The Complete Guide to Tower of London Discounts
At £34.80 for an adult, the Tower of London is one of London's pricier paid attractions — though given what's included (Crown Jewels, White Tower, Beefeater tours and much more), it's justified. That said, there are genuine ways to reduce the cost, ranging from completely free entry to structured concession rates to multi-attraction savings.
Here's every legitimate option, with honest analysis of who should use each one.
Discount Option 1: Book Online (The Simplest Saving)
Online booking through the official HRP website or authorised third-party platforms is typically cheaper than purchasing at the gate on the day. The price difference varies but is often £2–5 per ticket. Multiply that across a family of four and you're saving £8–20 with zero effort.
Online booking also comes with a pre-booked time slot — meaning you use a faster entry lane rather than the walk-up queue. On busy days, this alone is worth the minor admin of booking in advance.
Best for: Everyone. There's no reason not to book online.
Discount Option 2: National Rail 2-for-1
One of the best deals for visitors travelling by train. With a valid National Rail ticket to a London terminal and a Days Out Guide voucher (free from daysoutguide.co.uk), one adult enters free when a second pays full price.
On standard adult pricing, this saves approximately £34.80 for the second adult. For two adults, that's paying ~£34.80 instead of ~£70.
Best for: Visitors travelling by National Rail from outside London. The voucher must be downloaded in advance.
Full 2-for-1 guide → | National Rail offer details →
Discount Option 3: Concession Rate (Students & Over 60s)
The concession rate of approximately £27.80 (saving ~£7 on adult admission) applies to:
- Students with valid student ID (NUS card, ISIC card, university card with photo)
- Visitors aged 60 and over
- Disabled visitors — 50% discount; carers may enter free (confirm with HRP)
ID is checked at the gate. A university email on a phone is not acceptable — bring a physical or digital card with photo and institutional name.
Discount Option 4: Family Ticket
The family ticket (2 adults + up to 3 children aged 5–15) saves money over individual tickets when you have two or more children. With 3 children, the saving is £25.30 compared to individual tickets.
One important caveat: with only one child, the family ticket actually costs more than buying individually. The maths works best for families of four or five.
Discount Option 5: Historic Royal Palaces Membership
An annual HRP membership gives free unlimited entry to six properties: the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, Banqueting House and Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland.
Individual membership starts from around £55. A family membership covers the same six properties. Break-even point: one adult visit to the Tower + one visit to Hampton Court uses more than the individual membership cost. If you're doing both in the same year, it pays for itself immediately.
Discount Option 6: City Pass / London Pass
Multi-attraction day passes (The London Pass, various city tourism cards) include Tower of London admission among 80+ attractions. These make sense for visitors who are squeezing in multiple paid attractions in 2–3 days. The key is to calculate the total value of what you'll actually visit — don't buy a pass for three attractions when you'll only visit two.
Discount Option 7: Combined Tower + Tower Bridge Ticket
Tower Bridge (a separate attraction, 5 minutes' walk from the Tower) offers combination tickets with the Tower of London. Buying both together saves money compared to two individual admissions — and both are unmissable experiences if you're doing a proper London visit.
Tower + Bridge combo guide →
What Does NOT Give a Discount
Be clear about what doesn't work, to save you disappointment at the gate:
- Being a London resident — no local residents discount exists
- Oyster card / TfL travel card — not valid for any Tower discount
- Freedom Pass — covers TfL travel only, not attractions
- Blue Badge — the Blue Badge parking scheme does not give a ticket discount, though disabled visitors qualify for a separate concessionary admission rate
- NHS / emergency services worker discounts — not currently offered by HRP at the Tower
- AAA / AARP (US memberships) — not accepted at the Tower
The single best discount for most visitors is simply booking online in advance — it's cheaper, faster entry, and guaranteed availability. The National Rail 2-for-1 offers a bigger absolute saving but requires planning (train travel, voucher download) and the trade-off of queuing at the box office on the day. For families with two or more children, the family ticket is a straightforward saving. Don't chase discounts that don't apply to your situation — the ticket includes a genuinely world-class experience and the base price is reasonable for what you get.
Discount Summary Table
| Discount Type | Saving | Who qualifies | Advance planning needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online booking | £2–5/ticket | Everyone | Minimal |
| National Rail 2-for-1 | One adult free (~£35) | National Rail travellers | Yes (voucher + train) |
| Concession rate | ~£7/ticket | Students, 60+, disabled | Bring ID |
| Family ticket | Up to £25.30 | Families with 2+ children | None |
| HRP Membership | Free unlimited visits | Anyone — annual membership | Buy membership in advance |
| London Pass | Varies by usage | Multi-attraction visitors | Yes (calculate value) |
| Combo ticket | £3–8 on both sites | Visiting Tower + Bridge | Minimal |
Discount Tickets — FAQs
No. The Tower of London does not have free admission days. HRP members enter free. Children under 5 are always free. Some temporary exhibitions may have separate free opening events — check the official website for current programme.
Tesco Clubcard Reward partners occasionally include Tower of London tickets — typically at a 3× exchange rate (£10 of Clubcard vouchers = £30 of Tower tickets). Check the current Tesco Clubcard Reward partners list for availability, as this changes periodically.
Armed forces personnel may qualify for discounted entry. HRP's specific policy varies — contact them via hrp.org.uk before visiting to confirm current discounts for military personnel and veterans.