Edinburgh Bus Tours
Bus tour comparison
There are no less than four city bus tours in Edinburgh, all operated by Lothian Buses, the local bus company. All four tour itineraries are similar and choosing the best one can be confusing.
Stuck on Scotland Holidays has compiled essential information about these Edinburgh bus tours to help you decide for yourself.
Comparison of bus tour itineraries
By comparing which Edinburgh attractions are included in each bus tour you get a better idea of which is more suitable for you. For example, the City Sightseeing Edinburgh Tour, the most popular of the city tours, and Guide Friday tours are nearly identical and concentrate on covering the City Centre.
The MacTours and the Britannia Tours are the only ones that take you to other parts of the city like the fashionable Stockbridge area of the New Town, Dean Village, the Royal Botanical Gardens or to Leith, while leaving out some of the more central attractions.
| City Sightseeing Bus Tour - Book now | Edinburgh Tour (Guide Friday) | MacTours Vintage City Tour | Majestic Bus Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Castle | Yes, all round views of the Castle; does not stop at Edinburgh Castle | Yes, all round views of the Castle; does not stop at Edinburgh Castle | Yes, views of the south side from Johnston Terrace; does not stop at Edinburgh Castle | No |
| Holyrood Palace | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Royal Yacht Britannia | No | No | No | Yes |
| Royal Botanical Gardens | No | No | No | Yes |
| Royal Mile | Yes, Lawnmarket, Netherbow sections | Yes, Lawnmarket, Netherbow and Canongate sections | Yes, Lawnmarket section | Yes, Netherbow and Canongate sections |
| New Town | Yes, St Andrew's Square and part of George Street | Yes, St Andrew's Square and Queen Street Gardens | Yes, St Andrew's Square, Hanover Street, Stockbridge, Dean Village, St Mary's Cathedral | Yes, St Andrew's Square, Queen Street Gardens, Canonmills |
| Princes Street | Yes, tour bus goes right along Princes Street | Yes, tour bus goes right along Princes Street | No | No |
| Old Town (except Royal Mile) | Yes, Grassmarket, Victoria Street, George IV Bridge, Chambers Street, South Bridge included | Yes, George IV Bridge, Chambers Street, South Bridge included | Yes, Grassmarket, George IV Bridge, South Bridge | No |
| Calton Hill | Yes, tour bus goes along Regent Road, Waterloo Place | Yes, tour bus goes along Regent Road, Waterloo Place | No | No |
Comparison of other bus tour details
Most details regarding times, tickets, timetables, etc for all four Edinburgh bus tours are very similar. Stuck on Scotland Holidays has, nonetheless, compiled the information in an easy-to-read table.
| City Sightseeing Bus Tour | Edinburgh Tour (Guide Friday) | MacTours Vintage City Tour | Majestic Bus Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus tour coverage | Includes all major Edinburgh attractions | Includes all major Edinburgh attractions | Includes Edinburgh attractions away from the city centre | Includes all major Royal Edinburgh attractions |
| Duration of bus tour | 60 mins approx | 60 mins approx | 60 mins approx | 60 mins approx |
| Tour times (summer) | First tour 9.45am Last tour 5.15pm Runs every 15-20 mins |
First tour 9.15am Last tour 5.35pm Runs every 20 mins |
First tour 9.24am Last tour 5.44pm Runs every 20 mins |
First tour 9.45am Last tour 6.15pm Runs every 15-20 mins |
| Live Guide or Commentary | Multi-lingual commentary | Live guide | Live guide | Multi-lingual commentary |
| Ticket prices | Adult ticket: £8.50 Concessionary ticket: £7.50 Child ticket: £2.50 Family ticket: £19.50 |
Adult ticket: £8.50 Concessionary ticket: £7.50 Child ticket: £2.50 Family ticket: £19.50 |
Adult ticket: £8.50 Concessionary ticket: £7.50 Child ticket: £2.50 Family ticket: £19.50 |
Adult ticket: £8.50 Concessionary ticket: £7.50 Child ticket: £2.50 Family ticket: £19.50 |
| Special bus tour passes Royal Edinburgh Ticket * | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Discounts (for other Edinburgh attractions) | Yes, various attractions | Yes, various attractions | Yes, various attractions | Yes, various attractions |
| Booking a bus tour | Online booking available | Online booking available | Online booking available | Online booking available |
* The Royal Edinburgh Ticket includes 2 days unlimited travel on bus tours and entry to Edinburgh Castle, The Palace of Holyroodhouse, The Royal Yacht Britannia.
Bottom line about city bus tours in Edinburgh
As you can see, the four city bus tours available in Edinburgh are very similar and choosing one is simply a personal preference. I would recommend the City Sightseeing bus tour because it really does take in the most and best that Edinburgh has to offer.
See the links below for more information on Edinburgh's bus tours.
>> Back to Edinburgh Bus Tour guide index
All Edinburgh Bus Tour articles:
City Sightseeing Tour Details on the most popular of the four local bus tours.
Edinburgh Tour Also known as Guide Friday, this bus tour is famous for its live guide commentary.
MacTours Complete information on touring Edinburgh on vintage buses.
Majestic Tour Description on Edinburgh's only bus tour to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Bus Tour Comparison Decide which Edinburgh bus tour to take by visiting our comparison page.
Tour Edinburgh by public bus The cheapest and most flexible way to tour Edinburgh is by combining its excellent public transport with walking.
Tour Edinburgh by coach Easy way to tour around Edinburgh on a budget.
Tour Details - Bus Tours Essential tourist information including tour times, ticket prices, directions and contact details for all Edinburgh city tours.
Edinburgh bus touring on the web Links to other web pages related to Edinburgh tours by bus.
Also see:
Edinburgh Tour and Trip guide Guide to all tours available in Edinburgh as well as trips and tours to and from Scotland's Capital City.
Edinburgh Bus Travel Guide to public buses in Edinburgh.
