You can visit Big Ben: the UK Parliament runs a guided tour of the Elizabeth Tower (334 steps, ages 11 and over) at £55 per adult ticket. Tickets go on sale on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 am, on the official ticket site only. Tours of Parliament itself start at £31 (audio tour).
Big Ben is the name of the great bell; the tower that houses it is called the Elizabeth Tower. This page sets out the official visiting conditions, works out the 2027 ticket on-sale dates and gives sunset times for photographing the tower from the riverbank. To plan your stay, see our guide to visiting London.
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Key facts: Big Ben and Parliament
- Big Ben tour: Monday to Saturday, with some days removed for maintenance; total time 1 hour 45 minutes, including a 1 hour 30 minute tour (checked on 15 October 2026 on the official ticket site).
- Full adult price recorded on 15 October 2026: £55 (Big Ben); Parliament audio tour from £31; guided tour of Parliament from £40. Prices may change: check before you go (checked on 15 October 2026 on parliament.uk).
- Booking: compulsory for Big Ben (online, maximum 8 tickets per person); recommended for the other tours.
- Conditions: minimum age 11, 334 steps, loud bells (ear protection provided), tour in English.
- On sale: the second Wednesday of each month at 10 am.
- Information checked on 15 October 2026 on parliament.uk.
Tickets: which tours, and where to buy them
| Official tour | Who it is for | Price recorded on 15 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) | Ages 11 and over, able to climb 334 steps | £55 adult |
| Palace of Westminster audio tour | Everyone, 10 languages plus a children’s version | From £31, one child free |
| Guided tour of the Palace (90 min) | Everyone, in English | From £40 |
| State Apartments of Speaker’s House | Recommended for ages 16 and over | From £23 |
| « Inside the UK Parliament » (75 min) | UK residents only, through their MP | Free |
Official tickets are sold on tickets.parliament.uk (« Official ticketing website ») or at the ticket office in Portcullis House, Victoria Embankment. For Big Ben, tickets are sold online only. Tour platforms mostly offer guided walks around Westminster from outside: that is a different product and does not get you into the tower.
Big Ben ticket on-sale dates in 2027
The official ticket site says tickets are released « on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 am ». The corresponding dates (Destination de Voyage calculation, London time) are:
| Month | On sale (10 am London time) |
|---|---|
| January | Wednesday 13 January 2027 |
| February | Wednesday 10 February 2027 |
| March | Wednesday 10 March 2027 |
| April | Wednesday 14 April 2027 |
| May | Wednesday 12 May 2027 |
| June | Wednesday 9 June 2027 |
| July | Wednesday 14 July 2027 |
| August | Wednesday 11 August 2027 |
| September | Wednesday 8 September 2027 |
| October | Wednesday 13 October 2027 |
| November | Wednesday 10 November 2027 |
| December | Wednesday 8 December 2027 |
Opening times and closures
Big Ben tours run Monday to Saturday, with some days removed for maintenance. You must arrive at the Cromwell Green entrance at least 30 minutes before your tour time: after that, there is no refund or exchange. Parliament points out that this is a working building, so tours can be cancelled at the last minute for parliamentary reasons.
Best time to see and photograph the tower
Without a ticket, you can look at the tower for free from public space. For photos, timing matters: the table gives sunrise and sunset at Westminster on the 15th of each month, alongside the London-Heathrow climate normals.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Average high | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:59 am | 4:20 pm | 8 h 21 min | 8.4 °C (47 °F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) |
| February | 7:14 am | 5:15 pm | 10 h 00 min | 9.0 °C (48 °F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| March | 6:15 am | 6:04 pm | 11 h 49 min | 11.7 °C (53 °F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| April | 6:05 am | 7:56 pm | 13 h 51 min | 15.0 °C (59 °F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) |
| May | 5:09 am | 8:45 pm | 15 h 36 min | 18.4 °C (65 °F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) |
| June | 4:42 am | 9:19 pm | 16 h 37 min | 21.6 °C (71 °F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| July | 5:00 am | 9:11 pm | 16 h 11 min | 23.9 °C (75 °F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) |
| August | 5:45 am | 8:23 pm | 14 h 38 min | 23.4 °C (74 °F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| September | 6:34 am | 7:15 pm | 12 h 41 min | 20.2 °C (68 °F) | 50 mm (2.0 in) |
| October | 7:23 am | 6:07 pm | 10 h 44 min | 15.8 °C (60 °F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| November | 7:17 am | 4:11 pm | 8 h 54 min | 11.5 °C (53 °F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| December | 7:59 am | 3:51 pm | 7 h 52 min | 8.8 °C (48 °F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
Day length varies enormously in London: under 8 hours in December, over 16 hours in June. In December the sun sets around 3:50 pm, so an afternoon visit ends in the dark. In June it sets after 9 pm, which leaves long evenings for photographing the tower from the bridges. For a month-by-month breakdown, see our page on the best time to visit London.
What you see on the Big Ben tour
- The spiral staircase of 334 steps, with audiovisual exhibition spaces along the way.
- The clock mechanism, still running.
- The belfry: you stand next to Big Ben when the bell strikes the hour.
- The back of the clock faces, each 6.9 m (23 ft) in diameter.
- Westminster Hall, accessible after the tour.
Accessibility
No tour uses a lift (elevator). An accessible tour of Big Ben can be requested through Parliament’s online form, for visitors who would find some parts difficult (visible or invisible disability). Parliament also publishes a dedicated accessibility page for its other tours.
Common mistakes (based on the official rules)
- Bringing a child under 11: not admitted on the Big Ben tour.
- Arriving exactly on time: you must be at Cromwell Green 30 minutes before.
- Hoping for a same-day ticket: Big Ben tickets are sold online only and released monthly.
- Counting on a refund: Big Ben tickets are non-refundable.
- Looking for a tour in another language: the Big Ben tour is in English only; the Parliament audio tour is available in 10 languages.
Checklist before booking
- Put the second Wednesday of the month, 10 am London time, in your calendar.
- Check that everyone in your group is at least 11 and can climb 334 steps.
- Buy only on tickets.parliament.uk: maximum eight tickets per person.
- Plan to be at Cromwell Green 30 minutes before your tour time.
- Be ready for loud bells (ear protection provided) and a tour in English.
- Keep a fallback (the Parliament audio tour, or a view from outside): tours can be cancelled for parliamentary reasons.
What to see nearby
Big Ben is in the heart of Westminster, close to Westminster Abbey and the Thames. Find the must-sees and the best areas to stay in our guide to visiting London.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Big Ben?
Yes. Parliament runs a guided tour of the Elizabeth Tower, Monday to Saturday, for ages 11 and over who can climb 334 steps. It is in English.
How much does the Big Ben tour cost?
An adult ticket costs £55 according to parliament.uk (recorded on 15 October 2026).
When do Big Ben tickets go on sale?
On the second Wednesday of each month at 10 am (London time) on tickets.parliament.uk. In 2027: 13 January, 10 February, 10 March, and so on (Destination de Voyage calculation).
Who can visit Big Ben for free?
UK residents can request a free tour of Parliament through their MP. For everyone else, the tower can be seen for free from outside.
How long does the Big Ben tour last?
1 hour 45 minutes in total, including a 1 hour 30 minute guided tour, according to the official ticket site.
Our sources
- UK Parliament, Tours and Big Ben tour (official ticket site), consulted on 15 October 2026.
- Met Office, 1991–2020 normals for London-Heathrow (via our page on the best time to visit).
- NOAA, solar calculation algorithm; coordinates: Wikipedia / Wikidata (Q41225).
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.