Big Ben or the Elizabeth Tower: what you're actually visiting
Strictly speaking, Big Ben is the Great Bell inside the clock tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster. The tower itself was renamed the Elizabeth Tower for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, but almost everyone, including Parliament's own ticketing, still says "Big Ben". The tower reopened to visitors after a long conservation project that restored the stonework, the gilding and the original Victorian colour scheme of the clock dials.
There are two very different ways to "do" Big Ben, and most people only need one of them:
- The tower tour: a ticketed, guided climb inside the tower. It's the only way in, it's hard to get, and it isn't suitable for everyone.
- The view from outside: free, open all the time, and the thing most visitors are really after. The trick here is avoiding the photo scrum on Westminster Bridge, not buying anything.
Beware of "Big Ben tickets" from tour sellers
Plenty of walking tours and bus tours are sold as "Big Ben tours". They show you the tower from outside. The only product that takes you up the tower is the official Elizabeth Tower tour sold by UK Parliament.
How busy is Big Ben?
Outside, the tower sits at one of the most crowded junctions in London: Westminster Bridge, Parliament Square and the exit from Westminster Underground station all meet here, and the London Eye crowd spills over the bridge from the South Bank. The pavements on the bridge are narrow, so a few dozen people stopping for selfies is enough to slow everyone down.
Crowds around the tower by time of day
The busiest periods are summer weekends, school holidays and big national occasions. Remembrance Sunday (the Sunday nearest 11 November) fills nearby Whitehall, and on New Year's Eve the riverside around the tower is closed off for the ticketed fireworks, which are timed to the bell's midnight chimes.
🔑 Free skip-the-line hack
Go when it’s quiet: see live crowds and the hourly forecast.
The Elizabeth Tower tour: price, rules and what's included
How to get Big Ben tour tickets
There is no "skip the line" here, because there is no line: every visitor has a pre-booked, timed ticket, and none are sold at the door. The hard part is getting a ticket at all. Demand is far higher than the few small tours a day the tower can take.
- Find the release date. Tickets go on sale on the second Wednesday of every month at 10 am UK time, usually for tours about three months later. Put it in your calendar and convert the time zone if you're abroad.
- Set up an account in advance on the official Parliament ticket site, so you're not filling in forms while slots disappear.
- Be online a few minutes before 10 am and have your dates and party size ready. Saturdays and school-holiday dates go first.
- Be flexible on time of day. A weekday tour is usually easier to get than a Saturday.
- If a date is greyed out or asks for a code, it isn't on general sale. Don't book through anyone claiming to sell those dates.
Plan B if it's sold out
- Check back after release day. Occasional returns appear, though there's no official returns list.
Is the tower tour for you? Accessibility and fitness
Be honest with yourself before booking. Parliament describes the tour as not suitable for everyone: you climb 334 steps on a narrow spiral staircase without a lift, then come back down the same way, and the bells are extremely loud. Anyone with vertigo, claustrophobia, heart or breathing conditions, or knee problems should think twice.
Parliament offers an accessible tour that you can ask for through a request form on its website, for visitors who can't manage the full climb. Children must be 11 or older, with no exceptions, so families with younger children are better off with the Palace tour.
The best free views of Big Ben (and when they're quiet)
1. Westminster Bridge
The postcard angle, with the tower, the river and the Palace in one frame. It's also the most crowded spot in the area from late morning. Come before 9 am or after dark for space on the pavement.
2. Albert Embankment, opposite the Palace
Walk south along the river from the bridge, past St Thomas' Hospital. You get the whole Palace frontage with Big Ben at the end, and far fewer people. Excellent at sunset and blue hour.
3. Parliament Square
The view looking up the tower from the square's south-east corner, with the statues of Churchill and others in the foreground. Very busy with tour groups late morning; calm early.
4. Lambeth Bridge
A longer view up the river with the Victoria Tower Gardens in front of the Palace. Rarely crowded.
5. Whitehall and Parliament Street
Walking south from Trafalgar Square, the tower appears at the end of the street. A good quick photo on your way to the Abbey.
🔑 Free skip-the-line hack
Go when it’s quiet: see live crowds and the hourly forecast.
Plans by visitor type
You have a tower ticket
Arrive at Cromwell Green 30 minutes early with as little as possible in your bag. Afterwards, walk round to Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey, or across the bridge for the outside view of the tower you've just climbed.
You only want photos (30-45 minutes)
Start at the Albert Embankment at sunrise or blue hour, cross Westminster Bridge, and finish in Parliament Square. Time it to be on the bridge when the hour strikes.
Families
Under 11s can't go up the tower. A Palace of Westminster audio tour has a children's version and lets one child in free with each paying adult. Pair it with the London Eye across the river.
On a budget
The views are free, and so is watching a debate from the public galleries of the Commons or Lords when Parliament is sitting.
Getting there
Westminster Underground station (Jubilee, District and Circle lines) comes out directly beneath the tower. For the tour, walk past Westminster Hall along Abingdon Street to the Cromwell Green visitor entrance. Waterloo and Charing Cross stations are each about 15 minutes' walk away. Many bus routes cross Westminster Bridge and Parliament Square.
Westminster station's exits are very busy at rush hour and on weekend afternoons. If you're coming from the South Bank, walking over the bridge is often quicker than going underground.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying a "Big Ben tour" from a reseller and expecting to go inside.
- Booking the tower tour for a child under 11.
- Arriving at Cromwell Green with 10 minutes to spare. You need to be there 30 minutes before.
- Waiting until a week before your trip to look for tickets. They're released about three months ahead.
- Trying to photograph the tower from Westminster Bridge at 2 pm on a Saturday in August.
- Expecting photos from the Belfry: phones go in lockers.
🎟️ Skip the ticket line
Check the crowds, find the best time slot, and book through our authorised partner.
FAQs
Can you go inside Big Ben?
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Yes, on the official Elizabeth Tower tour run by UK Parliament. It costs £55 for adults, is open to ages 11 and over, and involves climbing 334 steps with no lift.
How do I get tickets for Big Ben?
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Only through the official Parliament ticket site. Tickets are released on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 am UK time, usually for tours about three months later, and they sell out fast.
Can tourists from abroad go up Big Ben?
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Yes. The paid Elizabeth Tower tour is open to overseas visitors as well as UK residents.
How much does the Big Ben tour cost?
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Adult tickets are £55. Check the official booking page for the current price for 11-17 year olds.
How many steps are there in Big Ben?
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334, on a spiral staircase. There's no lift, so you walk up and down.
Heading to Big Ben?
See how busy it is right now and the quietest hours for your date, then walk in when the line is short.
Check live crowds →Sources
How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other, and dated so you know how fresh it is. Last checked 10 November 2026. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.
