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    Edinburgh Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus + Edinburgh Castle Tour

    Skip the line Instant confirmation Top Seller E-Voucher Saver Combos

    Activity Schedule

    • When does it run?

      Daily 

    • Duration

      Hop-On, Hop-Off: Ticket is valid for 24 hours
      Attraction tour: Approx. 90 minutes

    • Start time

      Hop-On, Hop-Off: 8:45am - 05:57pm, every 12 Minutes
      Attraction tour: Summer Season:10am, 12pm & 2pm, Winter Season: 10:30am & 1:30pm

    • Meeting Point

      Hop-On, Hop-Off: Just hop on at any of the stops and show your e-voucher to the bus driver and you’re good to go! The first stop is Waterloo Place.
      Attraction tour: Make your way to 192 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1RF next to the Adam Smith statue. Please look for the white and green umbrella!

    • Ending Point

      Hop-On, Hop-Off: You can hop off at any of the stops 

      Attraction tour: The tour finishes in the Crown Square which is the heart of Edinburgh Castle.

    Key Highlights

    • Kids go free offer: Kids go free with a full-paying adult ticket. Offer valid for bookings with travel until March 31st, 2025!
    • Personalise your Edinburgh travels with this 24-hour hop-on, hop-off ticket
    • From Edinburgh Castle to the Farmer’s Market, the trail covers it all
    • Enjoy an immersive multilingual commentary on board
    • Keep your kids engaged with the ‘Horrible Stories’ commentary
    • Explore Edinburgh’s number one attraction with an exclusive skip-the-line entry
    • Traverse the magnificent castle with our knowledgeable guide
    • Learn all about its incredible 3000-year history, from being a royal residence to a military stronghold
    • Get a taste of World War II’s tragic yesteryears as you hear the famous One O'Clock Gun
    • Trail some of the best highlights including Mons Meg, Crown Jewels, and more
    • Both printed and smartphone vouchers accepted!

    Overview

    Discover Edinburgh's historic charm with a Hop-On, Hop-Off tour and explore the majestic Edinburgh Castle. Simplify your trip with this all-in-one bundle package. 

    City Sightseeing Edinburgh Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus:

    KIDS GO FREE OFFER:** Kids travel free with a full-paying adult ticket until March 31st, 2025! Up to three kids per adult ticket; please add child tickets to your cart when booking.

    The popular Edinburgh Hop-on, Hop-off tour lets you explore the historic city at your own pace. Conducted on an open-top double-decker bus, it features strategically located stops, including Edinburgh Castle, John Knox House, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Enjoy engaging audio commentary in multiple languages and the award-winning 'Horrible Histories' commentary for kids in English.

    Some of the major attractions covered:

    • Waterloo Place
    • St. Andrew Square
    • Lothian Road
    • Grassmarket
    • Lauriston Place
    • Johnston Terrace
    • Lawnmarket
    • Chambers Street
    • John Knox House

    … and more

    Edinburgh Castle Walking Tour & Entry Ticket:

    Explore Edinburgh’s most visited attraction - the magnificent Edinburgh Castle - with this immersive walking tour that includes an exclusive, skip-the-line entry.

    With a history of around 3000 years, the historic castle and fortress has been integral to Scottish history. From being King Malcolm Canmore’s royal residence to being a military stronghold for the Scottish Kingdom and its involvement in the Wars of Scottish independence, the Castle is engulfed in a tumultuous yet intriguing past. While regaling you with all the stories of Edinburgh’s numero uno attraction, we will take you on a trail through the breathtaking artefacts and sites in the castle including the famous One O'Clock Gun from World War II, the giant 15th-century Mons Meg siege gun and the stunning Crown Jewels. Once you have relished a comprehensive journey through Edinburgh Castle, you can take your time to explore it at your own pace, deep diving further into its bewitching yesteryears.

    Inclusions & Exclusions

    Inclusions

    Hop-On, Hop-Off: 

    • 24-hour Hop-On, Hop-Off ticket
    • Audio guide in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian
    • Kid's Commentary in English
    • Free headphones and Wi-Fi onboard

    Attraction tour:

    • Services of English speaking Guide (Language barrier? What’s that?) 
    • Exclusive Skip-The-Line Entry to Edinburgh Castle (Get the VIP treatment!)

    Exclusions

    • Hop-On, Hop-Off: Entrances to attractions, unless specifiedAttraction tour: Gratuities (If you are still feeling generous though, go right ahead!)

    Useful downloads

    Please note

    Voucher information:

    You can show your voucher on your smartphone or other devices. (But if you’d rather print a copy – that’s fine too!)

    The date chosen is for the attraction ticket. The Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour is valid for 12 months from the date chosen at the time of booking.

    Individual vouchers for each activity will be shared with customers within 24 hours of booking.

    Hop-On, Hop-Off:

    Kids go free offer: Kids go free with a full-paying adult ticket. Offer valid for bookings with travel until March 31st, 2025!

    Up to three kids can travel free per adult ticket. Please still add child tickets to the cart when making your purchase.

    Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

    Timings and stops are subject to change. The updated route map will be available on the buses.

    Edinburgh is a functioning city and weather, traffic, and events may occasionally cause disruption.

    Stop 7 has moved back to Lawnmarket from its temporary location near the castle.

    If you are traveling by cruise, you might want to keep the following details in mind:

    • You will need alternative methods of transportation to reach Stop Number 1 - Waterloo Place.

  • Don’t forget to check the exact location of Edinburgh port before you arrive.
  • If you are coming into Leith, you can take a shuttle from the terminal to Waterloo Place (Stop Number 1).
  • If you are coming into South Queensferry (Hounds Point), you can take a shuttle from the terminal to Charlotte Square, which is an approximately 10-minutes walk from Stop Number 2.
  • Finally, if you are coming to Newhaven, you can take a local bus to central Edinburgh which will take you approximately 30 minutes.

    Attraction tour:

    The confirmation voucher includes the local activity operator’s contact details. They’re a nice bunch, and will happily answer any logistical questions you may have. Please give them a call at least 24 hours before your organized activity to reconfirm.

    Don’t forget to arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes prior to departure to avoid getting stuck in any last minute delays.

    Edinburgh Castle is an active military base. For this reason, they do not allow big bags or dangerous items into the castle. There are baggage storage facilities in Waverley Station which is about a 5-minute walk from our start point.

  • Customer Reviews

    • Beth Gierach

      The tour covers the old Edinburgh really well. It would be difficult to replicate the experience as an individual without doing much research. I bought tickets for the Edinburgh castle tour as well and it was cancelled because of high winds. I was refunded that portion of the fee, thankfully. Hoho bus is a great intro to Edinburgh.

    • Ken Chartrand

      Although the hop on hop off was good, the castle tour was excellent! Great guide! (Angus)

    • Douglas Wilson

      This ticket gave us exactly what was described ie the hop on hop off experience around Edinburgh red route and access to a Castle tour provided by a third party. The standard commentary on the city sightseeing bus was clear and informative.

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