The Tower of London is my top recommendation out of all the 'big' city attractions.
As a tour guide, I get asked a lot by my guests about getting tickets for the Tower, tips for visiting, and the best way to save money.
So in this post, I'll tell you how to get discounted tickets to the Tower of London, how to plan your visit, and what you'll see on your tour.
Luckily, there are a number of different ways to save money on Tower of London tickets, and my post will cover some of the best discount opportunities.
Depending on which deal you choose, you could easily save 50% off or more when using one of the offers listed in this post.
Tower of London Tickets
- Adult (18-64): £38.30
- Child (5-15): £19.20
- Senior (65+): £30.50
- Youth (16-17): £19.20
- Students (18+): £30.50
- Under 5's go free with a paying adult
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Note that these prices include a 10% donation that goes to the charity who manage the Tower.
You can opt out of paying the donation, and save yourself a few quid that way.
I used to always pay the donation as I believe it is worth it, but now I have a membership (which I'll tell you more about below).
As you can see, entrance prices are pretty high without a discount.
And, although I do think it's worth the money, I also think there's nothing wrong with saving money when you can!
If you use a tourist pass or the 2 for 1 deal to save money on Tower of London admission tickets, you could pay less than £15 per person!
Even if you can't take advantage of the best discounts, chances are you'll still be able to save at least 10% - 20% off using one of these offers that I'll list below.
Also, one of my favourite tips is that the cancellation policy at the Tower of London restricts refunds for late or non-arrivals, but when you buy tickets through Get Your Guide, you can get a full refund up to 24 hours before the date of your outing.
Opening Hours (Please note that hours vary depending on day of the week, and time of the year so this is just a guideline. I always recommend checking their website before you plan your trip.
- Mondays & Sundays
- 10:00 am - 17:30 (5:30 pm)
- Last admission at 15:30 (3:30 pm)
- Tuesday - Saturday
- 9:00 am - 17:30 (5:30 pm)
- Last admission at 15:30 (3:30 pm)
- 2 For 1 Deal
- 12 Additional Discounts
- Why Visit the Tower of London?
- Tickets and Visitor Tips
- Things to Do in London
Disclosure: While these recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the full text.
2FOR1 Tower of London Deal
This is the deal I recommend the most to visitors. It's also the most popular one that people talk about on our London Travel Tips Facebook Group.
If you purchase and use a National Rail ticket on the same day you go sightseeing, it could give you a 2FOR1 deal at more than 150 London sites and attractions.
The Tower of London is one of the eligible locations, and my top choice!
As you may already know, I travel throughout the city just by using my contactless debit card.
But to qualify for this offer, I will purchase a rail ticket for a single journey through the city. I can then use that ticket to get the 2FOR1 deal.
The station I usually use is London Bridge, but Fenchurch Street is actually a bit closer.
I just prefer the walk along the water and find London Bridge more convenient.
If I have friends who are visiting, I will purchase them a 1-Day Travelcard issued at a rail station which is also valid for the offer.
Before leaving my house, I download/print out a voucher that will allow me to get the 2FOR1 deal.
Then, once I get to the Tower, I show both my train ticket and voucher at the Tower of London ticket office to take advantage of the discounted admission tickets.
I have an entire blog post dedicated to this topic so do make sure to check it out for more information and note that during peak times, sometimes this offer isn't available.
For that reason, I always recommend visiting on a weekday or during shoulder seasons to ensure I can use the 2FOR1 voucher.
12 OTHER TOWER OF LONDON DISCOUNTS
So that is my top choice for discounted tickets, but I have listed plenty more options for you!
Tourist Attraction Discount Passes
You can find Tower of London tickets on multiple discount passes.
If you want to read about attraction discount passes that can save you up to 50% of the retail price on select London activities, check out my full post.
Admission to the Tower of London is included on these passes:
As a London tour guide, I get asked about tourist discount passes a lot.
Most people just want to know, "Is a London tourist discount pass worth it?" I always say it truly depends on your ideal itinerary.
If I have friends visiting, I always have them send me a list of the things they want to see the most.
Then I can compare their list with the various passes and see if any of them cover the majority.
I find that if I visit two places a day, the pass usually pays for itself.
In addition to covering the cost of this attraction, tourist passes can also be used to visit the following locations:
- Tower Bridge
- Windsor Castle
- Kensington Palace
- Westminster Abbey
- St. Paul's Cathedral
- Churchill War Rooms
- View From The Shard
- Hampton Court Palace
- And more!
Check out my detailed post on tourist attraction passes so you can save the most time and money on your trip to London.
Another bonus to a discount pass, and one that I like to take advantage of (particularly in the summer season) is that with the pass, sometimes I get put into a different, shorter queue.
So this saves time as well as money and could be especially beneficial to my friends who are only here for a short period of time.
The TOOTBus Combo Deal
Now I am a walking tour guide so, of course, I'm going to say that walking tours are the best way to explore our city!
But many of my visitors want to combine their walking tours with a bus.
Or, I sometimes have elderly family who are visiting who can't keep up on foot. So, in that case, an open-top bus tour is a good alternative.
If you're planning to take a hop-on-hop-off bus tour while visiting this city, I recommend combining that service with a trip to the Tower of London.
The TOOTBus offers a deal that provides a discount on tickets for both activities when they are purchased at the same time.
I'm going to be completely honest with you: TOOT Bus claims you get a 15% discount when booking your Tower of London ticket with them.
But I have noticed that they charge a bit more for their Tower tickets, so all in all, you actually save 10%.
Although, even though it's not a full 15% off, this is still a great way to save a few pounds on both activities.
NOTE: This combo deal is not currently available as of Jan 2025. I will keep my eye on the page, though, in case it returns!
Until then, you might want to consider the following alternative combo package.
Tower of London + Tower Bridge
- £48.20/Adults | £24.10/Children
- £37.80/Concessions (Seniors, Students)
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Historic Royal Palaces Members
If you've ever been on my Royal Westminster Tour, you'll know that I love all things Kings and Queens!
I am constantly spending time in any castle or palace I can get to.
If you enjoy learning about the Monarchy like I do, consider purchasing yourself a Historic Royal Palaces membership.
I have one (of course) and update it yearly.
Even if I just visit three palaces in an entire year, my membership is paid for!
One membership purchase allows me unlimited entry into all the major royal, historic palaces: Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, and the Tower of London.
Membership also includes the Banqueting House - what is left of Henry VIII's old Palace of Whitehall.
Note that at the time of writing (Jan 2025), Banqueting House is closed for maintenance and is set to reopen in 2025.
The pass also includes Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland.
In addition to visiting the royal properties, I love shopping in their gift shops!
You can find some really unique items there that you won't find anywhere else.
And, I particularly like buying gifts there.
Most of my stocking stuffers come from HRP gift shops and that's partly because membership gets me a 10% discount in Palace shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Last year I bought a set of Henry VIII and his wives Christmas ornaments that took pride of place on my tree!
Prices:
- Adult Membership: £62
- Joint (2 Adults) Membership: £100
- 1 Adult + 6 Children Family Membership: £80
- 2 Adults + 6 Children Family Membership: £120
(You can save £10 by paying by direct debit the first time you join)
TIP: A lot of my visitors don't know about this offer until I tell them about it on my tours.
But, I am always happy to inform them that if they've already bought tickets for one of the palaces, they can upgrade to full membership in person at the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, or Kensington Palace.
So don't worry if you've already got your ticket!
Senior Discount, Student Discount, Disabled Visitor Discount
Visitors 65 years old and up, full-time students with an ID, and disabled visitors receive the concession price of £30.50.
Military Discounts
The Tower of London does not offer any military discounts to members of any military.
Family Saver Discounts
The Tower no longer offer family saver discounts.
If I have families on my tour, I recommend getting the family membership to save the money.
Ceremony of the Keys
You can visit the Tower of London at night during the Ceremony of the Keys, but you must plan well in advance.
Tickets are "free" but come with a booking fee of £5.00.
I have been to see this at least five times and I wholeheartedly recommend it!
Tickets are usually released on the first weekday of the month but they book out SUPER fast, so you've got to be quick.
Coupon Sites
Check out discount sites such as Groupon - they occasionally have great coupons for admission.
I see offers there less than I used to but it's always work a look.
