The Edinburgh Vaults are the city’s largest underground caverns, famous for hosting popular ghost tours.
Many believe the Edinburgh Vaults are a hotspot for paranormal activity, with many reports of ghost occurrences.
The Edinburgh Vaults offer insight into 18th-century life in the city’s underground labyrinth.
They are also known as South Bridge Vaults, Blair Street Vaults, and Edinburgh Underground Vaults.
With 120 rooms spread across 19 arches, these vaults served as everything from taverns to workshops.
This article aims to provide all the essential information you need before securing your tour of the Edinburgh Vaults.
Where can you Buy an Edinburgh Vaults Tour Ticket?
The only way to visit the Edinburgh Vaults is by booking a guided tour.
You can book a guided tour of the Edinburgh Vaults online.
You will also find tour tickets at the venue.
However, we recommend booking tickets online in advance.
What are ghost tours?A ghost tour takes you on an exploration of a place’s paranormal and spooky history.
Expert guides will tell you eerie tales of horror in a way that will send chills down your spine.
And Edinburgh Vaults are famous for being one of the best places for ghost tours.
If you’re a fan of thrilling experiences, book a ghost tour today!
Why are Online Tickets Better?
Online tickets are better for visiting Edinburgh Vaults due to four reasons:
- Online tickets are cheaper than the tickets available at the venue.
- These tickets help you avoid the long ticket counter queues.
- Booking online in advance ensures that you get your preferred time and date slots.
- Purchasing tickets online allows comparing and choosing the best ticket combinations and prices.
How Does an Online Tour Ticket Work?
Once your Edinburgh Vaults booking is confirmed, you will receive the e-ticket on your email.
Simply display this at the entrance for swift and hassle-free entry.
There is no requirement for a physical copy of the ticket.
Edinburgh Vaults Tour Price
The cheapest guided tour for Edinburgh Vaults costs £17 for adults aged 22 to 65.
Seniors aged 66 and above and youth between 17 and 21 years get a discounted price of £16.
There’s a huge discount for children between the ages of 5 and 16, and their ticket costs only £12.
Types of Edinburgh Vaults Tours
Admission to the Edinburgh Vaults is only possible with a guided tour.
- The world-famous Underground Ghost tour is the cheapest and one of the best tours for visiting the Edinburgh Vaults.
- The best-selling tour is the Edinburgh Vaults guided tour. You also have the option to see the torture exhibition on this tour.
- A small group tour of South Bridge Vaults is perfect if you plan to visit with your friends or family.
- Visitors also like the Edinburgh Vaults tour with whisky where you get a complimentary drink (whiskey, beer, or soft drink) towards the end of your tour.
- To add an extra layer of spookiness, visitors also prefer taking the late-night Underground Vaults terror tour.
- A tour of Canongate Graveyard and Edinburgh Vaults is a great combo that lets you experience two great places at a discounted price.
The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour
This is the cheapest and best tour of the Edinburgh Vaults.
On this 75-minute walking tour your guide will dress as a known character from Scottish history.
The guide will take you through the deep, dark history of the vaults.
You will also get to visit the infamous and scariest graveyard: the Greyfriars Kirkyard.
Ticket Price
Adult ticket (22 to 65 years): £17
Senior ticket (66 years and above): £16
Youth ticket (17 to 21 years): £16
Child ticket (5 to 16 years): £12
Edinburgh Vaults Guided Tour
Based on customer reviews, this is the best-selling ticket for the Edinburgh Vaults.
If horror is your theme, you will get spooked on this Edinburgh Vaults tour!
This tour takes you through the history of the vaults and the stories of the inhabitants, murderers, witches and much more.
If you select the evening tour option, you can see the Torture Exhibition at no extra cost.
You’ll get a chance to see the frightening torture devices used by the people living in the vaults.
Children aged four and below are not allowed on this tour.
Ticket Price
Visitor Ticket ( 5 years and above): £20
(Tickets Currently Unavailable)
Edinburgh Vaults Small-Group Tour
This thrilling guided tour is best if you’re going with friends or family.
A maximum of 6 participants are allowed on this tour.
With this small-group walking tour ticket, you will visit the spooky Blair Street Underground Vaults.
An award-winning expert guide will give you a detailed tour of the dark past of the vaults.
Ticket Price
Adult ticket (16 to 64 years): £20
Senior ticket (65 years and above): £18
Student ticket (with ID) (Any age): £18
Child ticket (5 to 15 years): £15
Edinburgh Underground Vaults Tour with Whiskey
Absorb the haunting mystery of the vaults with the leisure of a drink.
On this ghostly guided tour of Blair Street’s underground vaults, you get a complimentary drink.
Toward the end of your tour, you can either get a whiskey, beer, or a soft drink in a candle-lit cellar.
Get ready for a rollercoaster of thrill as an award-winning guide takes you through these vaults.
