Disability Access

The EICC is a modern, purpose-built and fully-accessible events venue. The venue has been designed to be inclusive to people of all abilities and our team has received full Equality and Diversity Training.

Getting here
Located in The Exchange district of central Edinburgh, the EICC can be reached by several routes with plenty of accessible travel options to choose from.

Accessible Parking near the EICC
Dedicated accessible parking spaces are available in the following facilities:

Sheraton Hotel Car Park located 150 meters from the EICC, with limited accessible parking spaces
Semple Street Car Park located 300 meters from the EICC
Castle Terrace NCP Car Park located 650 meters from the EICC

In addition there is on street parking on Morrison Street near the EICC's main entrance and in surrounding streets, such as Gardner's Crescent, which is free and without time limit for Blue Badge holders.

Visitors from outside the European Union can apply for Blue Badge status for the duration of their visit. They should contact the City of Edinburgh Council with as much notice as possible via their Request a Blue Badge webpage

Please note that you should not park:

• In bus lanes during the hours of operation
• In cycle lanes
• On single or double red lines during the hours of operation or in a dangerous section of the road
• On zig-zag pedestrian crossings at school entrance
• In bus stops

Bus
Several local buses stop at Lothian Road, which is approx. 300 metres from the EICC. Additionally, Lothian Buses service No. 2 stops just a few metres from the EICC’s main entrances.

All Lothian Buses are easy access, they are equipped with:

• Low entrances that can “kneel” to kerb height to give step free access where possible
• Retractable boarding ramp for wheelchair access
• Completely flat areas on the lower deck (with no internal steps)
• High visibility handrails
• A dedicated wheelchair space
• Drivers who are specially trained to help customers enjoy the full benefit of their buses

Taxi
The EICC benefits from a reserved drop-off area where taxis and cars can park temporarily, directly outside the venue’s two entrances.  The taxi rank is situated at the front of the EICC where there is a dropped kerb.  Taxis can be booked at the EICC’s Concierge Desks.

Our preferred taxi supplier is Central Taxis. All Central Taxis are wheelchair accessible. They offer a mix of 5-seater TX Hackney cabs, 6-seater Mercedes M8 taxis and Peugeot E7 taxis each of which is supplied with a wheelchair ramp, seatbelts and additional safety anchors. All drivers have completed training in Wheelchair Access and Disability Awareness.

Train
The closest train station to the EICC is Haymarket. The station is accessible and is less than 500 metres from the venue.

Waverley Station is one mile from the EICC. All entrances to the station are step-free. Further details can be found in Waverley Station’s accessibility guide.    

Tram
Edinburgh Trams stop directly outside Haymarket Station, which is the closest tram stop to the EICC.  The trams provide frequent connections from the city centre to Edinburgh Airport.

On Foot
The approach to the EICC from Lothian Road is flat with a gentle slope down towards the two main entrances - the Strathblane and the Lennox. From this direction you will arrive at the Lennox entrance first.

Arriving from Haymarket Station to the venue, after the step-free pedestrian crossing the pavement slopes upwards – from this direction you will arrive at the Strathblane entrance first.

Venue Access
The EICC’s two main entrances, the Strathblane and the Lennox, both have automated sliding doors which are operated by a push button from the outside and by sensor from the inside. During an event these doors are manned with security who can offer assistance if required.

Strathblane (left) and Lennox (right) entrances

Navigating the venue
An effective concierge service, as well as prominent signage and lighting, ensure smooth navigation of the venue. In spite of the building’s complexity and size, it is highly-functional yet welcoming. A helpful team of staff is on-hand to assist with navigational and accessibility needs.

A building layout plan for our venue can be viewed here.

Lifts
All areas of the venue can be reached by lift. All lifts have spoken messages indicating which floor the lift is on and whether the doors are opening or closing. Additionally, all lifts have grab bars for delegates with impaired mobility.

Toilet Facilities
On each floor of the venue there are adapted toilets, with grab rails, emergency buttons, lowered mirrors and fittings. Currently these toilets allow for either a left or a right lateral transfer, not both.

Induction Loop
In the Pentland Auditorium an Induction Loop is located in the central section of seats from row F to the rear of the auditorium. To use this, delegates should switch their hearing aids to the "T" position.  Additional induction loops are installed as required.

Wheelchair Spaces
There are three spaces in the front of the Sidlaw and Fintry Auditoria, which are available for wheelchair users.  There are also six wheelchair spaces in the Pentland Auditorium.

The EICC can make reasonable adjustments to facilities where required, such as providing a wheelchair ramp, which can be utilised to take wheelchair users on to the stage in the Lomond Suite, breakout rooms, Cromdale Hall, and Strathblane Hall.

Buggies
Buggies are welcomed at the EICC. There are Baby Changing facilities on all floors within the EICC. Leith’s, our catering partners, offer baby bottle and food warming if required.

Sign Language 
The EICC has good links with the Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters and can provide interpreters for all conferences at a reasonable fee. 

Visual Impairments
Information can be passed on regarding producing conference information in braille or transferring written information onto tape for any delegates with a visual impairment.

Assistance dogs are welcome.

Autism Aware
The EICC is committed to promoting equality and improving accessibility for everybody.  We understand that for some people with autism spectrum conditions (ASC), sensory or additional needs, attending an event can be a daunting experience. Our aim is to be a leading international venue which is accessible to visitors with ASC. Working with The National Autistic Society, the EICC team has been equalities trained and is committed to following the company’s ethos of being inclusive to all EICC visitors. 

Download our Autism Friendly Visitors Guide

Download our Autism Friendly Event Organisers Guide

Keep Safe
The EICC is proud to be a Keep Safe premise, meaning that we will provide help, if required, to vulnerable people when they are out in the community.  Find out more about the Keep Safe initiative. 

Edinburgh Dementia-Friendly
Edinburgh has many attractions which establish themselves for those with dementia - access BrightCare's Dementia-Friendly Days Out, which provides a guide for these locations.

Feedback & Contact Details 
If we have not covered your access requirements in this document, or if you would like to provide any feedback regarding this access statement then please contact us using the below details: 

T: +44 (0) 131 300 3000   E: [email protected]

We will be happy to discuss your needs and offer further assistance where we can.  We regularly review and update our services in order to continually improve the visitor experience in our venue.