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Worlds 2025 Info Guide

This page will be updated often, bookmark it to stay up to date on frequently asked questions and follow the #announcements channel in the Worlds 2025 Discord.

Worlds 2025 Venue

All official events will be at

Dovecot Studios
10 Infirmary St
Edinburgh EH1 1LT
United Kingdom

(🗺️map)

Worlds 2025 Primer

A useful guide especially if this is your first Worlds tournament.

Open the Worlds 2025 Primer document

Worlds 2025 Schedule

Friday October 17

Crown of Servers Team Tournament

8:30 AMDoors Open
Registration Starts
9:30 AM Registration Ends
COS Tournament Starts
12:40 PMRound 2 Ends
Lunch Break Starts
1:45 PMLunch Break Ends
Round 3 Pairing Starts
6:20 PMLast Round (5) Ends
Prizing
7:00 PMCosplay Contest
8:00 PMTripp Mirror Concert
9:00 PMTrivia Night
11:00 PMDoors Close

Saturday October 18

Standard World Championship Tournament

Decklists are mandatory!

8:00 AMDoors Open
Registration Starts
8:30 AMRegistration Ends
Standard World Championship Tournament Starts
12:45 PMRound 4 Ends
Lunch Break Starts
1:45 PMLunch Break Ends
Round 5 Pairing Starts
5:50 PMRound 8 Ends
Dinner Break Starts
6:50 PMDinner Break Ends
Round 9 Pairing Starts
10:00 PMRound 11 Ends
Prizing
11:00 PMDoors Close

Sunday October 19

Standard World Championship Tournament SSS & Top 16

8:30 AMDoors Open
9:00 AMRound 12 Pairing Starts
12:00 PMLast Round (14) Ends
Single Sided Swiss Results Announced
Lunch Break Starts
1:00 PMTop 16 Cut Begins
9:00 PMTop 16 Ends
Netrunner World Championship 2025 Winner Crowned

NSG-Run side events

12:30 PMRegistration Ends
Startup & Eternal Side events start
12:45 PMRound 1 Pairing
5:20 PMRound 5 Ends
Dinner Break Starts
6:25 PMDinner Break Ends
Round 6 Starts
9:20 PMLast Round (8) Ends
Prizing
10:00 PMDoors Close

How to Prepare Your Decklist for Submission

Decklist submission will be on Cobra https://tournaments.nullsignal.games

You will need a NetrunnerDB.com account with your decks saved.

The event will be posted on Saturday Oct. 18th.

Proxy Printing at Worlds

Fill out one of these forms to request proxies to be printed at the event.

Opens Friday the 17th, closes Sunday the 19th afternoon

Proxy Request Form

Side Events

Worlds 2025 Side Events

Worlds 2025 Feedback Form

The feedback form Opens Sunday October 19th.

Worlds 2025 Feedback Form

Worlds 2025 Shop Schedule

Artist Colony products will be available browse, order, and pickup at all times that the venue is open.

Friday: 8:30am – 11pm

Saturday: 8:00am – 11pm

Sunday: 8:30am – 10pm

Featuring products from:

Everything you need to know about getting to and navigating Edinburgh Scotland during the Netrunner World Championship 2025.

ETA – international travellers 

Most visitors to Scotland from outside the UK will need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). The requirement for an ETA started 2 April. The cost of the ETA is currently at 10GBP. From 9 April, it will cost 16 GBP to apply for an ETA.

ETA
Apply for an ETA

Getting to Edinburgh from within the UK

If you’re flying into a different city in the UK it should be fairly easy to get to Edinburgh by train (do note that some of our train companies are notoriously unreliable at times). Thetrainline.com is generally the best website for getting tickets, and the Edinburgh trains from London will leave from either Kings Cross or Euston. If you’re travelling as a couple it’s also worth looking at getting a Two-together rail card, which costs 35 pounds last I checked, and gives you a 30% discount as long as you travel together, so it might be worth it even for just one trip.

