Explore Edinburgh with a 48-hour hop-on, hop-off open-top bus tour covering both the City and Britannia routes. Discover sights like Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse, and the Royal Mile, while hearing stories of the city’s rich history, from the Enlightenment to its dark past.
Edinburgh Explore: 48-Hour Hop-on, Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour across 2 Routes
Summary Description
Highlights
- Discover the rich history of Edinburgh on a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour by open-top bus
- See top sights including Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and the Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse
- Hop on the Britannia Route to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia and Botanic Gardens
- Hop off to discover attractions such as the National Museum of Scotland and Arthur's Seat
- Engaging audio commentary available in 9 languages
Description
Discover Edinburgh like never before on a 48-hour hop-on, hop-off adventure aboard an open-top double-decker bus. This ticket gives you unlimited access to both the City and Britannia routes, with stops perfectly placed throughout the city to let you explore Edinburgh at your own pace.
Travel through the historic Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town on the City Tour, taking in iconic sights like Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish Parliament, Dynamic Earth, and the National Museum of Scotland. Hop off to explore Victoria Street, Greyfriars Kirk, or the Scott Monument.
On the Britannia Route, enjoy a royal experience with a stop at the Royal Yacht Britannia, once the floating residence of Queen Elizabeth II. You’ll also have the chance to visit the Royal Botanic Garden, Leith’s historic waterfront, and the monument to Robert Burns.
With engaging audio commentary in 9 languages, you'll uncover the stories that shaped Scotland’s capital. Whether you're here for history, culture, or breathtaking views, this 48-hour ticket offers a flexible, in-depth way to experience Edinburgh from top to bottom.
Included / Excluded
- Unlimited hop-on, hop-off bus travel for 48 Hours
- Unlimited travel on the City and Britannia Routes
- Travel on open-top, double-decker buses
- Pre-recorded commentary
- See all the top landmarks
- Pre-recorded commentary available in 9 languages
- Hotel Pick-up/Drop-off
- Food and drink
Start / End Locations
Start Location: City Route Stop 7: Lauriston Place, Lauriston Pl, Edinburgh, UK
Commentary
Audio : English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Russian, Chinese Mandarin, Portuguese, Japanese
Important Information
Know Before You Book
- The buses are wheelchair accessible
- Buses are not equipped with toilets or lifts/elevators
- Dogs are welcome
- Free Headphones Available on Every Bus
- Download the Big Bus app for live bus tracking and customer support
- Redeem voucher at any stop along the route with a Big Bus staff member
Cancellation
Cancellation Cutoff: 24 hours
Cancellation Notes: Up to 24 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 24 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund
Options and Pricing
Includes 48-Hour hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour of Edinburgh with travel across two routes.
| Edinburgh Explore | RETAIL PRICE |
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Points of interest
- Calton Hill, Calton Hill, Edinburgh, UK
- Royal Mile, Edinburgh, UK
- Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Rd, Edinburgh EH8 8AS, UK
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5NZ, UK
- Newhaven Harbour, Pier Pl, Newhaven, Edinburgh EH6 4LP, UK
- Royal Yacht Britannia, Royal Yacht Britannia, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JH, UK
- Saint Andrew Square, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2, UK
- The Port of Leith Distillery, 11, Whisky Quay, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6FH, UK
- National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait, 1 Queen St, Edinburgh EH2 1JD, UK
- Edinburgh Castle, Castlehill, Edinburgh, UK
- Scottish Parliament Building, Horse Wynd, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Old Town, Edinburgh Old Town, Edinburgh, UK
- Nelson Monument, 32 Calton Hill, Edinburgh EH7 5AA, UK
Terms and Conditions
Voucher is non-refundable after it has been activated by a member of staff.
Additional Information
Scan your mobile or printed ticket once you board our tour bus or with one of our street team.
Redemption Information
Tickets will be held at the box office
FAQ
Where can I start the tour?
At any of our registered tour stops across the City, however both tours depart from Waterloo Place, opposite the Apex Waterloo Place Hotel.
How often to the buses run?
The City Tour runs approximately every 10 minutes, and the Britannia Tour runs every 60 minutes. Timings are subject to change, so please check our Service Information page for further information. You can also ask a Big Bus Tours staff member or contact us for further information.
On which days does the tour operate?
The Big Bus Tour runs every day of the year - Excluding Christmas Day - 25th December and New Years Day - 1st January. Our Tours run a reduce service on Christmas Eve - 24th December, Boxing Day - 26th December and Hogmanay, 31st December- please see the Big Bus mobile app for service updates.
How long does the tour take?
