Westminster Abbey is the Gothic church beside Parliament where every coronation since 1066 has taken place, and where kings and queens, scientists and poets are buried. As of October 2026 a ticket costs £32 for adults, £29 for over-65s and students and £14 for children aged 6 to 17; under-6s go free, and the multimedia guide is included. Sightseeing is Monday to Friday 9:30–16:30 (last entry 15:30) and Saturday 9:00–16:00 (last entry 15:00). On Sundays the Abbey is open only for worship, which anyone can attend free. Book online and you can upgrade your ticket to a free annual pass.
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Tickets and tours for Westminster Abbey
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Why Westminster Abbey matters
A small Benedictine monastery stood here from around 960. Edward the Confessor rebuilt it as a great stone church, consecrated on 28 December 1065, and William the Conqueror was crowned in it on Christmas Day 1066. Henry III replaced it with the Gothic church you see today, consecrated on 13 October 1269; the western towers, designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, were only finished in 1745. Neither a cathedral nor a parish church, the Abbey is a “Royal Peculiar” answerable to the monarch. It has hosted sixteen royal weddings, and King Charles III was crowned here in May 2023. With the Palace of Westminster it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What you’ll see
- The Coronation Chair: where monarchs have sat to be crowned for more than 700 years.
- The Grave of the Unknown Warrior: in the nave, a moving memorial to the dead of the First World War.
- Scientists’ Corner: among some 3,300 burials and memorials, the graves of Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking.
- The Lady Chapel and royal tombs: Henry VII’s fan-vaulted chapel and the tombs of Elizabeth I, Mary I and Mary, Queen of Scots, around the shrine of St Edward the Confessor and the tombs of Henry III and Henry V.
- Poets’ Corner: more than 100 poets and writers buried or remembered, starting with Geoffrey Chaucer, plus medieval wall paintings found in 1934.
- The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries: the Abbey’s treasures, high in the 13th-century triforium, with a superb view down into the church; a separate £5 ticket.
To see the shrine of St Edward, which is otherwise closed, join a 90-minute verger tour for £10 on top of entry. It is limited to 20 people, in English only, and booked on arrival, so book an entry slot about 30 minutes before the tour.
Tickets and how to visit
Prices and rules from the Abbey’s official website, as of October 2026:
- Prices: adults £32; over-65s and students £29; children 6–17 £14; under-6s free. Registered disabled visitors and an essential companion go free and can book ahead.
- Annual pass: buy online on the Abbey’s own site and staff can upgrade your ticket to an annual pass for free, so you can come back twice more within the year. Third-party tickets can’t be upgraded.
- 2-for-1 by train: with National Rail’s Days Out Guide voucher and a valid rail ticket, two adults pay for one at the ticket office; it is not valid with pre-booked tickets.
- Hours: Monday to Friday 9:30–16:30 (last entry 15:30); Saturday 9:00–16:00 (last entry 15:00); Sunday services only. As a working church the Abbey sometimes closes at short notice, so check the calendar on the day.
- Services: anyone can attend a service free, including daily Choral Evensong, by the Great West Door. You can’t sightsee during a service.
- Bags and security: every door has walk-through security and bag checks. Bags bigger than cabin size (55 x 40 x 20 cm) are not allowed; the nearest left luggage is at Victoria station.
How long to allow and when to go
Weather for your datesSunrise and sunset
Allow about two hours with the multimedia guide, which comes in 14 languages, and another 30 to 45 minutes for the galleries. Weekday mornings at opening are calmer than late morning, when tour groups arrive. Saturday closes earlier, and many visitors come back for Evensong, which is the most beautiful way to hear the building.
Accessibility
There is step-free access through the North Door, the Great West Door and the cloister entrance in Dean’s Yard, and most of the visitor route is step-free. The exceptions are the Lady Chapel and the tombs of Elizabeth I, Mary I and Mary, Queen of Scots (12 steps, then three more into each space) and the side chapels in the ambulatory. Manual wheelchairs can be borrowed free from an Abbey Marshal, and the Cellarium Café has a lift.
Getting there
Westminster station (Jubilee, District and Circle lines) is about 300 metres away, four minutes on foot, and St James’s Park (District and Circle) about 500 metres. From the main line stations it is about 16 minutes’ walk from Charing Cross, 19 from Waterloo and 24 from Victoria.
Combine it with
The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are across the road, and the London Eye is just over Westminster Bridge. Walk about a kilometre through St James’s Park to Buckingham Palace, ideally for the Changing of the Guard, or take a river boat from Westminster Pier to the Tower of London. For the rest of the city see our London travel guide.
Westminster Abbey FAQ
How much does it cost to visit Westminster Abbey?
As of October 2026, £32 for adults, £29 for over-65s and students and £14 for children aged 6 to 17. Under-6s go free, and the multimedia guide is included.
Is Westminster Abbey open on Sundays?
Only for worship. Sightseeing is Monday to Saturday, but anyone can attend a Sunday service free of charge.
Can you visit Westminster Abbey for free?
Yes, by attending a service, such as daily Choral Evensong. You enter by the Great West Door, but you can’t wander round as a sightseer during the service.
What time is last entry at Westminster Abbey?
15:30 from Monday to Friday and 15:00 on Saturday. The Abbey closes at 16:30 on weekdays and 16:00 on Saturday.
Can I bring a suitcase into Westminster Abbey?
No. Bags larger than cabin size, 55 x 40 x 20 cm, are not allowed. Use the left luggage at Victoria station.
Who is buried in Westminster Abbey?
Kings and queens including Elizabeth I and Henry V, Mary, Queen of Scots, the Unknown Warrior, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Stephen Hawking and Geoffrey Chaucer, among some 3,300 burials and memorials.
Sources
Place data: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODBL) · Wikidata (CC0)