Visit
- Tickets and Opening Times
- Plan Your Visit
- The House
- The Gardens
- The Chapel
- The Estate
- The Visitor Centre
- Family Fun
GETTING HERE
Abbotsford is only an hour south of Edinburgh by train or car, close to Melrose in the Scottish Borders.
Simply click on the map below to be taken to Google Maps where you can plan your trip and get directions to Abbotsford, our postcode is TD6 9BQ for Sat. Nav. directions.
Travel by public transport
Train services from Edinburgh Waverley to Tweedbank, roughly a mile from Abbotsford, run 7 days a week and take just under an hour. For a full train timetable, please check Scotrail or Traveline Scotland.
The Abbotsford minibus
The minibus runs from Tweedbank station and Melrose Abbey to Abbotsford on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. This service is dependent on volunteer availability so if you plan to rely on the minibus to get to Abbotsford, please contact us to check the service is running.
The minibus has space for 1 wheelchair per journey. Please contact us before your journey if you will be using the minibus with a wheelchair so we can make space to accomodate this.
Abbotsford Minibus Timetable Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
| Abbotsford | 10.00 | 10.30 | 11.00 | 12.00 | 13.00 | 14.00 | 14.30 | 15.00 |
| Tweedbank station | 10:15 | 10.45 | 11.15 | 12.15 | 13.15 | 14.15 | 14.40 | 15.10 |
| Melrose Abbey | 11.30 | 13.30 | ||||||
| Abbotsford | 10.25 | 10.55 | 11.40 | 12.25 | 13.40 | 14.25 | 14.55 | 15.30 |
Additional afternoon stops at Melrose Abbey may be possible, just ask the driver.
You can walk from Tweedbank Station taking only 20 minutes if you follow the signposted 'Abbotsford Link'. When following the 'Abbotsford Link' turn right as you come out of the station and follow sign post. For a scenic riverside walk, you can take the Borders Abbeys Way. Bus services run from Edinburgh to Carlisle via Galashiels, taking just under 1.5 hours. Visitors can transfer to local buses, bus services 67 and 68 stop at the Tweedbank roundabout, a short stroll from Abbotsford. Several local bus routes stop at Galafoot Bridge, 10 minutes walking distance via a public footpath to Abbotsford.
A local taxi company will pick you up from Galashiels or Tweedbank Station, please call Five Star Taxis (01896 756789) to book your taxi prior to arrival. Visitor Centre staff are happy to contact a taxi for anyone requiring the service on their return trip.
Parking
We offer parking for cars, coaches as well as bicycles in the Visitor Centre car park. This is a pay and display car park with modest parking charges starting at £1 for 2 hours. Find out more about parking in our car park FAQs.
If you're arriving from the south (A7) along the B6360, please do not enter Abbotsford via the first left turn, a single track road next to a lodge. Continue down the B6360 to reach our Visitor Centre car park. What Three Words fish.televise.nylon for the entrance to the car park.
For information about accessibility at Abbotsford and to arrange assistance, please refer to our Accessibility section.
Walks around Abbotsford
Abbotsford offers a fantastic network of paths across the 120 acre estate, many of which also connect with walking routes around Abbotsford. Take a stroll through Scott’s planted woodlands, walk alongside the Tweed and discover hidden pathways and views which inspired Scott’s imagination with the maps in our Estate section.
The Borders Abbeys Way also passes alongside the Visitor Centre and walkers using this route are welcome to use the facilities. Public lockers are also available for bags and boots. More information about the Borders Abbeys Way and free route leaflets are available via the Scottish Borders council.