Hop-on Hop-off Tours Edinburgh

3-Route Edinburgh Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

Name: 3-Route Edinburgh Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
Start: 2026-08-27T09:00:00
End: 2026-08-27T18:00:00
Location: Edinburgh

4.7/5(598)

Suzanne C

Solo

Verified booking

5 days ago

Good and interesting historical ( though some maybe gory) information on all 3 bus routes, with a live person speaking on the green bus, as a bonus. I initially did runs to see all the sights and listen to it all, then went around again for the stops. Happy and friendly ( and very patient) bus drivers too. So many people walking or cutting in front of them, road closures, huge traffic jams, and they manoeuvred all of it safely. I saw a few drivers regularly but never got their names. Loved the smart tartan ties and one driver wore tartan pants too! I was impressed, and told him so. I have to come again when not crazy month of August! Thanks, Susan from Australia.

Joanne C

Couple

Verified booking

6 days ago

The Hop.on Hop.off tour is a great way to sightsee, but also to gain kmowledge about various parts of Edinburgh. We went on all 3 routes, and it was lovely. All 3 offered different parts of Edinburgh and the guide who joined us was funny and engaging. He asked about all the passengers, and geared his interactions to us when possible, while remembering where we were visiting from etc. A very enjoyable afternoon, could easily fill a whole day if you chose to Hop on and off, which we didn't, we stayed on all 3 busses, only departing once we were back to starting point.

Carolyn V

Couple

Verified booking

Last week

The only thing that we didn't like was that we had paid for the tickets on line and we didn't receive them. We had to go to the office to get our tickets which was quite inconvenient. A good recommendation is to start early in the day( which we did not) because it really is a full day excursion by the time the visiting is done. We did the tour then had to go to Glasgow and then returned to Edinburgh where we were able to return to see some of the places we had missed.

Mary S

Couple

Verified booking

Jul 2026

Really enjoyed this 3 route tour to see all of Edinburgh. All the staff were friendly and helpful but Andrew was exceptional advising us on how best to get the Regal bus from Haymarket. We loved the National Museum of Scotland, Royal Yacht Brittania, Dungeon tour and the Firth of Forth boat trip. Even though it was Holyrood week with diversions in place it only affected the Regal route briefly and the driver was apologetic and kept us well informed.

Get a full city overview of Edinburgh, with a 24- or 48-hour hop-on hop-off bus tour aboard an open-top double-decker bus.

Travel through both the Old and New Towns on 3 routes with 15 convenient stops, enjoying the freedom to hop on and off as often as you like.

Follow a live guide on the Green Route sharing fascinating stories of the city’s past, or tune into a multilingual audio guide, and take advantage of exclusive discounts at popular attractions along the way.

See Edinburgh’s highlights up close: explore Scottish history at the National Museum, stroll through the lively Grassmarket, admire the panoramic views from Calton Hill, and relax in the Royal Botanic Gardens.

24/48-hour hop-on hop-off bus tour of Edinburgh

Access to 3 routes: City Sightseeing Tour, Edinburgh Tour & Regal Tour

Audio commentary in English, French, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Scottish, German, Portuguese, Spanish & Chinese (City Sightseeing & Edinburgh tours)

English-speaking guide (Edinburgh tour)

Discounts at the Royal Botanic Garden, Royal Yacht Britannia, Palace of Holyroodhouse & more (full list here)

Headphones (Regal tour)

