Everything you need before you go: opening hours, admission prices, how to get there, and what the visit is actually like.
| 1 March – 30 June | 9:30am – 5:00pm |
| 1 July – 31 August | 9:30am – 6:00pm |
| 1 September – 31 October | 9:30am – 5:00pm |
| 1 November – 28 February | 10:00am – 4:00pm |
| Closed | 24, 25, 26 December & 1 January |
Last admission 30 minutes before closing. Hours verified against cadw.gov.wales, the official heritage body for the castle.
| Adult | £14.90 – £15.60 (season-dependent) |
| Senior (65+) | £13.40 – £14.00 |
| Junior (5–17) / Student | £10.40 – £10.90 |
| Family (2 adults + 3 children) | £47.70 – £50.00 |
| Under 5s & disabled visitor's companion | Free |
Booking Cadw tickets online directly saves 5%. Several guided tours on this site include castle admission in the tour price — check each listing's inclusions before buying a separate ticket.
Caernarfon sits on the A4085, A487(T) and B4366. A pay-and-display car park sits at the waterfront, directly beside the castle.
The nearest mainline station is Bangor, 16km away on the Crewe–Holyhead line, with onward local buses into Caernarfon.
Caernarfon Penllyn bus stop is 200m from the castle, served by routes 5, 5A and 5B between Bangor and Caernarfon.
National Cycle Network Route 8 runs directly through Caernarfon.
The King's Gate upper levels are reachable by lift, but most of the castle's interior involves steep, uneven historic stairs — Cadw rates the terrain as strenuous. A portable hearing loop is available, and assistance dogs are permitted. Visitors who need evacuation assistance are advised to contact the castle in advance to reserve a timeslot, since the King's Gate evacuation route uses a narrow spiral staircase.
Sturdy, flat shoes make a real difference on the worn stone steps inside the towers. The castle sits exposed on the waterfront, so layers are worth packing even in summer — the towers catch the wind off the Menai Strait.
Caernarfon Castle has visitor toilets with baby-changing facilities, a gift shop, and free public Wi-Fi. The Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum, covering over 300 years of the regiment's history, sits inside two of the castle's towers and is included in standard castle admission. An audio guide can be purchased on arrival at the visitor centre.
Most visitors booking Caernarfon Castle tickets choose between a self-guided visit with an audio guide or a tour with a live guide. A guided walking tour or small-group Caernarfon Castle guided tours option typically covers the King's Gate, the Eagle Tower, and the outer bailey investiture site in around an hour, with time afterward to explore independently.
Compare all 7 Caernarfon Castle tickets side by side, including prices, ratings, and what's included.