Tower Hamlets Resident Discount
This likely applies to only a few of you who are reading this post - and it doesn't apply to me at all!
But, if you live within the borough of Tower Hamlets and you have an Idea Store card or library card, you can visit the Tower of London for only £1.
To qualify for a Tower Hamlets library card you need to have proof of a permanent address in the borough, which rules me out. But who knows where you may have friends or family based!
Group Discount
Visitors coming in groups of 15 or more are eligible for a much more affordably priced ticket.
Here are the group ticket prices:
- Adults: £32.10
- Children: £16.10
- Seniors, Students, Disabled concession: £25.50
- Youth (16-17 and MUST show ID): £16.10
AAA Discount
There have been AAA discounts offered in the past, and you might be able to take advantage of this deal now.
I have seen tickets as cheap as $34.00 so make sure to check your account and see if they are offering a discount on tickets to the Tower of London.
Blue Light Card
Although the Tower of London is not currently included with this card, there's always a possibility it will be added in the future.
This card is available at no cost to a variety of service people, including members of the NHS, police, ambulance, firefighters, social workers, pharmacy workers, and many others including volunteers.
Why Visit the Tower of London?
Still unsure about whether or not to visit this historic landmark?
Well, here are a few reasons I consider this to be my number one recommendation for your trip to London.
Free Yeoman Warder Tours
Each Tower of London admission ticket includes access to a FREE tour of the grounds led by a licensed Yeoman Warder, otherwise known as a Beefeater.
Now, I've been a London tour guide for almost 15 years and have even made a documentary about the Tower of London...but these guys know even more than I do!
The tours take place every 30 minutes and are filled with history but also excellent jokes and funny anecdotes.
I've been to the Tower dozens of times, but I still love taking this tour as every Beefeater shares different stories so it's always something new.
See the Crown Jewels
One of the most cherished and historic items in all the United Kingdom, the Crown Jewels are one of the main reasons a lot of guests visit the Tower of London - myself included.
I can't describe to you how beautiful they are in person...and how huge!
For more information, check my full post covering how to visit the Crown Jewels.
My top tip for your visit is to go early and head straight to the Jewel House first to beat the crowds that only get larger as the days go on.
There are two conveyor belts that take you past the crowns and if I go early enough, I can ride the belt multiple times to see the jewels from all different angels.
Watch the video below to learn more about these items owned by the British monarchy.
Watch the Ceremony of the Keys
I've already told you that this is one of my favourite activities at the Tower of London.
Every night at 21:53 (9:53 pm), this ceremony takes place at the Tower of London, and it has been taking place at the exact same time in the exact same manner since the 14th century.
It's difficult to get in to see this event, but there are tickets you can apply for ahead of time.
Remember, tickets are usually released on the first working day of each month.
I always set myself an alarm to make sure I can grab one before they sell out!
Read my post covering the Ceremony of the Keys for additional details.
Discover other Tower Exhibitions
Honestly, another question I get asked a lot is..."So, what's actually inside the Tower of London?"
The name is famous but I find that the majority of my guests don't actually know what to expect when they visit.
One of my favourite things to say, when I am leading by City of London Tour - which finishes at the Tower - is that "The Tower of London is not a tower."
And it's true!
The Tower of London is actually a huge complex made up of various towers, turrets, walls and buildings.
Aside from the Crown Jewels, there are other exhibitions in various parts of the building that are always changing as time goes on - which is part of the reason I visit so often.
Once inside, you'll see:
- The White Tower
- The Bloody Tower
- Medieval Palace
- Fusiliers Museum
- Royal Mint Exhibition
- Torture at the Tower Exhibition
- Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula
- The Battlements
- The Ravens (One of the highlights, as I detail in my post about the Ravenmaster)
- And more!
With so many things to see and do, there are actually several great reasons to make the trip to this historic location.
For more information about what to expect while you're here, consider reading my post covering everything that you'll find inside the Tower of London.
TIP: If you're not planning on taking advantage of the 2FOR1 deal, and you are coming via London Underground, the closest tube station can be found at Tower Hill.
But remember that I like to come into London Bridge as I can then get some picturesque views by walking over London Bridge or Tower Bridge to visit the fortress.
If you like to take photos, I suggest you do the same!
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