Edinburgh Rail Trip from London with Castle entry and Hop-on Hop-off bus
Overview
See the best of the Scottish capital on this independent day trip from London to Edinburgh. Travel by train through England’s countryside and jump aboard your hop-on hop-off city tour in Edinburgh. Wander along the Royal Mile — a UNESCO World Heritage site — and marvel at the Scottish Crown Jewels inside Edinburgh Castle. Gaze up at the Scott Monument and visit the Scotch Whisky Heritage Center. With your rail travel, hop-on hop-off bus tour (if option selected) and entry to Edinburgh Castle all included, you’re free to explore Edinburgh at your leisure.
Inclusions
- Hop on Hop off tour of Edinburgh
- Return train journey with reserved seats
- Entrance to Edinburgh Castle
- Entry/Admission - Edinburgh Castle
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Edinburgh Castle, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG Scotland
Edinburgh Castle is a historic fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position on the Castle Rock. Archaeologists have established human occupation of the rock since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: St Giles' Cathedral, High Street Historic Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1RE Scotland
St Giles' Cathedral, also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is the principal place of worship of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. Its distinctive crown steeple is a prominent feature of the city skyline, at about a third of the way down the Royal Mile which runs from the Castle to Holyrood Palace
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Princes Street Gardens, 54 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 4BA Scotland
Princes Street Gardens are two adjacent public parks in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland, lying in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The Gardens were created in two phases in the 1770s and 1820s following the long draining of the Nor Loch and building of the New Town, beginning in the 1760s.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Edinburgh Old Town, Edinburgh EH1 Scotland
Visitors pack the Old Town, a bustling area of centuries-old buildings and narrow alleys. At its heart, perched on an extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle is home to Scotland’s crown jewels. The Royal Mile, a steep street lined with traditional pubs, casual eateries, souvenir shops and small museums, runs from the castle to the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s Scottish residence.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2PB Scotland
The Royal Mile is a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. The term was first used descriptively in W M Gilbert's Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century (1901), "...with its Castle and Palace and the royal mile between", and was further popularised as the title of a guidebook, published in 1920.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: 53 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2DG Scotland
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile (1.6 km) from Lothian Road in the west, to Leith Street in the east. The street has virtually no buildings on the south side, allowing panoramic views of the Old Town, Edinburgh Castle, and the valley between. Most of the street is limited to trams, buses and taxis with only the east end open to all traffic.
Duration: 45 minutes
Pass By: Holyrood Park Education Centre 1 Queen's Drive, Edinburgh EH8 8HG Scotland
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II.
Pass By: Palace of Holyroodhouse, Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX Scotland
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II.
Pass By: National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland, was formed in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, with collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture and history, and the adjacent Royal Museum, with collections covering science and technology, natural history, and world cultures.
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Edinburgh Castle, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG Scotland
Edinburgh Castle is a historic fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position on the Castle Rock. Archaeologists have established human occupation of the rock since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: St Giles' Cathedral, High Street Historic Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1RE Scotland
St Giles' Cathedral, also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is the principal place of worship of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. Its distinctive crown steeple is a prominent feature of the city skyline, at about a third of the way down the Royal Mile which runs from the Castle to Holyrood Palace
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Princes Street Gardens, 54 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 4BA Scotland
Princes Street Gardens are two adjacent public parks in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland, lying in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The Gardens were created in two phases in the 1770s and 1820s following the long draining of the Nor Loch and building of the New Town, beginning in the 1760s.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Edinburgh Old Town, Edinburgh EH1 Scotland
Visitors pack the Old Town, a bustling area of centuries-old buildings and narrow alleys. At its heart, perched on an extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle is home to Scotland’s crown jewels. The Royal Mile, a steep street lined with traditional pubs, casual eateries, souvenir shops and small museums, runs from the castle to the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s Scottish residence.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2PB Scotland
The Royal Mile is a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. The term was first used descriptively in W M Gilbert's Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century (1901), "...with its Castle and Palace and the royal mile between", and was further popularised as the title of a guidebook, published in 1920.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: 53 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2DG Scotland
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile (1.6 km) from Lothian Road in the west, to Leith Street in the east. The street has virtually no buildings on the south side, allowing panoramic views of the Old Town, Edinburgh Castle, and the valley between. Most of the street is limited to trams, buses and taxis with only the east end open to all traffic.
Duration: 45 minutes
Pass By: Holyrood Park Education Centre 1 Queen's Drive, Edinburgh EH8 8HG Scotland
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II.
Pass By: Palace of Holyroodhouse, Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX Scotland
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II.
Pass By: National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland, was formed in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, with collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture and history, and the adjacent Royal Museum, with collections covering science and technology, natural history, and world cultures.
Additional information
- Outbound: Train departs London Kings Cross: 07:00 / train arrives in Edinburgh: 11:20 (11:28 on Saturday) approx.
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Return: Train departs Edinburgh: 17:30 / train arrives at London Kings Cross: 22:10 approx.
- Your electronic tickets and vouchers will be sent to you one week prior to your scheduled departure date via email (or, if booked within one week then within 24 hours of booking). We would recommend arriving at Kings Cross Station 30 minutes before your scheduled train departure time
- This tour is unescorted
- Child age: 3-11 yrs
- We will make every effort to fulfil any train seating requests, however, this cannot be guaranteed
- Please do not wait to meet our staff at the train station as we do not conduct in-person departures
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 9 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 2 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
9dainac
August 2019
We upgraded to first class in the way to Edinburgh and it made for a great beginning to our unforgettable trip. A lady met us in the train terminal and gave us all of our tickets, she explained everything to us and even directed to the train to board. The train ride was beautiful all the way up a...