A complete circuit of the City Tour takes approximately 1 hour. A full circuit of the Britannia Tour takes approximately 1 hour, 10 minutes. Please allow for more time if you plan to hop on and off at any of our stops.
Do I need to specify a date of travel?
You don't have to select a date of travel when you book a ticket, so your ticket is valid to redeem when you arrive in Edinburgh. Once you board our tour, your ticket is redeemed and will expire at the end of your chosen validty period.
How do I redeem my ticket?
Scan your mobile or printed ticket once you board our tour bus or with one of our street team.
What time are the first and last buses?
First and last bus times change seasonally. Please check our Service Information page for up-to-date information, or visit our Routes and Maps page for further route information.
Are child tickets available?
A child ticket is available for children between the ages of 5 - 15. Children under 5 may travel free of charge. All children must be accompanied by an adult
Are the buses wheelchair accessible?
Yes, most of our buses are wheelchair accessible. Please contact us for further information.
Can I take my dog on the bus?
Yes, all dogs are very welcome. Both service and pets, please consider other passengers when on the bus.
How can I find the stop nearest to me?
Easy! Just check out our Find A Bus Stop page.
I bought the ticket but it’s for someone else. It has my name on it, is this ok?
You're all set! Simply show your ticket(s) to our team.
How do I know when the next bus is coming?
Download the Big Bus Tours app and you’ll be able find your nearest stop and better still, check to see if a bus is heading your way thanks to real-time bus tracking. Don’t forget you’ll need to enable location services and data on your mobile device (please speak with your mobile / cell provider regarding data roaming costs).
I am waiting at a stop and can’t see any buses, what do I do?
Hang in there! BIG cities like to throw all sorts of challenges at our drivers, who are doing their best to get to you as quickly (but safely) as possible. If you haven’t already, download the Big Bus Tours app to see if a bus is heading your way thanks to real-time bus tracking, this way you will not be waiting around too long. Make the most of your time ion Edinburgh.
Can I change the date (and time) of my tour?
Yes - but if you want to change the date (and time) of your tour, we’ll need to know no later than 72 hours before your tour to make any changes. The speediest way to make changes to your booking is to chat with our friendly customer services team – just click the chat button in the bottom right corner of your screen, or download the Big Bus Tours app. If you have purchased the tickets online, your tickets will be in the form of a voucher that will be redeemed for your tickets when you wish to take the tour. These will still be valid if unredeemed.
About operator:
Big Bus Tours is the world’s largest operator of open-top sightseeing tours, inspiring the spirit of adventure in 26 world-famous cities across four continents. Beginning its journey 28 years’ ago, with a fleet of only three buses, Big Bus Tours has swiftly expanded to a global fleet of hundreds of open-top buses, turning 6 million tourists into explorers, every year. Big Bus Tours operates in Prague, Boston, Madrid, Munich, Los Angeles, Singapore, Dublin, London, Dubai, Hong Kong, New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Miami, Muscat, Rome, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Darwin, Sydney, Vienna, Washington DC and Berlin, with a sightseeing concept designed to provide a flexible approach to city discovery. Each open-top bus tour provides a hop-on, hop-off facility at a
variety of interesting locations, with complimentary additions to enhance the visitor sightseeing experience.
We envision to be the number 1 thing to do in every world-famous city. Our vision is to be the #1 thing to do in every world famous city. In doing so, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality Hop on Hop off service in the industry. Our tours are enriched with state-of-the-art digital audio-guides that are not only informative, but also entertaining for individuals of all ages. Covering all major landmarks and points of interest in each city, our buses offer the flexibility for customers to hop on and off at their convenience throughout the duration of their ticket. We pride ourselves in offering a wide variety of products tailored to meet the needs of every traveller, with many tickets even including additional exciting activities such as boat tours, walking tours, and attraction tickets.
variety of interesting locations, with complimentary additions to enhance the visitor sightseeing experience.
We envision to be the number 1 thing to do in every world-famous city. Our vision is to be the #1 thing to do in every world famous city. In doing so, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality Hop on Hop off service in the industry. Our tours are enriched with state-of-the-art digital audio-guides that are not only informative, but also entertaining for individuals of all ages. Covering all major landmarks and points of interest in each city, our buses offer the flexibility for customers to hop on and off at their convenience throughout the duration of their ticket. We pride ourselves in offering a wide variety of products tailored to meet the needs of every traveller, with many tickets even including additional exciting activities such as boat tours, walking tours, and attraction tickets.
Basic Information
- Duration: 48 hours
- Trip difficulty: Easy
- Category: Tours & Sightseeing
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