• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Russiable

Traveling to Russia and beyond

  • 1. VISA
    • OPTION 1. Electronic Russian visa (e-visa)
    • OPTION 2. Regular Russian visa
    • OPTION 3. Visa-free to Russia
    • INVITATION TO RUSSIA
    • TRAVEL INSURANCE RUSSIA
    • VISA TO CHINA, INDIA AND URSS
  • 2. PREPARATIONS
    • STEP 0. Restrictions
    • STEP 1. Itinerary
    • STEP 2. Flights
    • STEP 3. Russian trains
    • STEP 4. Accommodation
    • STEP 5. Tickets
    • STEP 6. Shows
    • STEP 7. Rubles
    • STEP 8. SIM card
    • STEP 9. Luggage
    • STEP 10. The arrival
  • 3. DESTINATIONS
    • 3.1. MOSCOW
      • 1. Downtown Moscow
      • 2. Sightseeing
      • 3. Museums and parks
      • 4. Churches-Architecture
      • 5. Entertainment
      • 6. Restaurants
      • 7. Shopping Moscow
      • 8. Public transport
      • 9. Tourist info
      • 10. Surroundings Moscow
    • 3.2. ST. PETERSBURG
      • 1. Downtown SP
      • 2. Sightseeing
      • 3. Museums and parks
      • 4. Churches-Architecture
      • 5. Entertainment
      • 6. Restaurants
      • 7. Shopping in SP
      • 8. Public transport
      • 9. Tourist info
      • 10. Surroundings SP
    • 3.3. TRANS-SIBERIAN
  • VISA INVITATION (PDF)
    • GUIDED TOURS
    • RUBLES EXCHANGE
    • SIM CARD
    • TRAVEL INSURANCE
    • RUSSIA GUIDE 2020 (PDF)
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home/3. DESTINATIONS/3.1. MOSCOW/3. Museums, palaces and parks/

Moscow Kremlin: how to buy tickets (to avoid queues) and what to see

The Kremlin in Moscow continues to be a site that inspires many questions from tourists and I have to admit that it is a place that can be a little confusing. In this article, I try to explain what the Kremlin is, what parts can be visited, and how you can buy tickets online in order to avoid the long lines.

Updated in February 2022

MOscow Kremlin - Featured image

I'm going to talk about ...

1. What is the Kremlin?

The word Kremlin means strength or fortified city. In Russia, you can find more than 20 Kremlins, the majority of which are old medieval cities that, with the passage of time, have grown and whose populations have extended far beyond their walls.

The most famous is the Kremlin of Moscow (Saint Petersburg does not have a Kremlin) whose significance since the end of the Soviet era has transformed and become synonymous with the Government of Russia, in the same way that the White House is with the government of the United States.

Kremlin Velikiy Novgorod Detinets
Kremlin of Nóvgorod

The complex now includes numerous palaces and cathedrals, surrounded by the Kremlin Wall in which you can find the towers of the Kremlin. The eastern part borders the Red Square.

The current Wall was constructed between the 15th and 16th Centuries, but the original Wall was made of would during the founding of Moscow somewhere around the year 1147.

The Kremlin has been the residence of the Tsars and today has two principal functions:

  • Houses the principal museum of Russia (the Kremlin Armory)
  • Serves as the official workplace for the President, although the President does not live in the Kremlin

2. What can you see inside the Kremlin?

The Kremlin occupies a large territory of 27 hectares. A large part is accessible to tourists. Basically, there are two separate types of tickets:

  • One to visit the exterior grounds of the Kremlin and the cathedrals square
  • Another to access the museum in the Armory

I recommend visiting both the cathedrals square and the Armory. It’s worth it. Visiting the grounds of the Kremlin and the cathedrals square can take at least 2 hours, while visiting the Armory can take another 2 hours (at least 4 hours total). Keep in mind that the tickets are separate. You can visit one area in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Within the Kremlin, there are no restaurants, although in the outdoor area there are usually fast food stalls (in any case, you can always take a hidden snack with you).

If you do not have a lot of time, you can just visit the grounds of the Kremlin and the cathedrals.

On this map, you can see the different buildings currently within the walls of the Kremlin:

Kremlin Moscow map

You can buy tickets online on the Kremlin’s website (later on I will explain how to do this) or at the ticket booths located in Alexander’s Gardens (number 37 on the map above).

