Buckingham Palace
The King's official London residence and a working royal palace.
Buckingham Palace is recognised around the world as the home of the monarch, the focus of national and royal celebrations, as well as the backdrop to the regular Changing the Guard ceremony.
Explore the magnificent State Rooms which are open to visitors for 10 weeks each summer, and on selected dates for Exclusive Guided Tours during winter and spring. Dates for summer 2024 have not yet been announced.
Sign up to our email updates to be the first to hear ticket announcements and the latest news.
Prices
Exclusive Guided Tours during winter and spring
- Exclusive Guided Tours are £90.00 per person.
- For our special Family Guided Tour, children (age 5-17) are £49.50 and under 5s are free.
Check availability of Exclusive Guided Tours
Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace 2023
The 2023 summer opening has now closed. Sign up to our email updates to be the first to hear ticket announcements for 2024.
| Advance | On the day (subject to availability) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £30.00 | £33.00 |
| Young Person (18-24) | £19.50 | £21.50 |
| Child (5-17) | £16.50 | £18.00 |
| Disabled | £16.50 | £18.00 |
| Under 5 | Free | Free |
| Groups (15 people or more) | View group prices | |
Your summer ticket includes a multimedia guide.
Enjoy free re-admission for a year by asking us to treat your ticket purchase as a donation.
At the end of your visit, ask a Warden to stamp your ticket to convert it into a 1- Year Pass.
Find out more.
Opening times
Exclusive Guided Tours
Exclusive Guided Tours are available on selected dates from November to May.
Tours last around 90 minutes. View the latest availability for tours.
Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace 2023
The 2023 summer opening has now closed. Sign up to our email updates to be the first to hear ticket announcements for 2024.
The State Rooms are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
| Opening time | Last admission | Closing time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 July - 31 August 2023 | 09:30 | 17:15 | 19:30 |
| 1 - 24 September 2023 | 09:30 | 16:15 | 18:30 |
We have a timed admission system, this is the time you select when purchasing your ticket. For the best experience please arrive at the entry time printed on your ticket and not earlier.
Practical Information
- Prebooking tickets is essential. There is a timed admission system operating on all tours. This is the time you select when purchasing your ticket.
- You must arrive 15 minutes before the entry time printed on your ticket.
- When you arrive, you will pass through an airport-style security check. Read more about security & luggage
- You cannot take photographs within the State Rooms. Read more about photography, filming & mobile phones.
- Eating and drinking aren't allowed inside the Palace, with the exception of bottled water.
- Toilets and baby-care facilities are available at the start and end of your tour.
- For safety reasons, pushchairs cannot be taken into the State Rooms. They must be checked in and collected after your tour. Read more about visiting with children.
- Animals, other than guide, hearing or assistance animals, will not be admitted to the Palace.
Map & directions
Entrance to the State Rooms is via gate C on Buckingham Gate, London, SW1A 1AABy car
There is no general visitor car parking at Buckingham Palace.
For disabled visitors, if you have booked the step-free access route of the Palace, you can also book accessible parking if required. The access route and parking must be pre-booked by contacting the Specialist Sales team on +44 (0)303 123 7324 or [email protected].
By train
The nearest train stations are London Victoria (10 minute walk) or London Charing Cross (20 minute walk).
Visit National Rail Enquiries for times and fares.
By underground
The nearest tube stations are Victoria, Green Park, St. James's Park and Hyde Park Corner (all approximately 10 minutes walk).
For further information visit the Transport for London website.
By coach / bus
Bus numbers 11, 211, C1 and C10 stop on Buckingham Palace Road. Victoria Coach Station is a 10-minute walk from the Palace.
You can plan your journey using the Transport for London website.
Highlights
What's on
Shopping and Eating
Buckingham Palace shops
Visit the shop during your visit to the Palace, or find our shop on Buckingham Palace Road.
The income from every purchase that you make either in-store or online contributes directly to the care of the Royal Collection.
See opening timesRefreshments
Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace, except for bottled water. You will be asked to place drinks and food in closed bags before being admitted.
Food and drink are not available for purchase at the Palace, but there are many cafés and restaurants in the local area.
Children and Families
Top 10 highlights for children and families
Can you spot the hidden door in the White Drawing Room? Discover what exciting things you will see on your visit.
See the highlightsWhat's on for children and families
Groups
Group prices
We offer a groups discount for bookings of 15 people or more.
Group bookings
Group visits to Buckingham Palace must be pre-booked, either online or over the phone.
Coach parking
Coaches can pick up passengers after they exit the Palace on Grosvenor Place. There is no coach parking near Buckingham Palace.
Guiding
Guiding isn't allowed at Buckingham Palace. Visitors can enjoy a free multimedia tour, available in nine languages.
What's on for groups
Schools
Bring the curriculum to life with a visit to Buckingham Palace during the summer. We offer a range of interactive workshops, tours, learning activities and resources for nursery, primary and secondary pupils. Our school visit information will help teachers and organisers plan their visit.
School activities at Buckingham Palace are published each spring and take place during the summer. Throughout the rest of the year we offer school sessions at the Royal Mews and The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace.
Access and Mobility
The State Rooms of Buckingham Palace and the Palace Garden are fully accessible. Concessionary rates are available if you have a disability and a free access companion ticket can be obtained by contacting the Specialist Sales Team on +44 (0)303 123 7324 or [email protected]
The access route, which is step-free, must be pre-booked by contacting the Specialist Sales team on +44 (0)303 123 7324 or [email protected]. The Specialist Sales team can also arrange accessible parking for you.
Accessible toilets and limited seating are available.
Registered assistance dogs are welcome.
The multimedia guide is available in British Sign Language (BSL) and with subtitles, and an audio-descriptive guide is available for blind or partially-sighted visitors.
A number of Wardens are Dementia Friends, please ask staff for any assistance.
The State Rooms tour is indoors, taking in several large rooms and halls over two floors, exiting via a long outdoor gravel path through the garden. As the State Rooms are open during the summer months, it can become very hot inside.
There is a separate gift shop available on the Access route and the terrace café is fully accessible.
For detailed access information, please select one of the options below. For any other information, you can contact the Specialist Sales team on +44 (0)303 123 7324 or [email protected].
About the Palace
Who built the Palace?
The history of the site where Buckingham Palace stands can be traced back to the reign of James I in the early 17th century.
Who lived at the Palace?
Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to live in the Palace in 1837.
The Garden at Buckingham Palace
Learn about the history of the royal garden and how it is used today.
Nearby
