Dover Castle

Operation Dynamo in the Secret Wartime Tunnels is closed for essential maintenance, with no reopening date confirmed. The Underground Hospital remains open.

Last admission is one hour before closing. Parking opens with the castle and is for castle visitors only; peak-time overflow is at Broadlees CT16 1HW.

Current calendar: 2026-09-09 to 2026-09-13: Property: Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 17:00

Seasonal calendar: 2026-10-26 to 2026-11-01: Property: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 16:00

Seasonal calendar: 2026-11-02 to 2026-12-20: Property: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri CLOSED; Sat, Sun 10:00 - 16:00

Check the official date calendar for holiday openings, seasonal price bands and event exceptions. Later dates may differ from this snapshot.

Grounds and several exhibitions have wheelchair access. The Great Tower offers ground-floor access only; upper rooms and some tunnels require stairs. The Underground Hospital is not accessible to wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

English Heritage membership covers standard admission. National Trust membership alone does not cover entry. Special events may be charged separately.

Hero photograph: Chensiyuan. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=60956709

Photo licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Dogs at the location: Allowed with restrictions. Pet dogs on leads are permitted in the grounds only, not inside the castle buildings or tunnels. Assistance dogs are welcome across the site.

Dog walks in the grounds: Allowed with restrictions. Dogs may walk on leads around the castle grounds with normal admission or eligible membership. The grounds permission does not extend into indoor attractions.

Dog walks in the surrounding area: Allowed with restrictions. The National Trust publishes a dog-friendly walking trail between its White Cliffs visitor centre and Dover Castle. Use that signed route, not the narrow road without a footway. Castle admission and the White Cliffs car park are separate; an EH card is not an NT parking entitlement.

Leads: Dogs must be on leads in castle grounds. On the separate cliff trail keep dogs controlled, away from cliff edges and wildlife, and follow livestock signs.

Seasonal dog restrictions: Not confirmed: the castle facilities page gives no fixed seasonal dog exclusions. Check signs and temporary route closures.

Assistance dogs: Assistance dogs are welcome across the site; physical access restrictions still apply to tunnels and stairs.