Gardens open 10am to 4.30pm (last entry 4pm)We may occasionally need to close attractions for maintenance or visitor safety. Please check for planned closures and visitor notices before you visit.
Although it's easy to fill a whole day and more exploring Kew Gardens' 132-hectare (326 acres) site, it's recommended to spend at least three to four hours to make the most of the gardens.
The majority of past visitors leave Kew Gardens wishing they had more time to explore its many acres, so try to reserve at least a full afternoon to spend at the gardens (or two hours minimum).
Once inside, the green houses are superb, the orangery is really nice, the tree walkway is brilliant and the Japanese Gateway a great place to recharge. I visited on a cold, crisp Sunday in February. It was very busy, so will be packed on a Summer Sunday.
The easiest entrance for visitors coming from Kew Pier is Elizabeth Gate (postcode TW9 3AB). Elizabeth Gate is a 0.2 mile walk from Kew Pier across Kew Green.
Although it's easy to fill a whole day and more exploring Kew Gardens' 132-hectare (326 acres) site, it's recommended to spend at least three to four hours to make the most of the gardens.
Useful stuff to knowPicnics are allowed throughout the Gardens. Seating at cafes and restaurants is reserved for visitors that have purchased food and drink at one of our catering outlets. We may occasionally need to close our restaurants for private events or essential maintenance.
Try this 3.2-mile loop trail near Richmond upon Thames, London. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 5 min to complete. This is a popular trail for walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.
Our shops are crammed with gorgeous homeware, award-winning books, stationary and gifts ideas. * Please note, entrance to the shops at Kew Gardens is not permitted without a valid entrance ticket to the Gardens.
What is Kew Gardens all about, you ask? Well, it includes more than 50,000 different plants in its living collection and over 7 million preserved specimens. It's not just a pretty space; it's a veritable treasure trove of plant-based knowledge, with over 750,000 volumes and illustrations contained in its library.
It takes an average of 1h 0m to travel from London to Kew Gardens by train, over a distance of around 7 miles (11 km). There are normally 210 trains per day travelling from London to Kew Gardens and tickets for this journey start from £6.40 when you book in advance.
Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew Gardens), now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace. Kew is also the home of important historical documents such as Domesday Book, which is held at The National Archives.
Kew Gardens is a Grade II–listed London Underground and London Overground station in Kew, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It first opened in 1869 and is now managed by London Underground.
With over 8.5 million items, we house the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world. They represent approximately 95% of vascular plant genera and 60% of known fungal genera. Here is a guide to the different types of collection we hold.