The Royal Edinburgh Ticket is a combo pass that covers three of Edinburgh’s top royal attractions: Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the Royal Yacht Britannia. It also includes 48 hours of unlimited hop-on hop-off bus travel around the city.
We first used the Royal Edinburgh Ticket back in 2017 and have used it again since. The pass can save you money and time if you plan to visit all three attractions, but it is not the right choice for everyone. We’ll walk through exactly what you get, what it costs in 2026, how to calculate your savings, and help you decide whether it makes sense for your trip.
Edinburgh is one of our favourite cities. We lived here for over 5 years and we still find new places to visit almost every time we’re back. For first-time visitors, there are some places that most people want to see, and Laurence and I have both written about the top things to do in Edinburgh (my post) and the two day Edinburgh itinerary (Laurence’s post).
All three of the attractions covered by the Royal Edinburgh Ticket appear on both our lists. They are three of the most popular things for visitors to do in Edinburgh, and the ticket can be a good way to save money if you plan to visit all of them. It also provides convenient bus transport between the attractions.
But the ticket is not a great option for everyone, and we’ll explain why below so you can make an informed decision.
Table of Contents:
What is the Royal Edinburgh Ticket?
The Royal Edinburgh Ticket is a pass that includes entry to three of Edinburgh’s most popular attractions: Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the Royal Yacht Britannia. It also includes unlimited hop-on hop-off bus travel for 48 consecutive hours on three of Edinburgh’s sightseeing bus routes.
One of the biggest perks is guaranteed entry to Edinburgh Castle, even when tickets on the castle’s own website are sold out. During summer and festival season, Edinburgh Castle regularly sells out days or weeks in advance, so this alone can be worth the purchase for visitors who haven’t planned far enough ahead.
You can read more details and purchase the ticket from GetYourGuide here.
What attractions does the Royal Edinburgh Ticket include?
The pass includes entry to Edinburgh’s three most popular royal sites:
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is the most recognizable landmark in the city, dominating the skyline from its place atop a volcanic peak. The castle has served as a residence for many famous monarchs including Mary, Queen of Scots, and its history stretches back over 800 years.
Inside you’ll find the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish Crown Jewels), the 12th century St. Margaret’s Chapel, Mons Meg (one of the oldest surviving cannons in Europe), and two museums: the Scottish National War Memorial and the National War Museum (entry to both is included with your castle ticket).
From the castle terrace, you get some of the best views over the city. A popular time to be on the terrace is just before 1:00pm for the firing of the One o’Clock Gun, which takes place almost every day of the year.
Edinburgh Castle is one of the most popular visitor attractions in Scotland and regularly sells out during busy periods. I’d recommend visiting in the morning when it first opens if you want a less crowded experience.
NOTE: The Crown Room, which normally houses the Honours of Scotland, is temporarily closed until April 2026 for refurbishment following the relocation of the Stone of Destiny to Perth Museum. During this period, the Honours will not be on public display. Check the Edinburgh Castle website for the latest information.
Audio guide: An audio guide is available but is not included with your entrance ticket. You can use the guide on your own mobile phone or hire a physical device at the audio booth after you enter (£3.50 for adults). You can also buy a downloadable version when you purchase tickets online for the same price. The castle recommends downloading the guide before you arrive as mobile connectivity on site can be patchy. Bring your own headphones and make sure your phone is charged. The castle also runs guided tours at various times throughout the day for an additional fee.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. It has served as the principal residence of the monarchs of Scotland since the 16th century, and its royal history includes everyone from Mary, Queen of Scots to King Charles III.
During your visit, a self-guided audio tour (included with your ticket) takes you through both the historic rooms, including those once occupied by Mary, Queen of Scots, and the contemporary State Apartments still used by the royal family for events. You can also visit the palace gardens and the atmospheric remains of the 12th century Augustinian Holyrood Abbey.
Photography is not allowed inside the palace, but you can take photos in the grounds, gardens, and abbey. The audio guide is well worth using as it provides a lot of context that brings the rooms to life.
NOTE #1: Be sure to check the opening dates for the Palace of Holyroodhouse before your visit. The palace is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for most of the year (open seven days a week from 21 May to 7 September 2026). The palace is also closed during some royal visits and state functions. Specific 2026 closures include 14 to 18 May and 26 June to 2 July. During those particular closures, Royal Edinburgh Ticket holders can visit The King’s Gallery and receive a Palace guidebook instead. The palace is also closed on 25 and 26 December 2026.
NOTE #2: Entrance to The King’s Gallery (formerly The Queen’s Gallery) is not included in the Royal Edinburgh Ticket. The King’s Gallery is located in a separate building in front of the palace and contains a rotating exhibition of art and historical artifacts from the Royal Collection. You can buy a separate ticket if you want to visit.
Royal Yacht Britannia
The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal yacht of the British monarchy for over 40 years, from 1954 to 1997, sailing over 1 million miles on hundreds of state visits and royal honeymoons. She was the 83rd royal sailing vessel owned by the British monarchy, a tradition that stretches back to King Charles II’s first vessel in 1660.
Today Britannia is docked at the Port of Leith and has been rated Tripadvisor’s No. 1 UK Attraction multiple times, most recently in 2025. Visitors get to see the bedrooms of the royal family, the Bridge, the State Dining Room, the crew’s quarters, and workspaces across five decks. You can also have tea or lunch aboard the yacht at the Royal Deck Tea Room, which has lovely waterfront views.
All visits include an audio guide (available in over 30 languages) at no extra charge. Within walking distance you’ll find shopping and dining at the Ocean Terminal area, plus the chance to explore the Leith neighbourhood, which has become one of Edinburgh’s best areas for food and drink.
NOTE: The yacht is in Leith, outside central Edinburgh. You can reach it using the Regal Tour hop-on hop-off bus (blue route) that is included with the Royal Edinburgh Ticket. The Edinburgh Tram also now runs to Ocean Terminal in Leith, which is another convenient option. You can also take the regular public bus service.
How does the Hop-on Hop-off Bus Ticket work?
The Royal Edinburgh Ticket includes 48 consecutive hours of unlimited travel on three of Edinburgh’s sightseeing bus tours. Your ticket is valid from the first time you use it, and you can hop on and off the three buses as much as you want during that 48-hour window.
Buses arrive at each stop every 10 to 30 minutes depending on the time of year and the route (you’ll receive a schedule with your tickets). Bus services run year-round, generally starting between 9:00am and 10:00am and ending between 4:00pm and 6:00pm depending on the season.
The three bus routes (each a different colour) are:
Edinburgh Tour (green) buses have live English-speaking guides and cover Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town. The full loop takes about an hour and includes stops near both Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This is the most popular tour as visitors enjoy the live commentary.
City Sightseeing Tour (red) buses have pre-recorded audio commentary available in multiple languages through headphones. The route covers central Edinburgh, takes about an hour, and also stops near Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This is the better option if English is not your first language, or if you’re travelling with children (a Horrible Histories commentary by Terry Deary is available).
Regal Tour (blue) buses have pre-recorded multi-language commentary and head north from the city centre through New Town to the Royal Botanic Garden, Newhaven Harbour, and Leith. The full loop takes about an hour. This is the bus you need for reaching the Royal Yacht Britannia, and it also stops at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
You should note that no single bus route covers all three attractions. The green and red routes stop near Edinburgh Castle and Holyroodhouse but do not go to the Royal Yacht. The blue route goes to the Royal Yacht and Holyroodhouse but does not stop at Edinburgh Castle. All three routes start and end at Waterloo Place, and all three stop along the Royal Mile and near Holyroodhouse, so you can connect between them easily from those locations.
All three sightseeing buses are wheelchair and Class 2 mobility scooter accessible.
The exact stops, route, and number of stops for each bus can vary a bit depending on time of year, road closures, and other factors. You’ll be given the latest route information when you collect your ticket.
Royal Edinburgh Ticket Cost
Royal Edinburgh Ticket prices from 29 March 2026:
- £81.00 per adult (age 16 to 59)
- £76.00 per senior (age 60+ with valid ID)
- £43.00 per child (age 5 to 15)
- Children under age 5 travel free and enter attractions for free when accompanied by a paying adult (up to 2 children per adult)
Prices do change periodically, so check the Edinburgh Bus Tours website for the latest pricing. Be prepared to show valid ID at the ticket booth. Seniors may be asked for proof of age.
Group discounts are available for groups of 15 or more people. Contact Edinburgh Bus Tours directly on 0131 556 2244 for group rates.
How to buy the Royal Edinburgh Ticket
Most people purchase their Royal Edinburgh Tickets in advance online, but you can also buy them in person.
In Person. The Royal Edinburgh Ticket can be purchased from Edinburgh Bus Tours at 19 Waterloo Place in Edinburgh (typically open daily 9am to 4pm, with extended hours until 6pm in summer). Phone: 0131 556 2244.
Online. We recommend buying the Royal Edinburgh Ticket from GetYourGuide here as these tickets include free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance. This is useful because if Holyroodhouse turns out to be closed during your dates, you can cancel and buy individual tickets instead.
Other options include the Tiqets website and the VisitBritain tourism shop. Just note that tickets from some sellers are non-refundable, so check the cancellation policy before purchasing.
Prices are normally the same across all the websites, but it is always worth checking in case any site is running an additional promotion.
After you make an online purchase, you’ll receive an email with a Royal Edinburgh Ticket e-voucher. You can either print it or bring the scannable digital voucher on your smartphone.
Once you arrive in Edinburgh and want to start using your ticket, take your printed or digital voucher to the Edinburgh Bus Tours staff at Waterloo Place (across from the Apex Waterloo hotel, less than a 5 minute walk from Waverley train station). They will provide your bus tickets and give you a timed ticket for Edinburgh Castle. You’ll normally see the sightseeing buses parked along the street here.
NOTE: Once validated, your ticket is valid for 48 consecutive hours. Only exchange your voucher when you’re ready to start using it. If you have questions, the Edinburgh Bus Tours staff and bus drivers are generally very helpful.
Is the Royal Edinburgh Ticket worth it?
The Royal Edinburgh Ticket is designed for people who plan to visit all three royal attractions and want to use the sightseeing buses. If you meet both those criteria, the ticket will save you money and time. If you only plan to visit one or two attractions, or if you would rather take public buses or the tram instead of the sightseeing buses, you are probably better off buying individual tickets.
The biggest advantages of the Royal Edinburgh Ticket are:
Guaranteed entry to Edinburgh Castle. This is a bigger deal than the cost savings for many visitors. Edinburgh Castle frequently sells out during summer, festival season, and holiday periods. Royal Edinburgh Ticket holders get guaranteed entry with a timed slot, even when the castle’s own website shows no availability. If you’re visiting Edinburgh during a busy period and haven’t booked castle tickets weeks in advance, this guarantee alone can justify the purchase.
Convenience. One purchase covers three attractions and two days of bus transport. You pick up everything at one location and don’t need to manage separate bookings.
Cost savings. You will save some money compared to buying everything separately, though the savings are more modest than they were a few years ago (see the calculations below).
Fast-track entry. All three attraction tickets include fast-track entry, which is most useful at Edinburgh Castle where ticket queues can be long during busy periods.
Cost Savings
The savings from the Royal Edinburgh Ticket have decreased somewhat over the years as the ticket price has risen. When we first used it in 2017, we saved about 24%. The current savings are closer to 14% to 16% for adults, depending on Edinburgh Castle’s pricing tier (castle ticket prices vary by season).
Here is a breakdown based on spring/summer 2026 prices, assuming you are booking tickets online in advance where possible:
Royal Edinburgh Ticket Cost Savings (2026) |
||||
| Prices from 29 March 2026. Castle price shown is the standard online rate. | ||||
| Adult (16-59) | Couple (2 adults) | Child (5-15) | Family (2 adults, 2 children) | |
| Edinburgh Castle | £21.50 | £43.00 | £12.90 | £68.80 |
| Palace of Holyroodhouse | £22.00 | £44.00 | £11.00 | £66.00 |
| Royal Yacht Britannia | £22.00 | £44.00 | £10.50 | £65.00 |
| 48 Hour HOHO Bus | £29.00 | £58.00 | £14.50 | £87.00 |
| Total (Individual Tickets) | £94.50 | £189.00 | £48.90 | £286.80 |
| Royal Edinburgh Ticket | £81.00 | £162.00 | £43.00 | £248.00 |
| Savings | £13.50 (14%) | £27.00 (14%) | £5.90 (12%) | £38.80 (14%) |
Note that Edinburgh Castle ticket prices vary by season and can be higher during peak periods (up to £23.50 for adults in summer). If you visit during peak season, your savings from the Royal Edinburgh Ticket will be slightly higher.
These are smaller percentage savings than when the ticket first launched, but £27 off for a couple is still a meaningful discount, and you’re also getting the guaranteed castle entry and fast-track benefits on top of that.
When the ticket is NOT worth it: If Holyroodhouse is closed during your visit (check the dates above), the ticket loses much of its value because you’ll only be visiting two of the three attractions. In that case, buy individual tickets for Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Yacht separately and use public buses or the tram to get around. Similarly, if you don’t plan to use the hop-on hop-off buses, a large part of the ticket cost is going unused.
How does it compare to the Historic Scotland Explorer Pass?
If you’re planning to visit multiple Historic Scotland sites beyond just Edinburgh Castle, the Historic Scotland Explorer Pass might be better value. The Explorer Pass covers Edinburgh Castle plus dozens of other historic sites across Scotland (Stirling Castle, Urquhart Castle, Skara Brae, etc.), but it does not include the Palace of Holyroodhouse or the Royal Yacht Britannia, which are not Historic Scotland properties.
So if you’re spending most of your time in Edinburgh and want to visit all three royal attractions, the Royal Edinburgh Ticket is the better fit. If you’re travelling more widely around Scotland and plan to visit several castles and historic sites, the Explorer Pass will probably save you more overall.
Time Savings
In addition to cost savings, the Royal Edinburgh Ticket can save you time. All three attraction tickets include fast-track entry. This is most useful at Edinburgh Castle, where ticket queues can stretch to 30 minutes or more during busy periods. With the Royal Edinburgh Ticket, you arrive with a timed ticket and can head straight to the entrance, bypassing the ticket desk.
At Holyrood Palace and the Royal Yacht Britannia, there is sometimes a separate line for ticket holders during busy times. If in doubt, ask a staff member so you get in the correct queue.
