Hop-on Hop-off Edinburgh Bus Tours

See Edinburgh’s top 15 sights on a bus tour, hopping on and off at your own pace—perfect for those short on time.

• Unlimited bus rides for 24 hours: Discover the best of Edinburgh with this 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus tour, designed for maximum convenience.
• Drop-offs near 15 sights: Access the Red Route, with around 15 stops across the Scottish capital, including John Knox House, The Mound, and Grassmarket, all located near major attractions, with buses arriving every 20 minutes.
• Perks & amenities: Learn about the city’s iconic landmarks through the onboard audio guide, and keep kids engaged with the ‘Horrible Histories’ commentary.

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

Hop-on Hop-off Route - 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

Accessibility

• This experience is wheelchair accessible.
• Wheelchairs must not exceed 70 cm in width, 120 cm in length, and 135 cm in height to board the bus.
• Each bus can accommodate only one wheelchair at a time.

Additional information

• Your ticket is valid for 12 months.
• Children aged 5 and under travel for free.
• Child tickets must be added at the final stage of booking.
• Small, well-behaved dogs in carriers are allowed on the bus.
• Buses run daily from 8:55 am to 3:55 pm. The Red Route operates on a loop that takes around 70 minutes to complete, with departures every 10 minutes, giving you ample time to explore Edinburgh at your own pace while benefiting from frequent service throughout the day.

• 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 with flexible hop-on hop-off access across 3 routes for 24 or 48 hours, letting you see the city at your own pace and convenience.

• Unlimited bus rides for 24/48 hours: Discover Edinburgh’s royal history on a 24- or 48-hour hop-on hop-off tour aboard an open-top double-decker bus, offering panoramic city views.
• Drop-offs near 15 sites: Access 3 routes with over 15 convenient stops, including Edinburgh Castle, the National Museum of Scotland, Greyfriars Bobby, and Our Dynamic Earth, and hop on and off as many times as you like.
• Perks & amenities: Enjoy a multilingual audio guide or live guide narration along the Green Route, plus get access to exclusive discounts at select attractions.

Inclusions

• 24/48-hour hop-on hop-off bus 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.
Hop-on Hop-off Route - Classic Tour (Red Route) Glide down the red route through the heart of Edinburgh, effortlessly connecting you to historic Old Town gems and the fascinating Dynamic Earth centre. Popular stops: Historic Grassmarket, Edinburgh Castle, Old Town, Royal Mile Hop-on Hop-off Route - Edinburgh Tour (Green Route) Take a captivating deep dive into the city's unique history and culture with an engaging, live English-speaking guide on board, hitting all the major central landmarks! Popular stops: Georgian New Town, Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse Hop-on Hop-off Route - Regal Tour (Blue Route) Sail through Edinburgh's royal history and maritime charm! This fantastic route takes you from the majestic Palace of Holyroodhouse out to the stunning Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith. Popular stops: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Royal Yacht Britannia, Palace of Holyroodhouse

What to bring

• Carry a valid photo ID along with your mobile voucher or ticket.

What’s not allowed

• Smoking on the bus is prohibited.
• Unfolded mobility scooters cannot be brought on board.

Accessibility

• This experience is wheelchair accessible.
• Folded mobility scooters are allowed and can be stored as luggage.
• Low-floor ramps provide easy access.
• Screens are available on the lower decks of City Sightseeing and Regal Route buses.
• Guide dogs and small dogs are welcome aboard.

Additional information

• The City Sightseeing Edinburgh tour lasts approximately 70 minutes.
• Children aged 5–15 can travel for free with a 24-hour ticket.
• Tip: Don’t forget to grab discounted tickets to popular eateries like Street Burger by Gordon Ramsay, Hard Rock Café, and Bread Street Kitchen & Bar.

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

See Edinburgh’s 20 must-sees on a self-paced bus tour across the city, with a multilingual audio guide.

• Unlimited bus rides for 24/48 hours: Hop on and off at your own pace for 24 or 48 hours as you explore Edinburgh’s castles, cobbled lanes, and lively streets full of history and layered charm.
• Drop-offs near 20 sites: Choose one or both routes for unlimited rides to up to 20 must-see landmarks, including Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Yacht Britannia & Greyfriars Kirk, with buses arriving every 10–60 minutes across two routes.
• Perks and amenities: Plug into a multilingual audio guide available in 7 languages, designed like a personal podcast with stories and insights about everything you pass along the way.

