Start with your group’s needs: stairs, mobility, enclosed spaces and the youngest visitor. The notes below help you ask the operator a specific question before buying a ticket.
The quick suitability check
Can everyone manage the stairs? Does anyone need wheelchair access? Would dim, enclosed rooms be uncomfortable? Is the youngest visitor old enough for the exact tour? Use those answers to narrow the options before choosing the stories you want to hear.
The underground routes compared here are not wheelchair accessible. Mercat separately offers the Vaults Revealed film in its accessible Vaults Museum; it is an alternative to entering the vaults, not step-free admission to the underground tour.
Mary King’s Close: 58 steps down and 38 up
Mary King’s Close has 58 steps down and 38 up, along with uneven surfaces, steep inclines and dimly lit rooms. There is no wheelchair access to the underground route. Visitors who find enclosed spaces difficult should discuss the visit with the attraction before booking.
Children must be at least 5, and under-16s should be accompanied by an adult. The attraction offers some support arrangements, including support chairs for a member of your party to carry. Contact it directly to discuss what would work for you.
Blair Street and South Bridge vault routes
The featured Blair Street history and ghost tours exclude wheelchair users and people with mobility impairments. Auld Reekie’s South Bridge tours describe a high entrance step, spiral stairs, smaller internal stair sections and floors that can become wet.
City of Edinburgh Tours states that its vaults are reached by a single flight of spiral stairs. Contact the operator when a tour page does not answer a specific need.
Children: a recommendation is not the same as a hard rule
Mary King’s Close and several history or ghost tours set a hard minimum age of 5. The Evening Underground Ghost Tour sets 7, the Haunted Vaults & Graveyard Tour suggests 12, and the late-night terror, extreme paranormal and Mercat vault-and-graveyard evenings are adults-only.
Content can still feel intense for a child who meets the age rule. Parents should consider darkness, enclosed chambers and themes such as death or torture alongside the number on the tour page.
If you cannot make the descent
Ask Mercat about the Vaults Revealed film at the Vaults Museum. Its seated audio-visual visit offers a view through Blair Street for people who cannot use the underground route or prefer to avoid enclosed spaces. Confirm access arrangements, admission and availability directly with Mercat.
For an outdoor alternative, view the Royal Mile closes from their entrances. You can see the lane down Advocate’s Close without taking its stairs; garden and courtyard access should be checked individually.
Find a visit that suits your group
Once the practical questions are answered, compare the preserved close, history-led vault tours and ghost walks.
Compare underground toursSources and updates
Material visitor facts were checked on 5 November 2026. Operational details can change, so verify the exact provider before booking.
Choose the visit everyone can take part in
Use the published access notes to shortlist your tour, and ask the operator about any need that is not clearly covered. Then choose the date and storytelling style you want.
Compare Edinburgh underground tours