How much does it cost to visit Big Ben?

There is not a charge to enter Big Ben, but you do need to arrange it ahead of time. We chose not to enter. We went to the museum in the afternoon (no charge) , had a snack there, spent 15 minutes in Trafalgar Square and walked down to Parliament and Big Ben (next to each other) in the early evening.



To officially "visit" Big Ben—meaning a guided tour inside the Elizabeth Tower to see the bell—the cost in 2026 is £35 for adults and £20 for children (ages 11–17). These tickets are notoriously difficult to obtain and must be booked months in advance through the official UK Parliament website. For those who simply want to see the landmark from the outside, it is completely free. You can walk across Westminster Bridge or stand in Parliament Square for the iconic photos without paying a penny. If you want a more "curated" experience without going inside the tower, many private tour operators offer walking tours of Westminster that include Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey for roughly $55 to $100 USD per person. These tours provide historical context and access to the Abbey, but only the official Parliament tour allows you to climb the 334 steps to the belfry to stand next to the 13.7-ton bell itself.

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There is not a charge to enter Big Ben, but you do need to arrange it ahead of time. We chose not to enter. We went to the museum in the afternoon (no charge) , had a snack there, spent 15 minutes in Trafalgar Square and walked down to Parliament and Big Ben (next to each other) in the early evening.

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Big Ben tours are free! But only UK residents over the age of 11 are allowed. Visitors also need to climb the 334 steps to the top of the Elizabeth Tower without assistance, which means those with heart conditions and in the later stages of pregnancy aren't allowed.

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The 96-meter (315-foot) tower is a symbol of London and the United Kingdom, and its distinctive chimes are known to people all over the world. After being closed for two years for renovations, Big Ben tours are finally reopening in July 2023.

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Even for a destination as safe and welcoming as the United Kingdom you may find yourself wondering, “Is it safe to travel to London?” Thankfully, the answer is that London is at least as safe for tourists as any other major city in the world, and safer than many.

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Pollution, asbestos and time have all caused problems Due to austerity after the war, the repairs were limited and did not fix all the issues. Some of the conservation methods used in the past were not suitable and added to the deterioration of the Tower.

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However, it is one of the most unusual aspects of the Elizabeth Tower. 114 steps up inside the tower is the Prison Room, but you don't need to worry about being locked up there yourself. The prison room was used for MPs who breached codes of conduct, but it hasn't been used since 1880.

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Although the clock will only be out of action for two years, the bells have to be silenced for the entire renovation period to protect the workers' hearing. The Big Ben bell weighs 13.76 tonnes and chimes at 118 decibels. At that volume, people would suffer hearing damage after just 14 seconds of exposure.

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1716: The bell from the clock tower is recast and later hung in the South West Tower of St Paul's Cathedral. If Big Ben is ever unable to strike, the bell in St Paul's is heard instead.

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The moniker Big Ben has been in use for over 150 years, and the nickname was originally applied only to the enormous bell inside the tower. The Great Bell received i's sobriquet in honor of Sir Benjamin Hall, the First Commissioner for Works, who raised Big Ben to its current place atop the tower.

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Big Ben also stopped on April 30, 1997, and once more three weeks later. Big Ben is actually the clock's 13-ton bell, which was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the British commissioner of works at the time the clock was built. The official name for the Gothic tower holding Big Ben is St.

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