I took the bus from Dunfermline to Edinburgh – could I make it to ‘work’ on time?

Many commuters living in Dunfermline are used to the 18-mile commute across the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh.

Unsurprisingly, the car remains the preferred option for most of them.

But how attractive is getting one of the regular buses to the capital?

I found myself on a mission to find out early one Monday morning.

The plan was to catch the 7.47am bus from Dunfermline to see if it could get me to Edinburgh for the traditional 9am start to the working day.

I’ve previously reported on reliability issues that have plagued Stagecoach’s services in Fife and approached the assignment with trepidation.

Would I get there on time – and was the bus the best option?

Catching the X55 Dunfermline to Edinburgh bus

The streets surrounding Dunfermline Bus Station are eerily quiet and damp as I rush to catch my bus.

Ironically, I’m running late.

Thankfully, I make up the time and the X55 – a yellow Plaxton Panther LE coach – is waiting for me when I get there.

I notice its unusual layout, with a low floor towards the front helping to make it more accessible.

I buy a return ticket for £6.50 – though it’s worth noting that jobseekers can get a day return for £3.25.

There are about 15 other people on the bus when we leave – on time.

Soon we are blasting our way down the dual carriageway towards Rosyth, with a few stops along the way.

Going at 40mph feels fast on a bus.

One lady boards on St Leonards Street with a slice of burnt-looking toast in her hand.

She looks rather flustered and groans as she takes her seat.

I’m glad just to be a curious onlooker and not be participating in the mad morning rush.

We continue through Rosyth without picking anyone up and I wonder if Stagecoach has overestimated how long it will take to reach Edinburgh.

However, our progress is halted at Ferrytoll Park and Ride at 8.11am, with several commuters boarding here.

It’s encouraging to see the Inverkeithing facility is well used and the car park looks busy.

Soon we’re crossing the Forth Road Bridge – missing out the much busier Queensferry Crossing – as the first daylight begins to appear behind the red rail bridge.

There are worse views to have on your commute and I’m starting to enjoy the journey.

Unfortunately, we soon come to a grinding halt in traffic as the bus tries to re-join the A90 after taking a short detour to Craigiehall.

I still have 38 minutes to get to ‘work’ on time, but it’s slow going for the rest of the journey.

The bus stops intermittently when we get into the city for school pupils, parents and more frazzled commuters as the traffic eases slightly.

I get a stunning view from my seat of Deans Village and it doesn’t feel like long before we are in the heart of Edinburgh.

I imagine the journey would feel much longer if I did it every day, though.

Most passengers disembark at a stop on Queensferry Street near the West End of Princes Street at 8.52am – seven minutes later than scheduled.

I would likely still make it to ‘work’ on time.

But I make the mistake of staying on the bus until it gets to the bus station, which adds another 15 minutes of traffic lights torture onto the journey.

I’m now well past my 9am deadline.

What did I make of the Dunfermline to Edinburgh bus?

Disembarking into the icy Edinburgh air gives me an opportunity to analyse my non-commute.

I consider whether it would be attractive if I lived in areas outside Dunfermline city centre.

Both the X55 and the less frequent X52 leave from the city’s bus station, meaning some passengers will have to walk a distance, get another bus or even drive to catch these services.

One hour and five minutes also feels like a long time to cover 18 miles.

But short of bypassing Rosyth and the busy park and ride, it’s hard to see where it could make up time.

Buses also operate every 15-20 minutes between Dunfermline and Edinburgh until 7.30pm on weekdays.

I would argue that it’s a more relaxing way to spend those blissful minutes before work starts – and maybe even complete some tasks if I had a laptop with me.

It also doesn’t take me long to walk through St James Quarter and onto Princes Street.

I can definitely see the appeal.

The return to Dunfermline on an almost empty X55 from Queensferry Street is pain-free – though I’d imagine that might be different in the evening rush hour.

Sunshine welcomes us back to Fife.

Bus, train or car: What’s the better option?

Dunfermline commuters might find it hard to fathom catching the bus when it takes more than an hour during the rush hour.

But in reality, this isn’t much longer than it can take to drive into Edinburgh at that time in the morning.

Then you have the challenge of finding somewhere to park.

And the bus can use the much quieter Forth Road Bridge, avoiding the frequent M90 chaos.

However, the 8.05am train from Dunfermline City only takes 36 minutes to reach Edinburgh Waverley.

Commuters could even chance their luck on the 8.25am service, which would get them into Haymarket station in Edinburgh’s West End at 8.59am.

Cost is a factor here, with an off-peak return on the train setting you back by £8.20.

The more commuter-friendly anytime day return costs £13.50 – but that’s still double what I paid for my bus ticket.

And that’s not mentioning those who are entitled to free bus travel.

However, you can see why commuters might turn to the car or train if the bus runs proves more unreliable.

• The Courier has also taken a look at free parking sites in south Fife with links to Edinburgh and the airport