Stirling Castle

Closing times for independent museums vary. The Regimental Museum closes 45 minutes before the castle.

The castle is situated on top of a hill in the heart of Stirling's Old Town. A free, interactive walking map is available on the Explore Stirling Mobile App.

View Stirling Castle on a Google Maps.

Bus and rail

Stirling is served by local and national train and bus services. The castle is approximately a 0.5 mile uphill walk from Stirling train and bus station.

By bike

The castle is close to National Cycle Network Route 765, which provides connections to Doune. NCN Route 76 connects Stirling with destinations along the Firth of Forth. There are 5 bike racks on the castle esplanade which can accommodate up to 10 bicycles.

Plan and save with Good Journey

Plan your journey by public transport using Good Journey. Book a car-free visit online with the code GOOD25 and receive a 25% discount. 

Car

The castle car park is extremely busy and often fills up quickly, especially during peak times. 

We strongly recommend using the Castleview Park and Ride Service (FK9 4TW). It’s free to park, with regular buses dropping you a 5-minute walk from the castle.

Return tickets: £1 adults / 50p children. Service not available on Sundays.

Castle parking

The Parking Fee for a maximum of four hours is £6.00 per car. Half price for Historic Scotland Members April to September, and free from October to March.

There are 5 designated accessible spaces on the castle car park which are offered on a first come, first served basis. Staff will aim to assist visitors best they can if these are full on arrival.

There are 12 full size coach bays on the esplanade, with alternative coach parking available offsite at Forthside way, Stirling, FK8 1QZ (15 bays).

No parking for trailers, caravans or mobile homes.  

Electric vehicle charging points

The nearest charging points are located at Castleview Park and Ride. 

Carers tickets

In line with best practice in the visitor attractions industry, visitors with disabilities are treated on an equal basis with all other visitors and entry is charged at the appropriate admission category rate - Adult/Concession/Child. Proof of disability is not required.

We recognise that some disabled visitors may need help to visit our sites and we offer free entry for accompanying carers, these can be added when making your booking. Please note this is limited to two carers per transaction.

Parking

The esplanade has a tarmac parking area.

Due to high demand, parking is limited. You may wish to use city centre parking or the Castleview Park and Ride Service (get off at the Old Town Jail, which is a 5 minute walk from the castle entrance). The park and ride is situated off junction 10 of the M9. For in-car satellite navigation systems, enter the postcode FK9 4TW as your destination point. Please note the service is not available on a Sunday.

There are five accessible spaces about 65m from the castle entrance and are offered on a first come, first served basis. 

Whilst both Stirling Bus and Train Stations are within walking distance of the castle, it is situated up a steep hill.

There are 12 bays for coaches available for use whilst the passengers are visiting Stirling Castle. Alternative coach parking is at Forthside Way, Stirling FK8 1QZ (15 bays).

Free Learning Visit coaches are drop off only from April to October.

There are no electric vehicle charging points located on the esplanade. The nearest charging points are located at Castleview Park and Ride. 

We are unable to accommodate cars with trailers, caravans or mobile homes. 

Wheelchairs

Four manual wheelchairs are available for use on a first-come, first-served basis.

Approach to site

The route is cobbled and sloping with a maximum gradient of 1:15. The castle entrance is 180m from the furthest point of the car park. 

Visual Stories for Autistic Visitors

Use this guide to help you plan your visit to the castle. Through pictures of staff, the castle spaces and facilities, it will make sure you know what to expect when you visit.

• Visual story for adults

• Visual story for children

Ear Defenders

A limited number of adult and children’s ear defenders are available at this site. Please ask a member of staff when your ticket is scanned if you want to borrow them.

Dogs

Assistance dogs are permitted at all our sites and within roofed areas. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times and not left unattended at any time. Owners must pick up after their dogs.

Visitors' dogs and other pets are not permitted at Stirling Castle.

Visiting the site

1. Staff at the entrance will control the flow of visitors, and can provide any additional assistance. A mobility vehicle to the Inner Close is available on request, and can be arranged by staff at the castle entrance. It can accommodate most wheelchairs, motorised wheelchairs and mobility scooters, but this is dependent on their dimensions. Please note that this service is dependent on the availability of trained staff to come off their normal role, so there may be a delay between the request and the pickup.

2. There is an adapted toilet in the first courtyard.

3. The main route through the castle is 160m long from the gate to the Inner Close. It is surfaced with cobbles and has a maximum gradient of 1:9.

4. The Unicorn Café has ramped access and is level throughout.

5. The path around the Queen Anne Garden is level paving.

6. The Royal Palace is open with access from the Lion's Den. A one-way system is in place.

7. The Great Kitchens are accessible via several steps leading down to it.

8. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders' Regimental Museum and Shop has 4 stone steps leading up to it. To view the ground floor galleries, there are a total of 4 steps. There are several staircases throughout the museum. The total number of steps in the museum is 114. The shop has a one-way system in place.

9. The Chapel Royal has level access from the cobbled courtyard. The Great Hall has level access from the cobbled courtyard. An adapted toilet is available here.

10. The Nether Bailey is a grassy area, 200m from the Outer Close along a cobbled track with a maximum downward gradient of 1:7.

View Stirling Castle on Euan's Guide

For ease of movement, visitor safety and security, suitcases and large rucksacks (30 litres or over) are not permitted in the castle.

We're unable to store luggage, prams, pushchairs or other personal items for visitors.

We may carry out bag searches at the castle entrance as part of our security screening process.

• Accessible by public transport
• Bicycle rack
• Car parking
• Coach parking
• Accessible toilets
• No dogs except assistance dogs
• Guided or audio tours available
• Picnic area
• Shop
• Cafe
• Self-service tea/coffee
• Toilets
• Visitor centre
• Water bottle refill
• Baby changing facilities