Edinburg public transport help

[TeslaGirls]

Asking for any advice as I can't really follow the main bus website

I need to get a bus from Edinburgh Zoo (well,a hotel just next to it) to Waverley train station and then return with an extra adult and child.

If I am reading the website correctly it's the 12 or 31?

I think it would be cheaper for me to get a day pass on my phone, but I'm not sure how much a single journey ticket will be (I know we need the exact change) - but surely that would be cheaper than another day ticket?

Can anyone advise please?

A single journey is £1.70 you can use contactless (which is capped at the cost of a day ticket) but only for a single adult. There is an app that you can get other tickets on (Lothian Buses). I don’t remember how much a child ticket it. The 31 does what you need and normally runs every 10 minutes.

You can pay with exact change (£1.70 each way for adults) or tap a contactless card. You can only have one adult per contactless card though so you would need to have change (80p)for the child single.

They are the correct bus number, it's £1.70 for an adult single and 80p for a child. Have you downloaded the Lothian buses App? It's really good. Buying the tickets on the separate App is also very easy.

Two single fares is less than a day ticket.

You can take the 26 as well. The X38 and the Airline bus (100) will also get you to and from Waverley but have different, more expensive, pricing.

Thank you!

I didn't realise we could use contactless- that would make things so much easier Do I tap both on and off the buss?

I will download the app as well thanks.

Final question - the return journey will involve a rather large suitcase, is that going to be an issue on the bus?

Or the 26 or the 86 express. Right into the middle of town. There's a bus stop immediately outside the zoo, and hte staff in the shop will be able to point you in the right direction.

Do remember that it's one adult per card that can go contactless. It's a pain in the arse that you can't do contactless with any other type of ticket - (eg child) - or have more than one adult ticket on there at a time. However as Lothian buses was just about the last bus company on earth to go contactless, it's all still relatively new.
An adult day ticket costs £4, single £1.70.
A child single costs 80p, and day ticket £2.
A family day ticket costs £8.
Agree that the app is good, both for planning your route, and purchasing tickets (which can then be shown to the driver on your phone).
Hope this all makes sense!

You just tap as you get on the bus. A suitcase should be OK if it isn’t rush hour on a working day, you might need to stand with it in the wheelchair/ buggy area (here the 31 bus may be best, they usually have newer buses with more space at the front on that route, I don’t know which other routes use them). The airport bus has more space but as a PP says, it is more expensive.

Google maps is also fine and should tell you the right info.
I’d not get a day ticket in case you want to get a non Lothian bus at any point. The x buses (are only 10p or thereabouts more) are not Lothian.