Westminster Abbey Evensong: Times, Free Entry and Etiquette

Short answer: Evensong is the Abbey’s sung evening service, and anyone can attend it free. The usual pattern is 5:00pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 3:00pm on Sunday. Wednesday’s 5:00pm service is said, not sung. Enter by the Great West Door, arrive early because there are no tickets, and dress smartly. Times change, so check the Abbey’s service listing for your day.

What is Evensong at Westminster Abbey?

Evensong is a daily evening service of choral music, Bible readings and prayers. At the Abbey it follows the traditional pattern of the Book of Common Prayer, the Church of England’s prayer book. The music is from the Anglican tradition: psalms, canticles and an anthem.

On weekdays it is usually sung by the Lay Vicars, the Abbey’s twelve professional adult singers. On some days the full Choir of Westminster Abbey sings, which adds up to 30 boy choristers from the Abbey’s Choir School. The choir was founded in the late 14th century, when the Abbey was still a Benedictine monastery. Our guide to the Westminster Abbey choir covers who they are.

The Abbey does not publish how long Evensong lasts, so we do not give a running time. Treat it as a full service and do not plan anything tight straight after it.

What time is Evensong, and which days is it said, not sung?

The usual pattern, from the Abbey’s listing for the week of 25 to 31 October 2026:

Day	Time	Service
Monday	5:00pm	Evensong, sung
Tuesday	5:00pm	Evensong, sung
Wednesday	5:00pm	Evening Prayer, said (no choir)
Thursday	5:00pm	Evensong, sung
Friday	5:00pm	Evensong, sung
Saturday	3:00pm	Evensong, sung
Sunday	3:00pm	Evensong, sung

In that week, the Lay Vicars sang on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Friday, and the full Choir sang on Thursday and Saturday. On Sunday, Evensong was followed at 5:00pm by a free organ recital in the nave.

The Abbey says that service times and locations may change at short notice. Feast days, state occasions and special services move things around. Always check the Abbey’s service listing for the day you plan to go. If you want sung music, avoid Wednesday.

Is it free, and where do you queue?

Yes. Services at Westminster Abbey are free and unticketed. The Abbey’s words are “Everyone is welcome”. You do not book. Because there are no tickets, the Abbey advises arriving early.

Entry for services is by the Great West Door, at the west end of the church under the two towers. This is not the North Entrance that sightseeing visitors use. Security checks are in place on entry, and the usual bag rules apply: bags up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm, no large bags or luggage.

Where you sit and what you see

Evensong is held in the Quire, the part of the church where the choir sings, between the nave and the high altar. You sit for the service, and you see the Abbey’s interior from inside the worship space rather than walking the visitor route.

What you do not see: the services are not a tour. You go to the Quire and leave afterwards. The Lady Chapel, the royal tombs and Poets’ Corner are on the sightseeing route, which needs a ticket during opening hours. Visitors may also be asked to leave some areas while services are under way.

Dress and etiquette

• Dress smartly. The Abbey has no strict dress code for sightseeing, but for services it asks visitors to dress smartly. Modest clothing and flat shoes are sensible: the stone floors are uneven.
• No photos. Photography is not permitted during services, and that includes phones.
• Arrive early and expect a security check at the door.
• Stay for the whole service. It is an act of worship, not a concert. You are welcome to join in or simply listen.

Evensong versus a paid visit

Evensong and a sightseeing ticket do different jobs.

	Evensong	Sightseeing ticket
Price	Free	£32 adult on the Abbey’s site (about $43)
Booking	None; arrive early	Timed slot, booked ahead
Door	Great West Door	North Entrance
What you see	The Quire, during worship	The full route: tombs, Poets’ Corner, Lady Chapel, Cloisters
Photos	None	Allowed in most areas
Days	Every day, times vary	Monday to Saturday

Choose Evensong if you want to hear the music and sit inside the Abbey at no cost. Choose a ticket if you want the tombs, the Coronation Chair and Poets’ Corner. You can do both on a weekday: a morning visit, then Evensong at 5:00pm.

If you want both in one booking, one walking tour does exactly that. The 3-hour option of the Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace walking tour (from $44) covers the exteriors, then gives you free independent entry to a service, Evensong or organ recital; its 4-hour option adds a guided visit inside the Abbey. For a full daytime visit, start with the Westminster Abbey entrance ticket at $43, or compare every option on our tours page. For other churches with sung services, see the best Evensong in London, and for the Abbey’s other daily services, our services guide.