Stonehenge timed-ticket, shuttle and parking guide
Use this guide if you are fitting Stonehenge into a London, Bath or Salisbury day and need to decide whether to book a regular timed ticket, add the Stone Circle Experience, arrive
ByMomentBook Editorial·Published
Use this guide if you are fitting Stonehenge into a London, Bath or Salisbury day and need to decide whether to book a regular timed ticket, add the Stone Circle Experience, arrive by the Salisbury bus, or drive and park at the visitor centre.
The main constraint is that a normal visit starts at the visitor centre, not beside the stones. Your plan has to respect opening hours, last entry, the visitor shuttle or walking route, membership and parking rules, and any solstice or tour-bus timetable change on your travel date.
What to know first
General admission is open daily in published seasons, with 2026 visitor hours listed as 9:30am-5pm in winter periods and 9:30am-6pm from 28 March to 6 September; last admission is two hours before closing.
Booking the official English Heritage ticket in advance saves 15% compared with the gate price, but same-day arrival tickets may still be sold when capacity allows.
English Heritage and National Trust England members are admitted free, but they should still check the booking flow and bring the right membership card.
Non-members driving to the visitor centre should budget for the posted £4 parking charge and use the official SP4 7DE visitor-centre approach, not roadside stopping near the stones.
The visitor shuttle normally links the visitor centre and the stones in about 10 minutes, with an optional halfway stop at Fargo Plantation for visitors who want to walk part of the route.
Salisbury is the nearest rail station, 12 miles or 19 km away; the Stonehenge Tour bus is the usual no-car link, but its seasonal timetable and solstice changes must be checked before booking.
A normal ticket does not let you stand inside or touch the stones. The separate Stone Circle Experience is limited, outside normal hours, and still forbids touching or standing on the stones.
Stonehenge stone circle on open grassland in Wiltshire
Source: Wikimedia Commons / -JvL-, CC BY 2.0; used to show the stone-circle setting reached after the visitor-centre shuttle or walk.
Choose general admission or Stone Circle Experience
For most visitors, the regular English Heritage general admission ticket is the practical choice. It covers the public Stonehenge visit: the visitor centre, exhibition, outdoor Neolithic houses, shuttle or walking approach, and the signed route around the stone circle. It is the right ticket if you want a daylight visit, a reliable family schedule, and the normal photo viewpoint around the roped monument.
Book through English Heritage before comparing third-party packages. The official ticket page states that advance booking saves 15% on the gate price, and the discount is already reflected in the online price you see. The same page says arrival tickets may be purchased on the day, but that should be treated as a backup, not a plan, during holidays, weekends and school breaks.
Choose the Stone Circle Experience only if the inside-the-circle access is the purpose of the trip. English Heritage describes it as a one-hour guided visit outside normal public hours, with very limited availability. Sessions are capped at 52 people and then split into two groups of 26 at the stones. It is also more expensive than general admission: the official page lists £70 for adults, £40 for children aged 5-17, and free entry for children under 5, with member discounts available.
That experience changes the timing as much as the price. It runs early or late, not in the middle of the public day, and English Heritage says there are no Stone Circle Experiences in October or November. You must be ready to board the shuttle bus from the visitor centre 10 minutes before the session starts. Even inside the circle, the rule remains simple: do not stand on or touch the stones.
Time the visit around opening hours and last entry
The easiest mistake is to plan around closing time instead of last admission. English Heritage lists last admission as two hours before the advertised closing time. For 2026, the official ticket page gives these published windows:
1 January-27 March 2026: 9:30am-5pm, last entry at 3pm.
28 March-6 September 2026: 9:30am-6pm, last entry at 4pm.
7 September 2026-16 March 2027: 9:30am-5pm, last entry at 3pm.
25 December 2026: closed.
Summer and winter solstice dates can use different arrangements, so check the official page again close to travel.
For a relaxed first visit, aim to reach the visitor centre at least 30-45 minutes before the last-entry cutoff, not exactly at the cutoff. You still need time to park or arrive by bus, validate the ticket or membership, decide whether to use the shuttle, and get oriented before the landscape route begins.
