In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Go by train. Edinburgh to Stirling takes 41 to 49 minutes, with up to 84 trains a day, and the castle is half a mile uphill from the station. Entry is £18.50 online and £20.50 in person; book online with the code GOOD25 and show your train ticket for 25% off. It is open 9.30am to 6pm from April to September and to 5pm from October to March, with last entry an hour before closing. Explorer Pass holders cannot pre-book in February and March 2027. Or book a tour: Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle & Kelpiesad is from £48.45 for 9 hours with the castle entry an optional extra, and the castle ticket on GetYourGuidead is the same £18.50. A tour fits Loch Lomond and the Kelpies into the day, which need other transport on your own (GetYourGuide).
Getting there on your own
Trains run from Edinburgh Waverley to Stirling in 41 minutes at the fastest and 49 on average, up to 84 a day. Check the fare in the ScotRail app or on scotrail.co.uk, which charge no booking fee; Anytime tickets are valid at any time, and all ScotRail fares are frozen until 31 March 2027. The castle is about 0.5 mile uphill from the train and bus station, and the route is cobbled and sloping. The castle’s own car park is closed to all vehicles except coaches and accessible parking, with alternatives at Castleview Park and Ride, whose shuttle buses can get busy.
Tickets
Prices are Historic Scotland’s own, from historicenvironment.scot.
| Ticket | Online | At the castle |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (16 to 64) | £18.50 | £20.50 |
| Concession (65 and over) | £15 | £16.50 |
| Child (7 to 15) | £9 | £10 |
- GOOD25. You can get 25% off the standard admission price when you book online and arrive car-free: use the code GOOD25 and show your bus or train ticket or bike on arrival. The discount is only available when booking direct, and Good Journey plans the public transport.
- Explorer Pass. £48 in summer and £38 in winter (from 1 November), valid for 14 days and covering Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and the other Historic Scotland sites. Holders cannot pre-book Stirling Castle in February and March 2027. The pass sums show when it pays.
- Bags. The castle cannot store luggage, prams or pushchairs, and searches bags at the entrance.
GetYourGuide’s Stirling Castle Admission Ticketad is sold by Historic Environment Scotland at the same £18.50 (335 reviews). It lists a short introductory guided tour in English, first come first served, and an audio guide, but it cannot take the GOOD25 discount.
Tours from Edinburgh
Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices for one adult. These tours combine Stirling with the Kelpies and Loch Lomond.
Timberbush: Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies
From £48.45 · 9 hours · 2,739 reviews · Castle Terrace
From Edinburgh: Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle & Kelpies Tourad stops at the Kelpies, Loch Lomond, the Trossachs, Callander and Doune Castle, and finishes at Stirling Castle. The Loch Lomond cruise and the castle entry are optional extras.
Rabbie’s: Loch Lomond, Kelpies and Stirling Castle
From £60 · 9 hours · 1,242 reviews · Edinburgh Bus Station
From Edinburgh: Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Tourad is a small group that passes Linlithgow Palace and stops at the Kelpies, Balmaha on Loch Lomond and Aberfoyle for lunch. The castle entrance fee is an option. Not suitable for under-5s.
Highland Explorer: a smaller group
From £49.30 · 8½ hours · 716 reviews
Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle, & Kelpies Tour from Edinburghad goes by the Kelpies and Balmaha, then to Stirling, where you can buy a castle ticket or explore the city. It returns in the early evening. The castle entry fee is optional.
Stewart.Tours: admission included
From £45 · 9 hours · 155 reviews · Charlotte Square
Edinburgh: Kelpies, Stirling Castle & Loch Lomondad lists the admission fees as included, with lunch and refreshments, and visits Luss on the west shore of Loch Lomond.
Half day and by train with a guide
From £40 and £49
Half day tour to Kelpies & Stirling Castlead is 5 hours from £40 (51 reviews) and also takes in Queensferry and Culross. Full-Day Train Trip to Stirling with Castle Admissionad is a guided walk of Stirling’s Old Town and the castle, from £49 for 6 to 7 hours, and the train ticket is extra.
What to see
The castle is on a rock above the town, with ramparts and three main enclosures that give views over Stirling and the countryside. The guided day tour allows about an hour and a half inside.
Stirling Castle on its rock. Photo: DeFacto, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- The ramparts and the views, on the way in.
- The Great Hall and the Queen Anne Gardens.
- The Royal Palace, the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots. Its six apartments have been refurbished to look as they may have in the mid-16th century, with costumed performers, and James V built it to show his power and taste.
- The Chapel Royal, dating from 1594.
- The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum, which closes 45 minutes before the castle. It has 114 steps in total.
What to skip: the museum, if you have under two hours.
The Great Hall at Stirling Castle. Photo: DeFacto, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hours
| Dates | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 April to 30 September | 9.30am to 6pm | Last entry an hour before closing |
| 1 October to 31 March | 9.30am to 5pm | Last entry an hour before closing |
| 24 December | 9.30am to 4pm | |
| 1 January | From 11am | |
| 25 and 26 December | Closed |
Before you go
- The climb: the route up from the station is cobbled with a maximum gradient of 1:15.
- A tour with the castle included: Rosslyn Chapel, Stirling Castle and Dunfermline Abbey includes the entrance fees at Stirling Castle and Rosslyn Chapel and stops at the Bannockburn battlefield.
- Loch Lomond is covered in day trips from Edinburgh.
Day trips from Edinburgh compares every trip, and St Andrews is the other trip that works by train. Edinburgh public transport covers the way to Waverley, and Edinburgh Castle tickets has the other Historic Scotland ticket that the Explorer Pass covers. Where to stay in Edinburgh compares the areas.
Common questions
How long is the train from Edinburgh to Stirling?
41 minutes at the fastest and 49 on average, with up to 84 trains a day. The castle is about half a mile uphill from Stirling station, on a cobbled, sloping route.
How much is Stirling Castle?
£18.50 online for an adult aged 16 to 64, £15 for ages 65 and over and £9 for a child aged 7 to 15. At the castle it is £20.50, £16.50 and £10.
Is there a discount for arriving by train?
Yes. Historic Scotland takes 25% off the standard admission when you book online with the code GOOD25 and show your bus or train ticket, or your bike, on arrival.
Can I use the Explorer Pass at Stirling Castle?
Yes, except that pass holders cannot pre-book Stirling Castle in February and March 2027. The pass is £48 in summer and £38 in winter, and Stirling is on both site lists.
Does a tour from Edinburgh include entry to Stirling Castle?
On most Loch Lomond, Kelpies and Stirling tours the castle entry is an optional extra, so check the listing. Stewart.Tours' Kelpies, Stirling Castle and Loch Lomond tour lists the admission fees as included.
