Edinburgh Castle tickets 2026 at a glance
A standard Edinburgh Castle ticket is valid for the date and entry time you choose. Online, an adult ticket for ages 16 to 64 costs £23.50. At the gate the same ticket is £26. Children aged 7 to 15 pay £11.50 online, and those under 7 enter free.
You can buy a ticket at the gate, so there is no legal need to book online. The online price is lower, though, and it secures your place in the slot you pick. When the online tickets for a slot are sold out, no extra allocation is kept back for the gate, and in summer the popular times go early.
Prices below are the castle prices in pounds sterling for 2026. They are not a promise for every later booking, so check the amount at checkout.
Our picks: castle tickets with a guide
Our take: all three include entry. If you only want a ticket, the castle's own timed tickets are usually cheaper.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in British pounds (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Edinburgh Castle guided tour with entry ticket
- Edinburgh Castle entry
- Guide in five languages
Ninety minutes with a guide in one of five languages, with the entry ticket.
Check availability →
Castle tickets and tour with a kilted guide
- Castle entry
- Castle tour
- Museums and exhibitions after the tour
A guided tour of the castle, then time on your own in the museums and exhibitions.
Check availability →
Edinburgh Castle history tour with tickets
- Edinburgh Castle entry
- English or Spanish guide
Ninety minutes of castle history with a guide in English or Spanish.
Check availability →Edinburgh Castle tickets and guided visits
Castle entry with a guide, tickets with a time slot and combinations with the Royal Mile, with live prices and availability. Check what each option includes before you book.
Edinburgh Castle ticket prices by age
Standard tickets with a date and entry time, 2026.
| Visitor | Online | At the gate |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, ages 16 to 64 | £23.50 | £26.00 |
| Concession, 65 and over | £19.00 | £21.00 |
| Child, ages 7 to 15 | £11.50 | £13.00 |
| Child under 7 | Free | Free |
Unemployed visitors with proof also get a reduced rate. Students get no general discount on the standard castle ticket. Children under 16 must be with an adult. Up to two carers can be booked free of charge per transaction for a disabled visitor, who pays the rate for their own age or concession category.
Standard, Flexi or Explorer Pass
Three ways to enter, for different plans.
| Standard ticket | Flexi ticket | Explorer Pass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | One visit on your date and entry time | One visit on any day in a 7-day window, no slot booking first | One visit per site over 14 consecutive days |
| Adult online | £23.50 | £38.00 | £48 from 1 April to 31 October 2026 |
| Concession online | £19.00 | £30.50 | £39 |
| Child 7 to 15 | £11.50 | £22.50 | £29 |
| Family | – | – | £100 for 2 adults and up to 3 children |
| Good for | A fixed date | Unsure weather or plans | Several castles in two weeks |
For most visitors with a fixed date, the standard ticket booked online is the cheapest way in. Choose Flexi if the weather or your plans may shift. The Explorer Pass pays off when you also visit places such as Stirling Castle within 14 days. It covers Edinburgh, Stirling and Urquhart Castle, among others, but not the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and reserving a time slot first guarantees entry.
The Explorer Pass is not transferable and is in general not refundable. Winter prices are £38 for adults, £31 concession, £23 child and £80 family, and the winter season ends in late March, so check which price applies if you travel then. Pass holders who want to enter Stirling Castle in February and March 2027 cannot book that visit in advance.
Guide, audio guide and extras
The ticket does not include a guided tour. The official 30-minute guided tour is a separate booking at £6.50 per person, in English, and a combined ticket adds it to your admission. The tour runs outdoors on steep cobbled paths. More on times and the meeting point is on the Edinburgh Castle tours page.
An audio guide costs £4 as a device or a download, and German is one of the languages. Bring your own headphones and a charged phone for the download, and get the download before you arrive, because the connection can vary. Members and Explorer Pass holders get 20 percent off.
The Military Tattoo is a different product. A castle ticket does not admit you to the evening show on the Esplanade, so see Military Tattoo for dates and the official sale.
How to book without surprises
Small points that matter at the gate.
Pick the slot you can reach
The climb from the Royal Mile is steep and the bag check takes time. Arrive early rather than at the last minute.
Getting there →Add small children to the booking
Under-7s are free, but they should be listed in the online booking so the group matches.
Travel light
Suitcases and large rucksacks of 30 litres or more are not allowed, and there is no luggage storage. Bag checks are possible.
Leave the dog at home
Only assistance dogs on a lead are admitted. Ordinary visitor dogs are not.
Check the day before
Weather or operations can close the castle at short notice. Look at the current visitor notice before you set out.
Opening hours →Allow at least 2 hours
That is the planning time for the main attractions, not a limit on how long you can stay.
What to see inside →
Edinburgh Castle tickets: frequently asked questions
How much is an Edinburgh Castle ticket?
An adult standard ticket costs £23.50 online and £26 at the gate in 2026. Concession tickets for 65 and over cost £19 online and £21 at the gate, and child tickets for ages 7 to 15 cost £11.50 and £13.
Can I buy tickets at the gate?
Yes, there is a gate price, which is higher. If the online tickets for a time are sold out, no extra tickets are held for the gate, so book ahead in summer.
Does the ticket include a guided tour?
No. The 30-minute guided tour is a separate booking at £6.50 per person, and a combined ticket adds it to admission. For Historic Scotland members the tour fee is waived.
Do students get a discount?
Not on the standard castle ticket. The Explorer Pass does list a reduced rate for full-time students with ID.
What does the Explorer Pass cover?
One visit per site over 14 consecutive days, including Edinburgh, Stirling and Urquhart Castle. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is not included, and the pass does not give instant entry at any time, so reserve a slot.
Is edinburgh-castle.org an official ticket shop?
No. This is an independent guide with no link to the castle or to Historic Environment Scotland. Use the offers above to compare options and check the price at checkout.