Christmas at Kew

A lit trail through the gardens after dark, over a mile of it, ending with the Palm House lit and reflected in the pond. It is the biggest thing Kew does all year and the one that sells out earliest.

Worth knowing

Timed entry, and the slots are not equivalent: the earliest ones are still partly daylight and the trail does not work in daylight. Book the latest you can. It is outdoors for ninety minutes in December, on gravel, so dress for standing still in the cold rather than for walking. The ticket is separate from general Kew admission, which catches out members who assume they are covered.

Last entry is set by the gate you booked, not by the event: seven o’clock at Brentford Gate, twenty past seven at Elizabeth Gate and eight at Victoria Gate. On Christmas Eve the whole thing closes at nine and last entry moves about an hour earlier. The gardens shut at ten.

New for 2026 there are two adults only evenings, on 3 and 9 December. Quiet Access sessions for visitors with hidden disabilities run on 21 November and on 1, 16 and 26 December.

Getting there

Kew Gardens station on the District line and the Overground, five minutes from Victoria Gate. Driving is possible but the car park is sold separately, must be booked with the ticket, and fills.

Nearby

Richmond has the nearest stations and everything else on in the same part of town. The Kew Gardens page collects every listing we hold for that address. Filed under Seasonal.