Once you have purchased your tickets, you can access the Kremlin via two places (identified by red arrows): by the Kutafiya tower (number 16 on the map), through which you can access the grounds of the Kremlin and the cathedrals square and by the Borovitskaya Tower (number 20) through which you can access the Armory (number 1 on the map). Keep in mind that the Kremlin does not have access to the Red Square except from the two entrances marked with red arrows.

RELATED  VDNH (VDNKh), my favorite park in Moscow: Back to the USSR!

2.1. The grounds of the Kremlin and the Cathedral Square

You can visit both the grounds of the Kremlin as well as the Cathedral Square. The ticket costs 700 rubles (free for visitors under the age of 16). The most important elements on the Kremlin grounds are:

  • The Cathedral Square, a spectacular collection of 4 cathedrals in the same plaza. This plaza is famous for being the site of the coronations and funeral processions for all of the Russians tsars. In this day and age, it is used in the ceremony for the inauguration of the President of Russia (number 38 on the map).
  • The Tsar-Cannon, a gigantic, 38-ton, 890 mm caliber cannon that was put into service in 1586 by the Tsar Fiodor I.
  • The Tsar-Bell, an enormous bell (said to be the largest in the world), that weighs 216 tons and has a diameter of 6.6 meters. It was formed out of bronze sometime between 1733 and 1735, and in 1737 it was broken during a fire.
The Archangel's Cathedral
The Archangel’s Cathedral
The Tsar-Bell
The Tsar-Bell

2.2. The Armory of the Kremlin

It is used as a museum, where you can visit:

  • The Armory Museum. In spite of its name, it does not only house weapons but also an ample collection of works of art from Russia and Europe from the 5th Century to the 20th Century: one of the largest collections in the world of Faberge eggs, genuine carriages, crowns, tsars’ royal vestments, etc.  This visit is essential. The entry fee for the general public is 1.000 rubles. Entrance is free for those younger than 16 years of age.
  • The diamond fund. This is a separate exposition within the Armory and costs 500 rubles (you can buy a ticket once you are inside the museum). It is one of the most important diamond exhibits in the world, comparable to the Crown Jewels of Great Britain.
The Armory Building - MOscow Kremlin
The Armory Building
Interior of the Armory - Carriages- Moscow Kremlin
Interior of the Armory – Carriages
Interior of the Armory - Exhibit - Moscow Kremlin
Interior of the Armory – Exhibit

2.3. Other palaces in the Kremlin

Besides the Armory and the Cathedral Square, the Kremlin also houses other buildings, some of which you can visit as well but only under certain conditions:

  • The Grand Kremlin Palace, from the mid-19th Century, is the palace in which the President of Russia holds official receptions. Visiting this site is possible in two ways: by invitation from the President of Russia or through requesting a private visit for a group (subject to availability), the base cost for which is certainly high.
The Grand Kremlin Palace - Moscow Kremlin
The Grand Kremlin Palace
The Hallway of the Order of Saint Andrew in the Grand Kremlin Palace
The Hallway of the Order of Saint Andrew in the Grand Kremlin Palace
  • Kremlin State Palace. Constructed in 1961, it is used as the Congressional Palace and as a concert hall. Tickets for events can be purchased online or the ticket sales office. The Palace is the principal center for the Kremlin Ballet, one of the most important ballet companies in Russia.
Kremlin State Palace
Kremlin State Palace
Kremlin State Palace - Interior
Kremlin State Palace – Interior
  • Presidential and administrative buildings. These are the buildings where the President of Russia works. They are made up of the Senate (the workplace of the President of Russia), the administrative buildings that belong to the Office of the Kremlin Command and the National Security Service, and the Arsenal. These buildings are not open to the public. They are outside the reach of tourists.
Senate Building in the Kremlin - Moscow
Senate Building in the Kremlin 

3. Where to buy entry tickets to the Kremlin?

The Armory is open for visitors from 10:00AM to 6:00PM with 4 exhibition sessions beginning at 10:00AM, noon, 2:30PM, and 4:30PM. The entry ticket, which costs 1,000 rubles (1,300 rubles with audio guide), grants access to the Armory museum but not to the Diamond Fund, which costs an extra 500 rubles (you can acquire these entry tickets at the ticket booths outside number 4 and 5 but also you can acquire tickets inside the Armory as well).

RELATED  How to catch a taxi in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, or in other Russian cities

The Cathedral Square can be visited freely from 9:30AM until 6:00PM (in winter from 10:00AM to 5:00PM). The entry ticket allows you to visit all of the cathedrals and the museums within the Kremlin (except Ivan the Great’s Bell Tower). The entry fee is 700 rubles (1,000 rubles with audio guide).

