Every summer Edinburgh becomes home to a series of critically-acclaimed arts festivals, and the city’s award-winning trams offer value for money to travel to and from the venues. With services running all night on Fridays and Saturdays throughout August, anyone heading into town to enjoy this spectacular celebration of arts needn’t worry about getting home or back to their accommodation once the entertainment comes to a close. Here are the main festival locations and their nearest tram stops.
Please check the all-night services timetable below.
EICC – Edinburgh Conference Centre
The Exchange, 150 Morrison St, Edinburgh, EH3 8EE
Haymarket tram stop
Situated at the heart of Scotland’s beautiful capital city, the EICC is one of the world’s outstanding venues for conferences and events. It has a purpose-built centre which offers the very best facilities and technology, along with an experienced team that ensures all events are a success. Between the 2nd and 27th of August, the Edinburgh Conference Centre is set to host a variety of well-known shows such as A Comedy of Operas, where five exceptional singers perform opera’s greatest gits mixed with rock, pop, and their own signature; Tony! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera], a rip-roaring new musical by Harry Hill and Steve Brown which tells the story of how one man became a multimillionaire in just a couple of decades; and Transporting Live, a homage of Irvine Welsh’s classic.
The Stand Comedy Club – Edinburgh
5 York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EB
St Andrew Square tram stop
The Stand Comedy Club can be found just a short distance away from St Andrew Square tram stop and is one of the leading comedy venues in the UK - certainly one of the most visited places during the festivals season. It provides high quality entertainment seven days a week, so anyone who is keen to enjoy excellent comedy shows is advised to book in advance. Over this year’s Fringe, the Stand Comedy Club will host approximately 120 shows, some of them staged almost every day. Alongst the headline acts there is Ada Campe: Naval Gazing; Agent November’s Indoor Escape Game – Murder Mr E; Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas; David Quirk – Astonishing Obscurity; and Ed Patrick: Catch Your Breath.
54 George St, Edinburgh, EH2 2LR
St Andrew Square tram stop
The Assembly Rooms is a multi-purpose, unique event venue capable of hosting a range of shows from music concerts and festivals to business conferences and exhibitions. For more than 200 years the venue has been at the heart of the capital, has welcomed both monarchy and celebrity royalty, and played its part in two world wars and celebrated artistic excellence. This August, the Assembly Rooms has a programme called ‘Assembly Festival 2023’, with a whole range of performances are scheduled to take place over the next few weeks. This includes Big Fish, What Girls are Made of, Kevin Quantum: Momentum, Frankie Boyle: Lap of Shame, Jordan Gray: Is it a Bird?, amongst others.
139 Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1JS
Princes Street tram stop
This world-renowned bar has become an event space for live entertainment whilst being a former historic brewery sight. During the festivals season, local communities and tourists are sure to enjoy some of the best shows in the city such as Doing Bits Cabaret, Fringe for Bairns, AYEbiza Live: The UV Neon Party Sessions, Dancing Queens: The ABBA Drag Party!, and The Pop Bingo Disco.
18-22 Greenside Pl, Edinburgh, EH1 3AA
Picardy Place tram stop
Edinburgh Playhouse is the UK’s largest all-seated theatre. It first opened in 1929, and since then it has hosted a wide range of artists, performers, and shows in just about every variety. With Picardy Place just a few steps away from the venue, getting there by tram couldn’t be easier or more convenient. This year, the iconic theatre has a fantastic lineup of shows, including Jimmy Carr – Terribly Funny 2.0, I Remember it Well! Judi Dench in conversation with Gyles Brandreth, Jack Whitehall: Settle Down, Edinburgh International Festival – Jake Bugg, Mrs Brown’s Boys – Mrs Brown Rides Again, amongst others.
2 Roxburgh Pl, Edinburgh, EH8 9SU
St Andrew Square tram stop
Assembly Roxy is a unique venue situated in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. The historic former church building houses three main spaces all equipped with modern sound and lighting systems. Roxy Upstairs is a theatre space with raked seating, while Roxy Downstairs is a more intimate studio. This venue is also home to Snug Bar, a cosy space to relax before, during or after an event, and where readings and live music are hosted. Festivals goers are in for a real treat this year, with shows such as Layers, The Power of Yep, and Cartoooon!!
19 hill St, Edinburgh, EH2 3JP
St Andrew Square tram stop
The oldest Fringe venue constantly in operation, situated in the centre of town, just round the corner from George Street and a short walk away from St Andrew Square tram stop. It has been used as a festival venue for 37 years, establishing itself as a go-to place for Fringe goers. This year the Hill Street Theatre will have It Just So Happened, Legally Blonde, Alan Turing – Guilty of Love, and Mister Shakespeare.
Edinburgh Trams is the operator of the city’s tramway. It runs services from every seven minutes between the airport and Newhaven, with a fantastic range of ticket offers available for all sorts of activities and groups. For further information on ticketing, please click here.
