# Transport for Edinburgh — Live travel times & directions

> Edinburgh bus and tram live travel times and journey planner. (iPhone/iPad app by Lothian Buses plc.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transport-for-edinburgh/id570435211 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Lothian Buses plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/548308171)
- Category: Travel, Navigation
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.68/5 from 950 App Store ratings · 30 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 101 MB
- Languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Chinese and 2 more
- Released: 2013-11-17
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transport-for-edinburgh/id570435211/reviews.md

## What is Transport for Edinburgh?

The travel app from Lothian has everything you need to get around Edinburgh with Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams.

INSTANT DEPARTURES
Open up the app and we'll show you live times for the three nearest stops near you
An interactive map shows you every bus and tram stop around you - just tap on one to bring up an instant departure board - perfect for comparing services at different stops.

SMART SEARCH
Want to get somewhere fast? Just search for a place, address, business name... anything, and we'll show you the best way to get there. You can also search for routes - we'll even show you if a bus is nearby and show you it moving on a map.

SATNAV FOR BUS & TRAM
Plan your commute, nights out or even just a trip to the shops - we use a real-time journey planning system that takes network delays into account when showing you the best way to get to your destination, with full step-by-step instructions.

SHARE YOUR JOURNEY
We've made it easy to let your friends and family know when you'll arrive - just track your bus using the app and share a link by email, Twitter, Facebook or WhatsApp. Your friends can track your bus online (they don't need the app) and see when you'll arrive.

M-TICKETS
Using the companion m-ticket app, you can purchase single tickets and DAYtickets for many of our services.

Finally, please note that the app requires data access and works best with GPS on. Please be aware the continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

## Key features

- Live departure times
- Interactive map of stops
- Smart search for destinations
- Real-time journey planning
- Step-by-step directions
- Share journey tracking

## What do users think of Transport for Edinburgh?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 👍 Fantastic app for getting around Edinburgh
- 🚀 Easy to navigate and very intuitive
- 💡 Helpful features like saved routes and live bus tracking
- 👍 Perfect travel companion for visitors

**Cons**

- 🐛 Frequent disappearance of buses from the app
- 🐛 Crashes and network issues
- 🔍 Difficult to find ticket purchasing options
- 🚧 Inaccurate route information and closed bus stops

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes on sign-in
- Inability to use tickets for multiple passengers
- Outdated route information not updated in a timely manner

**Most requested features**

- Integrate ticket purchasing within the main app
- Provide an overview of the entire bus system
- Improve safety by avoiding sketchy routes

## Recent user reviews (10 of 30)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transport-for-edinburgh/id570435211/reviews.md

### 1/5 — The 35 ALWAYS disappears

*2024-03-12*

This is the fourth time I used the app to plan a trip taking the 35. I’ve gone to the bus stop a few minutes before the bus is supposedly going to arrive and then it never dies. And it just disappears from the app with the next 35 arriving 15 minutes later.  Needless to say, I was late to my appointment.

### 5/5 — Fantastic!

*2022-09-23, version 2022.07.01*

We have used this app and the buses for the last five days while visiting Edinburgh. Made getting around the city VERY EASY. Good job Lothien!

### 5/5 — Perfect App for visitors

*2022-09-11, version 2022.07.01*

Easy to navigate, and very intuitive, once you become familiar with all its loads of helpful features. Love the “Saved” feature, to save most traveled routes. The live tracker is fantastic, so you can see every stop along the route. You can pretty much get anywhere, with this app. Highly recommend it.

### 1/5 — Crashes

*2022-04-21, version 2021.12*

I try to sign in but crashes every time

### 2/5 — Hilariously incompetent

*2021-12-19, version 2021.12*

It cannot possibly be that hard to update the app when a bus stop is closed/route rerouted it’s basically your only job. This is like the third separate incident where I’ve gotten to a bus stop to find it with a big out of service sign on it and the app refuses to show me any options that don’t involve the incorrect useless info until I walk like fifteen min from where I am

### 1/5 — Awful app! Beware!

*2019-11-07, version 3.6*

Beware!Cannot be used for more than one passenger. You will be able to buy more than one but can’t use at same time. Awful for people traveling together

### 1/5 — Could not use tickets for another person

*2019-09-15, version 3.5.1*

I bought 4 tickets for self and spouse round trip. Bus driver said I could only use them for myself. We didn’t have exact change. App requires another app, m-ticket, for ticket purchase. That app has an extensive account setup rigmarole including accepting lengthy privacy policies, so most likely is monetizing your location data. It was quicker to run across the road and purchase something at a newsagent to get change than download and set up the app at the bus stop. Are kids supposed to have their own phones as well?

