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Lothian Airlink
100
Blue tri-axle double-decker bus with red and golden 'Airlink' branding; a white LED destination display features a symbol of an aeroplane alongside the text 'Airport 100'
Airlink branded Alexander Dennis Enviro400 XLB bodied Volvo B8Ls at the Waverley Bridge terminus in September 2019
Overview
OperatorLothian Buses
VehicleVolvo B8L Alexander Dennis Enviro400 XLB
Route
LocaleEdinburgh
TerminiEdinburgh Airport
Waverley Bridge
Length30 minutes
Service
FrequencyEvery 10 minutes
Daily ridership~3,000 (As of 2017)
Annual patronage~1,000,000 (As of 2017)
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The Airlink 100 is a bus service operated by Lothian Buses,[1] which links Edinburgh City Centre, Haymarket, Edinburgh Zoo, and Corstorphine with Edinburgh Airport. It is operated by a fleet of high-specification Volvo B8L Alexander Dennis Enviro400 XLB tri-axle double decker buses,[2] presented in a distinctive blue and red livery.

Airlink operates as a premium airport link,[1] featuring a uniform high-specification fleet, rather than the mixed vehicles seen on other Lothian routes, this combined with the services frequency has made it particularly popular with passengers.[3][better source needed]

History

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A selection of Airlink buses throughout the years

In the 1990s, the service operated under "Airline" branding, using a standard fleet of Leyland Olympians in a light blue livery distinct from Lothian's madder red city fleet. From 1999 to 2001 they were replaced by low-floor Dennis Trident 2 buses with Plaxton President bodies, marking a shift towards accessibility. Around this time the Airlink brand was introduced, with the service now being presented as a premium airport connection focusing on enhanced comfort.

In 2010, the Airlink fleet was modernised again, with the introduction of 14 Wright Eclipse Gemini 2-bodied Volvo B9TLs. These buses featured leather seats, USB charging, onboard Wi-Fi, CCTV, and dedicated luggage racks on the bottom deck, reinforcing the premium image of the brand.

Prior to the opening of Edinburgh Trams in 2014, Airlink 100 briefly operated on the former guided busway section in West Edinburgh towards the airport.[4] The busway was removed during tram works, and the route was diverted to accommodate the changes. When the trams opened, they introduced a direct light rail connection between the airport and city centre. However, Airlink 100 and other bus links such as McGill's Bright Bus Airport Express continue to operate and remain the fastest method of getting from the airport to city centre[5].

In 2015, 12 Wright Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TLs were added to the fleet[6], featuring a lighter blue body with gold accents and trim, the same livery later used on the Skylink 200/400 services, which are now under Lothian City branding and operate as services 17 and 18.[7]

In 2017, Airlink became the first Lothian service to pilot contactless payments, allowing passengers to tap smartphones or credit cards for to pay for the bus[8]. By December, the service celebrated its one-millionth passenger of the year traveling from Edinburgh Airport, indicating an approximate daily ridership of 3,000 during that year[9].

In 2019, Lothian ordered 15 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 XLB-bodied Volvo B8L buses for the Airlink service.[10] These tri-axle buses feature a revised dark blue livery with cleaner branding, audio announcements highlighting tourist attractions such as Edinburgh Castle, and screens displaying stop information.

In 2021, the nighttime frequency was doubled from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes, bringing it in line with the daytime service. In 2022, the daytime frequency was further increased to every 10 minutes, making Airlink comparable to the trams, which run every seven minutes[11][12].

On the 30th June 2024, the City Centre terminus was moved from Princes Street to Waverley Bridge, an additional stop on Hanover Street was also introduced.[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Airport Buses". Lothian Buses. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  2. ^ Marketing, Lothian (24 July 2019). "New Buses for our Airlink Service". Lothian Buses. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  3. ^ busandcoachbuyer (6 February 2014). "Record passengers for Lothian". Bus & Coach Buyer. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  4. ^ "£10.5m bus project comes on track". BBC News. 2 December 2004. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  5. ^ "How To: Edinburgh Airport to City Centre by Tram, Bus or Taxi". 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  6. ^ "Summer upgrade for Airlink service". CBW. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  7. ^ Keith, Karen (3 March 2025). "Service change from Sunday 6 April". Lothian Buses. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  8. ^ Stephen, Phyllis (28 July 2017). "Lothian Buses introduce pilot 'contactless payment' scheme". The Edinburgh Reporter. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  9. ^ Team, routeone (5 December 2017). "Airlink welcomes one millionth airport boarder". routeone. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Summer upgrade for Airlink service". CBW. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  11. ^ "By Tram | Edinburgh Airport". www.edinburghairport.com. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Edinburgh city bus links | Edinburgh Airport". www.edinburghairport.com. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  13. ^ Keith, Karen (6 June 2024). "Airlink 100 moving to Waverley Bridge". Lothian Buses. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
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