The First International Conference on the Linguistics of Contemporary English

Directions and travel

The First International Conference on the Linguistics of Contemporary English (incorporating the Second International Conference on the Phonology of English) will be held from 23 - 26 June 2005, at the University of Edinburgh.

Click here to go to the main conference page.

For most people, travelling to the conference will involve either flying or getting the train to Edinburgh and then either walking or getting a bus or a taxi to the conference venue or your accommodation. The main train station (called Waverley Station) is a good orientation point - it is situated right in the centre of the city, between the New Town and the Old Town, just next to Princes Street (Princes Street is the main central shopping street in Edinburgh), and there are normally lots of taxis available there. This section contains details of how to get to Waverley Station from the airport and of how to get to the conference accommodation and the conference venue from the station. The conference accommodation called Pollock Halls. If you have booked your own accommodation, you will need to obtain your own directions to it, of course. If you need help with orientation in Edinburgh, please contact patrick.honeybone@ed.ac.uk.

You can download two helpful maps in pdf form here. The first map in the pdf file shows a close up of Pollock Halls; this will be useful if you are staying there. The second map shows the whole of the centre of Edinburgh, including Pollock Halls, other university buildings, the main shopping and tourist streets, and Waverley Train station. We recommend that you print out these maps (and these directions!) to bring with you.

All of the talks and events during the conference will he held in the William Robertson building, which is part of the university's main, central campus which clusters around George Square. You can find George Square in the centre of the second of the two maps, and the cut-out close-up in the bottom left-hand corner shows where the William Robertson building is. Pollock Halls is shown in yellow in the bottom right-hand corner.

 

Travel from Edinburgh Airport into central Edinburgh (to Waverley Train Station)
Edinburgh Airport is quite large, with a fair number of direct flights, especially from Europe, and with excellent connections to Heathrow and other major hub airports in Britain and continental Europe. It is easy to get from the airport to the centre of town, using the very frequent, fast, comfortable and safe dedicated bus service, which takes about 30 minutes. Details of the service, including a timetable, can be found here. The last stop on this bus journey will leave you right in the heart of Edinburgh - opposite Waverley Train Station (the drop off and pick up point for the airport bus is shown on the second of the two maps, next to Waverley Station). The next section on this page has details of how to get from Waverley Station to the conference accommodation and to the conference venue. You could also take a taxi from the airport into Edinburgh - a typical journey time to the city centre takes around 25 minutes by taxi and fares vary according to the distance travelled and time of day, but a typical cost may be around 20 pounds.

You can check which airlines fly direct to Edinburgh by clicking here, which will take you to the part of Edinburgh Airport's website which lists destinations and airlines. Some of the cheaper flights can only be booked directly with the airline (others are, of course, bookable through most travel agents); these are some of the websites for the 'cheap' airlines:

 

Travel from Waverley Train Station to conference accommodation and conference venue
The main train station in Edinburgh is Waverley Station (it is shown on the second of the two maps, in the centre, towards the top). You can find information about train times to and from Edinburgh here, and you can book tickets (which are pick-upable from any train station) online, with a credit card, here.

If you want to go to the conference accommodation at Pollock Halls after you arrive in Edinburgh, you could take a taxi from the station taxi rank, or you could take a bus, or if you like to walk, it would take around 25 minutes. To take a bus, go to Princes Street (shown just above Waverley Station on the map) and take the 30 or 33 bus. Ask the driver for Pollock Halls or the Commonwealth Swimming Pool on Dalkeith Road (you'll need to give the driver the exact fare, which is 80p per person). You should be able to find your way to Pollock Halls on foot by using the two maps. You'll need to walk up from the station into the Old Town and along the long street which has several names (North Bridge, South Bridge, then Nicholson Street, then Clerk Street). Once you get to Pollock Halls, make your way to the Reception Centre, where you should be able to pick up your key and get directions to your room. It takes about 10 minutes to walk from Pollock Halls to the conference venue in the William Robertson building, off George Square. Use the second map to guide you.

If you want to go to the conference venue in the William Robertson building, off George Square, after you arrive in Edinburgh, you could take a taxi from the station taxi rank, or you could take a bus, or if you like to walk, it would take around 15 minutes. To take a bus, go to Princes Street (shown just above Waverley Station on the map) and take any bus that goes down Nicholson Street (you should be able to see this on the time tables at the bus stop). Ask the driver for an 80 pence ticket (you'll need to give the driver the exact fare, which is 80p per person) and get off once you pass the Festival Theatre on the right and the Royal College of Surgeons on the left. You should be able to find your way to George Square on foot by using the maps. You'll need to walk up from the station into the Old Town and along the long street which has several names (North Bridge, South Bridge, then Nicholson Street). Use the second map to guide you.

The conference registration desk in the William Robertson building will be signposted. It will be staffed from 1pm until 6.30pm on Thursday 23rd and again at 9am on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th, and on-and-off during these days.

 

Edinburgh: orientation and information
Central Edinburgh is made up of the New Town, to the north, and the Old Town, to the south. Most of the buildings of the University of Edinburgh (including the conference venue and accommodation) are in the Old Town or further to the south. You should make sure that you have the chance to walk round the city while you're here - it's stunning. Walk up and down the Royal Mile (marked as the High Street and Canongate on the second map) to the castle and the new Scottish Parliament, walk around the New Town (which starts at Princes Street and carries on for several streets, off the second map), or walk up Calton Hill and around Holyrood Park (also marked on the second map). Some further useful information about Edinburgh can be found here:

Last modified by Patrick Honeybone, June 2005