08/10/2025

Borders Buses has announced a range of service improvements and timetable changes, with a particular emphasis on enhancing access to vital hospital services and train links across its network.

The bus company will also adjust its service 253 (Berwick-Upon-Tweed to Edinburgh), terminating it in East Lothian. Plans are in place with East Coast Buses to deliver seamless onward bus travel to Edinburgh for passengers travelling from the east.

Effective from Monday, 20 October 2025, the adjustments are designed to provide more reliable connections for patients, hospital staff, and visitors, while continuing to meet the needs of commuters, students, and the wider community.

The key changes include:

Service 51 (Galashiels – Edinburgh):

Sunday journeys have improved connections at Newtown St Boswells for onward travel to Jedburgh/Kelso .
Some journeys will be reinstated to Newstead at the request of Scottish Borders Council and the local community.

Service 60 (Galashiels – Berwick-Upon-Tweed via Earlston, Duns & Eyemouth):

Service 60 will now provide ten new journeys to Knoll Hospital in Duns.
The route will now serve Eyemouth in both directions, providing a direct link to BGH for those living in the Eyemouth area.
Sunday departures from Galashiels will be earlier, with later arrivals from Berwick-Upon-Tweed.

Service 67 (Galashiels – Berwick-Upon-Tweed via Kelso):

The route will now operate as a through service, removing the need for passengers to change buses at Kelso.
Later journey Monday to Saturday from Kelso to Galashiels.

Service 68 (Galashiels – Jedburgh):

Minor timetable adjustments will ensure better synchronisation with service 67, maintaining a reliable 30-minute frequency on the shared route.
The last journey from Jedburgh will now extend to Galashiels.

Service 253 (Berwick-Upon-Tweed – Edinburgh):

The service will now operate exclusively between Berwick-Upon-Tweed and Dunbar, with the Dunbar to Edinburgh section removed.
Customers can purchase a through ticket for onward travel to Edinburgh via Lothian Buses (Service X7). Tickets will be available on the Borders Buses app, tickets include 253 Day at £15.99 and a 253 Day plus ECB X7 at £24.80,
The route will now serve Broxburn and Dunbar Grammar School. A revised timetable with earlier first buses and later last buses will improve connections, including a new 19:10 journey from Berwick to Reston via Ayton, Eyemouth, and Coldingham, enhancing train connections at Reston.

Service X62 (Galashiels – Edinburgh via Peebles):

The X62 will add new stops at Burdiehouse Square and St Katherine’s Brae, with a slight adjustment to the Mayfield Gardens stop.
While frequency remains the same, revised running times will address peak traffic and improve service reliability.
An additional return journey will be introduced on Sundays to reduce service gaps.

Service X95 (Edinburgh – Carlisle via Galashiels & Hawick):

The X95 will operate on a revised timetable to better reflect peak traffic conditions and improve overall reliability.

Other service updates

Services 313/314: A minor earlier start time will improve reliability and better serve school pupils in the Galashiels to Earlston area.
Service G01 and P12: The G01 will have minor timetable changes on schooldays to improve reliability. The P12 will add a stop at West Linton Primary School with adjusted pickup locations to enhance pupil safety.

Claire Lark, operations manager at Borders Buses, said: “We are delighted to be implementing these improvements across our network. A key focus of these enhancements is to provide better access to essential healthcare services.

“We’re thrilled to be adding ten new journeys to Knoll Hospital in Duns and a direct link from Eyemouth to the BGH on Service 60, making travel easier for patients, staff, and visitors.

"While we will no longer serve the Dunbar to Edinburgh section ourselves, we are pleased to be working with East Coast Buses to deliver seamless travel for those looking to travel from East Lothian to the Capital.

"These changes are the result of listening to feedback from our customers and working with local authorities to ensure our services are as reliable and accessible as possible. We believe these enhancements will make a real difference to the daily lives of people across our operating area, whether they’re commuting, heading to school, or visiting friends and family."

For more information and the new timetables, please visit www.bordersbuses.co.uk. Timetable leaflets will be available shortly.