Everything you need to know for Christmas at Kew

How to book tickets for Christmas at Kew

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online:

Book tickets

Advance booking is essential. 

Kew members need to enter their membership number during the standard booking journey to access their discount. 

Ticket prices and information

Ticket prices

Adult: Off Peak £25.50 / Peak £32

Child (4-15): Off Peak £16 / Peak £20

Child (under 4): Free

Member adult: Off Peak £21.50 / Peak £26

Essential companions: Free with valid Adult, Child (4-15), or Family ticket. Documentation may be required upon arrival. 

Important ticket information

Tickets for Christmas at Kew do not include entry to Kew Gardens during the daytime, nor do standard daytime tickets for the Gardens include entry to Christmas at Kew. Please see the section titled Visiting Kew during the the day for more information.

Christmas at Kew does not accept 3rd party vouchers, such as Virgin Experience Days or Red Letter Days, as an example. These are valid for day visits to Kew Gardens only.

If you opt for standard delivery and your tickets have not arrived 24 hours before you are booked on the trail, please contact See Tickets customer service.

Contactless ticket scanning will be taking place. On arrival, please ensure you have your tickets ready to scan – either your printed paper ticket, or from your mobile device. Please only arrive at your allocated session time to ensure there is no unnecessary build-up of queues.

Please be aware that we don’t authorise or have any control over the sale of tickets via third-party websites. 

Which entry gate should you book for Christmas at Kew?

There are three entry gate options for Christmas at Kew. Be sure to select the right entry gate for your visit.

Victoria Gate: main entrance 

This is the main entrance, located on Kew Road, and the best for those travelling by tube or bus. The postcode for Victoria Gate is TW9 3JR. Local parking facility bookable.

Elizabeth Gate 

This entrance is best for those travelling by National Rail – South  Western Trains. The nearest National Rail station is Kew Bridge. The postcode for Elizabeth Gate is TW9 3AE. Local parking facility bookable.

Brentford Gate: reserved parking 

This entrance is only for those with pre-paid parking at Kew’s Ferry Lane car park. Parking is £10 and must be added when buying your tickets in advance. Please note there is a short walk from the gate to the start of the trail. The postcode for Brentford Gate is TW9 3AF. 

Cancellation, exchanges and refunds 

Please be sure that you have chosen the right entry gate, date and time slot at the time of making your booking, as Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and See Tickets are not able to offer exchanges or refunds once tickets have been purchased. We are also not able to offer refunds/duplicates on unwanted/lost tickets.

Inevitably, bad weather can affect any open-air experience. If we have to cancel due to safety concerns, visitors will be offered an alternative date. Any decision to cancel that evening's trail will be taken by 2pm.  No refunds will be offered if the weather is inclement.  

If we have to cancel due to bad weather and patrons are not able to attend an alternative night offered, then a refund will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Where a refund is due, the ticket must be returned within 28 days of the booked trail. 

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How to get to Christmas at Kew

Christmas at Kew is accessible via Brentford Gate (TW9 3AF), Elizabeth Gate (TW9 3AE) or Victoria Gate (TW9 3JR). Plan your journey with our suggested routes: 

By bike

We love to welcome cyclists to our Gardens.

There are bicycle racks at all gates for Christmas at Kew. At Elizabeth Gate and Victoria Gate, the racks are inside the gates behind the booths.

Bikes left outside our gates are left at your own risk.  

We do not allow bicycles, tricycles, roller skates, skateboards, and scooters into the Gardens.

By bus

Route 65 stops close to Elizabeth Gate. This bus stops at Ealing Broadway and Richmond stations.

Route 110 stops near Kew Gardens station and Elizabeth Gate. This bus stops at Richmond station.

Routes 237 and 267 stop at Kew Bridge station.

By train

Kew Bridge station is 800m from Elizabeth Gate, via Kew Bridge. Southwest Trains run services from Waterloo, via Vauxhall and Clapham Junction. There is no level access at Kew Bridge.

Richmond station has lift and level access. Walking time from Richmond station is 25 minutes to Victoria Gate.

By tube

There may be planned track closures on the District Line and Overground via Kew Gardens station on various dates throughout the duration of Christmas at Kew. Please check Transport for London before you travel.

Kew Gardens station is 500m from Victoria Gate. It is in Zone 3 and is served by the District Line (Richmond branch) and London Overground.