Tips for making the most of the Royal Edinburgh Ticket
Here are some tips to help you get the best value from your ticket:
- Make sure you have at least 2 full days to use the ticket. You’ll need that to visit all three attractions without rushing. With only 1 day, the ticket is probably not good value because you likely won’t get to all three attractions and won’t make full use of the 48-hour bus pass.
- Plan your two days around the Holyroodhouse closure schedule. The palace is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for most of the year, so if your visit falls on those days, plan to visit the castle and yacht on the closed days and save Holyroodhouse for a day it’s open. Remember that the bus pass is valid for 48 hours, but the attraction tickets can sometimes be used a day or two later at the staff’s discretion if needed. We wouldn’t rely on this, but it’s worth knowing.
- Allow at least 2 hours per attraction. Many people spend longer, especially at Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Yacht. Factor in at least an hour of travel time between attractions, too.
- Only exchange your e-voucher when you’re ready to start using the pass. Once validated, the clock starts on your 48 hours. The pickup point at Waterloo Place is right next to the hop-on hop-off bus stops, so you can start your tour immediately.
- Audio guides are included at both the Royal Yacht Britannia and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. I strongly recommend using them at both as they provide a lot of context. The Edinburgh Castle audio guide is worth using too, though it costs an additional £3.50.
- If you have to pick just one of the three bus tours for sightseeing, I’d go with the Edinburgh Tour (green) for the live guides. But if English is not your first language, the City Sightseeing (red) bus covers similar ground and has multi-language audio commentary.
- Your Royal Edinburgh Ticket comes with discounts at various other Edinburgh attractions, restaurants, and shops. Take a look at the list when you pick up your tickets. Discounts in 2026 include 10% off at the Scotch Whisky Experience, 10% off Royal Yacht Britannia admission (if visiting again), £1 off the Real Mary King’s Close, and others.
- Leave time in your trip beyond the two pass days to explore Edinburgh at a more relaxed pace. Most of Edinburgh’s museums are free (donations appreciated). The top things to do in Edinburgh includes many free and low-cost options, and if you’re a J. K. Rowling fan you can find several Harry Potter sites in Edinburgh. You might also want to take a day trip from Edinburgh to see the Highlands, Loch Lomond, whisky distilleries, or other nearby attractions.
Example 2-Day Itinerary with the Royal Edinburgh Ticket
Here’s how we’d suggest spending your two days if you’re using the Royal Edinburgh Ticket. This itinerary assumes Holyroodhouse is open on your second day (check the closure schedule above before planning).
Day 1: Sightseeing bus + Royal Yacht Britannia
Pick up your tickets at the Edinburgh Bus Tours office at Waterloo Place first thing in the morning. Do the full Edinburgh Tour (green bus) loop to get your bearings and an introduction to the city. This takes about an hour and the live guide gives a good overview of Edinburgh’s history and neighbourhoods.
In the afternoon, take the Regal Tour bus (blue) to Leith to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia. If you have time, hop off at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh on the way (entry is free). At the yacht, allow at least two hours for the full tour across all five decks. If you’re hungry, the Royal Deck Tea Room on board is a nice spot for lunch or afternoon tea with waterfront views.
Spend the evening exploring Edinburgh’s New Town. George Street and the surrounding area have plenty of restaurants and bars, and it’s a lovely part of the city for an evening walk.
Day 2: Edinburgh Castle + Royal Mile + Palace of Holyroodhouse
Start at Edinburgh Castle when it opens at 9:30am. Arriving early means smaller crowds, especially in the indoor exhibits. Allow at least two hours here, more if you want to explore both museums and spend time on the terrace.
After the castle, walk down the Royal Mile. It’s about a mile from the castle to Holyroodhouse, all downhill, and there are plenty of shops, cafes, and smaller attractions along the way. St. Giles’ Cathedral is free to enter and worth a quick visit. Stop somewhere along the Royal Mile for lunch.
Visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the afternoon. The audio tour takes about an hour, plus time for the gardens and the abbey ruins. The castle and palace are on opposite ends of the Royal Mile, so you can also take the sightseeing bus between them if you’d prefer not to walk the full distance.
Spend your last evening in Edinburgh’s Old Town. The Grassmarket area, just below the castle, has some of Edinburgh’s best pubs and restaurants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Royal Edinburgh Ticket worth it in 2026?
The Royal Edinburgh Ticket is worth buying if you plan to visit all three included attractions (Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse, and Royal Yacht Britannia) and want to use the hop-on hop-off buses. You’ll save around 14% compared to buying everything separately, and you get guaranteed entry to Edinburgh Castle, which regularly sells out during busy periods.
If you only plan to visit one or two attractions, or if Holyroodhouse is closed during your visit dates, you’re better off buying individual tickets.
What attractions does the Royal Edinburgh Ticket include?
The ticket includes entry to three attractions: Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the Royal Yacht Britannia. It also includes 48 hours of unlimited travel on three hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus routes run by Edinburgh Bus Tours.
How much does the Royal Edinburgh Ticket cost?
From 29 March 2026, the Royal Edinburgh Ticket costs £81 for adults (age 16-59), £76 for seniors (age 60+), and £43 for children (age 5-15). Children under 5 are free with a paying adult (maximum 2 per adult). Prices are reviewed periodically, so check the Edinburgh Bus Tours website for the latest rates.
How does the hop-on hop-off bus ticket work?
Your bus ticket is valid for 48 consecutive hours from first use on three colour-coded routes. The Edinburgh Tour (green) has live English guides. The City Sightseeing Tour (red) has recorded commentary in multiple languages. The Regal Tour (blue) heads to the Royal Botanic Garden and Leith, where the Royal Yacht Britannia is docked. You can hop on and off as often as you like. Buses run approximately every 10 to 30 minutes depending on the route and season.
Can I book a specific time slot for Edinburgh Castle with the Royal Edinburgh Ticket?
You cannot book a specific time slot in advance. When you exchange your voucher at the Edinburgh Bus Tours office at Waterloo Place, a staff member will issue you a timed entry ticket for the castle. You can request a preferred time, and Royal Edinburgh Ticket holders get guaranteed entry even when the castle’s own website shows sold out. I’d recommend arriving first thing in the morning to get the time slot you want.
What if the Palace of Holyroodhouse is closed during my visit?
The palace is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for most of the year (open daily from late May to early September). It also closes for occasional royal visits and state functions. If the palace is closed on a specific date with a planned alternative, Royal Edinburgh Ticket holders can visit The King’s Gallery and receive a Palace guidebook instead. If the palace is simply closed for its regular weekly closure (Tue/Wed), no alternative is offered. Check the closure dates carefully before purchasing.
That’s the Royal Edinburgh Ticket! We’ve been using this ticket since 2017, and while the percentage savings have decreased over the years, it remains a convenient way to visit Edinburgh’s three top royal attractions with the added benefit of guaranteed castle entry and hop-on hop-off bus transport.
Have you used the Royal Edinburgh Ticket? We’d love to hear about your experience. If you have questions about the ticket or about planning your trip to Edinburgh, leave a comment below and we’ll do our best to help.
