Edinburgh: Ghost Bus Tour & Historic Haunts

A Vintage Bus Winds Through Edinburgh's Darkest Streets

You board a vintage Routemaster bus and spend 75 minutes hearing tales of executions, grave robbers and tortures while passing Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Greyfriars Kirk and Grassmarket. A professional guide narrates from onboard, and you see the actual locations where these dark histories unfolded. Arrive 20 minutes early. The bus departs on schedule and doesn't admit latecomers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Edinburgh ghost bus tour highlights

• Board vintage double-decker bus
• Hear tales of grisly executions
• Pass Edinburgh Castle
• Pass Edinburgh Old Town
• Pass Royal Mile
• Pass Greyfriars Kirk
• Pass Palace of Holyroodhouse
• Pass Grassmarket
• Listen to spooky historical stories

The experience

The Routemaster pulls away from the stop and the conductor's voice cuts through the dark: stories of executions at Grassmarket, of body snatchers working the closes of Edinburgh Old Town, of things that didn't stay buried. You're seventy-five minutes into the city's sinister side, rolling past the Royal Mile where the tales get grimmer with each stop. The double-decker bus itself is part of it, that vintage red frame creaking as it turns corners, the upper deck swaying just enough to keep you off balance while you're hearing about grisly deaths and unspeakable tortures. It's the kind of tour where the setting (the bus, the narrow streets, the conductor's timing) does half the work before anyone speaks.

Greyfriars Kirk appears first, and the guide doesn't rush through it. This is where the real history lives: the kirkyard where grave robbers worked at night, where bodies went missing before they could be buried properly. Then Edinburgh Castle looms above, all stone and shadow, and the stories shift to what happened inside those walls. The Palace of Holyroodhouse gets its turn too, each location offering its own version of Edinburgh's past: the kind of past that doesn't feel distant when you're hearing it from a moving bus at night, passing the actual places where it happened. The Grassmarket, where public executions drew crowds, closes the loop.

You need to arrive twenty minutes early. The bus won't wait and once it leaves, that's it. The tour runs in English, and the guide carries the whole thing: no headsets, no rushing between stops. If you're traveling with infants, they sit on your lap. It's not a polished museum experience. It's a conductor in character, a bus full of people leaning forward to catch the next story, and the city itself as the backdrop. Book it if you want the history without the daytime crowds, and if you're okay with the pace being set by the bus route rather than by how long you want to linger.

What’s included

• Professional guide narrating the tour.
• Transport by vintage Routemaster double-decker bus.
• Access to stories and historical information about Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Old Town, the Royal Mile, Greyfriars Kirk, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Grassmarket.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 18:00, the last at 21:30Last departure this season: 30 Apr 2027

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (16 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Child (5 to 15 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 54

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by The Ghost Bus Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Edinburgh's darker history without arranging your own route through the Old Town at night: the bus, the guide and the 75-minute structure handle the pacing and the storytelling, leaving you to absorb the tales as the city passes by.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 15 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

How long is the ghost bus tour?

The tour lasts 75 minutes from departure to return.

What attractions does the tour visit?

The tour passes Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Old Town, the Royal Mile, Greyfriars Kirk, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Grassmarket.

What kind of bus is used?

A vintage Routemaster double-decker bus serves as the transport for the entire tour.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The tour is conducted in English.

Can I bring a baby or infant?

Yes, infants are welcome and must sit on an adult's lap during the tour.

What happens if I arrive late?

The tour departs on schedule and cannot wait for late passengers. Once the bus leaves, latecomers cannot be admitted.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are permitted on the tour.

Is there public transport near the departure point?

Yes, public transportation options are available nearby.