Access Guide

This guide explains the facilities available at the Traverse Theatre and should help you to plan your visit. The Access Guide is available by request in Large Print or Audio CD. Please call our Box Office on 0131 228 1404 or email kath.lowe@traverse.co.uk to receive the guide in one of these formats.

There are two theatres: Traverse 1 which seats around 216 and Traverse 2 which is our smaller, more intimate studio space and seats around 100 people.

Arrival and access

From the Cambridge Street entrance there is level access and two sets of automatic doors into the Ground Floor Foyer where the Box Office is situated.

There are adapted toilets on the ground and lower ground Bar Café levels. There is a lift to all levels with Braille signage and an audible announcer.

For lift access to Traverse 1 or Traverse 2 please make yourself known to Front of House staff on arrival. Access to theatre level is only possible using a key, so the Front of House Duty Manager will meet and accompany you to the theatre once the house is open and of course collect you at the end of the performance.

There are 20 stairs from Ground Floor to Bar Café on Lower Ground, 29 stairs from Bar Café to Traverse 1 at Stage Level and 29 stairs from Bar Café to Traverse 2 at Stage Level.

Buying tickets

• telephone: 0131 228 1404
• website: www.traverse.co.uk

Tickets can be booked in person at the Traverse Box Office on the Ground Floor between Monday and Saturday from 10am to 6pm and until the show time on performance days.

To book a wheelchair space, borrow a wheelchair for your visit or for any further access requirements please email boxoffice@traverse.co.uk or call 0131 228 1404

Artlink offers an escort service to help people with disability to enjoy the arts and can be contacted directly at www.artlinkedinburgh.co.uk or call 0131 229 3555

Guide and hearing dogs

Guide and hearing dogs are welcome at the Traverse Theatre. Please let the Box Office know when booking so we can arrange the most suitable seats.

Sign language interpreted performances

Sign language interpretation is a way of communicating dialogue, songs and sound effects to provide access for British Sign Language users.

If you wish to attend a sign language interpreted performance and to reserve seats with the best view of the interpreter please inform Box Office at the time of booking.

Audio described performances

Audio description is a way of communicating the visual elements of a theatre production for blind and visually impaired people.

Information is relayed as a live commentary to a personal headset and ranges from character backgrounds, the appearance of the set and interactions during the performance.

For selected performances, a touch tour of the set may be available 45 minutes before the start of the show. This is led by the audio describer and members of the Traverse staff who will meet you in the Bar Café.

The touch tour gives the opportunity to feel the structure and the texture of the set, props and costumes.

If you wish to attend a touch tour, reserve a seat and to book your personal headset for the audio described performance please inform the Box Office at time of booking. Headsets will be available from Front of House staff 30 minutes before the performance starts.

For more information on audio description in Scotland http://www.adascotland.com/

Hearing enhancement

Hearing enhancement is amplified sound to a personal headset via an infra-red transmitter which allows you to have control of the sound level from stage. This service is suitable for low to moderate hearing loss and can be used in conjunction with existing hearing aids. If you wish to book your personal headset for the hearing enhancement please inform the Box Office at time of booking. Headsets will be available from Front of House staff 30 minutes before the performance starts.

Captioned performances

Captioning is a way of converting the spoken word into visible text that provides deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people access to live performance. If you wish to attend a captioned performance and to reserve seats with the best view of the captioning unit please inform Box Office at the time of booking.

Getting here

Buses

0.3 miles from Lothian Bus services on Lothian Road:
1, 10, 11, 15, 15A, 16, 22, 25, 30, 34, N8, N16, N22 N30, N31, X25

Trains

• 0.8 miles from Waverley Train Station
• 0.6 miles from Haymarket Train Station

Car parking

• 4 blue badge bays on Cambridge Street
• 0.2 miles from Castle Terrace Car Park
• Pay & Display on-street parking in surrounding streets

Taxis

• Drop off point at main entrance to Traverse Theatre
• 0.1 miles from Taxi rank on Lothian Road outside Sheraton Hotel

We hope to welcome you to the Traverse in the near future.