Westminster Abbey launches first ever group booking portal for Blue Badge Guide-led tours

Westminster Abbey has announced the launch of its first ever group booking portal for travel operators and qualified Blue Badge Tourist Guides to easily pre-book discounted group tickets with guaranteed timed entry to the historic landmark.

The all-new system has been introduced to enhance visitor management in preparation for the opening of the King Charles III Sacristy, a new building which will transform the way the Abbey’s visitors are welcomed. The booking portal aims to improve visitor flow and capacity through pre-booked, timed entry tickets to ensure all group visitors enjoy a smooth and memorable experience.

Westminster Abbey welcomes guided tour groups of up to 20 visitors when accompanied by a Blue Badge Tourist Guide with group entry tickets priced at £29 for adults, £25 for adults aged 65+ and students, and £12 for children (6-17 years).

To access the group booking portal, travel operators and guides can register for an account directly on the Abbey’s website. Once a tour has been booked, entry to the Abbey remains through the Cloisters, where a member of the Visitor Experience team will scan the group ticket.

Leticia Edwards, Groups and Travel Trade Manager at Westminster Abbey, said: ‘Our new group booking system makes it easier than ever for Blue Badge Tourist Guides to plan and book visits to the Abbey and create an unforgettable day out for their parties. Previously, guides had to turn up on the day and queue to enter the Abbey, but now they can book with confidence knowing all groups will enjoy a seamless visit with guaranteed timed entry, allowing everyone to fully appreciate the Abbey’s beauty and rich history.’

During a group trip, visitors can explore the Abbey’s royal tombs, see the historic Coronation Chair, visit the renowned Poets’ Corner, marvel at The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries showcasing over 300 objects illuminating the Abbey’s rich past, take a walk through the Cloisters and so much more.

Westminster Abbey is one of the world’s great churches. With a history stretching back over a thousand years, it has been the setting for every coronation since 1066 and has witnessed countless other great events in the life of the nation. It is the burial place of many great men and women from our history including Charles Dickens, Sir Isaac Newton, George Frederic Handel and Elizabeth I.

With so much on offer for groups of all ages and interests, every year more than a million visitors from around the world come to explore this award-winning heritage attraction, and many thousands more come to worship at the daily services which are at the heart of life at the Abbey.

For more information about group visits to Westminster Abbey and to gain access to the new booking portal, please visit www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us/group-visits.