Plan Your Visit to Buckingham Palace | A Complete Guide

Visiting Buckingham Palace in London

Buckingham Palace is an iconic landmark in London. The official residence of the monarch of the United Kingdom (UK), the palace has a rich history going back several centuries. The palace also serves as the London residence of the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their daughter. While the palace is usually closed, you can visit from July to October and tour the palace’s opulent State Rooms having ornate furnishings, paintings, and sculptures. Use this guide to plan your visit to the popular attraction.

Buckingham Palace | Visitor Information At A Glance

What are Buckingham Palace's opening hours?
Buckingham Palace opens at 9:30am and closes at 7:30pm from 11 July to 31 August 2024 and at 9:30am to 6:30pm from 1 to 29 September 2024.
Where is Buckingham Palace located?
Buckingham Palace is located within the borough of Westminster. Here is the address: London SW1A 1AA, UK.
How many entrances does Buckingham Palace have?
Buckingham Palace's North-centre gate has four gates, while the larger center gates include five entrances.
How many visitors does Buckingham Palace see per year?
Buckingham Palace sees over 50,000 visitors a year.

About Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace State Room Tickets

Instant confirmation

1 hr. 30 min. - 2 hr. 45 min.

Audio guide

‌

Check availability

The Buckingham Palace Ticket

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

Flexible duration

‌

Check availability

Westminster Abbey, Big Ben & Buckingham Palace Guided Tour

Instant confirmation

Mobile ticket

Flexible duration

‌

Check availability

Changing the Guard Ceremony at Buckingham Palace

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

Mobile ticket

Flexible duration

‌

Check availability

What are the Buckingham Palace opening hours?

Here are Buckingham Palace’s opening hours:

9:30am to 7:30pm from 11 July to 31 August 2024 (last entry 5:15pm)
9:15am to 6:30pm from 1 to 29 September 2024 (last entry 4:15pm)

Know More

Best time to visit Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is open to visitors only for a few months. You can visit the attraction between July and September and explore the State Rooms and palace gardens.

The State Rooms, with their furnishings, artwork, and decorations, introduce you to the opulent lifestyles of the Royal family. The palace gardens are also open to visitors, offering a peaceful time in the heart of London and stunning views of the palace's exterior.

However, you can see the Changing of the Guard ceremony more often. The exercise, displaying military precision and pageantry, takes place daily at 11 AM from April to July and on alternate days for the rest of the year. Ensure you book your tickets early, as they're sold out quickly.

Where is Buckingham Palace Located?

Address: London SW1A 1AA, United Kingdom

Find on Map

Buckingham Palace is located in the City of Westminster in central London, England.

Closest Landmark: Victoria Memorial (66 metres)

Directions to Buckingham Palace

Getting to Buckingham Palace in London

A tube with open doors at the station platform

By Tube

Closest station: St James’s Park

Both the Circle and District lines are connected to St James’ Park. Victoria station, served by the District, Circle, and Victoria lines and Green Park station on the Piccadilly and Jubilee lines are also nearby.

By Train

Closest Station: London Victoria Station

Buckingham Palace is 10 minutes from London Victoria Stadium. You can get a train from your nearest station to London Victoria Stadium.

By Metro

Closest Station: Green Park Station

You can take the metro, called the Underground in London, to Green Park Station and walk to Buckingham Palace. It will take six minutes to walk.

A double-decker bus on the street in london

By Bus

Closest Station: Wilton Street

Take buses 11, 211, C1 or C10 and get down at the Wilton Street bus stop. It is three minutes from Buckingham Palace.

By Bike

You can hire a bike from Tube stations, Belgravia, Park Lane, Piccadilly, and Wellington Arch and reach Buckingham Palace.

By Car

You can drive to Buckingham Palace from Big Ben or Westminister Abbey. Both attractions are 1.2 to 1.6 km away from the Palace and will take 5-7 minutes to reach. Take the Birdcage Walk route for the quickest drive!

How To Skip the Line at Buckingham Palace?

Buckingham Palace is open only for a few months. It can get heavily crowded. Hence, it makes sense to find ways to avoid the crowd.

A family listening to their tour guide in Buckingham palace

Skip-the-line tickets

You can get skip-the-line tickets to Buckingham Palace. It is the perfect choice to avoid long queues outside the attraction and enter quickly. You can book skip-the-line tickets months in advance and select the time and date of your visit.

Guided tours

Guided tours to Buckingham Palace offer two benefits: you can get express entry to the attraction and a guided tour of its highlights. You can book guided tours months before coming and select the timing and date of your visit.

Arrive early

Buckingham Palace opens at 9:30 AM. Fewer tourists are around in the morning. Hence, try coming early and finishing your visit before the rush kicks in.

Know Before You Go To Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace has multiple entrances, each serving unique functions. Here are a few different entrances at Buckingham Palace:

Central Gates: This entrance is located on the palace's west side and is the official entrance for guests, state visitors, and ceremonies.
North Centre Gate: This gate, on the north side of the palace, is used for daily entrance to the palace.

Toilets and babycare facilities: Accessible toilets and babycare facilities are available at the start and end of your tour inside Buckingham Palace.
Assistance dogs: You can bring registered assistance dogs to the palace. You can leave the staff to take care of them.
Multimedia guide: Multimedia guide with subtitles is available in British Sign Language (BSL). An audio-descriptive guide is available for blind or partially-sighted visitors.
Gift shops: Buckingham Palace has several gift shops as well as a fully accessible terrace café.