In order to visit Ivan the Great’s Bell Tower and its museum you must buy a ticket which costs 350 rubles (they cannot be purchased online, only at the ticket booths). There are sessions at 10:15AM, 11:15AM, 1:00PM, 2:00PM, 3:00PM, and 4:00PM with one additional session at 5:00PM from May 15th until September 30th. From the observation deck, on top of this bell tower, you can see fantastic views of Moscow. Entry is not allowed to children under 14 years of age.

VERY IMPORTANT:

  • The Kremlin is closed on Thursdays.
  • Can you take photos inside the Moscow Kremlin? It is forbidden to take photos and videos inside the Armory and the cathedrals. Outdoors you can take photos.
  • Covid-19 restrictions: they can change, so it is best to check the Kremlin museum website before the visit.

There are two types of tickets the General Entry for adults and the Free Entry for those under the age of 16.

You can buy your tickets in three ways:

  • On the official website for the Kremlin (only for General Entry tickets, not for Free Entry tickets). You can get tickets online both for the Armory as well as for the Cathedral Square.
  • At the Kremlin ticket booths, which are located in Aleksandrovsky Sad (Alexander’s Gardens), 45 minutes before the beginning of the session. The ticket offices are open from 9:30AM until 4:30PM (from 9:00AM to 5:00PM during the high season, from May 15th to September 30th). There are also machines that dispense tickets but these are only available in Russian.
  • Through a guided tour (with ticket already included), through a booking platform such as GetYourGuide.
Kremlin Ticket Booths - Moscow
Kremlin Ticket Booths

During the high season, long lines form at the ticket booths. Also, it is possible that you may want to plan your visit to the Armory at a specific time and there may not be any tickets left for that time. For these reasons, it is a good idea to buy your tickets in advance, which are sold a maximum of 17 days in advance. Those younger than 16 years old can get in free but their tickets cannot be purchased online.

RELATED  Official tourist maps of Moscow (PDF)

According to the general conditions for buying tickets online (part 7), tickets are refundable up until 3 hours before the entry time, however the process for getting your money back is a little bureaucratic: you must fill out a form that you can find at this link and send a scanned copy via email to this address: [email protected].

Is it worth it to buy tickets online? It depends. If you want to visit the Armory museum during the summer months, then it is worth it. If you’re visit is outside of the high season or if you are going to visit just the Cathedral Square, then maybe it would not be worth it, in this case perhaps it would be better to arrive early at the Kremlin ticket booths and buy your tickets there directly.

4. How to buy tickets online

Tickets can be purchased by following this link: http://tickets.kreml.ru/en/

Essentially there are two types of tickets that can be purchased separately: one for the Armory and another for the Cathedral Square. The process for buying your tickets is simple:

1. Select the type of ticket and the session (in the case of the Armory):

Buy electronic tickets Moscow Kremlin 1

2. Select the number of tickets that you want to buy (there is a limit of 4 per person), accept the terms of purchase, enter your email address, and click on the button that says “Order”:

Buy electronic tickets Moscow Kremlin 2

3. Next you should review to make sure that everything is correct and make the payment using you credit card. In your email, you will receive a link to download a voucher, which can be exchanged 45 minutes in advance of the time of your visit at ticket booths number 6, 7, and 8 (open from 9:00AM to 5:00PM). In this way there should not be much of a line at the ticket booths.

Buy electronic tickets Moscow Kremlin 3

5. Kremlin: Private tour in English

Through the GetYourGuide platform, you can hire one of the many agencies that conduct guided tours. For example:

  • Moscow Kremlin 3.5-Hour Private Tour: Diamond Fund & Armory
  • Moscow: Kremlin Ticket and 1.5-Hour Tour
  • Moscow: Private 4-Hour Walking Tour Including Kremlin
  • Moscow Kremlin and Armory Chamber Guided Tour
Moscow Kremlin Ticket and 1.5-Hour Tour

I hope that this article has helped you to understand the Kremlin and plan your visit.