Penina and Thomas Weinberger Post author
hello
How can we book a time slot for the Edinburgh castle and Holyrood online if we are purchasing the royal Edinburgh ticket pass please?
thank you so much
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Penina & Thomas,
So when you book the Royal Edinburgh Ticket it does guarantee you entry into Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, the Royal Yacht, and a 2 day sightseeing bus pass over the specified 2 day period when you book. However, you can’t make online reservations for the individual attractions ahead with the pass. But the only one that currently requires a reserved time is Edinburgh Castle and you will choose a time slot when you pick up your pass and a staff member will give you a reserved time slot entry time. For the palace (or King’s Gallery if palace is closed during the time of your visit) and yacht, you just need you Royal Edinburgh Ticket vouchers they give you. I don’t believe there are any time slots or anything for those so you free to visit when you wish.
So all you need to do is take your printed or digital voucher to a staff member at the Edinburgh Bus Tours Ticket Sellers at Waterloo Place. You should receive specific instructions once you purchase the voucher. I would recommend doing this first thing in the morning on the day you want to start using your Royal Edinburgh Ticket. I think they are normally open from 8:45am to 4pm (until 6pm on summer days). Tour buses generally start running at 8:45am and most attractions open at 9:30am.
Hope that helps and let me know if you have any further questions.
Wishing you a wonderful trip to Edinburgh!
Jessica
Gene Post author
Great and informative site. Thank you so much! I wanted to make sure I understood one of your comments – we will arrive mid-day on a Monday and be in the city until Saturday morning. Since we only have a half-day on the Monday, I thought we would start the 48-hour ticket on Tuesday and use it then and Wednesday. But Holyrood is closed for those two days. Do I understand you correctly that we would still be able to use our 48-hour ticket to enter Holyrood when it opens on Thursday, even though we would not be able to use it for the buses?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Gene,
So happy you have been finding our blogs helpful in planning your trip to Edinburgh. So for the Royal Edinburgh Ticket, it is designed so that everything is used and visited within 48 hours. However, at least in the past, they have been lenient but since you have almost a week, I’d probably start your Edinburgh passes on Wednesday, and use them on Wednesday and Thursday so you don’t need to worry. Whether they would allow you to use it on Thursday is up to their discretion and I would not like to see you not be able to use it. I also think they may be less flexible since COVID as more reservations are recommended or required at attractions these days.
So my advice would be, if possible, to start your Royal Edinburgh Ticket Wednesday morning, do the sightseeing bus tour and then either visit the Royal Yacht that day (and maybe the Castle too if you have time). Then the next day you can visit Holyrood (and the Castle if you didn’t do it the day before). This way you also have the bus transport for both of these days – it is most important for reaching the Yacht as that one is out in Leith (the castle and palace are about a mile apart on seperate ends of Royal Mile and a nice but long walk apart, can be nice to take bus if want to avoid the walk).
I normally recommend that if you are planning to visit the Royal Botanic Gardens, this can be a good thing to do on the way back from visiting the Yacht if you have time. But since you have several days in Edinburgh, you can go at a more relaxed pace and I’d just take a public bus there unless you have finished up your own three attraction visits during your 2 pass days. But something to consider.
If you do decide to use your pass later in the week, I would use your first couple days in Edinburgh to do other things, lots of great free things to do in Edinburgh (museums, hikes, gardens, parks, walk down the Royal Mile), do a tour (whisky tasting, dark history, food, Harry Potter, etc.) or you might want to go out on a day trip if you want to see some things outside of Edinburgh. We have a full post on day trip ideas and day tour suggestions, depending on your interests.
Hope that helps, and just let us know if you have further questions as you plan your trip!
Best,
Jessica
Bethany N. Post author
Hello! Do you have a listing of all the stops on the various tours? I can’t seem to find this online anywhere. I see that the Edinburgh tour (green) makes 12 stops, the City Sightseeing Tour (red) makes 11 stops, and the Majestic tour (blue) makes 12 stops.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Bethany,
Sure, as you can imagine the actual stops, number of stops, and timings can vary a bit but here is the latest live schedule I could find. When you collect your ticket, they normally give you a bus schedule or it will be posted so you’ll know as well. But this can help you plan in advance.
Edinburgh Sightseeing (red bus), 14 stops:
Waterloo Place
St. Andrew Square
West End /Lothian Road
Grassmarket
Chalmers Street
Johnston Terrace
Lawnmarket (best for Edinburgh Castle)
National Museum of Scotland
High Street
Canongate Kirk
Holyrood
Dynamic Earth
Abbeyhill Crescent
Regent Road
Edinburgh Tour (green bus, live guide, 15 stops):
Waterloo Place
Frederick Street
George Street
West End (Lothian Road)
Grassmarket
Chalmers Street
Johnston Terrace
Lawnmarket (best for Edinburgh Castle)
National Museum of Scotland
High Street
Canongate Kirk
Holyrood
Dynamic Earth
Abbeyhill Crescent
Regent Road
Majestic Tour (blue bus, 12 stops):
Waterloo Place
St. Andrew Square
Canonmills
Royal Botanic Garden
Ferry Road
Newhaven Harbour
Ocean Terminal (for Royal Yacht Britannia)
Stanwell Street
Mansfield Place
Leopold Place
Holyrood
Regent Road
Note: That red and green tours are pretty similar in terms of stops but green has the live guide. The live guide in English is great if that is your first language but those in which English not their first language would probably prefer the red with the multilanguage audioguide option. The blue Majestic Tour goes much further out to the Royal Botanic Garden, Leith, and the Royal Yacht Britannia. All make circular routes (meaning you can stay on and get off again at your first stop if you wish).
With the Royal Edinburgh Ticket, you’ll probably be using at least two of the buses, one for the central city stops (red or green) and then one to go out to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Hope that helps!
Jessica
Lynne Post author
Hi, we were be in Edinburgh for 5 days in December. The Edinburgh Pass sounds the right way to go and we’re also planning a day tour out of the city . Question is, what can we expect in December regarding these tours? Are the hours shorter in the winter and will we still be able to see the top attractions? Thanks for all your information.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Lynne,
Yes, the Royal Edinburgh Ticket is great if you already plan to visit those three attractions and plan to use the sightseeing buses at least once. Not all attractions are open each day (for example Holyroodhouse is normally closed at least one or two days per week) so once you know the dates you are visiting you can check dates and opening hours and plan accordingly. If you visit Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, the Royal Yacht, and do a sightseeing bus tour, that will easily account for about 2 days of our trip if you do it at a leisurely pace.
Then for your other three days, you can visit other attractions, gardens, and sights not included on the passes (many of Edinburgh’s museums are donation-only in terms of admission). We have a guide to some of the top attractions in Edinburgh to give you some ideas. If you are visiting later in the month, you can also visit the Christmas markets and other holiday-related attractions. We have a post on Christmas in Edinburgh and winter in Edinburgh for some specific winter ideas.
I think doing at least one day trip would be a very good idea since you have a long time in the city. You can see some of our recommended day tours from Edinburgh for ideas. You can join a guided day tour (they leave from the city center) or head out by train or bus on your own, it just depends on where and what you want to do.