Inclusions

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

Hop-on Hop-off Route - 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
Hop-on Hop-off Route - 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

What to bring

• Bring a valid photo ID along with your ticket, in case it is requested during validation.

What’s not allowed

• Smoking and alcohol consumption are not allowed on the bus.

Accessibility

• Most buses are wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.
• Guide dogs and pets are welcome on board.

Additional information

• The 48-hour ticket must be redeemed on the selected date to enjoy its full validity.

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

Explore Edinburgh's most royal landmarks and enjoy a comfortable commute to 50+ well-placed stops, travelling effortlessly between them with one city pass.

• Everything you get with the Hop-on Hop-off tour: Enjoy a 48-hour unlimited hop-on hop-off bus tour across 3 routes (Red, Green, and Blue), with multilingual audio guides on the Red and Blue routes, a live English-speaking guide on the Green route, headphones provided on Red and Blue routes, Horrible Histories children’s commentary on the Red route, and a mobile app featuring detailed route maps and live bus tracking.
• Everything you get with the Royal Attractions ticket: Get entry to 3 royal attractions including Edinburgh Castle, Royal Yacht Britannia, and Palace of Holyroodhouse, with a 30-language audio guide at Royal Yacht Britannia and a 9-language audio guide at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
• Why choose this combo: These three royal attractions are among Edinburgh’s most in-demand and require separate tickets. Bundling them with a hop-on hop-off pass removes the hassle of arranging transport and entry individually, allowing you to move seamlessly between landmarks while sightseeing across the city.

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 Hop-on Hop-off

• 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.

Hop-on Hop-off Route - Classic Tour (Red Route)
Glide down the red route through the heart of Edinburgh, effortlessly connecting you to historic Old Town gems and the fascinating Dynamic Earth centre.
Popular stops: Historic Grassmarket, Edinburgh Castle, Old Town, Royal Mile

Hop-on Hop-off Route - Edinburgh Tour (Green Route)
Take a captivating deep dive into the city's unique history and culture with an engaging, live English-speaking guide on board, hitting all the major central landmarks!
Popular stops: Georgian New Town, Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse

Hop-on Hop-off Route - Regal Tour (Blue Route)
Sail through Edinburgh's royal history and maritime charm! This fantastic route takes you from the majestic Palace of Holyroodhouse out to the stunning Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith.
Popular stops: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Royal Yacht Britannia, Palace of Holyroodhouse

What’s not allowed
Royal Attractions

• Bags larger than 30L, including large backpacks, rucksacks, and suitcases, are not permitted inside Edinburgh Castle.

Accessibility
Royal Attractions

• Some areas of Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse are wheelchair accessible.
• The Royal Yacht Britannia experience is fully wheelchair accessible.

Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off

• The hop-on hop-off buses are wheelchair accessible.
• Foldable mobility scooters are permitted if stored as luggage.
• Guide dogs and pet dogs are welcome on board.

Additional information
Royal Attractions

• The Palace of Holyroodhouse is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, except from 25 May to 8 September 2025, when it is open daily.
• The Palace is closed from 26 June to 4 July 2025. During this time, Royal Edinburgh Ticket holders will receive entry to The King’s Gallery and a complimentary Palace guidebook instead.
• Entry to Edinburgh Castle is guaranteed. When you redeem your prepaid voucher, you’ll choose from available entry time slots. This cannot be booked in advance. A dedicated ticket allocation is reserved for Royal Edinburgh Ticket holders, even if the Castle’s official website shows sold out.
• Your ticket allows you to visit Edinburgh Castle and Royal Yacht Britannia within 48 hours of voucher validation. The Palace of Holyroodhouse can be visited outside this 48-hour window if needed.
• The 48-hour validity begins once your voucher is validated. You’ll receive a Royal Edinburgh Ticket with tear-off sections for Britannia and the Palace, plus a tour ticket for bus access. Your Edinburgh Castle entry slot is reserved at that time.
• Children aged 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult or senior visitor during their visit.

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