Lothian Buses runs a lost property service for items left on its buses, and Edinburgh Trams handles items left on the trams. Items left on trains are kept by the operator that ran your service — ScotRail, LNER, CrossCountry or Avanti — so contact them and quote your route, date and time. Waverley and Haymarket are the main stations to check.
Lost property in Edinburgh
Lost something in Edinburgh? Here’s how to get it back.
A quick guide to where lost property goes in Edinburgh — on Lothian Buses, the trams and the trains, and around the city — plus a calmer way to report a lost or found item and arrange a safe return.
Where lost property goes in Edinburgh
In most cases, lost property is held by whoever runs the place or service where you lost it — so it’s worth knowing who to contact first:
For a black cab or private hire, contact the operator or the firm you booked with — keep the receipt or booking reference if you have it, which makes it much easier to trace the driver and your item.
For a shop, bar, festival venue, university or hotel, ask their reception or duty manager. Valuables and documents found in a public place can be reported to Police Scotland; hand-ins are usually kept for a set period.
Report it on Pinglo — and let the city help
Official lost property offices only work if someone hands your item in. Pinglo adds a second route: a live, local feed where anyone who spots your item can tell you straight away — and a safer way to hand things back.
1
Post your lost item with a clear description, rough area and time — keeping proof details private so the public post never gives everything away.
2
Get a ping the moment someone nearby spots it or posts a matching found item.
3
Start a private chat and use claim checks, so both sides can be sure it’s the right match before sharing anything.
4
Arrange a safe return with public-meetup guidance, and confirm the handover in the app.
Where things go missing in Edinburgh
Phones, keys, wallets, bags, laptops, headphones, documents and jewellery tend to go astray at Waverley and Haymarket, along the Royal Mile and Princes Street, on a night out in the Cowgate and Grassmarket, on campus at the University of Edinburgh, Napier and Heriot-Watt, around festival and Fringe venues in August, and on the tram out to the airport. Pinglo works for any of them, right across the city.
Questions people ask
How do I report something lost on a Lothian bus, tram or train?
Lost property is held by whoever runs the service. Lothian Buses runs a lost property service for items left on its buses, Edinburgh Trams handles items left on the trams, and items left on trains are kept by the operator that ran your service (such as ScotRail, LNER or CrossCountry). Waverley and Haymarket are the main stations to check. Alongside that, post the item on Pinglo so anyone who spots it nearby can let you know instantly.
Is Pinglo free to use in Edinburgh?
Yes. Pinglo is free to download on iPhone and free to use in any browser at pingloapp.com/app. You can report a lost item, post a found item, and arrange a safe return at no cost.
I found something in Edinburgh — what should I do?
Hand valuables and documents to the venue, transport operator or police where possible. You can also post the item on Pinglo as a found report so the owner can find it, start a claim, and prove it is theirs before you arrange a safe handover in a public place.
Can an Edinburgh venue, campus or workplace run its own lost and found?
Yes. Universities, venues, stations and workplaces can run a private Pinglo community with their own safety feed, hand-in points and member chat. See Partners.