You will, of course, have more limited daylight hours than in summer so some places may close an hour or so earlier than they do in the summer and obviously for day tours, sightseeing time is a bit more limited. So I’d just recommend heading out in the morning and taking advantage of the daylight you do have, you should still have plenty of time to see a lot. The pandemic has also caused some of the smaller museums to close or be open more limited hours due to lack of staff and fewer visitors, some also require pre-booking your tickets. So just be sure to check on the official website so you can plan accordingly.
Hope that helps, and happy to answer any further questions as you plan your time in Edinburgh!
Best,
Jessica
Jo Post author
Hi, I am travelling to Edinburgh first time. I will be there in Edinburgh for five days. Can you please advise what I can do during these days. Edinburgh bus ticket valid for 48 hrs right. What else I can see these days. I have no idea, i am reading lots of blogs and google reviews and found this one is very interesting. Looking forward to your response.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Jo,
Yes, so if you buy the royal pass that will include a 48 hour bus pass as well as entry tickets to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, and Royal Yacht Britannia. So doing the sightseeing bus tours and visiting those 3 big attractions will fill much of 2 of the days of your trip. Just note that not every attraction is open every day of the week, so be sure to check opening dates and times before your visit.
I’d probably spend another day or two visiting other attractions in Edinburgh. You can see our favorite things to do in Edinburgh here. Several museums, attractions, and neighborhoods you might want to visit. The National Museum of Scotland and a walk up Calton Hill are two places I’d highly recommend if first time in Edinburgh. But it really depends on the types of things you like to do. Let me know if you have any questions after looking over the list, happy to try to help you organize your time if you know what you want to do.
Then on at least one day, perhaps two, depending on your interests, I’d consider taking a day trip out of Edinburgh to visit some of the nearby attractions, such as Loch Lomond National Park, whisky distilleries, Outlander filming sites, Rosslyn Chapel, castles, or some Highlands scenery. You can take public transit, drive, or just book a guided day tour that will include a guide and your transport. You can see some of our suggested days trips from Edinburgh here to see what might be of interest to you. We’ve been to all these places so happy to answer any questions about any of the suggested day trips or day tours.
Just be sure to book any attractions, passes, or day tours in advance. Most attractions (even free ones) currently require reservations to visit due to COVID-19 restrictions. The summer is also a very busy time in Edinburgh if you have visiting soon.
Best,
Jessica
Jo Post author
Thank you so much for your quick and detailed information. Wonderful blog.
Mary Barry Post author
Thank you for your detailed information. I wish that I would have seen it before planning our schedule but at least I found it before we arrive. Your blog states “The bus pass is only valid for 48 consecutive hours but if you need to use one of the attraction passes on a third day, they’ll still honor your ticket.” We will arrive the morning of July 4 and have 3 nights in Edinburgh. We thought that we would purchase the Royal Edinburgh Ticket as soon as arrive. We could ride the bus to familiarize ourselves with the city and visit the Britannia. We were planning to visit the Castle the next morning and the Palace in the afternoon but I see that the Palace is closed until July 6. Based on the statement above, do you think that we can still use the Ticket for the Palace on July 6? I understand that we won’t be able to ride the bus since we will be beyond the 48 hours. Thank you for your assistance!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Mary, They are usually a little flexible with the attractions tickets as part of the Royal Edinburgh Ticket; however it is of course up to their discretion. When you pick up your voucher, you can ask about the Holyrood Palace ticket and that you want to use it on July 6th since the palace is closed on the 5th. If there are any issues with that, you should be able to visit the Queen’s Gallery (located just in front of the palace, usually open even when Palace is closed) instead of the Palace during the days it is closed. Wishing you a great visit to Edinburgh! Jessica
Emily Yang Post author
Hi Jessica,
Thank you for this wonderful and informational post! I’m planning my first visit to Edinburgh at the beginning of August (8/1-8/5) and plan to purchase the Royal Edinburgh ticket. I really like the two day itinerary you propose, but was wondering how you would integrate it with the festivals happening in town. I know the Royal Mile will be quite busy with the Fringe festival, and there will be more crowds in general at all the sightseeing spots.
Many thanks!
Emily
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Emily,
Since you are in Edinburgh for 4 days, I would use the pass for 2 days and then focus on the Festival and other things on the other two. You can also do Fringe stuff in the evenings after you have visited attractions, most of which close by 5pm or 6pm.
The proposed itinerary for using the Royal Edinburgh Ticket should still work as everything should still be operating as usual over August. The only difference may be that the HOHO bus may need to take a slightly different route if parts of the Royal Mile close to traffic, but it will still be running. The attractions and sidewalks will definitely be more busy and crowded, so do account for that in terms of time. I’d try to visit the Castle near opening time.
Laurence has a good post with lots of tips for attending the Fringe festival and we also have a post on generally surviving the August Festivals in Edinburgh over the summer.
Hope that helps and wishing you a great visit to Edinburgh!
Jessica
Jessica Liew Post author
Hi,
I love your blog. All these useful tips and advices had helped me so much with my previous travels. I was wondering if you could help me with deciding whether the Royal Edinburgh Ticket is worth it.
So I was hoping to visit the 3 attractions; Edinburgh Castle, Palace Holyrood and Royal Yacht Britannia.
I was aiming to activate my ticket on day 1, where I would visit Edinburgh Castle then my family and I would be having an afternoon tea at Colonnades.
Then day 2, we would visit Palace Holyrood and Royal yacht Britannia.
Would this iteniary be efficient or should we just go for Palace Holyrood on day 2 and skip royal yacht Britannia? (I won’t mind skipping the yacht as we are only in Edinburgh for a short time)
Also, would the travel time from Palace Holyrood to Royal Yacht Britannia take long?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Jessica,
So happy to hear that you have found our travel blog helpful in planning your travels 😉 For the Royal Edinburgh Ticket, the ticket is definitely a good value if you plan to visit all 3 attractions and use the HOHO sightseeing bus. It saves about 25% for adults, a bit less for children and seniors. But if you only plan to visit 2 of the included attractions or don’t plan to use the HOHO bus, then you are probably better off just buying the tickets to the attractions separately.
You can easily do the itinerary as you outlined. I’d try to visit Edinburgh Castle near opening time if visiting over the summer as it is a really busy attraction. You can then walk to afternoon tea along the Royal Mile. Tea at the Colonnades is a really way to relax in the afternoon, beautiful setting. It is located right next to St. Giles which is definitely worth a look inside if you have time. If you have the Royal Edinburgh Ticket, you could also do one of the sightseeing buses on this day to sightsee around the city center if you want.
For day 2, you can visit the Palace of Holyrood in the morning, then catch the HOHO bus stop near the palace and take it to Royal Yacht Britannia. There are 3 buses included with the Edinburgh Royal Ticket, and currently the blue one goes to the Royal Yacht. The full bus route takes about 1 hour, so probably 30 minutes or so there and the same back to central Edinburgh.
If you don’t have the Edinburgh Royal Ticket, you can take a regular bus in between Holyrood Palace and the Royal Yacht, and they take between 25 to 35 minutes. A taxi would be a bit quicker (~20 minutes).
Also, not sure when you are planning to visit, but Holyrood Palace is scheduled to be closed from 24 June to 5 July 2019. If you have a pass or ticket, you can visit the Royal Collection (royal art museum in front of the palace) instead.
Hope that helps and wishing you a wonderful visit to Edinburgh. Just let us know if you have any other questions.