Airport to Venue Transportation

Dovecot Studios is located in the centre of Edinburgh, as such there are several options for reaching it via Edinburgh Airport, most go via Edinburgh Waverley, the cities main train station:

  • 100 Airlink Bus: A dedicated bus service from the airport to the city centre, it is a comfortable service with space available for luggage. A trip from the Airport to its final stop at Edinburgh will take approximately 30-40 minutes, tickets can be purchased in advance or contactless payment is accepted, the service runs 24/7, an adult return ticket is £8
  • Edinburgh Trams: The tram network in Edinburgh is a single line that runs from the airport to Leith and the shore. From the airport stop you should exit via Princess Street or York Place for the venue, it is then an approximate 15 minute walk. The tram is a modern service well appointed with space for luggage. A trip from the Airport to its final stop at Edinburgh will take approximately 30-40 minutes (and not affected by traffic), tickets can be purchased in advance or contactless payment is accepted, the service runs from 0630-2250 from the airport, an adult single ticket is £7.50
  • Capital Cars: The airport has an official black cab partner, Capital Cars, which has a taxi rank at the airport, these taxis will be large with space for around 5 people with luggage. Costs will depend on the traffic, and could be around £40+ to the city, and would take around 30 minutes. This service is 24/7. Other taxi services, including Uber, can be arranged but they will need to pick you up outwith the immediate airport (i.e. require a walk to an accessible area)

Note that Edinburgh is a city of layers, as such going from the Edinburgh Waverley area to the venue will require going uphill, something to be mindful of if you have accessibility needs or heavy bags. It is an approximate 10 minute walk from Waverly to the venue.

Local public transit systems and alternatives

Edinburgh is covered by a single bus provider, Lothian Buses, they offer a range of routes across the city and the service is reliable. Tickets can be purchased in advance (day tickets are £5.50), or more usually contactless payment is taken – there is a flat fee on all city routes (£2.20 which caps at £5.00 per day). Most services will conclude by midnight, there are a limited number of night services that run from midnight to the early hours. 

Edinburgh Trams offer a service across a single line which may be useful if you intend to stay outwith the city centre (particularly Leith and the shore). Services run to around 23:00 and day tickets can be purchased.

There are a number of taxi services in Edinburgh, usually booked in advance or accessed via specific taxi ranks found throughout the city. Uber is also available in the city, this is a licenced service in Edinburgh (i.e the vehicles/drivers are registered/licenced much like any other taxi). 

Weather

The weather in Scotland is very unpredictable! That said you can expect the city to be cold to mild in October (5°c-14°c), be prepared for rain but it can often be dry, it will be dark by around 17:00. 
Dress for cold and rain showers, layers are recommended! Forecasts are changeable but broadly reliable a day or two in advance, you can check that via https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

Lodging Recommendations

Edinburgh is a popular tourist destination all year round, as such there are a huge amount of options for accommodation – booking in advance is recommended as it is unlikely to get cheaper. 

Most major hotel chains will have a presence, in addition AirBnB is available and commonly used. Do not be afraid to book outwith the city centre, there is good public transport links and Edinburgh is relatively dense, recommended areas beyond the centre include; Leith, Haymarket, Bruntsfield and Stockbridge.

Attractions

There are many things to busy yourself with in Edinburgh aside from Netrunner, here are the most popular:

  1. Edinburgh Castle: over 600 years old, the Castle dominates the city centre, sitting atop the Royal Mile. Aside from the fortification, you’ll find Scotland’s military museum and crown jewels inside. Tickets are around £20 per adult.
  2. National Museum of Scotland: the largest museum in Scotland, the UKs most popular attraction outside of London, the National Museum has a huge range of galleries and displays covering as many topics; natural history, science (Dolly the sheep!), fashion etc etc. It’s also free!
  3. Scenic views: Arthurs Seat and Calton Hill offer excellent views of the city and surrounds, weather permitting they are a treat. The former is not paved and appropriate footwear is recommended.
  4. Art: if you fancy a jaunt out of the city centre the national Modern Art Gallery offers an excellent array of pieces, across two buildings. If you prefer to stay central, the Portrait and National Galleries are fine examples of their style. All are free to visit. 
  5. The touristy stuff: there are a lot of tourist attractions that are worth a visit if you’re interested including the horrible histories of Edinburgh Dungeons (from £18), the illusions of the Camera Obscura (from £23) and the boozy Scotch Whisky Tour (from £24), and more.