TOTAL DURATION1 hour 20 minutes
Timeline
Map
1. Waterloo Place
Get direction
2 attractions
Calton Hill
1 minute walk
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
6 minutes walk
2. North St. David Street
Get direction
3. Royal Botanic Garden
Get direction
2 attractions
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
1 minute walk
Inverleith House
4. Newhaven
Get direction
2 attractions
Newhaven Harbour Lighthouse
2 minutes walk
Newhaven Fish Market
2 minutes walk
5. Ocean Terminal
Get direction
2 attractions
Royal Yacht Britannia
4 minutes walk
Ocean Terminal Mall
7 minutes walk
6. Leopold Place
Get direction
1 attraction
Gayfield Square
5 minutes walk
7. Holyrood
Get direction
3 attractions
Palace of Holyroodhouse
1 minute walk
Scottish Parliament Building
Holyrood Park
8 minutes walk
TOTAL DURATION1 hour 5 minutes
Timeline
Map
1. Waterloo Place
Get direction
2 attractions
Calton Hill
1 minute walk
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
6 minutes walk
2. St. Andrew Square
Get direction
2 attractions
St. Andrew Square Gardens
Scott Monument
3 minutes walk
3. Holyrood
Get direction
3 attractions
Palace of Holyroodhouse
1 minute walk
Scottish Parliament Building
Holyrood Park
8 minutes walk
4. Museum of Childhood
Get direction
5. Chambers Street
Get direction
1 attraction
Edinburgh Castle
4 minutes walk
6. Grassmarket
Get direction
2 attractions
Grassmarket Square
1 minute walk
Victoria Street
6 minutes walk
7. Charlotte Square
Get direction
2 attractions
The Georgian House
Princes Street Gardens
9 minutes walk
8. Frederick Street
Get direction
TOTAL DURATION1 hour 10 minutes
Timeline
Map
1. Waterloo Place
Get direction
2 attractions
Calton Hill
1 minute walk
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
6 minutes walk
2. Lothian Road
Get direction
2 attractions
Usher Hall
3 minutes walk
Traverse Theatre
1 minute walk
3. Grassmarket
Get direction
2 attractions
Grassmarket Square
1 minute walk
Victoria Street
6 minutes walk
4. George IV Bridge
Get direction
1 attraction
Edinburgh Castle
5 minutes walk
5. St. Andrew Square
Get direction
2 attractions
St. Andrew Square Gardens
2 minutes walk
Scott Monument
5 minutes walk
6. John Knox House
Get direction
2 attractions
National Museum of Scotland
4 minutes walk
Bedlam Theatre
5 minutes walk
7. Holyrood
Get direction
3 attractions
Palace of Holyroodhouse
1 minute walk
Scottish Parliament Building
Holyrood Park
11 minutes walk
8. Our Dynamic Earth
Get direction
1 attraction
The Queen’s Gallery
6 minutes walk

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

598 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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Guests from United States, Canada, Germany and over 24 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Suzanne C
Solo
Verified booking
5 days ago
Good and interesting historical ( though some maybe gory) information on all 3 bus routes, with a live person speaking on the green bus, as a bonus. I initially did runs to see all the sights and listen to it all, then went around again for the stops. Happy and friendly ( and very patient) bus drivers too. So many people walking or cutting in front of them, road closures, huge traffic jams, and they manoeuvred all of it safely. I saw a few drivers regularly but never got their names. Loved the smart tartan ties and one driver wore tartan pants too! I was impressed, and told him so. I have to come again when not crazy month of August! Thanks, Susan from Australia.
Joanne C
Couple
Verified booking
6 days ago
The Hop.on Hop.off tour is a great way to sightsee, but also to gain kmowledge about various parts of Edinburgh. We went on all 3 routes, and it was lovely. All 3 offered different parts of Edinburgh and the guide who joined us was funny and engaging. He asked about all the passengers, and geared his interactions to us when possible, while remembering where we were visiting from etc. A very enjoyable afternoon, could easily fill a whole day if you chose to Hop on and off, which we didn't, we stayed on all 3 busses, only departing once we were back to starting point.
Carolyn V
Couple
Verified booking
Last week
The only thing that we didn't like was that we had paid for the tickets on line and we didn't receive them. We had to go to the office to get our tickets which was quite inconvenient. A good recommendation is to start early in the day( which we did not) because it really is a full day excursion by the time the visiting is done. We did the tour then had to go to Glasgow and then returned to Edinburgh where we were able to return to see some of the places we had missed.
Julie H
Group
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
Our green bus tour guide from. Canada spoke Wnglosh well and wanted to do a good job of explaining and entertaining us. The second guide was hard to understand and super dull and not enthusiastic. Got the impression he was not excited to be there. The guy that helped scan and print out our tickets was kind of rude and short. Not a great experience overall although what saved it all was the beautiful city and great bus driving.
Jite L
Couple
Verified booking
Last week
Google search. I really enjoyed the tour. It was a great way to see Edinburgh, and the commentary made the ride interesting. The only awkward part was accessing the tickets. Headout has its own app, while the bus company uses a separate app for the schedule and route information. It would be much easier if everything were available in one place.

What to bring

Carry a valid photo ID along with your mobile voucher or ticket.

What’s not allowed

Smoking on the bus is not permitted.

Unfolded mobility scooters cannot be brought on board.

Accessibility

This experience is wheelchair accessible.

Folded mobility scooters are allowed and can be stored as luggage.

Low-floor ramps make boarding easy.

Screens are available on the lower decks of City Sightseeing and Regal Route buses.

Guide dogs and small pets are welcome on board.

Additional information

The City Sightseeing Edinburgh tour lasts about 70 minutes.

Children aged 5–15 can travel for free with a 24-hour ticket.

Tip: Take advantage of discounted tickets to popular dining spots, including Street Burger by Gordon Ramsay, Hard Rock Café, and Bread Street Kitchen & Bar.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the starting point.

Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.