Oxford Tours, Tickets and Timed Entry
Oxford tours, tickets and timed entry
Every Oxford college and attraction runs its own ticketing, and no single pass covers the colleges. A visit that takes in three or four sites therefore means three or four separate purchases, so it helps to sort them by how early they need booking. All prices are 2026 figures in pounds sterling.
Book first: the Radcliffe Camera
The only public route inside the Radcliffe Camera is the Radcliffe Camera and City of Oxford Walking Tour, £30, on Saturdays and Sundays from 13:30 to 15:30. You spend about 30 minutes inside the Camera and then walk the city for 60 to 90 minutes. Online tickets for each month are released at 09:00 on the 1st of the month before. About half the 30-minute library tour places are sold only at the Weston Library desk on the day, and popular days can sell out within an hour. Set an alarm if a weekend slot matters to you.
Book early: Christ Church
Christ Church sells timed tickets online, with a multimedia guide included. During Michaelmas term (4 October to 12 December 2026) adult tickets are £22.95 on weekdays and £24.95 at weekends. Student tickets are £20.50 or £22.50, and children aged 5 to 17 pay £17.50 or £19.50. Under-5s go free without a guide. Each ticket booked in advance online is £2 cheaper.
Two timing rules shape the day. The Great Hall closes Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 14:00 and on Saturdays from 10:30 to 14:00, and on Sundays it opens at 14:00. A morning slot on a weekday keeps the Hall in your visit. Bags above 40 x 30 x 20 cm are refused, and the Picture Gallery has been closed for renovation since 30 April 2026. Saturday 7 November (closed until 14:00) and Thursday 26 November (Cathedral closed all day) are among the dates to avoid. The college’s known closures page lists the rest.
Book when you know the day: the Bodleian
| Option | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Divinity School | £3 | Self-guided, about 15 minutes, timed slot |
| 30 minute library tour | from £12.50 | Minimum age 11 |
| 60 minute library tour | from £17.50 | Minimum age 11 |
The Divinity School appears in the Harry Potter films as the Hogwarts infirmary. The Bodleian tours page shows current slots.
Turn up and pay at the door
- Magdalen College: £10 adult, £9 for over-65s, children and students, £28 family. Under-7s are free. Cards only. Open daily from 10:00 to dusk or 17:00, and to 18:30 from July to September. Closed 26 to 28 June, 25 September and 4 October.
- New College: adults pay £12, concessions £11, and a family £32. It is open daily 10:00 to 17:00 from 10 March to 31 October. In winter it is closed on Mondays, opens 11:00 to 15:00 on Tuesday to Friday and Sunday, and 10:00 to 16:30 on Saturday. The cloisters feature in the Goblet of Fire.
- Balliol College: £6 adult, £3 concession, open 10:00 to 17:00 or dusk. Groups are capped at 8 in term time and exam periods.
- Sheldonian Theatre: self-led £8.25, and a guided half-hour tour at £14.50 on selected dates.
- Oxford Castle and Prison: a guided tour of 50 to 60 minutes, then the exhibitions. Online saver tickets start at about £16 for adults and £10.80 for children, and 10 percent comes off online bookings. Open 10:00 to 17:30 in standard hours.
Closures to expect
Exams run from late April to June, and colleges shut for them, for degree ceremonies and for private events, often at short notice. Open each college’s own page the week before you go, and keep a free museum in reserve.
Where to buy
Official college and library pages sell tickets at face value. If you would rather have a guide to lead you round several stops, compare listings on GetYourGuide . More on how the sights fit together is in Oxford sightseeing , and the Oxford city guide covers getting around.