Mary King's Close opening times and how to get there

How the opening hours work

The operator publishes its hours month by month on a calendar, and later months appear there as they're set. If you're planning well ahead, the date you want may not show times yet. That doesn't mean the close is shut. It means the schedule hasn't gone up. The operator also releases tours based on demand, so live availability is the real test.

Each day on the calendar shows two figures: opening hours and last entry. The site, including the gift shop, opens half an hour before the first tour. The shop closes 90 minutes after the last tour begins. So the closing time on the calendar is the shop's, not the last moment you can start a tour. The figure to plan around is last entry.

Tours typically run every 10 minutes from the opening hour to the closing hour, and each lasts about an hour. You book a specific time slot, not just a day, and you're expected to turn up for that slot. When you book through us, you pick the date and the slot, and your e-ticket comes by email. Keep that email handy on the day.

The operator notes that tours can sell out quickly and suggests booking a few days or weeks ahead. The calendar tells you when the site is open. It doesn't tell you whether there's still room on the slot you want, and in busy weeks the popular times go well before the day.

October hours

October is the long month. Through October 2026 the calendar shows the site open from 9am to 10.30pm every day, with last entry at 9pm. The pattern is the same on weekdays and weekends, which makes October the easiest month to fit a tour around everything else you're doing in the city.

Those long evenings help if you've got a full day planned. You can spend the morning elsewhere in the Old Town, have a slow lunch, and still go underground after dark. Below the street the close has the same dim light whatever the hour, so an evening slot gives you the same tour as a morning one.

The long hours carry over into the first day of the next month. On Sunday 1 November the calendar shows 9.30am to 10.30pm, with last entry still at 9pm. From Monday 2 November the shorter winter pattern begins, and the gap between weekday and weekend hours opens up. If you're visiting over that weekend, Sunday 1 November is the last easy evening slot for a while.

November hours

November splits by day of the week, so the day you visit matters as much as the date. Monday to Thursday, the site is mostly open 10am to 6.30pm, with last entry at 5pm. Fridays run 9.30am to 7.30pm, with last entry at 6pm. Saturdays and Sundays run 9.30am to 9pm, with last entry at 7.30pm. That makes the weekend the only time in November for a properly late tour.

There are a few exceptions on the November calendar. Monday 2 and Monday 23 November follow the Friday pattern, 9.30am to 7.30pm with last entry at 6pm. Saturday 28 November closes earlier than other weekends, 9.30am to 6.30pm with last entry at 5pm. If one of those dates matters to your plans, check it closely.

The practical upshot is that in November an evening tour is mostly a weekend option. If you're in Edinburgh midweek, plan the close for the morning or afternoon and keep the evening for dinner. If you want a late slot, Saturday or Sunday gives you until 7.30pm, except on 28 November.

Short weekday hours also mean fewer slots in the day. With last entry at 5pm from Monday to Thursday, there's less room to move a tour later if your morning runs over. Book the time you can definitely make, and leave a margin either side. A 2pm slot that you reach calmly beats a 4.50pm one you sprint for.

December and the festive dates

December mixes two weekday patterns. Some weekdays run 10am to 6.30pm with last entry at 5pm: 1 to 3 December, 9 and 10 December, and 21 to 23 December. Others run 9.30am to 7.30pm with last entry at 6pm: the Fridays, 7 and 8 December, and 14 to 18 December. Weekends run 9.30am to 9pm, with last entry at 7.30pm.

Christmas Eve is a short day: 10am to 4.30pm, with last entry at 3pm, so aim for the morning or early afternoon. On Christmas Day, 25 December, the close is shut. On 26 December it opens 11am to 8.30pm with last entry at 7pm, and Sunday 27 December runs 9am to 9.30pm with last entry at 8pm.

Between Christmas and New Year the long hours return. On 28, 29 and 30 December the site opens 9am to 10.30pm, with last entry at 9pm. On 31 December it opens 9am to 7.30pm, with an earlier last entry at 6pm, so plan a New Year's Eve visit for the daytime.

Beyond December, the operator adds later months to its calendar as they're set. If you're building a trip around a date that isn't showing times yet, ask us what's been published so far, and plan the rest of the day once the hours are confirmed. It's better to wait a week for the calendar than to guess.

