You can visit the British Parliament from the inside, but the Palace of Westminster tour and the Big Ben tour are different tickets and different experiences. The first one passes through Westminster Hall, the House of Commons and the House of Lords in about 90 minutes. The second climbs the Elizabeth Tower up a 334-step spiral staircase, reaches the clock mechanism and the Great Bell, and lasts up to 90 minutes. Your choice depends less on the photo you want to take and more on your interest in politics, architectural history and physical effort.
What you can visit inside
The indoor visit splits into two main routes: the Palace of Westminster, which is the Parliament building, and the Elizabeth Tower, home to the clock and the bell known as Big Ben. Seeing the tower from the street, crossing Westminster Bridge or walking into the square doesn’t replace either of the paid tours.
The general article Big Ben in London: The Complete Visitor’s Guide is useful for the outside view and the monument’s context. Here, the focus is different: deciding between the internal routes, booking on the right calendar and arriving prepared for security screening, stairs and restrictions.
Parliament tour: Westminster Hall, Commons and Lords
The guided Palace of Westminster tour is the best choice for anyone who wants to understand how Parliament works and walk through historic rooms without climbing a tower. The official page describes a 90-minute visit, in English, passing through Westminster Hall, the House of Commons, the House of Lords and other spaces in the complex.
Guided tour or self-guided audio?
The guided tour works better for those who want explanations in sequence and don’t mind the English. The self-guided audio gives you more control over your pace, is available in ten languages and also includes spaces in Parliament. In both cases, booking is separate from Big Ben: buying one doesn’t guarantee access to the other.
For small children, the audio can be more flexible, but the official page itself states that children under five need a ticket even when they enter for free. For adults interested in architecture and politics, the guided tour delivers a more cohesive narrative; for those who want to take photos and walk without rushing, the audio tends to be less demanding.
Big Ben tour: 334 steps, clock and bell
The official Big Ben tour is a physical experience inside the Elizabeth Tower: you climb 334 steps up a narrow spiral staircase, see the clock mechanism, pass behind the dials — each one 6.9 meters in diameter — and stand close to the Great Bell when it strikes the hour. The route lasts up to 90 minutes and includes planned pauses.
Visitors must be 11 or older and comfortable with stairs, heights and the loud noise of the mechanism and the bells. The staff provides ear defenders, but that doesn’t take away the effort of the climb. If someone in your group doesn’t meet these requirements, don’t buy the ticket hoping the team will adapt the standard route on the spot.
What happens after the tower
After the tour, visitors can also explore Westminster Hall. This extension is useful for anyone who wants to combine the tower experience with the building’s history, but allow time to exit, find your group and go through the checkpoints again. Don’t schedule an attraction on the other side of London right after.
Tickets, prices and the best time to book
Book directly through the UK Parliament website and check the calendar before buying: Parliament recommends buying in advance to guarantee entry and get the best price. For tours from September 1, 2026, the official price table lists £55 for an adult on the Big Ben tour and £40 for an adult on the guided Parliament tour; prices and seasons can change.
Big Ben tickets are released three months in advance, on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m., according to the official tower page. The page states a limit of up to eight tickets per person, subject to availability. Since demand is concentrated, have a second date and an alternative time ready before you open the purchase page.
Big Ben tickets are non-refundable according to the official information provided before purchase, though Parliament may refund in full if it cancels for reasons of parliamentary business, security or health. Read the terms for your time slot and avoid squeezing the visit into the last possible moment of the day.
Entry, screening and prohibited items
Arrive early because entry includes an airport-style security screening, and the Parliament security page states that the average wait can reach 30 minutes, or 45 minutes on the busiest afternoons from Monday to Wednesday. The line starts outside, so dress for the weather and don’t treat your ticket time as the time to arrive at the gate.
There’s no cloakroom on site. Bags larger than 60 by 40 centimeters aren’t allowed, and items such as penknives, scissors, tools, chains, banners and open liquid food may be held. Bring only what you need, keep your phone accessible and allow time to retrieve anything left at the entrance.
After screening, you receive a visitor badge that must stay visible. There’s a police presence inside and outside the complex; if someone in your group feels uneasy about that, it’s worth explaining how the checks work beforehand. Rules may be tightened on days with protests or parliamentary events.
Accessibility and alternatives to the stairs
Parliament’s entrance is step-free, and most of the route through the Palace of Westminster is accessible. There are 36 steps between Westminster Hall and St Stephen’s Hall, but an alternative lift route is available. Request assistance in advance when you need to be met outside the complex or require an adapted viewing spot.
The Big Ben tour is different: the staircase is an essential part of the visit. Parliament offers accessible options for anyone who might struggle with parts of the route, but you should check with the team before booking and never assume an accessible alternative covers exactly the same stops as the standard tour. If you can’t manage the climb, the Palace of Westminster tour, the exterior visit and the virtual tour are more predictable alternatives.
If you travel with an assistance dog, a motorized wheelchair or sensory needs, read the official accessibility information and get in touch with the Visitor Experience team. Parliament also offers resources for neurodivergent visitors, including sensory maps and the option to request a sensory bag on certain visits.
How to get to Parliament
The complex sits in Westminster, right by the Thames and Westminster Bridge. Westminster station is the most direct choice if you’re arriving by Tube; Waterloo and the South Bank work well if you want to pair the visit with the London Eye and South Bank. Allow a 30-minute buffer to walk, find the entrance and get through security screening.
To pay for transport, TfL recommends pay as you go with contactless, Oyster or a Visitor Oyster, with daily and weekly caps. Use the same card or device to tap in and out of the Tube; it saves you from working out individual fares and helps keep the day’s travel costs under control.
How to combine the visit with Westminster on the same day
Build your day around one tour, not both. For the Palace of Westminster, arrive early, take the 90-minute visit, have lunch nearby and walk through Westminster Abbey, Parliament Square and St James’s Park. For Big Ben, add buffer time, stairs and recovery before booking any other indoor attraction.
The Abbey has its own tickets and schedule; being next door to Parliament doesn’t mean it’s included in the tour. If you want to go inside both buildings, leave at least two hours between time slots and confirm the conditions of each ticket. The Abbey’s official page publishes opening times and prices by date.
Who is it worth it for
The Palace of Westminster tour is best for anyone who wants historical context, government chambers and a route that doesn’t require climbing a tower. It’s also the safer choice for groups with mixed ages, people who prefer to avoid heights or travelers with no particular interest in how the clock mechanism works.
The Big Ben tour pays off for anyone who sees the tower as the highlight of the trip and is happy to pay more for a physical, limited-capacity experience. Those 334 steps aren’t a minor detail; they define the visit. If your group is unsure about stamina, choose Parliament and admire Big Ben from the bridge or the South Bank.
Also check out this 7-day London itinerary and this 5-day London guide to fit Westminster in without sacrificing the City, Greenwich and the museums. The best day is one that leaves room for the building to speak for itself, without making you rush to make a second booking.
Before you buy, check the date, language, minimum age, seasonal price and security rules on Parliament’s official website. This information changes with building works, parliamentary business and the visit calendar, and the ticket page should always take precedence over any guide published earlier.
If your visit falls on a rainy day, bring only the essentials and wear clothes that can handle the outdoor queue. If the weather’s good, walk along the Thames after the tour — it’s the easiest way to keep the day going without adding another security check.
The practical summary is simple: the Parliament tour to see the building and how the Houses work; the Big Ben tour to climb Elizabeth Tower and see the clock, dials and bell. Two separate bookings, two different efforts and two perfectly legitimate ways to see Westminster from the inside.