Ticket Price
Adult ticket (16 to 64 years): £25
Senior ticket (65 years and above): £23
Student ticket (with ID) (16 years and above): £23
Child ticket (5 to 15 years): £17
(Tickets Currently Unavailable)
Edinburgh Vaults Night Tour
You should visit the Edinburgh Vaults at night to add a layer of spookiness.
On this night tour, you will truly experience the darkness in the nooks and crannies of these vaults.
The torture exhibition is included in this tour.
Children aged 17 and below are not allowed on this night tour.
Ticket Price
Adult Ticket ( 18 years and above): £24
Edinburgh Underground Vaults and Graveyard Tour
This Edinburgh Vaults tour by Mercat Tours is the perfect ghostly bonanza.
Along with a visit to the Vaults, you also get to visit the eerie Canongate Graveyard.
This is an evening tour of Edinburgh Vaults, starting at 6.30 pm.
Children aged 17 and below are not permitted on this tour.
Ticket Price
Adult ticket (18 to 64 years): £25
Senior ticket (65 years and above): £21
Student ticket (with ID) (18 years and above): £21
(Tickets Currently Unavailable)
Edinburgh Vaults Tour Discounts
Some tours of Edinburgh Vaults offer ticket discounts for senior citizens, youth and children.
The World Famous Underground Vaults tour, one of the best ghost tours, offers a discount.
The adult ticket for this tour costs £17, but for seniors and youth, there is a discount of £1 and their tickets cost only £16.
There is an even bigger discount of £5 for children, and their ticket costs only £12.
Some tours also offer discounts on student IDs, like the Edinburgh Vaults Small-Group Tour.
On this tour, visitors of any age with a student ID get a discount of £2 on the original price of £20, and their ticket costs only £18.
What to Expect with Edinburgh Vaults Tours
Edinburgh Vaults guided tours will take you on a mysterious ride into the past of Edinburgh’s Old Town.
Entering these vaults with your guide will fill you with suspense and intrigue.
The damp and cold atmosphere of these underground vaults adds to the spooky charm of the tours.
The vaults, built in the 18th century, were initially used for businesses and workshops.
The vault’s construction was rushed, and they were never properly sealed against water.
This caused the damp conditions underground and made the chambers unsuitable for business.
As the years passed and the population of the city increased, the vaults became home to the poor and underprivileged.
Soon, they became grounds for illegal and eerie activities.
Your guide will tell you about the history of these vaults and the tales of crimes, murders and ghost sightings associated with the vaults.
Some chambers of the vaults have preserved elements to show the visitors the setup and the activities that took place inside them.
On some tours, you can also see the Torture Exhibition, which displays the tools of torture used in the vaults.
How Long Does it Take at Edinburgh Vaults?
On average, a guided tour of Edinburgh Vaults takes 1 to 2 hours.
These walking tours take you through the history of the vaults.
The vaults were constructed in the 19 arches under the South Bridge.
The South Bridge is over 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) long.
Therefore, you will need an hour or two to explore the vaults comfortably.
Edinburgh Vaults – Day vs Night
Due to their underground location, the Edinburgh Vaults are damp and dimly lit.
This makes the experience of visiting them mysterious and spine-chilling, whether it is day or night.
However, some visitors choose the night tours to add an extra layer of excitement to their visit.
Irrespective of the time you pick, the Edinburgh Vaults guarantee a thrilling experience.
FAQs
1. How much does an Edinburgh Vaults tour cost?
The cheapest tour for the Edinburgh Vaults costs £17 for adults (22 to 65 years) and £16 for seniors (66 and above) and youth (17 to 21 years). It costs only £12 for children (5 to 16 years).
2. Can I book the Edinburgh Vaults tour online?
Yes, you can book a tour of Edinburgh Vaults online. You can only visit the Vaults if you’ve booked a guided tour. We suggest booking a tour online in advance to reserve your spot and save time.
3. Where is the entrance of South Bridge Vaults?
The entrance to the Edinburgh Vaults is at 30 South Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1LL, UK. When you book a guided tour, you’ll get a meeting point from where your guide will take you into the vaults.
4. Can I visit the Edinburgh Vaults at night?
Yes, special guided tours for the Edinburgh Vaults allow you to tour them at night. These tours are perfect for people who are looking for extra thrill.
5. What is the best time to visit the Edinburgh Vaults?
The best time to visit the Edinburgh Vaults is during the off-peak hours, usually weekday mornings. During these hours, the crowd is smaller than usual.
6. What to wear for visiting the Edinburgh Vaults?
These Vaults are under the South Bridge, which means they receive no sunlight. We suggest wearing layers and comfortable shoes to prevent getting cold.
7. What is the best way to reach Edinburgh Vaults?
If you’re already in Edinburgh, the best way to reach the vaults is through public transportation such as bus, train, or tram. Multiple bus, train and tram lines stop near Edinburgh Vaults.
8. What are the hours of operation for Edinburgh Vaults?
The Edinburgh Vaults are open all day and night, but the catch is that you can visit them only if you’ve booked a guided tour. We recommend booking a tour in advance to reserve a spot.
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