Subscribe to the newsletter
I will send you the most important news about this blog. You can unsubscribe at any time
I accept the Privacy Policy
ShareTweet

Written by:
Irena Domingo
Published on:
February 11, 2022
Thoughts:
17 Comments

Categories: 3. Museums, palaces and parks, 3.1. MOSCOW, STEP 5. Tickets to museums and palaces

About Irena Domingo

Hello, my name is Irena. I was born in Russia in 1974 during the Soviet era. I worked as a Russian teacher and as a translator and interpreter for the past 20 years. One of my main hobbies is traveling. I started this blog with one aim: to create the most comprehensive guide ever written for traveling to Russia and beyond.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Derix

    November 8, 2019 at 11:45 am

    Those younger than 16 years old can get in free but their tickets cannot be purchased online – – – > Hi Irena, would you mind to advise how to get into kremlin for kid age 10yo? Does it means we have to purchase the ticket separately even though it is free for kidd below 16? Thanks a lot 🙂

    Reply
  2. Elio Conroy

    July 16, 2019 at 8:02 pm

    Can I take food (snacks)
    inside the kremlin complex?
    I heard there is no restaurants inside and visiting Armory museum and cathedral square can take many hours….

    Reply
    • Irena Domingo

      August 6, 2019 at 10:14 am

      That’s right, I recommend dividing the visit into two parts (since they are two different tickets) and going out to eat. Also you can take “hidden snacks” 🙂

      Reply
  3. Aida

    April 17, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    Irina, I would like to take Bolshoi theatre tour. I e-mailed the ticket office but got no response. can you please advise?

    Reply
    • Irena Domingo

      April 20, 2019 at 5:10 pm

      Write to this email: [email protected]

      Reply
  4. Aida

    April 17, 2019 at 4:25 pm

    Hello Irina, If I buy tickets on-line to Kremlin / Armory Chamber / Diamond Fond, etc., can we get a self-guided tour in English? The private tours are too long, we would like to walk independently.

    Reply
    • Irena Domingo

      April 20, 2019 at 5:11 pm

      Yes, you can visit the museum with an audio guide

      Reply
  5. Andrew Ivanoff

    April 25, 2018 at 3:54 pm

    I liked the Armoury Chamber – great museum

    Reply
  6. yvette yaghoubzadeh

    September 20, 2017 at 3:36 pm

    Hello Irena , Could you recommend an English speaking tour guide for 4 adults, with luxury vehicle thank you

    Reply
    • Irena Domingo

      September 21, 2017 at 12:31 pm

      Have a look at Getyouguide tours: https://russiable.com/getyo…

      Reply
  7. Katy_Lied

    July 17, 2017 at 1:26 pm

    Hi Irene,
    1. Can we take photos indoors? I seem to remember when I last went (in 1990s) that they wanted a lot of extra money to take picures.
    2. Do we have to check in our backpacks and purses? If so, is it a small or large fee?

    Reply
    • Irena Domingo

      July 19, 2017 at 8:07 am

      Hi Katy,

      1. Amateur photography and video recording at the Armoury Chamber are not permitted.
      2. Yes, it’s free: http://www.kreml.ru/en-Us/v…

      Reply
  8. สุรจิต จินตกานนท์

    February 8, 2017 at 7:57 am

    hello, IRENA. REALLY APPRECIATED IN YOUR HELP. I AM TASSANEE FROM THAILAND. PLAN TO TRAVEL IN RUSSIA IN MAY 2017. I WILL BUY BALLET TICKETS ONLINE FROM OFFICIAL WEBSITE , STATE KREMLIN THEATRE AND PAY BY CREDIT CARD.
    BUT THERE IS NO INFORMATION ABOUT RECEIVING TICKETS ON THEIR WEBSITE. PLEASE CLARIFY THAT. I TRY TO CONTACT TICKET OFFICE BY E MAIL . BUT NO REPLY.

    Reply
    • Irena Domingo

      February 8, 2017 at 5:37 pm

      Once purchased online you can print them: http://www.kremlinpalace.or…

      Reply
    • สุรจิต จินตกานนท์

      February 9, 2017 at 2:00 am

      thank you very much

      Reply
  9. Carolina

    January 26, 2017 at 10:25 am

    Hello, my name is Carolina and I’m from Argentina. I’m going to visit Russia nex month (February) with my mom. Im really excited about it. I know that Moscow is a very huge city, full of important places to visit and in order to not miss anything , I’ve been doing some research. Was doing that where I found your blog and I love it!
    The information provided here is extremely useful!!!! Thank you very very much

    Reply
    • Irena Domingo

      January 26, 2017 at 1:52 pm

      Thank you very much Carolina 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Discover more

About me Russia Travel Guide (PDF) Contact

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 · Rusalia Travel | Irena Domingo

Hi, I’m Irena Domingo. I was born in Russia in 1974 during the Soviet era. I started this blog with one aim: to create the most comprehensive guide ever written for traveling to Russia and beyond.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions