Edinburgh: Castle, Royal Yacht & Hop-On Bus 48hrs

Land in Edinburgh & Skip the Planning—Three Royal Palaces & 48 Hours of Bus Routes

You get 48 hours of unlimited travel across three different bus routes, entry to Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Yacht Britannia, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, plus the freedom to hop off and explore at your own pace. Live and recorded commentary in multiple languages keeps you oriented without forcing you to follow a group. The ticket takes the logistics off your hands so you can spend your time actually looking at the city instead of figuring out how to get between sights.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Edinburgh royal attractions

• Start at Waterloo Place
• Hop on hop-off bus tour
• Visit Edinburgh Castle at Lawnmarket
• Explore Georgian House
• Visit National Museum of Scotland
• Hop off at Ocean Terminal
• Tour Royal Yacht Britannia
• Visit Palace of Holyroodhouse
• Stop at free garden and enjoy afternoon tea discount
• Explore shops and craft fair

The Experience

You've just arrived in Edinburgh. The castle sits on the skyline, the Royal Mile stretches downhill, and you have no idea how to fit it all in without spending the next two days figuring out transport. The Royal Edinburgh Ticket solves that in one go: 48 hours on three separate hop-on hop-off bus routes, plus admission to Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Yacht Britannia down in Leith, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the foot of the Royal Mile. No separate bookings, no queuing for tickets at each gate. You pick up the pass, hop on whichever tour is running, and get off whenever something catches your eye.

The three routes work differently, which is actually useful. The Edinburgh Tour runs with a live guide in English, so you get real stories about what you're passing. City Sightseeing Edinburgh uses recorded commentary through headphones—available in ten languages including Mandarin and Scottish Gaelic—which means you can pause it, rewind it, or just sit quietly if you're tired. The Regal Tour does the same. All three run year-round, and the stops are placed so you can hop off at the Lawnmarket for the castle, swing by the Georgian House (you get £1 off with your ticket), grab lunch at the Grassmarket, or head down to Ocean Terminal for the Royal Yacht Britannia. The National Museum of Scotland is free anyway, but the bus gets you there without thinking about it.

What makes this work is the flexibility baked in. You're not locked into a schedule or a guide's pace. If you want to spend three hours inside Edinburgh Castle looking at the Crown Jewels, you do that. If you'd rather walk the Royal Mile on foot and just use the bus to skip the uphill bits, that works too. The 48 hours means you can spread it across two full days or use it in chunks—morning on the bus, afternoon in a museum, evening exploring Leith on foot. The buses themselves have open-top decks with 360-degree views, and the recorded commentary actually tells you what you're looking at instead of just playing music. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles run on all three routes, and you can bring a pram or stroller without fuss.

One thing to know: the Palace of Holyroodhouse closes Tuesdays and Wednesdays from October through May, and there are a couple of weeks in May and June when it's closed for royal business—but when that happens, you get entry to the King's Gallery and a palace guidebook instead, so you're not left with an empty ticket. The pass validates at Waterloo Place opposite the Apex Waterloo Hotel, where staff are on hand to answer questions about which bus to catch first. After that, you're moving at your own speed through the city.

What’s included

• Your pass includes 48 hours of unlimited travel on all three city tour routes (Edinburgh Tour, City Sightseeing Edinburgh, and the Regal Tour), admission to Edinburgh Castle, entry to the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith, and admission to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
• You also get a £1 discount on entry to the Georgian House.
• Live guided commentary is available on the Edinburgh Tour in English, while the other two routes offer recorded commentary in ten languages through headphones.
• The buses run year-round with multiple daily departures from Waterloo Place.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcome

Operated by Edinburgh Bus Tours

Is this one for you?Pick this if you've just landed and want to cover Edinburgh's main royal sights without booking separate tickets or figuring out which bus goes where—the 48-hour window and three overlapping routes mean you can explore at your own pace without feeling rushed or locked into a schedule.

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Top questions

Do I have to use all three bus routes?

No. You can stick to one route for the full 48 hours if you prefer, or mix them depending on where you want to go. Each route covers different parts of the city.

Can I get on and off as many times as I want?

Yes. The pass gives you unlimited hop-on hop-off travel for 48 hours across all three routes, so you can get off at any stop and rejoin a later bus whenever you're ready.

Is the commentary in English only?

The Edinburgh Tour has a live guide in English. City Sightseeing Edinburgh and the Regal Tour offer recorded commentary in ten languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Mandarin, and Scottish Gaelic, delivered through headphones.

What if the Palace of Holyroodhouse is closed when I visit?

If it's closed for royal business (which happens a few weeks in May and June), you receive entry to the King's Gallery and a palace guidebook instead, so your ticket still has value.

Are the buses wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All three routes run wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and you can bring a pram or stroller on board.

How long does it take to see everything?

That depends on how long you spend at each attraction. The 48-hour pass gives you time to visit all three royal sites plus explore neighborhoods in between, but you can also spread it across two days at a slower pace.

Where do I pick up the ticket?

You validate and pick up your pass at Waterloo Place opposite the Apex Waterloo Hotel, where staff can help you understand the routes and answer questions.

Can children ride on the buses?

Yes. Children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller.