Just seven miles south of Edinburgh’s city centre and close to the Scottish Borders, Rosslyn Chapel is easily accessible, whether travelling by car, bus, train, bicycle or on foot.
By car
The Chapel is located within the village of Roslin, off A701. Look out for the brown tourist signposts as you approach the village. For satnav, our postcode is EH25 9PU. There is free parking at the Chapel where cars are parked at the owner’s risk. There is a charging point for electric vehicles in the main carpark and other local charging points can be found by clicking on this link. Designated spaces for visitors with disabilities are located in the main car park (first turning on right in Chapel Loan).
If driving from Edinburgh city centre, follow signs to the Newington or Liberton areas, then continue along the A701, towards Penicuik.
If driving from east or west of the city, take the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass to the Straiton junction, then the A701, following signs to Penicuik.
From the south, follow the A74(M), then the A701, or follow the signs for the Chapel on the A7 after Newtongrange. From the A1, follow signs to the A720 to the Straiton junction and follow signs for Penicuik.
By bus
There is a good bus service every day to and from Roslin village. From Edinburgh city centre, look for a Lothian Service 37 and check that it says ‘Penicuik/ Deanburn’ at the front of the bus (if in doubt, ask the driver!). The journey from the city centre will take around 45 to 60 minutes and there are stops on Princes Street (shop side) or North Bridge. The bus comes into Roslin village and the Chapel is just a few minutes’ walk from the bus stop at the Original Rosslyn Hotel. East Coast Buses Service 140 is ideal if you are travelling from Musselburgh, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg, Loanhead or Penicuik. A single journey is currently £2.00 per adult. Lothian Buses have introduced contactless payment by card on many services – full details can be found on this link. You can download the Lothian Bus app free of charge to make sure you are on the right route!
Full details and timetables are available at www.lothianbuses.com
By foot
If you plan to walk to the Chapel, this website gives very good directions (and even tells you how many calories you will use on your walk!) – www.walkit.com
The Chapel is included in the route of the British Pilgrimage Trust’s ‘Edinburgh Cathedral’ Pilgrimage; for details of the route, please click here.
By train
Use the Borders Railway (Edinburgh to Tweedbank) to travel through Edinburgh, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders along the newest railway line in Britain. Take the train to Eskbank station – the journey from Edinburgh Waverley to Eskbank station will take 18 minutes and the journey from Tweedbank station to Eskbank will take 37 minutes. You can find train times through this link to Trainline. When leaving the station, cross the railway bridge and follow the path towards Eskbank and Tesco supermarket. Keep following the path in front of Tesco and continue along it for a few minutes to the end. Buses leave from the ‘Muirpark’ stop, on Bonnyrigg Road, which is on the right hand side. You can download the Lothian Bus app free of charge for the arrival times. The bus journey will take an additional 30 minutes to Roslin or alternatively, the Chapel is a short taxi ride away. There are a number of local taxi companies to call including Dalkeith Taxis on 0131 654 1212, Midlothian Taxi Hire Company on 0131 440 2985 or Aerial ABW on Cabs on 0131 663 2000.
By taxi
A taxi from Edinburgh will provide quick and direct travel to the Chapel. The journey time from the city centre will be around 40 minutes and a return taxi fare will be around £50.
By bicycle
Set in rural Midlothian, it is easy to cycle to visit the Chapel and there are bike racks in the main car park. You can find the best route by clicking on this link.
National Cycle Routes 1 and 196 pass within five miles of Rosslyn Chapel. A768 Lasswade Road connects both routes at Eskbank Toll (Justinlees Inn) with Loanhead, from where (at Harnes Court, off High Street) a largely traffic free cycle path runs south to Roslin village, terminating close to Rosslyn Chapel. The Chapel is also accessible as part of a new 5-mile route from Edinburgh, linking Duddingston, Niddrie, Moredun and Gilmerton with Roslin. More details are available here.
Bike hire from Edinburgh and route planning can be arranged through The Tartan Bicycle Company.
There are some suggestions for places to hire a bicyle through VisitScotland’s website and for more general information on cycling and cycle routes in the area, click here.
Tours
A number of companies offer minibus tours to the Chapel, often also visiting other sites, with various pick-up points in Edinburgh.
Full details of tours and prices are available from each company by clicking on the links below.
If you would like to arrange your own tour, you will find details of companies, which are members of the Scottish Independent Tour Operators Association at this website - Tour Scotland.
You will also find members of the Scottish Tourist Guides Association at this website - Blue Badge Guides