Accessible toilets are available for use.
Assistance dogs are welcome in the palace.
A multimedia guide with subtitles in British Sign Language is offered. Additionally, an audio guide is available for people with visual difficulties.
The terrace cafe is accessible for disabled guests as well.
You can borrow wheelchairs and rollators, free of charge, for the duration of your palace visit. Folding stools may also be available.
Powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters are welcome inside the premises.
Two lifts are installed inside the palace.
There is a golf buggy that will transport you from the palace to the gardens.
If you require an interpreter, you can request one 10 days before you visit the palace.

Two men listening to an audio guide while in Buckingham palace

Buckingham Palace can get crowded when it opens for visitors. The rush might prevent you from properly exploring each highlight of the attraction and learning its history.

An audio guide is an excellent option as it narrates the history of the place and its many highlights. You can get a multimedia guide in English with skip-the-line and guided tour tickets. A multimedia guide with subtitles is also available in British Sign Language (BSL), while an audio-descriptive guide is also available for blind or partially-sighted visitors.

No smoking or vaping at Buckingham Palace

Arrive 30 minutes before your chosen time slot because there might be a rush when you arrive. If you miss your entry time, it will be tough to include you in a later slot.
Only bottled water is allowed inside the palace. You cannot bring any other food and drink inside with you.
Pushchairs are not allowed inside the State Rooms.
Pets are not allowed inside the palace.
Before you enter Buckingham Palace, you must undergo airport-style checking, so be mindful of that and bring as little baggage with you as possible.
Do not wear backpacks inside the palace. Large items, bags, and suitcases over 45x20x30 cm are also not allowed. You can take purses only if you hang them on your side.
Smoking and vaping is prohibited inside the premises.
Drones, knives, and pepper sprays will be confiscated during the entry checking.
Photography and videography are restricted in the palace but are allowed in the gardens.

A family looking at the statue of the royal mews

The Queen’s Gallery: You can buy bespoke china, homeware and postcards, and glittering jewellery at The Queen’s Gallery.
Buckingham Palace Road: Buckingham Palace Road offers the best selection of elegant, royal-inspired gifts and souvenirs.
The Royal Mews: Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace will introduce you to coaches, carriages and horses used by The Queen and members of the Royal family.
The Garden Shop: The Garden Shop, in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, is a place to discover wonderful Royal gifts.

Bon Gusto - Bon Gusto is an Italian restaurant three minutes from Buckingham Palace. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with changing specials.
Royal Sushi - This Sushi restaurant is three minutes from Buckingham Palace and has an incredible menu and reasonable pricing.
Th@51 Restaurant and Bar - Th@51 Restaurant and Bar is an excellent place to dine in and enjoy waffles and South Indian dishes.
Colosseo Restaurant - Colosseo Restaurant is four minutes from Buckingham Palace. This Italian restaurant offers amazing pasta, pizzas, seafood and weekly specials.

A mother and son looking at a manta ray fish at SEA life centre

SEA LIFE Centre London Aquarium - SEA Life Centre London Aquarium is the UK’s largest living coral reef, with regal tangs, cardinal fish, and clownfish swimming through the 40 feet long sea life tank.

Westminster Abbey - A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and active place of worship, Westminster Abbey is a London church used for coronations and other ceremonies of national significance.

The Graffiti Tunnel - Leake Street Tunnel, underneath Waterloo Station, is London’s coolest street art spot. The 300-metre tunnel is London’s largest legal graffiti wall and a bastion of London’s street art scene since 2008.

The British Museum - The British Museum, founded in 1753, has a collection covering two million years of history. It has the world’s first public museum of its kind and attracts more than six million visitors yearly.

Budget:Limegrove Hotel, Chester Hotel Victoria, The 29 London (fka Airways Hotel), The Duke Rooms London

Mid-range:hub by Premier Inn London Westminster Abbey hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton London - Victoria, Premier Inn London Victoria hotel, The Rochester by Blue Orchid Hotels, The Eaton Town House

Luxury:45 Park Lane, Conrad London St. James, Dukes Hotel, Flemings Mayfair, Hotel 41

Visitor tips

Book your tickets to Buckingham Palace online to avoid long queues.
You must arrive 30 minutes before the time mentioned on your ticket.
Wear respectable clothes and proper footwear, as the palace is the official home of British royalty.
Inform the staff beforehand if you or your visitors need mobility aids to explore Buckingham Palace.
Arrive early in the morning to avoid queues. Fewer visitors are around in the morning.
Eating and drinking are prohibited within the palace. Bottled water is allowed.

Frequently Asked Questions about Visiting Buckingham Palace in London

What are Buckingham Palace's opening hours?

Here are Buckingham Palace’s opening hours: 9:30am to 7:30pm from 11 July to 31 August 2024 (last entry 5:15pm), 9:30am to 6:30pm from 1 to 29 September 2024 (last entry 4:15 PM).

What is the best time to visit Buckingham Palace?

Buckingham Palace is open to visitors for a few months yearly. Visit the palace early in the morning to avoid long queues.

Can I enter Buckingham Palace anytime during operating hours?

Yes. You can enter Buckingham Palace anytime during operating hours. However, ensure you arrive at least 15 minutes before the time mentioned on your ticket.

How much time does it take to visit Buckingham Palace?

2-3 hours is enough to explore Buckingham Palace at length.

Can I enter Buckingham Palace once I exit?

Yes. You can enter Buckingham Palace once you exit.

Who can enter Buckingham Palace for free?

Kids under five can enter Buckingham Palace for free.

Are group visits allowed in Buckingham Palace?

Yes. Group visits are allowed to Buckingham Palace.

Where is Buckingham Palace located in London?

Buckingham Palace is located in the City of Westminster in central London, England. Here is the address: London SW1A 1AA, United Kingdom. Find on Map

What is the best way to get to Buckingham Palace?

The tube is the best way to get to Buckingham Palace.