If you are coming from London by train, protect the return leg before you buy the admission slot. English Heritage notes that London Waterloo to Salisbury is a direct line of around 1 hour 30 minutes, but Stonehenge itself is still 12 miles or 19 km from Salisbury station. The train time alone is not the full transfer time.
Decide between the shuttle, walk and accessible route
The Stonehenge visitor centre sits away from the stone circle, which is why the on-site route matters. English Heritage's access page says the visitor shuttle leaves from outside the shop, normally needs no pre-booking, takes about 10 minutes to reach the stones, and stops at Fargo Plantation around halfway for visitors who want to walk part of the approach.
Use the shuttle both ways if you have a tight timetable, small children, heavy weather, or mobility concerns. The same access page states that the main visitor areas, the car and coach parks, visitor centre and the route around the stone circle are accessible by wheelchair via tarmac and grass paths, subject to weather. The shuttle buses are also accessible, with stated size limits for Class 2 mobility scooters.
Walk at least one direction if the weather is good and the landscape is part of your reason to go. The facilities page notes that there are walking routes within the World Heritage Site for different ages and abilities, and that visitors using the road route should stay on the designated walking path. The walk gives the stones more context, but it is not the right choice when you are racing the last shuttle, catching a bus back to Salisbury, or managing tired children.
Do not plan to drive closer to the stones. Road access is signposted from the A303 off the A360, and the official sat-nav postcode points to the visitor centre. The visit is deliberately structured so visitors approach the monument from there.
Arrive from Salisbury or by car without losing your slot
Without a car, the decision is usually train to Salisbury plus the Stonehenge Tour bus or taxi. English Heritage identifies Salisbury as the nearest station and says the station is 12 miles or 19 km from Stonehenge. Its planning page says the Stonehenge Tour bus departs from the railway station forecourt, while the directions page identifies Salisbury Reds as the operator and recommends checking current travel information before making plans.
The bus timetable is seasonal. For summer 2026, the Stonehenge Tour timetable lists services from Salisbury rail station beginning at 10:05 and then roughly hourly through the afternoon, with returns from Stonehenge continuing later. It also notes special changes for the 20-21 June summer solstice weekend, including early finish on Saturday and no regular tour operation on Sunday. Treat the bus timetable as a fact to recheck on the same day you book the Stonehenge slot.
Driving is more direct but not frictionless. English Heritage gives the central London driving estimate as around two hours and says Stonehenge is just off the A303, with SP4 7DE for sat nav and brown-and-white tourist signs to the visitor centre. That makes driving attractive for families or multi-stop Wiltshire days, but it also exposes you to A303 delays, summer congestion and the parking charge.
If you are driving for a Stone Circle Experience outside normal hours, bring the booking confirmation ready to show on arrival. English Heritage says visitors arriving outside normal public hours for that experience can still use the visitor car park, but the booking is the proof that explains why you are there early or late.
Plan parking, membership and companion details
Parking is not a minor add-on if you are comparing transport choices. English Heritage states that non-members pay £4 for parking and recommends downloading the PayByPhone app in advance. English Heritage members should display the membership sticker clearly in the car window.
Associated members need one more step. The official parking text says CSSC, National Trust England, Cadw and Historic Scotland members also park free, but they need to display an exemption in the window, requested at admissions. If your plan depends on free parking, arrive with enough time to sort that out before your entry window.
For admission, English Heritage and National Trust England membership are not the same as simply saying your name at the desk. Bring the physical or accepted digital membership evidence. The official ticket page says member tickets are free and reminds visitors to bring the English Heritage membership card. When capacity is tight, booking the member ticket online can avoid a slow discussion at the entrance.
Travellers with access needs should plan before arrival. The access page says a carer or companion may join free and can be booked online, and it asks visitors with particular access needs to contact English Heritage before visiting. There are accessible toilets, adult changing facilities, wheelchair loan on request, 22 accessible parking bays, and accessible shuttle buses, but weather can still affect grass paths.
