New Service 67 Bus Links Edinburgh With Lost Shore and EICA Ratho
A new direct bus now connects Edinburgh city centre with Ratho village, Lost Shore Surf Resort, and the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, giving the west Edinburgh destinations a long-awaited public transport link.
Service 67 is now running hourly between central Edinburgh and Ratho, stopping at Haymarket, Hermiston Park & Ride, Ratho village, Lost Shore, and EICA Ratho. The new route is being operated by HcL Transport as an initial six-month trial.
It removes one of the biggest practical problems with visiting the area without a car. Lost Shore and the climbing arena sit next to each other at South Platt Hill, but reaching them from central Edinburgh previously meant changing transport or completing part of the journey on foot.
Service 67 Route and Timetable
Service 67 currently runs hourly from Monday to Friday.
Buses leave EICA Ratho every hour from 7:30am until 5:30pm, while city-centre departures run from 8:30am until 6:30pm. The weekday timetable gives an end-to-end journey of around 46 to 47 minutes between central Edinburgh and the climbing arena.
The main stops are:
- Edinburgh city centre
- Haymarket Station
- Hermiston Park & Ride
- Ratho village
- Lost Shore coach park
- Edinburgh International Climbing Arena
Service 67 is deliberately running as a limited-stop service to keep journey times manageable.
Service 67 at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Route | Edinburgh city centre to EICA Ratho |
| Main stops | Haymarket, Hermiston P&R, Ratho, Lost Shore |
| Frequency | Hourly |
| Current days | Monday to Friday |
| City departures | 8:30am to 6:30pm |
| EICA departures | 7:30am to 5:30pm |
| Adult single | £2.40 |
| Operator | HcL Transport |
| Trial period | Six months |
George Street Is the Temporary City Centre Stop
There’s one useful detail to know before heading for the bus.
Service 67 is intended to use Waterloo Place, but current roadworks mean the city-centre stop has temporarily moved to George Street, outside The Dome.
The current timetable says George Street will be used from 7 September until at least 22 November 2026.
That also means anyone relying on an older description of the route should check before waiting at Waterloo Place.
How Much Does the New Bus Cost?
An adult single journey on Service 67 costs £2.40.
There’s currently no dedicated return or day ticket, so each journey is charged separately. Cash and card payments are accepted, although passengers paying cash should have the correct money as change isn’t given.
Eligible National Entitlement Cards are accepted. The launch information also confirms that under-22 concessionary travel cards can be used.
The service uses wheelchair-accessible 16-seat minibuses. There’s some room for backpacks, climbing gear, and similar hand luggage, although luggage capacity is limited.
Weekend Service Is Planned
The plan is for Service 67 to expand beyond weekdays.
As of 8 September, Edinburgh Leisure’s main Service 67 page still lists Saturday and Sunday services as “coming soon”, while launch information says seven-day operation is expected within the coming weeks.
Interestingly, the downloadable timetable already contains proposed Saturday and Sunday times. For now, I’d check the official Service 67 page before relying on the bus for a weekend trip.
Why Ratho Needed a Better Bus Link
The new route follows years of campaigning for a direct connection between Ratho and central Edinburgh.
According to the Ratho Bus Working Group, the community has been without a direct city-centre link since 2014. More than 2,200 people took part in research carried out during the campaign, with 90% saying they would use public transport if a suitable service were available.
That demand has grown as the area around South Platt Hill has developed into one of Edinburgh’s main adventure-sport destinations.
Edinburgh International Climbing Arena is one of the UK’s largest indoor climbing facilities, while neighbouring Lost Shore Surf Resort opened a new reason for people to travel out to Ratho. The new 67 means both venues can now be reached directly from Haymarket and the city centre without needing a car.
Lost Shore has already added Service 67 to its own travel information, alongside its other bus, tram, cycling, taxi, and driving options.
The Six-Month Trial Will Decide What Happens Next
Service 67 is not guaranteed to become permanent.
The initial trial will run for six months, with passenger numbers and feedback helping determine whether the route has a future beyond that period. Edinburgh Leisure has been clear that use of the service will be an important part of that decision.
For Ratho residents, that means the route restores a direct connection into Edinburgh. For everyone else, it makes two major leisure attractions considerably easier to reach.
A £2.40 direct bus from central Edinburgh is certainly simpler than piecing together several stages of the journey.
Our Take
This is one of those transport changes that looks fairly small on a map but fixes a very obvious problem.
Ratho has developed into one of Edinburgh’s main adventure-sport destinations, yet getting there without a car has remained awkward. Giving Haymarket, Ratho village, the surf resort, and the climbing arena one direct route makes much more sense.
The interesting bit will be what happens after the six-month trial. If passenger numbers hold up, Service 67 has a strong case for becoming part of the permanent network rather than disappearing again next spring.