Best,
Jessica
Jessica Liew Post author
Thanks for the helpful information. I got a small question for the Royal Edinburgh Ticket Collection point. The address I found said it was at Waverley Bridge, I looked it up on google maps but can’t really see a kiosk or building for collecting the tickets. Do you know where can I collect the ticket and how does the kiosk looks like?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Jessica, It is located at the Edinburgh Bus Tours Tickets Sellers kiosk, Waverley Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1BQ (open daily 8am – 8pm); Phone: 0131 220 0770.
It is a brown kiosk right along Waverley Bridge near Scott Monument and one of the entrances to Princes Street Gardens that says “Bus Tours Tickets” or similar on it. The sightseeing buses stops are just in front of it on the same street. If you are looking for it and are on Waverley Bridge, you’ll see it.
As noted in the post, you can purchase the ticket at the kiosk in person or book it in advance online and just take the e-voucher to the kiosk to collect your tickets.
Jessica
Mangesh Post author
I am travelling to Edinburgh on 23rd May, reaching there at 8am. I will have 3 nights stay and departure will be 9PM on 26th May.
I am thinking to take Edinburgh Royal ticket and plan is to activate it on Day 1 only to visit Royal Yacht Britannia, Royal Botanical Garden and Stockbridge.
On Day 2, I will be covering Princes Street Garden, Edinburgh Castle, Camera Obscura, St. Giles’ Cathedral, Royal Mile and Calton Hill.
Day 3, I am planning to take up 1 day tour to Loch Lomond or so.
Day 4, I want to see Palace of Holyroodhouse, Scottish Parliament, Climb Aurthurs Seat and if time permits I may cover any museum in between.
I read somewhere that Palace of Holyroodhouse will be closed till 25th May. As it would be open on Day 4 (26th May), I wish to take an opportunity to see it on day 4. I understand that I wont be able to use HOHO bus tour on Day 3 and Day 4 which is fine. My question is whether I will be allowed to see Palace of Holyroodhouse on 4th Day on the same Royal ticket?
Appreciate your guidance in this regard..
Thanks
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Mangesh,
Yes, the sightseeing bus ticket that comes with the Royal Edinburgh Ticket is valid for 48 hours once you activate it. So if you use it on Day 1 and 2, you could not use it on Day 4.
For Day 4, there are lot of free museums in Edinburgh so many to visit if you have extra time. The National Museum of Scotland and Edinburgh Museum are two of the best if this is your first time in Edinburgh. Both are free entry although donations greatly appreciated.
For the Palace of Holyroodhouse, yes you are correct it is closed to visitors through May 25th. So you should indeed be able to use your ticket to visit on the 26th. If the palace is closed when you visit, your Royal Edinburgh ticket can be used instead to visit the Queen’s Gallery (in front of the palace) instead.
Hope that helps!
Jessica
Mangesh Post author
H Jessica,
Thanks much for the detailed answers to my queries. This really helps..
Jill Post author
Hi Jessica, If we buy the Royal Edinburgh Ticket. Do we need the tour that basically gives you an overview of Edinburgh or will the hop-on-and-off buses give you some information and history as you travel around on them? Your information is so helpful. Thank you.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Jill, The HOHO buses included with the Royal Edinburgh Ticket all have commentary and will give you a basic overview of Edinburgh’s history and its main attractions. So I’d maybe do that first and then see if you wish to book an additional history walking tour or not.
If you are interested in Edinburgh’s history, I’d also recommend perhaps a stop at the Museum of Edinburgh along the Royal Mile (about 15 minute walk from Castle) which covers the city’s origins, history, and local legends. It’s a free city museum (donations appreciated).
Wishing you a great visit to Edinburgh!
Best,
Jessica
Noelia Post author
Hi!
I was wondering if buying this pass you can then convert your tickets for the three attractions to annual passes. Do you know if that’s possible?
Thanks!
Noelia
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Noelia,
I am not sure, but I doubt it. You can convert tickets to annual passes for a number of UK attractions via Gift Aid, which is a UK tax incentive that enables tax-effective giving by individuals to charities in the United Kingdom. So I don’t think discount ticket passes would qualify, but you can of course always check!
Best,
Jessica
Charlene Post author
Since the Edinburgh Castle website states timed entry, will the Royal Edinburgh Ticket act the same way? Thanks in advance!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Charlene,
The Royal Edinburgh Ticket works at the Edinburgh Castle like a pre-purchased skip-the-line ticket. You will not have a specific timed entry but your pass acts as a ticket and gives you guaranteed entry – so you can still skip the ticket line. You do NOT need a timed entry with the Royal Edinburgh Ticket.
There should not be much wait to get inside however if you are visiting this month (August) expect a short wait to get through the ticket check/security as Edinburgh is super busy right now during festival season 😉
Best,
Jessica
Catherine Polasek Post author
Hi Jessica,
Great and helpful post!
We are arriving by cruise ship and I see in your post there is a HOHO bus stop in Leith where we arrive. The question is if I pre-buy our Royal Edinburgh Ticket on-line can we use the HOHO bus to get to the centre to exchange it??
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Catherine,
Yes, the Majestic bus (blue route) stops at the Leith cruise terminal and Royal Yacht Britannia so it would only be a short walk to the nearest HOHO bus stop for you.
So we called the company about this since we’d never encountered this question before! So they said that yes, you can get on the HOHO bus at Leith, explain your situation, and show your printed voucher which just needs to show that everyone getting on the bus has pre-paid for a Royal Edinburgh Ticket and you can ride the bus to where you can exchange the ticket (near Waverley station). You’ll need to just stay on the HOHO bus until you arrive into central Edinburgh where you can exchange your voucher and get your attractions and HOHO bus tickets, and then can continue to use the bus as normal.
Hope this helps and wishing you a wonderful visit to Edinburgh!
Best,
Jessica
Veronica Post author
Hi Guys!
Do you know if the Royal Edimburgh Ticket include entrance to The Edinburgh Dungeon? It appears as one of Edinburgh’s attraction but it does not mention if it’s included.
Thanks a lot!
Veronica
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Veronica, No, the Edinburgh Dungeon is not included. Only entrance to the 3 attractions mentioned (Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, Royal Yacht Britannia) and the hop on hop off sightseeing bus pass is included as part of the Royal Edinburgh Ticket.
There is no discount pass that includes the Edinburgh Dungeon that we know of, but you can almost always save money by purchasing the tickets online beforehand or finding a discount coupon (sometimes on the city maps). Right now the best place we have found to buy them is via Ticketbar here as you currently save £2.25 per ticket for both adults and children.
Hope that helps!
Best,
Jessica
RuthAnn Riggle Post author
Hi! Thanks for your great and informative blogs! My family (my husband and 2 daughters, 14 and 12) is going to London and then driving up to Scotland the end of May and first of June. Our current plan is to spend 3 days in London (arriving Sunday morning and leaving on Wed). We plan to drive as far as York the first day and then to Edinburg for a couple of days. Next stop, Inverness for a day/night. Then to Ayr for the night. Next to Windemere, then Stratford Upon Avon and finally, Salisbury (Stonehenge)!! That’s lots of stops and lots of driving!!
