You can only get into Newgrange on a guided tour that starts at the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, and you need to book a timed ticket in advance on the official OPW site. Tickets cost €10 for an adult in winter and €18 in summer. Coach tours from Dublin, which include the ticket and the Hill of Tara, cost about €80 to €85.
Newgrange is a 5,000-year-old passage tomb in the Boyne Valley, County Meath, older than Stonehenge and the pyramids at Giza. It’s about 45 minutes’ drive north of Dublin, which makes it one of the easier day trips. Prices were checked on 14 November 2026.
The rules you need to know first
- All visits start at the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre in Donore. A shuttle bus takes you to the monument. If you drive to Newgrange itself, you won’t get in.
- Pre-booking is essential. Every visitor needs a ticket, including babies.
- Book only on the official site. No third-party company is authorised to sell Brú na Bóinne tickets, and tickets from resale sites aren’t valid. Tour operators book them for you as part of the tour price.
- The shuttle bus stop is 600 metres from the car park, across the river. Arrive on time: late arrivals can’t be fitted in.
- There’s no luggage storage at the visitor centre.
Tickets and prices
What you can book depends on the season.
Winter: 2 November 2026 to 28 February 2027
The only option is the Newgrange Tour + Exhibition: the self-guided exhibition, then the shuttle to Newgrange for a guided tour that includes going into the chamber. Knowth isn’t included. It takes about two hours. Tickets are released only 7 days in advance.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | €10 |
| Senior (60+) | €8 |
| Student (18+, with ID) | €5 |
| Child (12 to 17) | €5 |
| Child (under 12) | Free, but needs a ticket |
| Family (2 adults and up to 5 children aged 12 to 17) | €25 |
Summer: 1 March to 1 November
The main option is the Brú na Bóinne Tour + Newgrange Chamber, which visits both Knowth and Newgrange and includes the Newgrange chamber. It takes about three hours. There’s also a limited Newgrange-only tour and a Knowth-only tour, one a day each. Tickets are released 30 days in advance from April.
| Brú na Bóinne Tour + Newgrange Chamber | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | €18 |
| Senior (60+) | €16 |
| Student / child (12 to 17) | €12 |
| Child (under 12) | Free |
| Family | €48 |
Summer prices are as published for 2026 and may change for 2027. The visitor centre exhibition on its own costs €5 for an adult and doesn’t need booking.
Sold out? New tickets are released online at midnight Irish time, and cancelled tickets go back on sale whenever they’re cancelled. The OPW suggests checking in the afternoon (3 to 4pm) and the morning (8.30 to 9.30am). Book on the official Brú na Bóinne booking site.
Opening hours
- November to February: 9am to 4.15pm
- March, April and October: 9.30am to 4.45pm
- May to September: 9am to 5.45pm
- Closed 23 to 27 December and 1 January. From 18 to 22 December, regular tours are suspended for the winter solstice mornings.
Tours from Dublin compared
| Tour | Adult price | Pickup | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Gibbons Tours: Newgrange and the Hill of Tara | About €80 | Several points in Dublin 4 and the city centre | Newgrange entry, the Hill of Tara, the Boyne Valley and Slane. Runs daily. |
| Hilltoptreks: Newgrange and Boyne Valley | €85 (child, student, senior €82) | 9am, Molly Malone statue, Suffolk St; back about 5pm | Newgrange entry (and Knowth in season), the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre, Monasterboice high crosses |
Mary Gibbons is the long-established specialist and books directly through newgrangetours.com. Pickup times differ on weekdays and weekends, so check them when you book. Both tours handle the Brú na Bóinne ticket for you, which is the main reason to take one: in summer the tickets can sell out weeks ahead. Private drivers are also available, but most charge separately for the Newgrange tickets.
Run tours to Newgrange and the Boyne Valley? Get your company featured here.
Getting there by public transport
- Get to Drogheda: the train from Dublin Connolly to Drogheda MacBride station, or the Bus Éireann 100X.
- Take TFI Local Link route 163 from Drogheda MacBride station to the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, via the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre. It runs a handful of times a day, seven days a week, and takes about 35 minutes.
The 163 timetable has changed several times, so check the current times on Transport for Ireland and book your Newgrange slot to match the bus. Leave plenty of time: you need to be at the visitor centre at your booked time, and the last buses back are mid to late afternoon. The 163 doesn’t run on Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day or New Year’s Day.
Driving
About 40 to 45 minutes from Dublin on the M1. Use the Eircode A92 EH5C for the visitor centre, not “Newgrange”, or your sat nav may take you to the monument, where you can’t get in.
Make a day of it
- The Hill of Tara: the ancient seat of the High Kings, about 17km away. The site is free and open all year, with guided tours from 1 May to 30 September (€5 adult).
- The Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre at Oldbridge, about 4km away, on the 163 bus route.
- Old Mellifont Abbey, Ireland’s first Cistercian monastery, about 6km away.
- Monasterboice, with two of the finest high crosses in Ireland.
The winter solstice
Newgrange was built so that sunlight enters the chamber at dawn around the winter solstice. Places inside for the solstice mornings are given out by a free lottery run by the OPW, with applications at the visitor centre or online. There are very few places, so don’t plan a trip around winning.
Want a private tour instead?
Travelling as a family or a group, or want to go at your own pace? A private driver-guide can pick you up at your hotel and plan the day around you. Tell us what you have in mind and we'll pass it to a local private tour operator, who will reply with a quote. It's free and there's no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Newgrange without a tour?
You don’t need a tour company, but you can’t visit on your own: everyone goes in on the official guided tour from the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, booked in advance online. You can get to the visitor centre by car or by train and Local Link bus.
How much are Newgrange tickets?
In winter (to 28 February 2027), the Newgrange Tour + Exhibition is €10 for an adult. In summer, the Brú na Bóinne Tour + Newgrange Chamber, which includes Knowth, was €18 for an adult in 2026. Under-12s are free but still need a ticket.
How far in advance should I book Newgrange?
As soon as tickets are released: 7 days ahead in winter and 30 days ahead in summer. If it’s sold out, check for cancellations in the early morning and mid-afternoon.
Can you go inside Newgrange?
Yes. Both the winter and summer tours include the chamber. The passage is narrow and low in places, so it’s not suitable for everyone.
How long does a Newgrange day trip take?
About 8 hours on a coach tour from Dublin. On your own by car, allow half a day for the visit itself (two to three hours at Brú na Bóinne), or a full day with the Hill of Tara.