The T2 Trainspotting Locations Of Edinburgh

When director Danny Boyle announced that he was going to reunite the team behind the original Trainspotting movie for a belated sequel, fans were understandably worried about the 21-year gap. How had the characters changed, and just as importantly how would modern Edinburgh feature having played such a pivotal part in the seminal 1996 movie?

You might also like: The Beautiful Scottish Locations Showcased in Amazon’s Outlander

You might also like: T2 Trainspotting Review: The Perfect Cocktail of Nostalgia and Originality

Thankfully the film is a great return. Not only did it provide a fitting continuation to characters we loved growing up, T2 Trainspotting also fully embraced the changes in the city. Edinburgh features just as much as it did in the original, and on our brief tour of some of the locations used in the movie we got to see some of the inspirations behind Irvine Welsh’s novels.

One change that any returning visitor will immediately notice is the new tram system that runs from the airport all the way into the very heart of Edinburgh. When Renton (Ewan McGregor) comes back home at the start of T2 he too gets to experience the airport in all its new glory.

Danny Boyle has said that the sequel is set much more in the real Edinburgh than the original film. There are fewer sets and a greater use of real-life venues and locations.

In Trainspotting, Renton was seen running along Princes Street (which is close by) in a sequence that has gone into movie folklore, and that area makes a cameo in T2, but a particular street, just off the famous Royal Mile, makes it into the new film – Victoria Street whose unmistakable curving architecture particularly stands out.

Other films that have been filmed here include the popular adaptation of One Day, the time-bindingly epic Cloud Atlas and yet another big screen version of Irvine Welsh’s work, Filth. This historical part of Edinburgh, complete with its ghoulish past, has thankfully remained relatively unchanged.

You might also like: The Best Movie Sequels That Are Better Than the Originals

For those of you looking for a more physically challenging experience, there is now a Trainspotting themed jog around the city. EMF Running Tours will guide you from Princes Street – which was also featured in the first film as part of Renton’s epic shoplifting escape route – to historic Arthur’s Seat.

In T2 we see Ewan McGregor and Ewen Bremner (Spud) run up the incline when trying to get back in shape and kick the habit. It’s a beautiful view from the top, but even the short run from the centre of town to the greener outskirts of the city is worth taking in. You’ll go pass the Scottish parliament building and straight into Holyrood Park.

Spud (Ewen Bremner) and Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) after their run on top of Arthur’s Peak

If you do make it up to the top, and it’s certainly worth it for the views alone, then you will have earned the right for a bit of luxury. High-end designer department store Harvey Nichols might be all the way back in town, but is worth a visit if only to recreate the ‘choose life’ speech from T2. It’s where Ewan McGregor gets to spew his infamous updated monologue to new comer Veronika (Anjela Nedyalkova) on a late-night date.

Another late-night venue that’s a must-see for any self-respecting Trainspotting fan is the Cav club. The largest club in Edinburgh and the student’s club of choice was inundated with volunteers when Danny Boyle and the production team put out a call for extras for a scene involving the main stars.

The Cav also houses the toilets used in T2. Something of a trademark for the series, this particular lavatory sequence involves the perpetually irate Begbie (Robert Carlyle) discovering that he is in a stall next to Renton, the man who stole from him. The following foot chase, which is a deliberate nod to the first film, ends up being a thrilling nighttime sequence through a nearby car park.

You might also like: Trainspotting for Filth: Irvine Welsh’s Portrayals of Contemporary Scotland

Of all the areas depicted in Trainspotting, Leith is the one that has undergone the most dramatic transformation. Formerly the home of excess during the drug-fuelled Nineties, and a place that author Irvine Welsh still frequents to this day, the dockside area now has Michelin-starred restaurants sitting alongside some of the more ‘colourful’ pubs.

It’s here that you get the truest sense of where the original story came from, and why the sequel had to have the updates and modern twists to still feel authentic. Edinburgh, just like the characters, has changed significantly in the 20 years since the first Trainspotting film.

T2Spud (Ewen Bremner), Simon ‘Sickboy’ (Jonny Lee Miller) and Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) walking in the great outdoors

BLU-RAY & DVD BONUS MATERIAL:

– Commentary from Director Danny Boyle and Screenwriter John Hodge
– 29 Deleted Scenes
– ‘20 Years in the Making’ – a conversation with Danny Boyle, Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller and Robert Carlyle
– Calton Athletic Documentary

For more information check out the Visit Scotland website.

T2 Trainspotting debuts on digital, June 13 and on DVD, Blu-rayTM & 4K Ultra HDTM, June 5.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.