Big Ben: Tickets, Hours and How to Visit
Big Ben: Tickets, Hours and How to Visit
The tower is the Elizabeth Tower. The bell inside it is Big Ben. Nearly everyone calls the whole landmark “Big Ben” anyway, and after the 2017-2022 restoration finished, the good news for visitors is bigger than the naming trivia: public tours are back, they’re open to anyone, and they’re one of the best 90 minutes you can spend in Westminster if you can grab a slot. Tickets for tours from 1 August 2026 run GBP 55 for adults, and you do not need to be a UK resident routing through an MP to get one anymore.
Big Ben at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Price | GBP 55 adult / GBP 35 child (11-17), public tour, from 1 August 2026 |
| Hours | Guided tours at scheduled times when Parliament’s calendar allows; tower viewable from outside any time |
| Time needed | 90-minute tour, 334 spiral steps, no lift |
| Booking lead | Released 10:00 on the second Wednesday of each month, 3 months ahead; gone within minutes |
| Getting there | Westminster station (Circle, District, Jubilee lines), Bridge Street exit |
Is the public tour really open to everyone now?
Yes, and this corrects the most common outdated advice about Big Ben. For years the only route up the tower ran through a UK resident’s Member of Parliament, and that free, MP-sponsored route still exists. Since the restoration wrapped in 2022, Parliament also sells public tickets to any visitor, resident or not, at GBP 55 a head.
How do you actually grab a ticket before they vanish?
Set a phone reminder for 10:00 on the second Wednesday of the month, three months before your trip, and be logged into the booking page with payment details ready beforehand. Batches release for that single day and sell out within minutes, so refreshing cold rarely works, being there at the exact minute does. Minimum age for the climb is 11, and there’s no lift.
Where to see it for free
Westminster Bridge gives the classic postcard angle, tower framed above the river, but by mid-morning in summer it’s shoulder to shoulder with other photographers. Cross the river instead to the riverside gardens by St Thomas’ Hospital on the Albert Embankment: same tower, same river, far fewer people, and a fountain in the foreground that most visitors never think to look for. Go before 9am for the emptiest version of either spot.
Pair the climb, or the view from below, with Westminster Abbey ten minutes’ walk away, or the public galleries at UK Parliament right next door, both cheap or free additions to the same afternoon.
Book the tour itself through the official Big Ben Tour page , and check current release rules on the tour prices page before your reminder goes off. If you’d rather lock in a guided Westminster walk while you wait for a release date, book one on GetYourGuide instead.
The single most useful habit: put the second Wednesday of the month in your calendar now, not the week before you fly.