Westminster Abbey can be visited Monday to Saturday, generally from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm (last entry); on Sundays it is open only for services. Admission costs £32 for an adult, £29 for over-65s and students, £14 for ages 6 to 17, and is free under 6.
The coronation church of British monarchs since 1066, the abbey remains a working church: it can close at short notice. This page covers the official rules, explains how services affect the visit and suggests a plan combined with the Tower of London. For the rest of your stay, see our guide to visiting London. See entry requirements for the United Kingdom.
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Westminster Abbey: key facts
- Hours: Monday–Friday 9:30 am – 3:30 pm (usual hours, last entry); Saturday according to the calendar; Sunday: services only. The visit ends one hour after last entry.
- Standard price recorded on 15 October 2026: £32; ages 65 and over, students £29; ages 6–17 £14; ages 0–5 free.
- Booking: tickets online or on site; the abbey may close at short notice.
- Time needed: the visit ends one hour after last entry; allow 1 h 30 to 2 h with the Galleries.
- Information checked on 15 October 2026 on westminster-abbey.org.
Tickets: official website or resellers?
| Category | Official price (15 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Adult | £32 |
| Ages 65 and over | £29 |
| Student | £29 |
| Child 6–17 | £14 |
| Child 0–5 | free |
| Family (1 adult + 1 child) | £32 |
| Visitor with a disability and their companion | free (bookable online) |
The multimedia guide is free. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, a museum in the triforium, require a supplement. Official offer: with a National Rail train ticket and the « Days Out Guide » voucher, two adult admissions for the price of one, at the ticket desk only (not with a prepaid ticket).
Resellers and passes: the abbey accepts some passes (London Pass). Resellers often sell the same admission with a guided tour; compare with the official price for the same day.
Opening hours, services and closures: the schedule
Example day published by the abbey (Wednesday, October 14, 2026):
| Area | Hours |
|---|---|
| Abbey (general visit, cloisters, College Garden, Chapter House, Pyx Chamber) | 9:30 am – 3:30 pm |
| Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries | 10 am – 3 pm |
| St Margaret’s Church | 11 am – 3:30 pm |
| Cellarium Café | 8 am – 4:30 pm |
| Groups | 9:30 am – 3 pm, no entry between noon and 1 pm |
- Sunday: no sightseeing visit; the abbey is open for services (in English, open to all). The Galleries are closed.
- Weekday services: the abbey remains a church; services and special ceremonies may close all or part of the building at short notice. Check the calendar for the day.
- Attending a service (evensong) is free, but it is not a visit: you stay in your seat during the worship.
Best time to visit
The abbey publishes no quiet hours with figures, and we do not invent any. Arriving at opening time (9:30 am) leaves the most margin before the 3:30 pm last entry. The visit is indoors, apart from the cloisters and the garden: it suits rainy days, which are frequent in October–November (65 mm (2.6 in) and 67 mm (2.6 in) according to the Met Office 1991–2020 normals for Heathrow, see the best time to visit London).
Plan with the Tower of London: the Tower opens at 9 am (10 am on Mondays and Sundays) and closes its entrances at 4:30 pm; the abbey closes its entrances at 3:30 pm. Do the abbey in the morning (9:30 am), then head to the Tower of London in the afternoon, arriving at least two hours before 4:30 pm.
What to see: suggested route
- The nave and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.
- The choir and the sanctuary, where coronations take place.
- Henry VII’s Lady Chapel and its fan vault; tombs of Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots.
- Poets’ Corner.
- The cloisters, the Chapter House and the Pyx Chamber.
- The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries (supplement) for the view over the Palace of Westminster.
Getting there
Administrative address: 20 Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PA. Tube station given by the abbey: St James’s Park (District and Circle lines). Westminster station is also a few minutes away, facing Big Ben.
Accessibility and rules
- Free admission for visitors with disabilities and their companion, bookable online.
- Working church: respectful dress and behavior; the photography policy is detailed on the official website.
- Group entry not allowed between noon and 1 pm.
Common mistakes
- Coming on a Sunday for a sightseeing visit.
- Arriving after 3:30 pm, the usual last entry.
- Relying on a translated version of the official page for prices: the English page is the reference (a translated page showed outdated prices on 15 October 2026).
- Buying a prepaid ticket and then wanting the National Rail 2-for-1 offer, valid only at the ticket desk.
Westminster Abbey in brief: a little history
Edward the Confessor had a large Romanesque church built on the site, consecrated in 1065. The present Gothic building was begun in 1245 by Henry III. Since William the Conqueror in 1066, almost all English and then British sovereigns have been crowned there, up to Charles III in 2023.
The abbey is a « Royal Peculiar »: it answers directly to the sovereign and not to a bishop. It holds the tombs of many kings and queens and of figures such as Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Royal weddings have been held there, such as that of Prince William in 2011.
It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with the Palace of Westminster and St Margaret’s Church, since 1987.
Visiting with children
- Under-6s enter free and the ages 6–17 ticket costs £14 (15 October 2026).
- The family ticket (1 adult + 1 child) is priced as one adult.
- The free multimedia guide helps keep older children’s attention.
- Plan breaks: the visit is on foot, along a one-way route.
Checklist before your visit
- Ticket bought on westminster-abbey.org or at the ticket desk, on a day from Monday to Saturday.
- Calendar for the day checked (closures for services or ceremonies).
- Proof for the 65+ or student price.
- Earphones for the free multimedia guide.
- Supplement for the Galleries if you want the high-level view.
Is the visit worth it?
Westminster Abbey is expensive for a church, but it concentrates a thousand years of monarchy’s history and first-rate Gothic architecture. If the price puts you off, attend a sung service (evensong): it is free, but you will not tour the building. For a full visit, allow the morning, Monday to Saturday, and check the calendar the day before.
What to see nearby
The Palace of Westminster and Big Ben, just opposite; St James’s Park and Buckingham Palace to the west; the London Eye across Westminster Bridge. The Tower of London lies farther east along the Thames. Our London page details the neighborhoods.
Frequently asked questions
How much is admission to Westminster Abbey?
£32 for an adult, £29 for over-65s and students, £14 for ages 6 to 17, free under 6 (official website, 15 October 2026).
Is Westminster Abbey open on Sundays?
Only for services: there is no sightseeing visit on Sundays.
How long does the visit take?
The visit ends one hour after last entry; allow 1 h 30 to 2 h with the Galleries.
Can you visit Westminster Abbey for free?
You can attend services for free, but not tour the building freely during them. Children under 6 and visitors with disabilities with their companion enter free.
Can you attend a service at Westminster Abbey?
Yes: the daily services, in English, are open to all and free, according to the abbey. You attend from your seat, without moving around the building.
Which Tube station is closest to Westminster Abbey?
St James’s Park (District and Circle), given by the abbey; Westminster is also close.
Our sources
- Westminster Abbey: « Opening times and prices » (English), « Visit us » and « Plan your visit », consulted on 15 October 2026.
- Historic Royal Palaces (Tower of London opening hours), consulted on 15 October 2026.
- Met Office, 1991–2020 normals for London-Heathrow, taken from our page on the best time to visit London.
- Our methodology
Practical information checked on 15 October 2026 on the official websites cited. Prices and hours may change: check before you go. Updated November 2026.