Hop-on Hop-off Edinburgh Bus Tours

See Edinburgh's top 14 sights on a bus tour, perfect for those short on time.

• Discover the best of Edinburgh on this unlimited 24-hour hop-on-hop-off bus tour, giving you maximum convenience.
• Get access to the Red Route, with over 14 stops dotted around the Scottish capital, near all major sights with buses arriving every 10-12mins.
• Learn about the city's iconic attractions through the audio guide available on board and enlighten your kids with the kid's commentary ‘Horrible Histories.’
• The open-top double-decker bus will give you the best views of the city, including Edinburgh Castle, Grassmarket, the Royal Mile and Johnston Terrace.

Inclusions

• 24-hour unlimited hop-on hop-off pass
• Access to Red Route
• Audio guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, and Russian
• Horrible Histories' kid's commentary
• Headphones
• Free kids' tickets
• Flexible validity for up to 12 months from your selected date

Red route

Hop aboard the iconic red double-decker and soak up Edinburgh’s magic! This lively route zips you past the mighty Edinburgh Castle, down the historic Royal Mile, and around the grand Holyrood Palace. Wind through Princes Street Gardens, where blooms pop against ancient stone, then brace yourself for breathtaking views of Arthur’s Seat.

Popular stops: Lothian Road, Grassmarket, Lawnmarket & Regent Road

• This experience is wheelchair accessible.
• Wheelchairs must be no larger than 70cm wide, 120cm long, and 135cm high to board the bus. If unsure, contact the service provider.
• Just a heads up, each bus can only accommodate 1 wheelchair at a time. If there is already a passenger in a wheelchair, please wait for the next one.
• Children aged 3 and under travel for free. Child tickets must be added to the cart at the final stage of booking.
• Small and well-behaved dogs allowed onboard.

• You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
• These tickets are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.

• Explore Edinburgh's royal history on a 24/48-hour hop-on hop-off tour, riding an open-top double-decker bus for a perfect city view in a flash.
• Enjoy access to 3 different routes each with over 15 convenient stops, and hop on and off as many times as you like.
• Tune into a multilingual audio guide or a live guide's narration of the city's tales on the green route plus, score cool discounts at attractions.
• Pass by must-sees! Glide past the lively Grassmarket, admire the iconic Edinburgh Castle, dive into the National Museum of Scotland's exhibits, and more!

Inclusions

• 24/48-hour hop-on hop-off tour of Edinburgh
• Access to 3 routes: City sightseeing tour, Edinburgh tour, Regal tour
• Audio commentary in English, French, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Scottish, German, Portuguese, Spanish & Chinese (City Sightseeing & Edinburgh tours)
• English-speaking guide (Edinburgh tour)
• Discounts at the Royal Botanic Garden, Royal Yacht Britannia, Palace of Holyroodhouse & more (full list here)
• Headphones (Regal tour)

Please click here for detailed route maps and boarding points.

You can join the tour at any stop and hop on and off for the duration of your ticket.

City Sightseeing tour (Classic red route)

• First bus: 8:45 am from Waterloo Place
• Last bus: 5:57 pm from Waterloo Place
• Frequency: every 10-12 mins
• Popular stops: Historic Grassmarket, Edinburgh Castle, Old Town, Royal Mile

Edinburgh tour (Green route)

• First bus: 8:51am from Waterloo Place
• Last bus: 5:51pm from Waterloo Place
• Frequency: every 10-12 mins
• Popular stops: Georgian New Town, Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse

Regal tour (Blue route)

• First bus: 8:40am from Waterloo Place
• Last bus: 5:25pm from Waterloo Place
• Frequency: every 15 mins
• Popular stops: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Royal Yacht Britannia, Palace of Holyroodhouse

• Tip: Don’t forget to grab discounted tickets to iconic food places like Street Burger by Gordon Ramsay, Hard Rock Cafe, and Bread Street Kitchen & Bar.
• This experience is wheelchair accessible.
• Mobility scooters are allowed if folded and stored as luggage.
• Low-floor ramps are available for easy access.
• Screens are conveniently available on the lower decks of City Sightseeing and Regal route buses.
• Your guide dogs and pet dogs are welcome aboard.
• Great news! If you're traveling with children aged 15 and under, they can hop on board for free with the 24-hour ticket.

• You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

Palaces, panoramas, and pounds saved! Edinburgh’s best sights in one cost-saving combo.

• Edinburgh's royal sights are yours to see on this 48-hour hop-on hop-off tour with direct access to 3 popular attractions – your wallet will thank you later.
• Discover royal history at Edinburgh Castle and Holyroodhouse Palace and tour the floating Royal Yacht Britannia, all easily accessible on your HOHO route.
• Marvel at medieval rooms, precious jewels, and Mary, Queen of Scots' living spaces and peek into the Queen's private rooms and fancy tea areas.
• Explore Edinburgh your way with the flexible HOHO pass. Three routes and 50+ well-placed stops let you see top sights like the Parliament and the Botanic Garden.
• Catch a double-decker every 30 mins and pick from various language audio guides or enjoy lively English commentary on the green route.

