Overview

Operational since 1846, it's fair to say this is a historical location. Located in a narrow valley, it's unusual to descend into a train station, but from Waverley Bridge, that's exactly what you do. Despite its age, it's thoroughly accessible and is one of only two train stations in Scotland with a British Sign Language (BSL) departure board. It also had a quick cameo in Avengers: Infinity War, though thankfully, the damage sustained in the battle that took place there is just movie magic.

Transport & Parking

As the railway station is central, there are plenty of access routes. I took the Airlink bus from the airport, which stopped just up the hill on Waverley Bridge; other bus services run along Princes Street. There's no on-site parking, but the nearby APCOA parking provides parking facilities, including 16 Blue Badge spaces, which are free for use if staying less than two hours. There are 472 standard spaces, 84 of which have Type 2 7.4kW EV chargers. Taxi ranks can be found on Waverley Bridge and Market Street. Market Street can be accessed via the step-free lifts. The drop-off area is located on Calton Street, where a lift will take you to the station. There's, of course, another route into the station... the train! The Passenger Assist team at the station were helpful, though I only used them to depart.

Access

The Waverley Bridge entrance is quite steep, which may be a problem depending on how well you can manage steep declines. Despite this, Edinburgh Waverley is a thoroughly accessible station overall, with level access throughout and lift access to most areas. As mentioned above, Edinburgh Waverley is one of two stations in Scotland with BSL departure boards—the other being Glasgow Central. You'll find them in the waiting area and on the large overhead departure boards. Induction loops operate on the platforms and at the ticket offices within the station. I didn't identify the use of Braille throughout the station, though each of the lifts have Braille buttons inside and out. Extra-wide accessible ticket gates are found within the station, leading to the platforms. There's plenty of seating on the platforms, as well as tactile markings at the platform edge. The signage is clear, making navigation simple. Where there are steps within the station, there are handrails; some even feature a single track for those bringing their bike to the station or along for the ride. The LNER ticket office has automatic doors but no lowered counters or accessibility features on the ticket machines. Each counter has an induction loop in operation. The ScotRail machines throughout the station have a headphone jack for those who require it. You'll find plenty of places to eat within the station, including M&S Food, Costa Coffee, Pret A Manger, Caffè Nero, and the station bar, The Beer House.

Toilets

There are three accessible toilets at the station, one of which is a Changing Places toilet. Within the corridor to the rear of the waiting area, you'll find all three. The toilet at the far end requires a radar key to unlock and is secured from the inside by raising the handle. The toilet has a contrasting seat and contrasting grab rails on both sides. On the left when seated is a colostomy shelf and the red cord—which reaches the floor! There's space for a left-side transfer; however, there's a bin in the space as well as an oddly placed hand dryer. The wide, low sink has grab rails on either side, a mirror, and a lever-operated tap. A grab rail has been installed on the inside of the door, there's a second mirror on the wall, and the room was clean. The other toilets are on the right, along a separate corridor. They both have a strange lock, which requires a radar key, but you don’t put your key in the door; instead, you insert it into a keyhole on a metal plate on the wall and turn the key to the left, which is the opposite of most standard doors. It isn't clear if you need to take your key back out or not. I did, as I was worried a passerby might take it. On the inside, the inward-opening door is locked by pushing a button, which glows green. When you press it, it changes to blue for a second, then back to green—making it unclear if the door is actually locked. I used the toilet, carefully watching the door as I did so. The Changing Places toilet is on the right and features a ceiling track hoist and a large height-adjustable changing table with a nearby shower. A large paper towel dispenser for use with the bed hangs on the wall. A wheelchair transfer is possible from either side of the toilet, which has a contrasting seat and grab rails on either side. There's a colostomy shelf on the wall to the right when seated. The flush is on the left of the cistern when seated. The height-adjustable wash basin is deep and has contrasting grab rails on either side, and there's non-slip flooring throughout. A second emergency cord hangs by the door, and both cords hang to the floor—which we love to see. The final toilet is at the rear of this corridor and features a wall-mounted shower with grab rails and a folding shower seat. There's a large mirror close to the shower, with a second at the low, small sink, which has grab rails on either side and a lever-style tap. A left-side transfer is possible, though there's a small bin in the space. The toilet pan has a contrasting seat, with contrasting grab rails on either side. On the left when seated, you'll find the red cord, which touches the floor, and a colostomy shelf. A second emergency cord hangs by the door, which features a grab rail.

Staff

I spoke to a lovely man at the LNER office, who was eager to help but lamented the absence of accessibility features on each of the ticket machines. I arranged my assistance last minute and the man at the assistance booth sorted it quickly. Great service.

Photos