There is no level access from the westbound platform. It is possible to continue one stop to Richmond and catch a tube back to use the eastbound platform which does have level access.

Ealing Broadway station connects to bus route 65, stopping at Victoria and Elizabeth Gates. 

By car

Parking is available to pre-book for Christmas at Kew. Please see the section below for more details. 

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On the night at Christmas at Kew

How long is the Christmas at Kew trail? 

This year’s trail is 3km and can take over two hours to walk around.

The trail is presented in the natural landscape. Whilst every effort is made to make the trail fully accessible, by its very nature it will cover some difficult terrain with a number of varying gradients. These areas may be challenging during wet weather.

Is there food and drink at Christmas as Kew?

There’s plenty of festive feasting on offer at Christmas at Kew, with onsite cafes, restaurants, street food vendors and more. Please note, we are operating cashless across our catering units at Christmas at Kew. 

Onsite cafes and restaurants

Stop in at the Family Kitchen or Victoria Plaza for a winter warmer or some flavourful food.

Festive street food and drinks

There will be a variety of festive treats from our independent street food vendors for you to indulge in. They’ll be offering hot food, sweet treats, spiced winter warmers, hot chocolate and more.

Christmas dinner at the Botanical Brasserie

If you want to make your visit to Christmas at Kew feel even more special, then why not book Christmas dinner at our Botanical Brasserie overlooking the stunning Palm House Pond? There are four sittings available: 5pm, 6:30pm, 7pm and 8pm, so you can enjoy a delicious 3 course meal before or after your visit to the trail:

The Botanical Brasserie Christmas Dinner is only available with entry via Victoria Gate, as seatings are timed to be able to enjoy the full trail. Booking is essential and you can do this whilst buying your Christmas at Kew tickets. 

What to bring and wear

There are no covered areas on the Christmas at Kew trail and the paths can get wet so please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear for the weather.

The trail is lit, but lighting will be low level in some areas so you may wish to bring a torch. No naked flames (e.g. candles, night lights, flares or lanterns) are allowed. 

What to expect from Christmas at Kew

Our visual guide can help you plan and enjoy your visit to Christmas at Kew.

Here you'll find information about what to expect during your visit and top tips to help you have a fantastic time.

Find our Visual Guide in the Access information section

Can I bring a buggy to Christmas at Kew?

Buggies are allowed on the Christmas at Kew trail. 

Are Children’s scooters allowed at Christmas at Kew?

Bicycles, tricycles, roller skates, skateboards, micro-scooters, balance bikes and other vehicles (except powered wheelchairs) aren't permitted at this event and must be left at the gates.  

Are dogs and pets allowed at Christmas at Kew?

Dogs and any other pets are not allowed in Kew Gardens. Registered assistance dogs are permitted.

Photography

Please feel free to take photos along the trail but do be aware of others. If you are on social media we would love to see your pictures, so please tag @kewgardens when you post and follow us to see more photography of Christmas at Kew and all our events.

We occasionally use photographs taken at Christmas at Kew for promotional purposes, please talk to a member of staff if you would not like photographs to be used in this way.

Are there toilets on the Christmas at Kew trail?

There are toilets available at the Victoria Plaza and Brentford Gate and along the trail. Accessible toilets (including a Changing Places toilet) are also available at Brentford Gate and along the trail.  

Fairground tokens

Enjoy our family fairground, where you can find rides suitable for adults and children.  Please note that some of the rides are child-friendly only and cannot accommodate an adult accompanying the child.  

Tokens are available for £3.50 each on the night, or pre-book to collect on the night and get 6 tokens for £18.

These tokens do not include entry to the Christmas at Kew trail — a separate ticket is required. Fairground tokens are only available for guests who already have Christmas at Kew tickets.

Please present your fairground voucher to the token booth at the fairground to redeem your pre-paid tokens. Each token allows one ride.

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Safety and security 

For the safety and security of everyone at Christmas at Kew we will carry out full security checks at all entrance gates as normal. Your belongings and your person may be searched so please only bring what is essential to your evening.

If you see anything suspicious or any individuals acting suspiciously, please tell the nearest member of staff immediately.  

Please do not leave any belongings unattended at any time.

Keep your children with you at all times. Ensure they don’t wander into the unlit areas of the Gardens. 

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