Scottish Half Marathon TRANSPORT INFORMATION
Walk
The event starts at Meadowmill Sports Centre, Tranent EH33 1LZ.
Your Event Information Pack will give you a map of the start area and you can use Google Maps to plan your walking route.
Event Bus (Participants)
Getting to the start
There will be Scottish Half Marathon Event Buses servicing Newcraighall Park & Ride, Musselburgh Grammar School and Wallyford Park & Ride for those running in the Scottish Half Marathon. You can buy a ticket for this service from the shop through MyRunning.
The Event Bus service will operate between the parking locations and Meadowmill Sports Centre (Start) before the Half Marathon, and from Linkfield Road (Finish) back to the parking locations after the Half Marathon.
Buses will shuttle spectators and runners from several Park & Rides to the Start area at Meadowmill Sports Centre in Tranent.
The Event Bus service will operate from 09:00-15:30. These buses will cease servicing Meadowmill Sports Centre at 10:30 ahead of the Half Marathon starting at 11:00. The journey will take between 10-30 minutes depending on your park and ride location. Once the Scottish Half Marathon starts, buses will shuttle from the Start Area at Meadowmill to the Finish Area at Musselburgh Racecourse. These buses will leave at approximately 11:20.
Getting back to the Park & Ride
If you're looking to return to the Park & Ride that you started at after the race, you'll be able to board a bus at Musselburgh Racecourse which will then shuttle runners and spectators back to the various park and ride locations. These buses will operate from 12:40-15:30.
You can download your bus ticket from your MyRunning account within two weeks of the event. One ticket is required per person using the service.
Please note: Bus tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged.
Tickets
2024 SHM - Participant and Spectator Bus Ticket
The parking locations serviced by the event bus are Newcraighall Park & Ride, Musselburgh Grammar School and Wallyford Park & Ride.This event bus service will operate between the parking locations and Meadowmill Sports Centre (start) before the Half Marathon, and from Linkfield Road (finish) back to the parking locations after the Half Marathon.
The event bus service will operate from 09:00 to 15:30. It will cease servicing Meadowmill Sports Centre at 10:30 ahead of the Half Marathon starting at 11:00. The journey will take approximately 10-30 minutes.
You MUST be at your chosen parking location 10 minutes prior to your ticket departure time.
You can download your bus ticket from your MyRunning account within two weeks of the event.
Please note: bus tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged. You will need to purchase one ticket per person using the service.
Event Bus (Spectators)
There will be Scottish Half Marathon Event Buses servicing Newcraighall Park & Ride, Musselburgh Grammar School and Wallyford Park & Ride for those running and spectating in the Scottish Half Marathon.
You can buy a ticket for this service from the Scottish Half Marathon shop through MyRunning. This ticket will be used for all journeys you make on the day.
Getting to the start
Buses will shuttle spectators and runners from several Park & Rides to the Start area at Meadowmill sports complex in Tranent. Please coordinate with your runner for the park and ride and time you'll get the bus to the start area.
Getting to the finish
Once the Scottish Half Marathon starts, buses will shuttle from the Start Area at Meadowmill to the finish at Musselburgh Racecourse. These buses will leave at approximately between 11:20 - 11:30. You will be able to board these in the car park of Meadowmill using the same ticket.
Getting back to the Park and Ride
If you're looking to return to the Park & Ride that you started at after the race, you'll be able to board a bus at Musselburgh Racecourse which will then shuttle you and runners back to the various park and ride locations. These buses will operate from 12:40-15:30.
Tickets
2024 SHM - Participant and Spectator Bus Ticket
The parking locations serviced by the event bus are Newcraighall Park & Ride, Musselburgh Grammar School and Wallyford Park & Ride.This event bus service will operate between the parking locations and Meadowmill Sports Centre (start) before the Half Marathon, and from Linkfield Road (finish) back to the parking locations after the Half Marathon.
The event bus service will operate from 09:00 to 15:30. It will cease servicing Meadowmill Sports Centre at 10:30 ahead of the Half Marathon starting at 11:00. The journey will take approximately 10-30 minutes.
You MUST be at your chosen parking location 10 minutes prior to your ticket departure time.
You can download your bus ticket from your MyRunning account within two weeks of the event.
Please note: bus tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged. You will need to purchase one ticket per person using the service.
Public Bus
If you are travelling within Edinburgh and East Lothian, both Lothian Buses and East Coast Buses offer services on event day.
For further information please visit www.lothianbuses.com or www.eastcoastbuses.co.uk. Please be advised that due to road closures for the event, traffic may be rerouted through Musselburgh and take longer than advertised on your route planner.
Car
There is extremely limited parking in Musselburgh town centre and no parking available at Meadowmill Sports Centre.
Parking at Newcraighall Park & Ride, Musselburgh Grammar School and Wallyford Park & Ride is free but on a first come, first served basis. Please arrive in plenty of time to park and travel to your start line, bearing in mind that the later you arrive, the greater the risk of the parking spaces being taken.
Please note that it is not possible to drop off Half Marathon runners at Meadowmill Sports Centre, nor on Gardiner Terrace. Runners attempting to be dropped off at these locations in previous years have caused disruption to other road users and the event itself. Runner drop off should take place at Prestonpans Train Station, which is a 15 minute walk from the Half Marathon start line at Meadowmill Sports Centre.
PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PARK YOUR CAR AT MEADOWMILL SPORTS CENTRE, OR THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS OF MUSSELBURGH OR PRESTONPANS.
The continuing success of the event depends upon the support of the local community and sadly last year, despite parking restrictions being in place we experienced massive problems with runners and spectators parking illegally, blocking bus routes, residents driveways and even cars being abandoned on the pavements making it impossible for people using wheelchairs or parents with prams to use the pavement, instead being forced onto the open road to pass.
If you are parking anywhere on the event day, please do so legally and with respect to those who live in these areas, however please note that parking in Musselburgh, Prestonpans and the surrounding areas is restricted and for residents only.
Police Scotland, East Lothian Council and Scottish Half Marathon organisers take this issue very seriously and the following measures will be in operation:
- There will be marshals in place to enforce parking restrictions.
- The drivers of all vehicles parked illegally will be fined.
- Any vehicles parked illegally and causing obstruction or congestion will be towed away.
Please help us by planning your travel in advance of the event day and where possible, leave the car and choose one of the many transport options available.
Road Closures
Please view the Road Closure Document here.