Find Us at Edinburgh Futures Institute

Our new home at Edinburgh Futures Institute is in the heart of the Old Town, in the former Royal Infirmary Hospital building. Look up and you’ll see the magnificent clock tower.

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Address: 1 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, EH3 9EF

The main Book Festival entrance can be found on 1 Porters Walk, EH3 9GJ, by Quartermile, Middle Meadow Walk (just opposite the yoga studio).

We’d love it if you could get to us in the most sustainable way possible.

Getting here:

By bus (Lothian Bus)

Numbers 12, 23, 27, 35, 45, 47 and 47B stop on Lauriston Place in both directions, and many other bus routes have stops 5 minutes walk away or less.

By train

Waverley Station is within walking distance, but please bear in mind that Edinburgh is especially busy during August, and you will have to navigate visitors and performers lining the streets. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the Book Festival and find your event venue.

By bicycle

There are racks in The Courtyard, which are unsupervised, and bikes are left at your own risk.

By car

The closest car park is Q-Park Quartermile, Simpson Loan, EH3 9AU with 374 parking spaces and 10 disabled spaces. For a map of City of Edinburgh Council parking bays, see here.

For information on reaching the Book Festival by public transport, visit the Lothian Buses, Edinburgh Trams or Traveline Scotland websites.

McEwan Hall

An 8-minute walk from the Edinburgh Futures Institute you’ll find McEwan Hall on Teviot Place, EH8 9AG, by Bristo Square. This iconic circular building is hard to miss – keep your eye out for the purple signs.

Elliott’s Studio

Elliott’s Studio is in the neighbouring area of Sciennes, on the other side of the Meadows from the Book Festival, at 21 Sciennes Road, EH9 1NX – about an 18-minute walk from our main site at EFI. Look out for a green-fronted tenement. For more information on Elliott’s Studio please visit elliottsedinburgh.com. Some information available from Google maps may be inaccurate.

Opening hours

The Book Festival is free to enter, so please come along and see our new home. Check event listings for ticket prices. The Festival is open daily from 10-25 August from 09:30-23:00.

Cafes and bars

Open from 09:30 to late.

Festival photographers and film crews

Our friendly roving photographers and video creators will be present throughout the Festival, capturing images and interviews with visitors and authors. If you’d prefer not to be in any photos, please let the photographer or a member of our team know.

Festival site map

There is level access to both floors and all venues at Edinburgh Futures Institute.