All Aboard – Special First Foot Express To Musselburgh Racecourse

The 1 January service will carry festive first footers from across the Lothians and Borders to the East Lothian course, with a return fare costing just £10.

The racecourse has traditionally offered a special New Year’s Day return bus service from Edinburgh’s Waterloo Place and Galashiels, but this year it will be extended to include Dunbar, Haddington, Penicuik and Dalkeith.

Travel tickets are now on sale on a first-come basis and must be purchased along with a raceday admission ticket. Racegoers who book a £25 Early Bird admission ticket before Friday 7 December will save £10 per adult.

Musselburgh Racecourse marketing manager, Aisling Johnston, said: “We want as many people as possible to enjoy the thrill of bringing in the New Year at Musselburgh and these extra bus services make it even easier to welcome in 2019 in style.

“The Edinburgh New Year Day bus service has always proved popular and it was natural to extend this to other areas where we know there are a keen racegoing audience and other people who want to mark the first day of 2019 in a special way.

“Guests taking advantage of the express bus service can relax in the knowledge that they can enjoy a day at the races and that getting home will not be an issue. There is always a cracking atmosphere at what is Edinburgh’s biggest New Year sporting and social event and we would advise racegoers to book early.”

Two £30,000 races feature on the six card meeting which has prize money of £112,000, and in addition to top class jumps racing there will be live music, a DJ set by Funkwagen, cosy marquees, a winter fashion competition and the finals of the historic athletics New Year Sprint.

The NYD bus services are:

Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, leaving 10.30am and 11.15am, returning from racecourse 4pm.

Galashiels bus station 10am, picking up at Gorebridge Scotmid, 10.45am, returning 4pm.

Dunbar Town House Museum 10.15am, picking up John Muir House, Haddington, 10.40am, return 4.15pm.

Penicuik town centre medical practice 10.30am, picking up Dalkeith Morrisons 11am, returning 4pm.