### 2/5 — Not real happy

*2019-08-07, version 3.5.1*

I am not real happy with this app.  After spending a week in London with an amazing app to get around, this one just stinks.  Too often I get a message that essentially says you can’t get there from here.   I can’t see an overview of the system to help me decide which routes I want to take.  And it would be really handy to tie this to my ticketing rather than have them separate.   Oh!   Twice I have been directed to take walks through alleyways or other sketchy areas to get to a bus. No thank you.   Safety is more important than the shortest route.

### 2/5 — Can’t buy tickets?

*2019-06-19, version 3.5.1*

It’s spot on for bus timings but why do I need a separate app to purchase bus fares? On my first trip to Edinburgh, this was confusing and when I downloaded the mfares app, I couldn’t get a single ticket because the minimum spend was £4. I had to walk and a bus driver took pity on me because I just landed from another country and didn’t have exact change, so he gave me a free ride. 

Devs-Take a note from Swissrail’s “SBB Mobile” app which does it all in one app and is much more efficient to use.

### 5/5 — Perfect for Edinburgh!

*2019-06-01, version 3.5.1*

The app was a life saver. Moving around in a strange city is usually horrific but this app makes navigating Edinburgh so easy and worry-free. Of course the bus system is Edinburgh helps too. Great job.

## Frequently asked questions about Transport for Edinburgh

### What does the Transport for Edinburgh app do?

The app provides live departure times for Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams, an interactive map of stops, and smart journey planning with real-time updates. It helps users navigate Edinburgh's public transport system efficiently.

### How does the journey planning feature work?

The journey planner uses a real-time system that accounts for network delays to show you the best way to reach your destination. It provides full step-by-step instructions for your commute, nights out, or any trip.

### Can I buy tickets through this app?

While this app provides travel information, ticket purchases for single tickets and DAYtickets are handled through a companion m-ticket app. You will need to download that separate application to buy tickets.

### What are the requirements to use the app?

The app requires data access to function correctly. It works best when GPS is enabled on your device for accurate location services and real-time tracking. Be aware that continuous GPS use can impact battery life.

### How can I share my journey with others?

You can easily share your journey progress by tracking your bus or tram within the app. A link can then be shared via email, Twitter, Facebook, or WhatsApp, allowing friends and family to track your arrival online without needing the app themselves.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2022.12.12 — 2022-12-12

Bug fixes and performance improvements

### 2022.07.01 — 2022-07-29

In this version, we have:
- Fixed some small bugs and issues
- Introduced TravelHubs to the map 
- Introduced new bus icons for the electric and zoo buses

### 2022.06.01 — 2022-06-21

This release includes minor bug fixes and improvements.

### 2021.12 — 2021-12-15

This release includes updated stop information and bug fixes.

### 3.10 — 2020-12-09

The Transport for Edinburgh app now knows which bus you're on, and when you'll arrive at your destination.

It's something we've all done: boarded the bus, sat down and wondered - when will I reach my stop? You could search for the bus number in the app, but now there's an easier way - as soon as you board one of our buses, you'll see which bus it is right on the app's Home Screen, with live tracking for all upcoming stops.

This works with Next Stop Announcements on TFE Talk as well - now you don't need to type in the service number and destination to get announcements, the app knows which bus you're on automatically.

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## More apps by Lothian Buses plc

- [Edinburgh Bus Tours](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/edinburgh-bus-tours/id1556076045)
- [Bus & Tram](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bus-and-tram/id6468092588)

All apps by Lothian Buses plc: https://appshunter.io/developer/548308171

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*