Cologne Cathedral Tickets: Entry, Tower Climb, Treasury and Guided Tours

Since 1 July 2026, sightseeing inside Cologne Cathedral needs a ticket. The cathedral’s own website says so, and it also says where the tickets come from: you book them online on the cathedral’s ticket page, not through a third party. This guide sets out what the cathedral publishes about its tickets and what the guided walks on GetYourGuide add.

Which tickets exist

According to the cathedral’s ticket page there are tickets for the interior, for the Domschatzkammer (the treasury) and for the climb up the south tower. Tower and treasury are also sold as a combined ticket: the cathedral lists it at €12 (reduced €6), and the tower or the treasury alone at €8 each (reduced €4). For the interior, news reports at the launch in July 2026 gave €12 (reduced €6); the ticket page shows the current price when you book.

You can book up to three months ahead, with a limit of nine tickets per booking. Larger groups use a separate request form. If you would rather pay in person, the Zentralkasse in the Kurienhaus, Roncalliplatz 2, is open daily from 9:00 to 17:30.

Free entry applies to children under 14 (photo ID required) and to severely disabled visitors with a degree of disability of at least 50 per cent; with the “B” mark, one companion is free too. Pupils from 14, apprentices, students and holders of an NRW social pass pay a reduced price with ID and proof. A KölnCard gives a reduction on the treasury only, not on the interior or the tower.

Praying or lighting a candle does not need a ticket: that entrance is the north portal, free of charge.

Opening hours

Sightseeing inside is generally daily from 10:00 to 17:45, last entry 17:30. On Sundays and church holidays it is generally 13:30 to 16:30, last entry 16:15. The tower is open 9:00 to 18:00 from March to October and 9:00 to 16:00 from November to February, with last entry half an hour before closing. The treasury is open 10:00 to 18:00, last entry 17:30. The cathedral warns that restrictions can come at short notice because of building work or events.

The tower climb

The south tower has 533 steps and no lift, and the cathedral suggests 30 to 45 minutes. Children can climb with their parents if they can manage the steps on their own; from 12 they may go up unaccompanied. The route passes the bell chamber, which is closed during the large bell ringing before services (on Sundays and holidays until 14:00) and during maintenance. Only small bags and daypacks up to 40 × 35 × 10 cm are allowed. The climb is closed on 1 January, Weiberfastnacht, carnival Saturday and Sunday, Rose Monday, 11 November, and on 24, 25 and 31 December. If you have bad knees or a heavy bag, this is not the day for it.

Guided options around the Dom

Interior tours are booked through the DOMFORUM partner and also require an entry ticket. The tours on GetYourGuide work differently, and two of them do not go inside at all.

• The Cathedral and Old Town walk with one Kölsch costs €20.70 and lasts two hours. It starts at Domkloster 4. The booking page says the cathedral is visited from the outside only, and the guide speaks German.
• The cathedral walk with VR headsets costs €29.90, lasts one hour and uses six VR stations to show 700 years of building history. The booking page states the cathedral is not entered, and the live guide speaks German. It is not suitable for children under 6 or people with mobility impairments.
• The Dark Side of the Dom tour costs €15, lasts two hours and is offered in English and German. It begins at Heumarkt and tells ghost and medieval stories of the Old Town. Entry to churches is not included.

What we would do

Book the cathedral ticket yourself on the official page, and add the tower if you can face 533 steps. Then decide whether you want context. The VR walk gives the history of the building in an hour and works well before or after you go inside, as long as you can follow a German-speaking guide. The Old Town walk suits you if you understand German and want the whole centre in one go. Pick the Dark Side tour for an English-speaking evening of stories, not for architecture.

Cologne also has a strong boat option for a view of the Dom from the Rhine; see our Rhine cruise guide and all tickets and attractions in Cologne.