Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
kiosk—survey your options before you queue (or, if the line is long, while you're in the
queue). It's smart to have two or three options in mind, just in case your first choice is sold
out when you reach the counter. While the line forms early, it tends to move fast. Unless
you have your heart set on a particular show that has only same-day tickets, consider drop-
ping by later in the day, when it's a bit less crowded—TKTS receives tickets throughout
the day (open Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, Sun 11:00-16:30). Note: If TKTS runs out of its ticket
allotment for a certain show, it doesn't necessarily mean that the show is sold out—you
can still try the theater's box office.
Warning:
The real booth (with its prominent
TKTS
sign) is a freestanding kiosk at the
south edge of the garden in Leicester Square. Several dishonest outfits nearby advertise
“official half-price tickets”—avoid these, where you'll rarely pay anything close to half-
price.
Booking Direct (at the Theater's Box Office):
While TKTS generally has seats that
are as cheap or cheaper than at the theater itself, the advantage of buying direct is that
you may have access to deals that you can't get anywhere else. Most theaters offer cheap
returned tickets, standing-room, matinee, senior or student standby deals, and more. (Dis-
counted tickets, called “concessions,” are indicated with a “conc” or “s” in the listings.)
Picking up a late return can get you a great seat at a cheap-seat price. A good plan for
same-day deals is to arrive at the box office right when it opens (most open at 10:00; a
few open at 9:00). For example, the popular show
Wicked
saves its front-row tickets to
sell at half-price at 10:00 on the day of the show, but you must buy them in person at
the box office...and on busy days, people line up early. (Restrictions may apply—for ex-
ample, you may be limited to two half-price tickets, and even if you can buy more, the
seats may not be together.) To find deals, look at the show's website, call the box office,
or simply drop by (the theaters are mostly in highly trafficked tourist areas, so you're
likely to pass your chosen theater at some point during your visit). Even if a show is “sold
out,” there's usually a way to get a seat. Call the theater box office and ask how, or check
www.timeout.com/london
for show-by-show info on same-day tickets at West End theat-
ers.
If you don't care where you sit, you can often buy the absolute cheapest seats at
the box office; these tickets usually cost
£
20 or less. These seats tend to be either in the
nosebleed rows and/or have a restricted view (behind a pillar or extremely far to one side),
and are often available only as same-day tickets. (For smaller theaters where every seat's a
decent one, TKTS may indeed beat the best box-office price: Compare online before head-
ing out.) After the lights go down, scooting up is less than a capital offense. Shakespeare
did it.
Booking Through Other Agencies:
Although booking through a middleman (such
as your hotel or a ticket agency) is quick and easy, prices are inflated by a standard 25