Game Stores

There are several game stores in Edinburgh offering various services:

  1. Black Lion Games: the original, relatively close to the city centre, Black Lion offers a large range of boardgames for purchase
  2. Mox in the Hole: another city centre game shop, with more of a focus on cardgames, particularly MTG
  3. Games Hub: city centre boardgame cafe, with a smaller selection of games for sale and a large games library for hire
  4. Ancient Robot Games: boardgame cafe located in Leith, with games for sale and hire and a modern cafe
  5. Blackwells Bookshop: large bookshop with a pretty reasonable selection of games for purchase

Food & Drinks

Edinburgh has a massive selection of options for food and drink, so this is by no means an exhaustive list but just some of my favourites. If you’re looking for recommendations for a specific area or cuisine feel free to hit up Njabbskolt or Terje on Discord.

Breakfast and coffee near the venue

Room Rumours – This is a small coffee shop right next to Waverley station serving scones, sandwiches and doughnuts etc. It’s about a ten minute walk from the venue.

Origin Coffee – Another coffee place a mere four minute walk from the venue, they also serve open sandwiches and pastries etc. 

Loudons – Loudons is a brunch restaurant very close to Waverley station and about a ten minute walk from the venue. They open at 8 am every day of the week, and have a large amount of tables. gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options are available. Booking recommended during lunch time.
Calton View Cafe – This small cafe is about a six minute walk from the venue and serves american style breakfast and traditional scottish breakfast.

Black Medicine Coffee – An Edinburgh institution right around the corner from the venue, and, maybe most importantly, open at 7.30 so you have a chance to grab a coffee before registration.

Lunch/dinner near the venue

Ting Thai – Excellent thai restaurant a ten minute walk from the venue, they are very popular and only accept walk-ins, so queueing might be necessary. Some gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options available.

Ikigai ramen – This ramen restaurant is a five minute walk from the venue and has vegan options available. Sadly no GF. 

David Bann – A vegetarian institution in Edinburgh. This is one of, if not the, longest running vegetarian restaurants in Edinburgh and they offer vegan and gluten free options too. Five minute walk from the venue.

Mother Indias Cafe – This restaurant is on the same road as the venue and offers traditional indian food served as small courses for sharing. They have a lot of seating across two floors and have vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. 

Soul Vegan – Dedicated vegan restaurant with asian cuisine about ten minutes walk from the venue. Gluten free options available.


Albys Southside – Edinburghs best big hot sandwiches served on foccacia. Vegetarian options available, but no luck for gluten intolerants. Fifteen minute walk from the venue. Also note their original restaurant in Leith which is a bit bigger.

Civerinos – Pizza place just five minutes walking from the venue, they also have another branch (Civerinos Slice) about ten minutes walk.

Paradise Palms – Another vegetarian restaurant around ten minute walk from the venue (just down the road from Ting Thai).  

Piggs – Tapas and wine bar around ten minute walk from the venue with vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options available. 

Noodles and dumplings – Authentic Chinese cuisine, specialising in both classic noodle dishes and a wide range of dumplings. About fifteen minutes walk from the venue and has vegetarian options available.

Landy’s Fish and Chips – Massive fish and chips restaurant around six minutes walking from the worlds venue. Has gluten free options for all their fish and also has vegetarian and vegan options. 

The Black Grape – Wine bar and small plates restaurant located on the Royal Mile, ten minutes walk from the venue. 

The Original Mosque Kitchen – Edinburgh institution, reasonably priced and less than ten minutes walk from the venue. 

Makars Mash Bar – What it says on the tin, mash with various toppings, vegetarian and gluten free options available. Ten minute walk from the venue.

KauKau Poke – Poke bowl restaurant just around the corner from the venue on South Bridge (three minute walk)

Rest of the city

Coffee across the city

Source – The most exciting coffee in the city, but with prices to match if you want to buy their beans. Only offers espresso, batch, pourovers and long blacks.

Cult – Coffee spot with a lot of tables which also serves light bites. 

Lowdown – Centrally located coffee spot with light bites and cakes available.

Beatnik – This is a small coffee place located very near the Meadows park.

Food across the city

Paz Taqueria – The best tacos in Edinburgh. It’s a small restaurant so booking a table is recommended.

Edinburgh Street Food – Edinburgh finally has a centrally located street food hall with indoors and outside seating. Tables can be booked for bigger groups. Lots of different cuisines available and has options for vegetarian, vegan and gluten free diets.

Tipo – Part of a local restaurant group, this is their italian offering which has great food and wine, and even has gluten free options available, as well as vegetarian. 

Origano – One of the best pizzerias in town, and I have seen it mentioned as having the best GF pizza in Edinburgh, but have not had a chance to try it myself yet.

Matto Pizza – Neapolitan pizza restaurant with three restaurants across town and great traditional pizzas.

Ardfern – Lovely restaurant in Leith that is open all day (09.00 until 23.00) and offers a separate brunch and evening menu. Also has some very good wines.

Drinks and nightlife across the city

Salt Horse – Great craft beer bar just down the road from the worlds venue, also serves burgers and fries. 

Spry Wines – Wine bar near the top of Leith walk with a big selection of wines (that can also be bought to take away) and a small meny of light bites.

Bar Zero Zero – Amazing little wine bar around 15 minute walk from the worlds venue, great wines and also has a selection of charcuterie boards.

Newbarns – The best brewery tap in Edinburgh, normally very busy in the evenings and located near the bottom of Leith walk.

Campervan – Another brewery tap just five minutes walk from Newbarns. Good beers but not as cosy, and normally not as busy either. 

The Dagda – Tiny traditional pub that is a firm favourite with the locals, not many seats available.Around twenty minute walk from the worlds venue.

The Queens Arms – One of my favourite traditional pubs in the center of town, serves traditional pub food and will show sports.

Royal Mile Tavern – Pub a five minute walk from the venue with folk music/hippy vibes

The Ensign Ewart – Traditional pub on The Royal Mile with a good whisky selection

Panda & Sons – Innovative and influencial cocktails, ranked 30th in the world in 2024 using several sciencey techniques created by the owners

Hey Palu – Awarded 5th best cocktail bar in the UK, as well as best team. Family feel and great drinks.

Nauticus – Local beers, good wine list, and fun creative cocktails in Leith.

Stramash – Big late night live music venue in a restored church, great for get togethers and just down from the venue. Open til 3 every day.

The Jazz Bar – Scotland’s longest standing independent jazz venue, musicians travel from around the world to play the Tuesday night jam session, open late most nights.

And a wee honorary mention of Palmyra Pizza for late night grub

Finer dining across the city

Edinburgh has several fine dining restaurants, so here are some of my favourites in case anyone wants to explore the more expensive places. Booking in advance is essential for pretty much all of these.

Lyla – Michelin star restaurant that offers a seafood focused tasting menu with ten courses for £165. On Friday and Saturday they are also open for lunch, which is a five or seven course tasting menu for £65/£95. 

Heron – Another michelin star restaurant and offers a full eleven course tasting menu for £135 or a smaller menu for £99.

Eleanore –  A slightly more relaxed fine dining experience and offers a lunch menu for £39 and a dinner menu for £75.

Noto –  Part of the same restaurant group as Aizle and Lyla, and is their slightly more relaxed restaurant serving small plates instead of a tasting menu, but still has some amazing food on offer.

The Little Chartroom – Great restaurant with fixed price menus for lunch and dinner. 3 or 5 courses for £49/£95 at lunch, and £73/£95 at dinner.