We upgraded to first class in the way to Edinburgh and it made for a great beginning to our unforgettable trip. A lady met us in the train terminal and gave us all of our tickets, she explained everything to us and even directed to the train to board. The train ride was beautiful all the way up along the coast of the North Sea. We got off the train and right on to our Hop on Hop off bus and saw the beautiful city of Edinburgh! Worth every penny!!OldBelAiran
July 2019
Did not know this was really do it yourself tour. No clue where to meet EE rep. When she showed up almost late, and gave everyone their envelope, it was obvious you were on your own. Train was pleasant. When we arrived in Edinburgh, had to hoof it to the bus. Bus was stuck in traffic but fin...
Did not know this was really do it yourself tour. No clue where to meet EE rep. When she showed up almost late, and gave everyone their envelope, it was obvious you were on your own. Train was pleasant. When we arrived in Edinburgh, had to hoof it to the bus. Bus was stuck in traffic but finally got off at castle. No directions to get to castle, rumor we missed our appointment, rushed from castle and took taxi to train station, got on wrong train. What a horrible experience. Evan Evans should be ashamed.Douglas_E
September 2018
The visit at Edinburgh itself was fantastic, with the visit to Edinburg Castle making the trip worthwhile.Be prepared to walk uphill a very long way! The train ride was the only difficult part of the trip. It was 4 1/2 hours up and 4 1/2 hours back. Bring a book if, like me, you can't sleep s...
The visit at Edinburgh itself was fantastic, with the visit to Edinburg Castle making the trip worthwhile.Be prepared to walk uphill a very long way! The train ride was the only difficult part of the trip. It was 4 1/2 hours up and 4 1/2 hours back. Bring a book if, like me, you can't sleep sitting up.STherese05
August 2018
I wanted to show my daughter Edinburgh, but for various reasons, we didn’t have time for more than a day. We thought we were lucky when we found this day excursion. It included train tickets, castle tickets, and hop on, hop off bus tickets. We assumed we would be escorted on the trip. After we pu...
I wanted to show my daughter Edinburgh, but for various reasons, we didn’t have time for more than a day. We thought we were lucky when we found this day excursion. It included train tickets, castle tickets, and hop on, hop off bus tickets. We assumed we would be escorted on the trip. After we purchased the package, we were instructed to meet an agent at the railway station early in the morning. We got there about fifteen minutes early. The agent was late. Another woman who was doing a longer expedition with the same company became very anxious. Worried we were in the wrong spot and that we would miss our train to Scotland, she paced the station, looking for help. Finally, our agent arrived, about fifteen minutes late. She handed us our tickets in a white envelope. She advised us not to use the bus to go to the castle because it was easier to walk. Then she left. That was it. No one went with us. We were on our own. While the description doesn’t state there will be a guide, it also doesn’t make it clear that there won’t. When we got on the train, we discovered that we had horrible seats. They were backwards facing and in an area where we didn’t have a full view out the window. Fortunately, we found two unreserved seats and moved. When we arrived in Edinburgh, we had to download a map so we could find our way from the train station. In Edinburgh, we went to the Castle and thoroughly enjoyed it. We never used the bus tickets. We did not have time. At the end of the day, I would say that it would be far easier and less expensive to buy your own train tickets for a one day excursion. That way, you could choose your own seat. It’s also easy to get the castle tickets on line. For us, the bus tickets were a waste. I would not spend the money on another trip like this.Bush71
August 2018
Hop on hop of buses are a must for travellers, you learn so much about Edinburgh. There is free bus that gives 30minute tours just as good as the £15 bus tour. I loved the city. Quiet in comparison to London in August. There were queues to visit the royal jewel house. The staff were very help...
Hop on hop of buses are a must for travellers, you learn so much about Edinburgh. There is free bus that gives 30minute tours just as good as the £15 bus tour. I loved the city. Quiet in comparison to London in August. There were queues to visit the royal jewel house. The staff were very helpful. Please note it is a lot of walking for those who have bad legs or feet. You can get a taxi right up to the gates of the Castle. Stand under the red clock inside the castle for free guided tours. There was so much to discover within the Castle walls thanks to our guide Brian.Mari S
August 2018
Our visit to Edinburgh was a one-day excursion, since our main focus was London. It was a nice introduction to Edinburgh which made us realize that we needed to return for more than one day to city the town and get a better feel of the culture. We went in August and we later found out that Augu...
Our visit to Edinburgh was a one-day excursion, since our main focus was London. It was a nice introduction to Edinburgh which made us realize that we needed to return for more than one day to city the town and get a better feel of the culture. We went in August and we later found out that August is a popular month for visitors. This explains the massive crowds in the streets and everywhere. The tour representative was at the specified train station with the necessary documents for us to take this excursion. The train was clean and on time. There was food for purchase if desired. The hop-on-hop off was a great way to see the town and get off when we wanted to. The historical information provided by the hop-on-hop-off (HOHO) guide was interesting and informative. I will be returning to Edinburg for a longer stay and will definitely use the HOHO option again.