh excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee and a pastry£4–7 (≈ US$6–10)
Soup or sandwich lunch£7–12 (≈ US$10–16)
Seafood main (crab, lobster, fish)£15–28 (≈ US$20–40)
Pint in a town bar£5–6.50 (≈ US$7–9)
Seabird Centre adult / child£11.95 (≈ US$16) / £7.95 (≈ US$11)
Bicycle hire, per dayBook at least 24 h ahead£30 (≈ US$40)
Tent pitch / hook-up, per nightApr–Oct£24 (≈ US$35) / £32 (≈ US$45)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A very safe small town; the real risks are cold water and slipping on wet rocks at the harbour, plus the exposed walk up the Law in wind.
  • Tantallon Castle is closed because of crumbling masonry: check before you travel.
  • Boat trips run April–September only; landing trips must be pre-booked, non-landing trips you can turn up for.
  • The last train back to Edinburgh is around 11PM; the last bus is around 11:30PM, with a weekend night bus later.
  • The station is a platform halt with no staff, no toilets and no left luggage.
  • North Berwick Highland Games were suspended for 2025 and are unlikely to return in 2026.

Emergency numbers

Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)
999
NHS non-urgent
111
Police non-urgent
101

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.

North BerwickNorth Berwick

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)999
  • NHS non-urgent111
  • Police non-urgent101

Embassy

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

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Edinburgh Waverley → North Berwick, ScotRail: about 35 min, off-peak singles from about £3 (≈ US$4)
  • Edinburgh → North Berwick, bus X5/124: about 90 min, every 30–60 min
  • North Berwick → Tantallon Castle, Eve Coach 120: about 20–30 min, every couple of hours M–Sa

Say or show

  • Ta — Thank you (tah)
  • Cheers — Cheers / thanks (cheers)
  • Where's the harbour? — Where is the harbour? (wairz thuh har-buh)
  • A table for two, please — A table for two, please (uh tay-bul fer too pleez)
  • Card OK? — Can I pay by card? (kard oh-kay)
  • Is the castle open? — Is the castle open? (iz thuh kas-ul oh-pun)

The tourist information point is inside North Berwick Library on School Road.

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 North Berwick. 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–Jul for nesting seabirds; Sep–Oct for seal pups · avoid Nov–Feb (short days, many boat and café closures) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 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 ScotRail departures from Waverley field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: station and High Street, harbour and Seabird Centre, Law and beaches, east to Tantallon.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Seabird Centre, Coastal Communities Museum, Tantallon) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Boat-trip fixtures for April–September so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources