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Explore the Scottish ‘Trainspotting’ filming locations
When Trainspotting was released in 1996, Danny Boyle was soon praised for making a British classic, a film that captured a mixture of dry wit, crazy, unforgettable characters, some unique stylistic choices (think of that toilet scene), and genuinely harrowing depictions of addiction.
Set against the backdrop of a heroin crisis, Renton and his pals live to get fucked up, walking around looking more like a zombie than a human being, with his shaved head and too-small t-shirt; he looks a mess, and Boyle doesn’t shy away from showing what drugs can do to an individual.
The Scottish filming locations have hence become a vital part of the film, although much of it was filmed in Glasgow, rather than Edinburgh, despite it supposedly being set in the portside town of Leith near the city.
You can recreate many iconic moments from the movie in relatively unchanged locations, like the “Choose life” scene, although a few buildings used in the film have since been totally redeveloped (and gentrified), now appearing unrecognisable.
