Edinburgh Castle crowns the volcanic Castle Rock above Scotland’s capital: a royal fortress, palace, prison and garrison for around a thousand years, and home of the Honours of Scotland, the oldest crown jewels in Britain. As of October 2026, online tickets with a timed entry slot cost £23.50 for adults, £19 for over-65s and £11.50 for children aged 7 to 15; at the gate they cost £26, £21 and £13, if any are left. From October to March it opens daily 9:30–17:00 (to 18:00 from April to September), with last entry an hour before closing. Book on the official site and allow two to three hours.
Right now in Edinburgh Castle
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Tickets and tours for Edinburgh Castle
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Why Edinburgh Castle matters
People have lived on Castle Rock since prehistoric times, and for centuries whoever held the castle held Scotland, so it was besieged again and again in the wars with England. Its oldest building, and the oldest in Edinburgh, is tiny St Margaret’s Chapel, built by David I around 1130 in memory of his mother. James IV added the Great Hall, with its late-medieval hammerbeam roof, around 1510, and Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to the future James VI, who became James I of England, in the Royal Palace in 1566. The castle is run by Historic Environment Scotland and sits at the top of the Old Town, part of Edinburgh’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What you’ll see
- The Honours of Scotland: the crown, sceptre and sword of state in the Crown Room, on the first floor of the Royal Palace in Crown Square. The crown was made for James V and first worn in 1540; Mary, Queen of Scots was the first monarch crowned with crown and sceptre together, in 1543.
- The Stone of Destiny is no longer here: the ancient coronation stone moved to the new Perth Museum in March 2024.
- The Great Hall and Royal Palace: the royal lodgings of the Stewart kings and queens.
- Mons Meg and the battlements: the giant medieval siege gun, the Half Moon Battery and the western defences, with views to the Pentland Hills and the Firth of Forth.
- The One o’Clock Gun: fired every day at 13:00 except on Sundays and Christmas Day, once a time signal for ships in the Forth.
- War and prisons: the Scottish National War Memorial, the National War Museum, three regimental museums and the vaults of the Prisons of War.
Tickets and how to visit
Prices and rules from Historic Environment Scotland and the official castle website, as of October 2026:
- Standard tickets (online / at the gate): adults 16–64 £23.50 / £26; over-65s and unemployed visitors £19 / £21 (not students); children 7–15 £11.50 / £13. Historic Scotland members enter free. Children under 16 must be with an adult.
- Timed entry: you choose a date and entry time. Tickets often sell out far ahead, especially in summer, and once they are sold out online there are none at the castle.
- Flexi tickets: £38 adults, £30.50 concessions and £22.50 children, for one entry on any day in a seven-day window, with no time slot.
- Tours and guides: a 30-minute official guided tour adds £6.50 and must be booked ahead; arrive at the meeting point inside the Main Gate 15 minutes early. The audio guide costs £4, on a hired device or your own phone.
- Hours: daily 9:30–17:00 from 1 October to 31 March and 9:30–18:00 from April to September; last entry one hour before closing. On 24 December it closes at 16:00, on 1 January it opens at 11:00, and it is closed on 25 and 26 December.
- Bags: suitcases and rucksacks of 30 litres or more are not allowed, and the castle can’t store luggage, prams or pushchairs. Bags may be searched at the entrance.
Book only through edinburghcastle.scot or Historic Environment Scotland: the castle warns about lookalike websites selling fake tickets.
How long to allow and when to go
Allow two to three hours, or about an hour if you go straight to the Crown Jewels and the views. The first slot at 9:30 is the calmest; head up to the battlements and the Crown Room before the tour groups arrive. Plan to be by the Mills Mount battery just before 13:00 for the gun. From May to October the esplanade in front of the gate holds the seating for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which takes place in August.
Accessibility
You enter over a wooden-slatted bridge, then climb a steep, curved route surfaced with cobbles, and some areas can only be reached by steps. A mobility vehicle and manual wheelchairs are available at the castle, as are sensory backpacks and ear defenders, and there are adapted toilets. A few parking spaces on the esplanade are kept for ticket holders with access needs; contact the castle’s access and parking line before your visit, as availability is limited from May to October. British Sign Language tours can be arranged in advance.
Getting there
The castle stands at the top of the Royal Mile. Edinburgh Waverley station is 0.4 miles away, but it is uphill all the way; Haymarket station is about a mile. Local buses stop on the Mound and George IV Bridge, and some hop-on hop-off tours stop near the castle. There is no public parking: the nearest car park is Castle Terrace NCP. From the airport, take the tram to Princes Street or the Airlink 100 bus to Waverley Bridge.
Combine it with
Walk down the Royal Mile past St Giles’ Cathedral, about 600 metres away, and the National Museum of Scotland, to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Arthur’s Seat at the bottom, about 1.8 km from the castle. Our Edinburgh travel guide covers the festivals, neighbourhoods and day trips, and our Scottish Highlands guide and Isle of Skye guide the road north. Heading south by train, stop at York Minster.
Edinburgh Castle FAQ
How much are Edinburgh Castle tickets?
As of October 2026, online tickets cost £23.50 for adults, £19 for over-65s and £11.50 for children aged 7 to 15. At the gate they cost £26, £21 and £13, if any remain.
Do I need to book Edinburgh Castle in advance?
Yes, it is strongly advised. Entry is by timed slot, tickets often sell out far ahead in summer, and once they are sold out online there are none at the castle.
What time does Edinburgh Castle open?
9:30 every day. From October to March it closes at 17:00, and from April to September at 18:00, with last entry an hour before closing.
What time is the One o’Clock Gun?
13:00 every day except Sundays and Christmas Day, from the Mills Mount battery inside the castle.
Is the Stone of Destiny still at Edinburgh Castle?
No. It moved to Perth Museum, which opened in March 2024. The Honours of Scotland, the crown, sceptre and sword, are still in the castle’s Crown Room.
Is Edinburgh Castle wheelchair accessible?
Partly. The route is steep and cobbled with some steps, but a mobility vehicle and manual wheelchairs are available, and a few esplanade parking spaces are kept for visitors with access needs.