Peak or off-peak: what a ticket costs
Historic Royal Palaces prices Hampton Court tickets by day type. Peak means weekends, bank holidays and event days; off-peak means other weekdays.
| Ticket | Off-peak | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (18–64) | £27.20 | £30.00 |
| Young person (16–17) | £13.60 | £15.00 |
| Child (5–15) | £13.60 | £15.00 |
| Senior (65+), full-time student, disabled concession | £21.80 | £24.00 |
| Child (0–4) | Free | Free |
The price page shows the same rates whether you book online or buy at the ticket office on the day. An optional 10% donation is requested when you buy. A disabled visitor's carer goes free with proof of registered disability, and children aged 5–15 must come with an adult.
Book ahead in school holidays and on event days, which is when the palace says it gets busy. It also asks visitors to check temporary route closures inside the palace before booking. The £1 tickets for people on Universal Credit and other named benefits are a UK scheme, sold online only and often gone in advance.
Winter and summer opening hours
The opening times page gives two seasons, both open daily:
- Winter, 29 October – 25 March: 10:00–16:30. Last admission 15:30; last entry to the Maze 15:45.
- Summer, 26 March – 28 October: 10:00–18:00. Last admission 17:00; last entry to the Maze and Magic Garden 17:15.
- Closed: 24, 25 and 26 December.
The switch to winter hours lands this week. From Thursday 29 October, an afternoon train that would have been fine in summer leaves you less than an hour inside: aim to arrive by late morning so the 15:30 last admission does not cut the visit short.
Getting there from London Waterloo
The palace's travel page says National Rail trains run from London Waterloo every 30 minutes to Hampton Court station, a five-minute walk from the palace. South Western Railway runs the service; check the journey time and any engineering works in its planner before you go.
Hampton Court station sits in London fare Zone 6, according to South Western Railway's station page. The same page lists contactless and Oyster as not validated at the station, while the palace's travel page says Oyster cards are accepted. With the two official pages disagreeing, the simplest choice is a paper or app ticket bought at Waterloo for the return trip. The station has ticket gates and machines; the ticket office opens 06:30–18:30 Monday to Friday, 08:00–19:00 Saturday and 09:00–17:40 Sunday.
Other routes
- Bus: routes 111, 216, 411, 461 and 513 from Kingston, and R68 from Richmond. The palace marks 111, 216, 411 and R68 as accepting Oyster cards, Travelcards and bus passes.
- Car: the palace car park costs £1.80 per hour, by card.
- Bike: National Cycle Network route 4 runs along the Barge Walk; racks are to the left of the entrance, but bikes are not allowed in the gardens or courtyards.
When to choose another palace
If you have a single free day midweek and want somewhere closer to the centre, the Tower of London is the other big Historic Royal Palaces site and needs no train. If gardens are the main draw in winter, Kew Gardens is also on the south-west side of London. For a royal day trip that is still a working residence, compare Windsor Castle by train, which has its own closed days.
