How to get to Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is located in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Address: Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG, UK

Since Edinburgh Castle is easily accessible by public transportation, you can check out the directions on how to get to Edinburgh Castle. 

By Tram

Edinburgh’s trams run every 7 minutes and are conveniently located.

The airport to York Place in the city center is served by the tram line. 

It takes about 30 minutes from the airport to get to Princes Street, Edinburgh’s main shopping district. 

From there, it’s just a 10-minute walk to the Edinburgh Castle.

Check out the Edinburgh tram website to determine the precise route based on your starting location and find the nearest boarding point.

By Train

Waverley Station and Haymarket Station are the nearest to the Castle and are the best rail stations to use. 

Waverly, the closest train station, is a 10-minute walk from Edinburgh Castle. The Castle is easily accessible by foot from the station’s exit. 

Haymarket Station is West of Princes Street and 1.6 kilometers from the Castle. 

You only need to walk for 22 minutes to reach the attraction. 

We advise using Scotrail trains to go to these stations.

The Castle should be visible as you depart the station because it is located on the east end of Princes Street.

You may reach Ramsey Lane by walking along Market Street from Waverley station. 

You will next approach Castlehill and ascend to the Castle from there.

By Bus

We recommend using the three main bus routes. 

First, the Airlink 100 express bus connects the airport with the city center. 

The distance to Waverley Bridge, which is close to the central train station, is roughly 25 minutes.

Lothian and First are the two most well-known firms that run Edinburgh’s public bus system. 

The bus stops are the same for both, but each company has separate bus numbers and tickets. 

Day buses run from six in the morning till midnight. You will need to change to purchase tickets from the tiny vending machines on the buses. 

Take a bus to The Mound or George IV Bridge to get to Edinburgh Castle. 

Edinburgh Castle is a seven-minute walk from The Mound (Stop MD) and a six-minute walk from the George IV Bridge stop.

You can book an Edinburgh hop-on hop-off bus tour and explore Edinburgh Castle.

Via Bike

Bicycle racks are located behind the ticket box on the left as you enter the esplanade. 

However, they are inaccessible when the Tattoo stands are in place.

Visitors can find bicycle racks at Chambers Street, Waverley Station, and Victoria Street.

By Walk

You can walk to Edinburgh Castle from the east end of Princes Street. 

Start from Prince’s Street and go down the steps into the churchyard from a location close to the intersection of S. Charlotte Street and Prince’s Street.

After passing the old church and cemetery, turn left. 

Then you will pass through a gate, ascending a sidewalk route that circles the foot of Castle Hill. 

Then cross a bridge above railroad tracks. There is a trail that runs between the castle and Kings Stable Road.

It is a path with few people and less traffic and connects to Johnston Terrace, where you can walk around the steps leading up to the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle. 

The scenery and wild tangle of trees looking up at the castle from this view make the slight workout worthwhile.

Given the natural, lovely, and secluded way, it will be a great walk through the city.

Parking at Edinburgh Castle

There is no public parking at Edinburgh Castle. Instead, you can leave your vehicle in neighboring parking lots or on-street parking spaces. 

Johnston Terrace and Castle Terrace are the closest on-street parking areas. 

The NCP Castle Terrace parking lot, which offers a subsidized fee for visitors to the castle, has the closest street parking. 

A discounted rate of £10 for 5 hours is available if you validate your parking token in the audio booth of the castle.

The parking lots and zones also charge an hourly rate and an admission fee, so bring cash or credit cards.  

Tip: We recommend you avoid bringing the car because it can be challenging to locate parking. 

From Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh Castle

Take the Airlink 100 fast bus with frequent departures, comfy seats, and free WiFi, to go from Edinburgh Airport to the castle. 

Waverley Bridge, a five five-minute walk from Edinburgh Castle, can be reached by bus in 25 minutes. 

Operating hours for the Airlink 100 express bus are 4.30 am to 11.55 pm. 

One-way tickets are priced at £5, while round-trip tickets are £8. 

You can reserve your bus ticket from Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh Castle in advance.

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