Merchiston travel

Free bus travel for under-22s

Thanks to the Young Persons' Travel Scheme, you can enjoy free bus travel throughout Scotland if:

• You are under 22 years old
• You are living in Scotland for more than 6 months of the year

To get your free bus travel, you will need to apply for a National Entitlement Card (NEC) or Young Scot National Entitlement Card (Young Scot NEC).

Visit freebus.scot to find out more about the scheme and apply.

If you are resident in Edinburgh and your NEC has been issued by the City of Edinburgh Council, you can also use your card to travel on Edinburgh Trams.

Getting to Merchiston by bus or tram

Several Lothian Buses services stop close to Merchiston campus.

• Services 11, 15, 16, 23 and 36 stop on nearby Bruntsfield Place (Holy Corner stop).
• Service 5 stops on nearby Morningside Road (Churchill stop).

The number 36 service goes between Sighthill, Craiglockhart and Merchiston campuses, making it easy if you need to travel from one campus to another.

Haymarket tram stop is approximately a 25-minute walk from Merchiston campus.

Lothian Buses offer a student travel card starting at £19 a week or £50 a month. This includes travel on Lothian city buses, NightBus services, airport buses, Lothian Country (city zone and cityWEST zone), East Coast Buses (city zones A and B) and Edinburgh Trams.

We recommend you download the Transport for Edinburgh app which helps plan your journey as well as giving real-time information on services around the city.

To find more details on other bus services within the city, please visit the Traveline Scotland page.

• From Edinburgh Waverley, take a Lothian Buses service 11, 16 or 23 from Princes Street.
• Haymarket train station is approximately a 25-minute walk from Merchiston campus.

Parking at Merchiston campus is for permit holders only between 7am-5pm, Monday to Friday. You can park for free outwith these times.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer additional student parking permits for Merchiston campus at this time. If you already have a permit from the previous academic year, this will remain valid - please only email car.parking@napier.ac.uk if your vehicle details have changed.

If you are a current permit holder, please remember that parking charges will be reintroduced from 27 May. Visit the Parking FAQ page for more information.

Parking outwith the University 

We understand that parking around our campuses is limited. However, if you park your vehicle in the surrounding streets or residential areas, please be considerate to our neighbours.

• Make sure you follow all Highway Code and local parking regulations
• Do not park in spaces designated for local residents, GP visitors or shop customers
• Do not park across driveways or on pavements, or otherwise obstruct access for residents, pedestrians and emergency services - you could be reported and fined.

There are 100 bicycle spaces at Merchiston, 48 within covered and secure areas and 52 uncovered. There is CCTV throughout the site.

Merchiston has two covered bike parking facilities. From the main entrance from Colinton Road you will find one opposite the library entrance on the left and the other at the far end on the other side of the glass box. To gain access, visit security to have your student card activated. At the bike store, tap your card on the card reader to open the door.

We have two emergency locks available on each campus if you forget to bring yours - please ask at security.

Showers and changing facilities are also available - please speak to a member of staff at the Reception or security for access.

Find more information on our Cycling to Campus page.