FAQs
Our FAQs page will answer your questions about your visit back to 10th Century York before you experience JORVIK Viking Centre.
Is JORVIK Viking Centre open?
JORVIK Viking Centre is open.
You can pre-book online, or by calling 01904 615505, is advisable.
How do I book tickets?
You can either book tickets online or by calling 01904 615505.
How long will my visit last?
We recommend at least 1 hour so that you have the opportunity to explore both our ride experience and our gallery spaces. However, depending on your level of interest and how deeply you want to delve into exploring the impact of the Vikings on York your visit can last as long as you wish.
Can we buy tickets with cash?
We recommend visitors book online or over the phone in advance and pay with card. If you are not able to do so, you can speak to our Admissions team on the door at JORVIK Viking Centre to pay in cash. Our friendly team will book you onto the next available slot, but please be aware that in busy times, this may be much later in the day, or indeed, later in the week if we have already sold out.
We always advise anyone wanting to buy tickets with cash to come early in the day to book their ticket. You can check availability for slots during the day online if you have access to a mobile phone, simply by going to ‘buy tickets’, selecting the number of tickets that you need and the date you want to visit. Of course, be aware, that other people may book available slots in the interim.
All of our available slots are released online; our admissions team does not have access to any hidden or overflow slots.
Why can you no longer turn up and queue to get in?
Following customer feedback, we moved to a full prebooking system, which enables us to control visitor flow better, and make sure that our Discover Coppergate and Explore Coppergate galleries are not too busy for everyone to get the most out of their visit. We want our visitors to be able to explore the exhibits at their leisure.
Our Time Capsules have a fixed maximum capacity of riders per hour, but this reduces when, for example, a family of four take a Capsule with a capacity of six. Through many trials, we know the optimum number of people that we can allow through in each prebooked time slot to minimise waiting outside and within the attraction. If there is no queue outside, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we are not busy; it often means that our booking and ride systems are functioning perfectly.
On occasion, issues with the ride – for example, visitors needing assistance, technical glitches or those with mobility issues taking a little while longer to get on and off the ride – can cause slight delays within our Discover Coppergate gallery. Rather than queueing, we’d encourage visitors to further explore the touchscreen displays, enjoy the reconstruction under the floor or view the real preserved timbers, whilst they wait for the queue to subside. Just make sure you are in the queue before the introductory talk for the next group finishes.
What is the best way to get to JORVIK?
You can visit JORVIK by numerous methods of transport including car, bus and train. Directions to JORVIK can be found on our Finding Us Page.
What age groups is JORVIK suitable for?
JORVIK is suitable for all ages but we recommend that to get the most out of your visit, children should be aged upwards of 5. We do not charge for under 5s.
Can I take a buggy on the ride?
To keep everyone safe and comfortable, we’re unable to allow buggies on this ride. They will need to be left in the pushchair storage area. Thank you for your understanding
Are tickets refundable?
Our tickets are non-refundable. However, If you are not able to visit the attraction for your pre-booked slot we can re-book your visit for a more convenient time.
I previously visited and wish to return to JORVIK with my 12-month free return. Can I book a specific timeslot?
I've already booked my tickets to visit JORVIK but now wish to add extra tickets to my booking. How can I do this?
Booking additional tickets to an already completed order is possible by ringing our Reservations team on 01904 615505.
My child is Blue Peter badge holder. Is there a discount available?
I have a voucher/discount for JORVIK tickets. Can I book tickets in advance using my voucher/discount?
A member of our group is a wheelchair user. Can we pay for tickets on arrival?
Visits to JORVIK including wheelchair users must be booked in advance. As most of the attraction is underground, wheelchair access to the JORVIK Viking Centre is restricted to one wheelchair user in the building at any one time. Please note, we are unable to offer online bookings for wheelchair and mobility scooter users at this time, and you need to call ahead to arrange this on 01904 615505 or email [email protected].
Can I purchase tickets as a gift?
Yes, this is possible by calling 01904 615505. Or you can purchase a gift voucher.
Can I film or take photographs at JORVIK?
Visitors to JORVIK Viking Centre are welcome to take photographs and short videos for personal use during their visit, and indeed, we always love to see and share your posts on social media, so do tag us in.
We ask that no flash photography or additional lighting is used within the attraction, and all cameras must be hand-held. Anyone wishing to film/photograph with lighting and/or tripods should contact the marketing team to arrange an out-of-hours visit (for which a fee is payable). Written approval from the marketing department must be sought for any commercial filming within the attraction, for which seven days’ notice is usually required.
We also ask that visitors do not film/share extended videos of the ride – snippets of30 seconds or less are fine. The ride is an experience where ambient sounds, sounds and smells combine to create a carefully designed immersive adventure, and many visitors enjoy experiencing this for the first time during their visit.
Filming/photography should not delay your progress through the attraction (so standing still whilst a friend films a piece-to-camera would not be permitted), as this will have an impact on the visitors that follow.
Our staff reserve the right at any point to ask visitors to cease filming or photography.
If I have additional questions, how can I get in touch with you?
You can email us at [email protected], or call 01904 615505