Do you have any tips or things we might need to know or things we need to NOT do! We’re going to be in the UK for 12 days and we’re trying to squeeze as much in as possible!
Anything you can share would be SO appreciated!!
Thanks,
RuthAnn
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi RuthAnn, So happy that you are finding our blogs helpful in planning your family trip to England and Scotland.
One suggestion would be, if you don’t already have your flights booked, I would suggest flying into London and seeing England first (so London, Salisbury, Sratford-upon-Avon, Windemere) and then head to Scotland and then fly out of Edinburgh or Inverness. That would save you on some driving time and having to return all the way south to London. I’d also perhaps eliminate at least one stop from your itinerary to reduce the driving time (I’d suggest either Windemere, Ayr, or Inverness based on your itinerary).
Now assuming you already have your flights booked & can’t change them, I’d still suggest organizing your time by either country (all of England, then all of Scotland) or doing it by mode of transport (all the places you can easily see by train/public transit first, then those by car).
By Country: I’d do all the England stops in order from London, then all the Scotland ones. So 3 days in London, then pick up rental car and head to see Salsbury and Stonehenge on Day 4, then visit Stratford-upon-Avon in the morning and arrive in York on Day 5, explore York and head to Windemere on Day 6 (add a day here if you want to explore more of York), head to Edinburgh and spend days 7-9 in Edinburgh, explore Ayr and Burns Country on Day 9, drive to Inverness and spend day 10 & 11, and then drop off rental car and take a train from Inverness back to London to head out.
By Transport: 3 Days in London, train to York for Day 4, train to Edinburgh and spend Days 5-7 there, train Inverness and spend Days 7 here, then pick up rental car in Inverness and explore by car to visit Ayr (Day 8), Windemere (Day 9), Stratford upon Avon (Day 10), and Stonehenge & Salisbury (Day 11), then return rental car in London and head home.
Note that if you want less driving some of the places on your itinerary are easy to see as a day trip from London and then save driving and rental car time. For example you can explore Salisbury & Stonehenge (such as this tour) as well as Stratford-Upon-Avon (see this tour and this tour) easily by taking a day trip. So that is another option to reduce driving time and you can add nights to your time in London and spend more time in one place. So you could do maybe do 5 nights London (2 days of day trips), head to York for Day 6, then Windemere for Day 7, then Edinburgh for days 8 & 9, Day 10 in Ayr, and then Inverness for Day 11. Then train back to London to fly out.
Hope this helps! We have loads of content on things on our blogs on London, Edinburgh, the Scottish Highlands, and Edinburgh to help with those places, and have been to all the places on your list so feel free to reach out if you have questions as you finalize your itinerary.
Best,
Jessica
RuthAnn Riggle Post author
Wow, Jessica! I really appreciate you taking the time and effort to give such specific and well-thought advice! I like the idea of taking day trips! We do have our flights booked in and out of England! Some of the places we put on our itinerary are just to break up the long drive! I will read all your blogs, they really are the best that I’ve found! I’m trying to educate myself as much as possible and get as many tips as I can! We did take your advice on the Oyster card! (we didn’t know about that before reading your blog!) This is my first time to the UK! (my husband went with his parents in 1995!) I know you guys live there and don’t need to lodging, but have you ever used Airbnb? or do you have lodging recommendations, especially for Edinburg?
Thank you again!!
RuthAnn
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi RuthAnn,
You’re very welcome! Yes, doing a couple of day trips can reduce time spent driving and give you less 1 night stays on your trip which can help make it feel a bit less busy.
Yes, the Oyster Card is a good idea for your time in London if you plan to use public transit to get around and we also highly recommend the London Pass. For Edinburgh there are no comprehensive discount cards or passes, but the Royal Edinburgh Ticket is a good one to check out if you plan to visit the royal sites and want to take the HOHO bus as it will save you money if you do all 4.
If you are looking for something specific in Edinburgh, we can definitely give recommendations as we have stayed in a couple of hotels and have visited a number of other places for meals, to see friends, etc. We have used Airbnb in the UK and have had good experiences except in London where lower priced Airbnbs can mean some pretty bad apartments in two separate experiences. Just be sure to book something with good and recent reviews and you should be fine. If you are new to Airbnb, you can get $25-$35 off your first booking here. If you are specifically interested in rooms/apartments, here are some other websites like Airbnb.
We book most of our hotels/apartments/B&B’s in the UK via Booking. Here is a list of some family-friendly lodging options in Edinburgh for 2 adults/2 children to get you started. Edinburgh is compact and easy to do without a car (recommended) as it can be difficult to find parking and expensive to park overnight. Most tourist attractions are centrally located and within walking distance or easy to get to with the public buses (or the city sightseeing buses). We’d recommend staying in or near the city center (e.g., anything within walking distance of Royal Mile or Waverley train station is central) to make the most out of your time in the city.
For lodging, London and Edinburgh are going to be more expensive, but you should be able to find lower priced lodging in the other places on your itinerary. Just let us know if you need any specific recommendations as you continue to plan your trip.
BTW, if you plan to take the train for any part of your trip, book in advance to save money and to guarantee yourself seats (seat reservations are normally not possible same day on UK trains).
Wishing you a great trip to the UK!
Jessica
Eva Post author
Hi Jessica and Laurence,
Thanks for the post! I was going to buy the Royal Edinburgh Ticket but found out the Palace of Holyroodhouse will be closed during our time in Edinburgh. With no cost savings, the other reasons to buy would be for the convenience to get to Britannia and the fast track entries. If I buy the tickets online for the Castle and Britannia, does that mean I would skip the queues like I can with the Royal Edinburgh Ticket?
Thank you,
Eva
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Eva,
Sorry to hear that the Palace of Holyroodhouse will be closed during your visit, it does get closed when royalty is visiting or there is need for refurbishment.
Yes, I think that if you are not visiting Holyrood Palace, then the only benefits of the Royal Edinburgh Ticket would be the convenience of having the tickets in advance with the fast track entries and 2 day hop on hop off pass. So in your case I don’t think it would be a good deal.
The Castle tickets can be purchased as fast-track entry but there are not fast-track entry for Britannia but you can avoid the ticket line if you pre-purchase them. You can just pre-purchase the Edinburgh Castle ticket (fast-track) and Royal Yacht Britannia online before you trip. Just be sure to check the validity dates for the ticket before you purchase to make sure it includes the dates of your trip.
Hope this helps and wishing you a great trip to Edinburgh!
Best,
Jessica
yadanar Post author
Hi Jessica and Laurence,
Thanks for sharing the information, Me and my husband are planning to visit UK for 1st time in December and we plan to move around with public transport. Is that three attractions from Royal Edinburgh Ticket can go by Hop on Hop Off bus?
Thank You
Yadanar
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Yadanar, Yes, all three attractions on the Royal Edinburgh Ticket are located near the hop-on hop-off bus stops. The pass includes admission to the three royal attractions (Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse, and The Royal Yacht Britannia) and unlimited hop-on hop-off bus tour services for 48 consecutive hours on three of Edinburgh’s sightseeing buses. Note that while at least 2 of the buses stop at Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle, only one bus route goes to the Royal Yacht, so just make sure you get on the correct bus depending on where you want to go. The bus routes and buses are color coded to help you figure it out but you can also just ask the bus driver. You will be given a brochure with a HOHO bus map (if not, ask for one) when you collect your bus ticket. Best, Jessica
Sue Post author
Hi Jessica and Laurence
Is there any advantage to purchasing the Royal Edinburgh ticket online in advance of our trip please? i.e. Is it cheaper than buying it in person?
