Palace of Holyroodhouse Tickets: Shut Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Winter
Holyroodhouse is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays from November to May, timed, and non-refundable if you arrive late. Advance entry is 22 pounds, the door 26.
Sammie O
Holyroodhouse behaves like the opposite of Edinburgh Castle in almost every way that matters, which is why people who book both in one trip get caught out.
It is closed two weekdays for most of the year
From November through to May the palace runs Thursday to Monday — closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Only in the height of summer, roughly May to September, is it open daily. There are also hard closures for official use: in 2026, 19 January, 14–18 May, 26 June to 3 July, and 25–26 December.
The slot is real and late arrival is not forgiven
Royal Collection Trust’s terms are explicit: arrive after your stated time and you will not be admitted unless a later slot happens to free up, at their discretion, and no refund is made. Exchanges cost £2.00.
Admission is £22.00 booked ahead against £26.00 on the day — a £4 gap, the widest of Edinburgh’s big four. It covers the State Apartments, Mary Queen of Scots’ chambers, the abbey ruins, the garden and the multimedia guide.
Two things guides still get wrong
- The Queen’s Gallery is now the King’s Gallery. Renamed after the accession, separate admission, and closed 9 March to 23 April 2026.
- The 1-Year Pass is not automatic. You have to ask staff to treat your ticket as a donation and sign the pass before you leave the building. Walk out without signing and you have nothing.
There is also a £1 ticket scheme for visitors on Universal Credit, Pension Credit, JSA, ESA and similar — booked in advance, up to six per household, with ID and proof of benefit. Those tickets cannot be converted into a 1-Year Pass, and the 2026 dates are not published.
Source: rct.uk, checked 26 August 2026.
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