Situated on the North bank of the River Thames and built by William the Conqueror in 1066, the Tower of London is a 900-year-old historic castle and fortress of the British capital. It is one of the most iconic structures in the country: the tower has been a vital symbol of awe and fear, with kings and queens imprisoning their rivals within its walls, a structure with a complex history.
Wanting to witness this sheer magnificent structure up close? Buy yourself tickets to the Tower of London now. Fair warning though, this massively-popular attraction can get pretty crowded. How does one get in without waiting in arduously-long lines? Let’s find out together what the different ways are to skip the lines at the Tower of London.
Tower of London: Skip The Line Tickets
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Thinking about visiting this cherished English landmark? Check out your ticket options below:
What is the waiting time at the Tower Of London?
The Tower of London is particularly famous for its display of the Crown Jewels, an enduring symbol of Monarchy in the United Kingdom. To view them, tourists pour in from all across the world and wait for long just to enter the room.
Therefore, to enter the Tower of London, you can expect long waiting queues. On average, you may end up spending at least 15-30 minutes waiting in line before you get to the entrance. A way to ensure not waiting for long is to get there while the crowds are relatively small.
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5 Ways To Skip The Lines at the Tower of London
Want to find out some tried and tested ways to beat the queues and skip the lines at the Tower of London? Read on:
1. Buy your tickets in advance
Needless to say, you’d benefit greatly from booking your tickets in advance. Choose skip-the-line tickets and you’ll be at the front of the line, guaranteeing a quicker entry into the Tower of London. The choice is yours.
2. Be An Early Bird
When you choose early-bird tickets, you’re guaranteed to enter relatively hassle-free. Early bird tickets ensure you have time slots early in the morning (right around the time the Tower of London opens up). Crowds at this time are manageable and your wait time is significantly reduced.
You can also book your tickets at the ticket kiosk near the main entrance of the Tower. However, may or may not have to wait in long queues at these kiosks if you are planning on buying an on-site (depending on season and time of day). We therefore encourage you to buy your tickets in advance, ensuring you do not lose your valuable sightseeing time standing in a line.
3. Know Your Entrances
You can enter the Tower of London through two entrances – the West Gate entrance and the Middle Drawbridge entrance.
West Gate Entrance –
This is the main entrance through which you can access the Tower of London but is often crowded and can take 30 minutes to an hour in the lines. On-site tickets are available only at this entrance and if you are traveling with children, you will have to access it through the West Gate.
Middle Drawbridge Entrance –
This entrance is better as it has a short waiting time and is specially designed for groups or individuals who have pre-booked their tickets online.
4. Take a Guided Tour
Get to know all about the Tower of London in a day with a day tour with a guide. Benefit from skip-the-line entry as your guide walks you through the tower’s beauty and brutality – the crown jewels to the legendary raven. This is your perfect chance to discover years of London’s fascinating and gruesome past at the famous Tower of London.
If you are interested in learning about history, this is the option you should go for. Moreover, you can skip all the chaos and get a smooth entry with the added benefit of a guide who will help you understand the significance of the Tower of London.
5. See Some More on the Spirit of London Tour
While in London, why not explore a bit more while you continue to enjoy the skip-the-line access to the Tower of London. The London City Pass gives you just that, where you can enjoy a panoramic tour of London and have access to almost 80 attractions!. You will also have a free 1-day Hop-n Hop-off bus tour included in the pass.
Best Time To Visit Tower of London
The most suitable time to visit the Tower of London will be during a weekday. Since it is a popular attraction in London, we recommend you to arrive early in the morning or slightly late in the afternoon even on weekdays. The crowds are expected the most during weekends and even on weekdays after 3 pm. Avoid the peak visiting period is during Easter, Christmas, Spring, Autumn, and during school holidays.
Tips To Skip The Line At the Tower of London
- A lot of people visit the Tower of London in the afternoon during weekdays, so get there early in the morning to avoid the rush.
- Visiting during peak season is discouraged – Easter, Christmas, and during weekends.
- We recommend you purchase your tickets online in advance. This way you can enter through the Middle Drawbridge entrance where the waiting time is much lesser in comparison to the main entrance of the Tower.
- On your visit, make sure you head to the Crown Jewels first and get room to view the space because it is the most visited part of the castle and will eventually get crowded.
- The Tower is not open on 24th-26th December and 1st January. So, avoid visiting on these days.
- If you are determined to not queue at all, you can get a membership from the Historic Royal Palaces organization, which gives you a queue jump feature to other monuments.
