The Forth Bridges
Address: South Queensferry, EH30 9SF
There are three Forth Bridges, which all connect Edinburgh to Fife in the east of Scotland. They stand side by side over the Firth Of Forth, representing three centuries of engineering. The Forth Rail Bridge opened in 1890 to carry trains across the Firth Of Forth. It remains a great feat of engineering. At 2.5 km in length, it’s the world’s second longest single cantilever span.
The Forth Road Bridge is a road suspension bridge, which opened in 1964 for road traffic, cyclists and pedestrians. Before its construction, a ferry service transported vehicles across the water. The structure is over 2.5 km long. When it opened it was the largest in the world outside the United States. The Queensferry Crossing opened in 2017. It is a triple tower cable-stayed structure, 2.7 km long, the longest of its kind in the world. This new crossing now carries all cars and other road traffic across the Forth Of Forth, while public transport, cyclists and pedestrians still use the Forth Road Bridge.
5 things to do at The Forth Bridges
- Enjoy great views of the bridges from either side of the crossing, at South Queensferry in Edinburgh or North Queensferry in Fife.
- Cross the Forth Rail Bridge by train. You can take a train from Edinburgh to North Queensferry.
- Walk or cycle across the Forth Road Bridge.
- Drive across the Queensferry Crossing by car.
- Take a boat trip under the three bridges, with Maid Of The Forth.
