Christmas at Kew is a separate thing from Kew Gardens. Same site, different event, different ticket, and it happens after the Gardens have shut for the day.
It runs on selected evenings from mid-November into the first days of January. A lit trail through the gardens after dark, with installations, a fairground, and food and drink along the route. It is the one Kew event that genuinely sells out, so it is also the one worth booking early.
Christmas at Kew Tickets
This is a ticketed evening event and daytime admission does not cover it. Two things people get caught by every year:
- Concession rates do not apply. Out-of-hours events require a full-price ticket, so a concession or benefit rate that works in the daytime will not get you onto the trail.
- Capacity is limited and entry is timed, unlike normal Kew admission. Anytime-entry tickets exist but there are few of them.
Member discounts, family tickets and child tickets are available. Tickets usually go on sale in the autumn, so if you are looking now and nothing is listed yet, it is worth checking back closer to the season.
Visiting Kew in daylight on the same trip? Daytime admission is a separate ticket and is on sale now.
When It Runs
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Season | Selected evenings, mid-November to early January |
| Opening | From 4.20pm, with the Gardens closing at 10pm |
| Christmas Eve | Closes earlier, at 9pm, with last entry brought forward |
| Adult-only evenings | Selected dates in early December |
| Quiet Access sessions | Selected dates, for visitors with hidden disabilities |
Dates change each year, so confirm on the official site before booking travel around it.
Last Entry Depends on Your Gate
⚠️ Last entry is not the same at every entrance.
Last entry times differ by entrance. Brentford Gate closes to arrivals first, then Elizabeth Gate, then Victoria Gate around twenty minutes later. On Christmas Eve every one of them is earlier again.
So the gate on your ticket is not a suggestion. Check which one you are booked through, then work backwards from its last entry time rather than from the 10pm closing time, which is when the whole thing ends rather than when you can still get in.
What the Evening Involves
The trail
A walking route through the gardens after dark, lit throughout, with large-scale installations, tunnels of light and soundscapes along the way. The route changes year to year and new displays are added, so it is not the same walk twice.
It is outdoors and it is winter, so dress for standing about in the cold rather than for a night out.
The fairground and the food
There is a traditional fairground on site, plus street food along the route: hot chocolate, mulled wine, toasted marshmallows, the usual and entirely welcome winter spread.
Worth building an extra half hour into your plan for it rather than treating it as something you pass on the way out.
Father Christmas
He appears, which is the entire point of the evening if you are bringing small children, and worth checking the details of when you book.
Adult-only evenings
A recent addition, on a couple of dates in early December. Same trail, no children. If the appeal of this is mulled wine and lights rather than a family outing, those are the dates to look at.
Getting There in the Evening
Take the train
Kew strongly encourages public transport for this event and the roads around the site do not cope well with everyone arriving in the same two hours.
Parking must be pre-booked
You book it at the same time as your tickets, and there is not much of it. Turning up and hoping is not a plan.
Check your gate before you set off
The entrances are a long way apart and it is dark. This matters more in December than it does in July.
Build in a buffer
Timed entry plus a fixed last entry means arriving late is not something you can absorb.
Is It Worth It?
If you want an evening walk in the cold with your hands round something hot and the trees lit up, yes, and it is the best version of that in London.
If you are hoping to see any actual gardens, no. It is dark, the glasshouses are shut, and you are there for the lights. Come in daylight for Kew and come in December for this, and treat them as two different outings, because that is what they are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Christmas at Kew included with Kew Gardens admission?
No. It is a separate evening event with its own ticket, and daytime admission does not cover it.
Do concession tickets work for Christmas at Kew?
No. Out-of-hours events require a full-price ticket, so daytime concession and benefit rates do not apply.
What time does Christmas at Kew finish?
The Gardens close at 10pm, earlier on Christmas Eve. Last entry is considerably before that and depends on which gate you are booked through.
Does Christmas at Kew sell out?
Yes. Capacity is limited and entry is timed, and it is the one Kew event where booking early genuinely matters.
Can you see the glasshouses at Christmas at Kew?
No. The event runs after the Gardens have closed for the day, so the glasshouses and galleries are shut. It is a light trail, not a garden visit.
Is there parking for Christmas at Kew?
Limited, and it has to be pre-booked when you buy your tickets. Public transport is the better option.