At one point the hearse – which had her catchphrase “Frank get the door” written on it – stopped outside St Giles’ Cathedral for 10 minutes while a choir sang, with the crowd applauding after each song.
Sarah Paterson, 56, from Edinburgh, said she felt “quite emotional” seeing the turnout.
She added: “To hear all the clapping reverberate around the Royal Mile must have been a comfort for her family. She was very loved here in Scotland.”
Kate Crichton, 70, from Edinburgh, said: “I came because I think Janey Godley was a fabulous comedian.
“I think the posts she did about Nicola Sturgeon helped encourage people to listen to the Covid briefings.
“I thought they were excellent and very funny. My mum died from ovarian cancer so it felt personal and I wanted to come here to pay my respects.”