Rules that change the visit
The most important rule is that general visitors see the stones from the public route around the circle. The Stone Circle Experience provides closer, guided access inside the circle outside normal hours, but it still does not allow touching or standing on the stones. Build the visit around looking, listening and photographing rather than physical contact with the monument.
Dogs are another planning point. English Heritage's facilities page says registered assistance dogs are welcome throughout, including at the Stone Circle. Other dogs on leads are allowed around the visitor centre, but not at the Stone Circle, exhibition or visitor bus. If you are travelling with a dog, this rule can decide whether one person waits outside, whether you skip the stones, or whether you choose a different day.
Audio planning is also worth doing before arrival. English Heritage says the free audio tour can be downloaded in advance from the app stores or via free Wi-Fi at the visitor centre, and that there are no audio guides to hire on site. Languages listed include English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, Polish, Korean and Brazilian Portuguese.
Summer solstice is not a normal admission day. For 2026, English Heritage says free access is planned from Saturday 20 June to Sunday 21 June for the Summer Solstice, strongly encourages public transport, and states that visitors travelling by car must pre-book parking because vehicles without a pre-booked parking space will not be permitted entry. If your date touches a solstice, use the dedicated solstice page, not the ordinary day-visit assumptions.
Common mistakes to avoid
Do not buy the admission time first and work out the Salisbury transfer later. On a London day trip, the real chain is train, Salisbury transfer, Stonehenge entry, shuttle or walk, return transfer and train. If one link is thin, choose a later entry or drive.
Do not assume every tour-bus product includes the same admission rights. The Stonehenge Tour sells bus-only and combined products, while English Heritage sells official site admission. Read the ticket title carefully so you know whether you still need an English Heritage time slot.
Do not arrive near closing expecting a full visit. Last admission is two hours before closing, and the site includes the visitor centre, exhibition, Neolithic houses, shuttle or walk, and landscape approach. A late arrival turns a rich visit into a rushed photograph.
Do not plan around touching the stones. That is not part of either general admission or Stone Circle Experience. The closer experience buys access and guiding, not permission to climb, stand on, or handle the monument.
Do not ignore the weather. The shuttle protects the schedule, but the stone-circle route and some accessible paths still involve grass and open chalkland. Wind, rain and summer sun change how long children, older visitors and photographers will want to stay outside.
Who should choose which plan
Choose regular general admission plus the visitor shuttle if you want the lowest-risk visit. It works for most families, first-time visitors, travellers without specialist archaeology goals, and anyone joining Stonehenge to Salisbury or Old Sarum on the same day.
Choose regular admission plus one walking leg if the landscape is part of the draw. This is the best plan for visitors who have decent weather, comfortable shoes, and enough time between the admission slot and the return bus or drive.
Choose the Stonehenge Tour bus if you are car-free and sleeping in London, Bath, Bristol or Salisbury. It is especially useful because it picks up at Salisbury rail station and can pair Stonehenge with Old Sarum or Salisbury Cathedral, but the timetable must fit the entry time.
Choose driving if you are travelling as a family, carrying luggage, connecting several Wiltshire stops, or visiting outside the bus timetable. Add the £4 parking charge, A303 traffic risk and arrival buffer before deciding it is faster.
Choose the Stone Circle Experience if close access is the reason for the trip and you can accept the price, scarce sessions and early or late timing. It is not a casual upgrade for a tight day trip.
What to recheck before you go
Recheck the English Heritage ticket page first. Confirm the day's opening hours, last entry, advance ticket availability, arrival ticket policy, parking charge, and whether the date is affected by solstice arrangements or a special event.
Recheck the Stone Circle Experience page if you are considering inside-the-circle access. Availability, months of operation, prices, member discounts, the 10-minute early shuttle boarding instruction and access accommodations are all decision facts.
Recheck your Salisbury transfer on the Stonehenge Tour timetable or with the current operator. Pay special attention to summer-solstice changes, first and last departures, and whether your ticket is bus-only or includes admission.
Recheck the access and facilities pages if you need wheelchair loan, accessible parking, companion admission, assistance-dog access, picnic planning, toilets, audio-tour languages or dog rules. These details decide comfort more than the headline ticket price.