Inclusions

Royal Attractions

• Entry to 3 royal Edinburgh attractions (see details here)
• Entry to Edinburgh Castle
• Entry to Royal Yacht Britannia
• Entry to Palace of Holyroodhouse
• Audio guide in 30 languages at the Royal Yacht Britannia
• Audio guide in 9 languages at the Palace of Holyroodhouse

Edinburgh HOHO

• 48-hour unlimited hop-on hop-off tour
• Access to City Sightseeing (Red), Edinburgh Tour (Green), and Regal Tour (Blue) routes (route details here)
• Audio guide in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese, Russian, Chinese & Portuguese (Red & Blue routes)
• Horrible Histories children’s commentary on City Sightseeing ( Red)
• English-speaking guide (Green route)
• Headphones provided (Red and Blue routes)
• Mobile app with a detailed map and live bus tracking

Please click here for detailed route maps and boarding points.
You can join the tour at any stop and hop on and off for the duration of your ticket.
Red route

• First bus: 8:50am from Waterloo Place
• Last bus: 4:20pm from Waterloo Place
• Frequency: Every 30 mins
• Popular stops: Edinburgh Castle, Old Town, Royal Mile

Green route

• First bus: 9am from Waterloo Place
• Last bus: 4pm from Waterloo Place
• Frequency: Every 30 mins
• Popular stops: Georgian New Town, Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse

Blue route

• First bus: 9:10am from Waterloo Place
• Last bus: 3:40pm from Waterloo Place
• Frequency: Every 30 mins
• Popular stops: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Royal Yacht Britannia, Palace of Holyroodhouse

Royal Attractions

• The Palace of Holyroodhouse is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, except from 25 May to 8 September 2025, when it remains open daily.
• Holyrood Palace is closed between June 26 and July 4, 2025. Entry to The King's Gallery and a Palace Guidebook are offered as an alternative to Royal Edinburgh Ticket customers.
• Large bags, rucksacks and suitcases (30L or over) are not allowed inside the Edinburgh castle.
• Entry to the Edinburgh Castle is guaranteed – when you validate your prepaid voucher you will be offered a choice of entry slots. This cannot be booked in advance. Even if the Castle’s own website is sold out, tickets are allocated for Royal Edinburgh Ticket customers.
• Note that the ticket lets you visit Edinburgh Castle and Royal Yacht Britannia within 48 hours. If you need to visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse outside of that timeframe, your ticket will still be valid.
• The 48 hours start when you validate your voucher – you will be issued a Royal Edinburgh Ticket with a tear off portion for Britannia and the Palace. You will also receive a tour ticket to get you on and of the tours. At that point we shall reserve your Castle entry.
• Parts of Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse are wheelchair accessible.
• The Royal Yacht Britannia experience is wheelchair accessible.
• Children aged 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult or senior citizen during their visit.

Edinburgh HOHO

• This experience is wheelchair accessible.
• Mobility scooters are allowed if folded and stored as luggage.
• Your guide dogs and pet dogs are welcome aboard.

• You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

See Edinburgh’s 20 must-sees in a self-paced tour by bus with a multilingual audio guide.

• Hop on and off at your own speed through 24 or 48 hours of Edinburgh’s castles, cobbled lanes, and lively streets full of history and layered charm.
• Choose one or both routes for unlimited rides up to 20 must-see landmarks, with buses swinging by every 10–60 minutes to serve Edinburgh two ways.
• Plug into the multilingual audio guide that plays like a personal podcast with stories and nuggets about everything you’re breezing past on the ride.
• Spot the crown-shaped towers of Edinburgh Castle, stroll the cobbled Old Town, wave to Britannia, meet Bobby the pup, and gaze at Calton Hill’s columns.

Inclusions

• 24/48-hour unlimited hop-on hop-off bus tour
• Access to Red & Blue routes (based on option selected)
• Audio guide in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese & Mandarin
• Mobile app with a detailed map and live bus tracking

Red route
The Red route is your classic Edinburgh adventure, expect sweeping views of dramatic castles, grand monuments, and winding medieval streets, all narrated with lively stories as you loop through the city’s historic heart.
Popular stops: The Mound, St Andrew Square, Grassmarket

Blue route
The Blue route is a journey from Edinburgh’s elegant city centre to its bustling waterfront, mixing stately Georgian squares with the salty tang of the Port of Leith.
Popular stops: Waterloo Place, Victoria Quay, Royal Yacht Britannia

• Most buses are wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.
• Your guide dogs and pets are welcome onboard the bus.

• You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.