Choosing a time of day

Some slots go faster than others. On the operator's booking calendar, times sit on a 10-minute grid. When we checked on 21 October for the following day, 22 October, the morning slots and every slot after 3.30pm had already sold out. What was left was a window around the middle of the day, from about noon.

That's one day we watched, not a rule. It makes sense, though. Mornings suit people who want the tour done before a full day out, and late afternoon suits people coming off a day's sightseeing. If you're booking at short notice, be ready to take a midday slot rather than holding out for the time you'd ideally choose.

Morning tours have a practical edge for families. Children are fresher, and nobody is fighting tiredness on 96 stairs. Evening tours suit couples and groups of adults who like the idea of the old streets after dark, and in October the last entry runs as late as 9pm. In November, evening slots are mostly limited to weekends.

Whatever time you pick, book ahead. The operator describes the close as a sell-out attraction. Operator tickets are non-refundable, and any change of date or time has to be made at least four hours before your tour, through us. Pick a slot you can reach comfortably, with room for a late lunch or a slow walk up the hill.

Finding the entrance

The address is 2 Warriston's Close, Edinburgh EH1 1PG. It's on the Royal Mile, opposite St Giles' Cathedral and the Mercat Cross. The entrance is right next to the flags and arches of the City Chambers, the building that grew out of the Royal Exchange, which was built partly on top of the old close in the 18th century.

Your tour starts at the Admissions Office on the Royal Mile, where you check in before heading down. The gift shop is reached through Writer's Court. If you're meeting friends, St Giles' Cathedral makes an easy landmark, since everyone can find it and the entrance is across the street. Agree a meeting time at least 10 minutes before your tour, so nobody is still looking for the door when your group goes down.

If you want to drop a pin, the coordinates are 55.9503, -3.1903. Map apps will also find the postcode EH1 1PG. On the ground, look for the City Chambers arches and flags. They're the clearest marker for where to go, and they sit directly beside the entrance. If you reach the cathedral, turn to face the other side of the street.

Getting there by train, bus, bike or taxi

From Waverley station it's about 10 minutes on foot. The quickest route is the 100 steps at the foot of Warriston's Close. Head from Waverley Bridge to the mini-roundabout, onto the bottom of Cockburn Street, and look for the sign on the right. The steps lead you up towards the Royal Mile and the entrance.

If you'd rather avoid steps, or you're pushing a pushchair or pulling a case, there's a step-free route. Instead of turning onto the steps, carry on up Cockburn Street to the Royal Mile and turn right. There are no stairs that way, which matters if you're saving your legs for the 96 steps of the tour itself.

By bus, any Lothian Buses service that stops on Princes Street, near the High Street, or on North or South Bridge will do. From any of those, make for St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile. The entrance is opposite, beside the City Chambers. Allow a few extra minutes on busy days, when the Royal Mile is crowded and the walk from the stop takes longer than the map suggests.

Driving isn't a good idea. Parking in the Old Town is very limited and there's no car park near the attraction. Taxis can drop you at the door, which is the simplest option for anyone who'd struggle with the walk. If you're cycling, there are cycle racks outside. Whichever way you come, aim to be on the Royal Mile with a quarter of an hour in hand.

On the day: arrival, lockers and late arrivals

Arrive at least 10 minutes before your tour time and check in with the Admissions team. That's the operator's request, and it isn't padding. Each group goes down on its slot, and with tours every 10 minutes the next group is already waiting behind you. Arriving early also gives you time to set up the audio guide if you need one.

If you're carrying luggage, there are more than 20 lockers in the courtyard, in a range of sizes, opened with a QR code. Arrive a little earlier still if you plan to use one, in case the app or your connection plays up. They're handy on a travel day between checking out and catching a train.

Late arrival is the thing to avoid. The operator can refuse entry to anyone arriving after their scheduled tour time, and can charge the full booking. Tickets are non-refundable, so a missed slot is usually a lost one. If you can see you'll be late and it's still at least four hours before your tour, ask us to move it.

Before you go down, finish any food or drinks, as they aren't allowed on the close during the tour. Put your phone away too, since photography and filming are not permitted. Wear shoes with grip for the uneven floors. Then hand yourself over to your guide for the hour, and let the stories do the rest. You'll come back up an hour later knowing the street beneath your feet.