Free & Reduced Edinburgh Castle Tickets

Find out who qualifies for free or reduced entry to Edinburgh Castle and how to book.

Edinburgh Castle has a generous list of reciprocal free-entry partnerships across the British Isles — Historic Scotland members, English Heritage, Cadw (Wales) and Manx National Heritage all enter free under reciprocal agreements. Under-5s, essential companions and Young Scot card holders (at a symbolic £1) round it out. See our visitors guide and accessibility page for related information.

Who qualifies

Who enters free

    • Children under 5: Free for everyone, every day. A free timed-entry ticket is still required — book it in the same order as paying adults.
    • Essential Companion: One companion of a disabled visitor enters free of charge — book the free companion ticket alongside the £17.50 concession-rate ticket.
    • Historic Scotland Members: Unlimited free entry to Edinburgh Castle plus 70+ other properties for a year. Members must still book a free timed-entry ticket online to guarantee admission in peak season.
    • English Heritage Members (after first year): Free entry under the reciprocal partnership between English Heritage and Historic Environment Scotland.
    • Cadw Members (Welsh historic environment): Free entry under the reciprocal partnership with Historic Environment Scotland.
    • Manx National Heritage Members: Free entry under the reciprocal partnership.
    • Historic Environment Scotland staff and Friends: Free with valid ID.

Who gets a discount

    • Concession (60+ / unemployed): £17.50 advance (£19.50 at the gate) — proof of age or status required.
    • Child 5–15: £13 advance (£14.50 at the gate) — under-5s free as above.
    • Family (2 adults + up to 3 children 5–15): £52 advance — usually the best-value family option.
    • Young Scot card holders (11–26): £1 flat fare under Scotland's National Entitlement scheme.
    • Disabled Person: Concession rate £17.50 advance, with one Essential Companion free.

Note: Royal Collection Trust memberships (Windsor, Buckingham Palace, Holyroodhouse) do not include Edinburgh Castle. Historic Royal Palaces memberships (Tower of London etc.) also do not. The three organisations are separate.

How to claim a free or reduced ticket

Under-5s: book a free timed-entry ticket online — it's in the same flow as the paying tickets, you just choose £0 for the under-5. ID may be requested at the entrance for borderline cases.

Essential Companion: book the disabled visitor's £17.50 concession ticket first; the companion ticket is added automatically at no extra charge during checkout. Both visitors need to bring proof — a Blue Badge, PIP / DLA / AA letter, or recognised national disability card. Access Card holders can use it as proof.

Historic Scotland Members: book a free timed-entry ticket online via the official edinburghcastle.scot site, choosing the £0 member ticket. Bring your membership card to the Gatehouse.

English Heritage / Cadw / Manx National Heritage Members: book a free reciprocal ticket on the official site (after the first 12 months of membership for English Heritage). Bring your physical membership card to the gate.

Young Scot card holders: book the £1 youth ticket on the official site. Bring the physical card or app to the Gatehouse.

Concession 60+ / unemployed: book the £17.50 concession ticket in the standard flow. Bring photo ID showing date of birth, or recent jobseeker's allowance documentation, to the gate.

Free & Reduced FAQ

Eligibility, documents, and edge cases

Do under-5s really enter free?
Yes. A free timed-entry ticket is still required — book it in the same order as paying adults. Staff may ask for verification at the entrance for children who look close to the age threshold.
Is my English Heritage membership valid here?
Yes, after the first 12 months of your English Heritage membership. The reciprocal arrangement between English Heritage, Cadw, Manx National Heritage and Historic Environment Scotland gives full free admission to Edinburgh Castle once your membership has been active for one year.
Is my Historic Royal Palaces or Royal Collection Trust membership valid?
No. Historic Royal Palaces (Tower of London, Hampton Court etc.) and Royal Collection Trust (Windsor, Buckingham, Holyroodhouse) are separate organisations — their memberships do not include Edinburgh Castle. Only Historic Scotland, English Heritage, Cadw and Manx National Heritage memberships are reciprocal.
How does the Young Scot £1 ticket work?
The Young Scot National Entitlement Card (issued free to all Scottish residents aged 11–26) unlocks a £1 ticket to Edinburgh Castle. Book it online via the official site's youth ticket category and bring the physical card or app to the Gatehouse.
Can carers enter free?
Yes — one Essential Companion of a disabled visitor is admitted free, and the disabled visitor pays the £17.50 concession rate. See our accessibility page.
Is the family ticket good value?
For families with 2 adults plus 2 or 3 children aged 5–15, the £52 family ticket saves £5–18 over individual tickets. For 2 adults plus 1 child the savings are marginal — compare the totals in the booking flow.
Is there a discount for students?
Students 17–25 with a Young Scot card pay £1. Otherwise, students aged 16+ pay the standard adult rate (£21.50 advance) — there's no general international student discount. Concession rate applies only from age 60 or for unemployed visitors.
How much is Historic Scotland Membership?
Adult £64.20, joint adult £113.40, over-60 £41.40, family options from £91.20. Pays for itself with about 3 visits — and gives free entry to Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Urquhart Castle, Skara Brae and 70+ other Scottish properties for a year, plus reciprocal entry to English Heritage and Cadw after 12 months.
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