Thanks.
All the best
Sue
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Sue! The main advantage to buying the Royal Edinburgh Ticket online that the online rates are often the cheapest as they are more likely to run online discounts. However, if they are not running any discounts then the ticket prices in person should be the same as you see on the website. In all other respects, it is the same as buying it in person. If you are not sure if you will have the time to visit everything on the pass, I would recommend waiting to purchase it in person in Edinburgh. Wishing you a fantastic trip to Edinburgh and do check out our other Edinburgh blog posts for our recommendations on what to see and do 😉 Best, Jesscai
Sue Post author
Thanks for your reply and good wishes Jessica. 🙂 Yes, it’s currently the same price online as in person, so I’ll wait till we arrive.
Best wishes
Sue
Mark Fizn Post author
This is one of the great post about how to save money on Edinburgh royal attractions. I think it is awesome idea bcoz we are very struggling in saving our money, so this article was very effective and helpful to us. thanks for sharing this helpful article.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Mark, Yes, the Royal Edinburgh Ticket can definitely help you save some money in Edinburgh if you plan to visit all 3 of these attractions and use the bus for transportation/sightseeing during your visit! Just let us know if you have any other questions when planning your visit! Best, Jessica
Crystal Carson Post author
Oh, I see you did say that. You print but then you still have to pick-up tickets. Rats! Question: does the Holyrood ticket include the Garden tour? Can that be purchased separately?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Crystal, Yes, unless it has changed very recently, you print off the voucher and then that is good to pick up the bus tickets and the tickets you’ll need to enter the Edinburgh attractions (palace, castle, yacht). The Holyrood Palace ticket includes entry to the gardens and the abbey (now in ruins) but it does not include a specific garden tour although there is information on the audio tour. Note that the garden area is sometimes closed; it was closed on our last visit actually. Enjoy your time in Edinburgh and please let us know if you have any other questions about planning your visit. Best, Jessica
Crystal Carson Post author
It looks like we can print our tickets at hme and bring them…or is that only for the HOHO bus? From Bus Tours page: PRINT@HOME
ON COMPLETION OF YOUR TRANSACTION, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO VISIT A PAGE TO VIEW YOUR TICKET. SIMPLY PRINT THIS AT HOME AND BRING IT ALONG WITH YOU WHEN YOU WISH TO TRAVEL. (PLEASE NOTE THAT ACCESS TO A PRINTER IS REQUIRED). A LINK TO THIS PAGE WILL ALSO APPEAR IN YOUR CONFIRMATION EMAIL. YOU CAN VISIT THE PAGE TO PRINT YOUR TICKETS AT ANY TIME.
Cool, right? 🙂 Crystal
Anwar Post author
Such great tips of visiting and saving money. Did you make it in time to hear the cannon fire at the castle?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Anwar, Thanks. We have heard the cannon fire at the castle (multiple times now!)! Visitors interested in the one o’ clock cannon should definitely be around before 1:00pm on the castle terrace if you want to be there to be there when the cannon fires. But this is also one of the most crowded times, especially in the summer months. If you want to avoid crowds at the castle, we recommend going when it first opens, especially if you are interested in the indoor sections as they are much more enjoyable with fewer visitors. Best, Jessica
Rhonda Albom Post author
When I was in Edinburgh, I didn’t have enough time to see al three attractions on the royal Edinburgh pass. I did have time to see the Royal Yacht Britannia but only from the outside. Thanks for your photos of the interior. A large yacht has so much more room when you don’t have to make “stateroom” compartments as they do on a cruise ship.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Rhonda, Yes, I think a lot of people come to Edinburgh for only a day so don’t have a lot of time to see too much. Yes, the Royal Yacht Britannia is interesting to tour and definitely has some spacious rooms, although some of the bedrooms are fairly small (considering they were meant for royalty) but yes much bigger than a normal cruise stateroom!! I liked that you also get to see the captain’s quarters, mess, officer’s room, engineering rooms, bridge etc. in addition to the state rooms. You can also see a retired Rolls-Royce Phantom V state car and the 1936 racing yacht Bloodhound which was owned by the royal family. It is a really nice tour! Jessica
Kat Post author
Wow, this post is brilliant and very comprehensive! My sister is planning a trip to Edinburgh in May, this post will come in very handy for her. Thanks for sharing this post with us 🙂
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Kat, Glad that this was so timely and hopefully your sister will find it useful in planning her trip to Edinburgh! We have lots of Edinburgh content on the blogs. Best, Jessica
Lolo Post author
Such a useful guide! I’ve pinned this as it would definitely be useful, in case we go without (renting) a car. We normally just like to drive everywhere as you can see so much more easily, however, once in Edinburgh, maybe we can return the car or park ours and take advantage of this ticket! I’d definitely want to see the Royal Atttractions, and the Hop on Hop Off bus looks like a good one! We did it once in Prague and it was terrible!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Lolo, We love driving in Scotland, but cars are not great to have in central Edinburgh itself as parking can be expensive and annoying like in most larger cities. As people who live nearby, we almost always take the bus into the city and then walk or take the bus around. Outside of Edinburgh (and Glasgow) it is much nicer to have a car. So I would probably recommend picking up or dropping your car off and then exploring Edinburgh without one so you don’t have to pay to park it. Best, Jessica
Lyn @ A Hole in my Shoe Post author
This pass certainly seems the way to see the best of Edinburgh’s attractions. I’ve just got to get to Edinburgh. Looks like will be when we finally make it there. I always enjoy your posts.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Lyn, Yes, still waiting for you two to visit Scotland!! Hopefully it gets into your calendar soon 😉 Best, Jessica
Anisa Post author
I didn’t know about the Royal Edinburgh Ticket so thanks for sharing this. I only had a day in Edinburgh so we just got to go to the castle, which I loved. I need to go back, there really is so much to see in Edinburgh. #TheWeeklyPostcard.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Anisa, Yes it is hard to see too much in one day and this pass is really designed for those who have 2 or more days in the city, but may be a good bet if you return and want to re-visit the castle some day! Best, Jessica
Anda Post author
Not a bad deal. Edinburgh Castle looks so beautiful and like always your pictures are gorgeous. Hope to get there someday.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Anda, It is a great deal if you plan to buy tickets to all four! Hope you get a chance to visit here someday as well – would love to show you around! Best, Jessica
Kay R Post author
Hello again Jessica & Laurence, I found you through your excellent Harry Potter Edinburgh post and then saw this one as well. The Royal Edinburgh Pass seems great and now all three of the royal attractions are on my must-see list! Thanks again for all this great information and I can’t wait to dig into more of your Edinburgh tips! Best, Kay
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi again Kay! So glad you are enjoying our Edinburgh content, we are happy to currently call Scotland home so you’ll find quite a lot of Edinburgh content across both of our blogs and much more to come. I would recommend reading the post on the 21 Highlights of Edinburgh and the follow-up post on lesser known things to do in Edinburgh – those should help you plan your itinerary for your time in Edinburgh. Best, Jessica