Royal Opera House in London
Royal Opera House in Covent Garden seats 2,255 in its main auditorium, stages The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet, and is a 3-minute walk from Covent Garden station.
Photo credits
The Royal Opera House's lit Covent Garden façade and Bow Street entrance at night: Matt Brown · CC BY 2.0
Quick answers
- Address
- Bow Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 9DD
- Address
- Bow Street, Covent GardenWC2E 9DD London
- Main auditorium
- 2,255 seats on four tiers plus the Amphitheatre
- Nearest station
- Covent Garden (Piccadilly line), 3 min walk
- Typical evening
- Starts 19:15–19:30; see production for end time
- Tickets from
- £9
- Parking
- No on-site parking; nearest garage 7 min walk
- Contact
- +44 (0)20 7304 4000
Royal Opera House agenda: upcoming events
Tonight, this week and the months ahead at this venue in London.
Last night at Royal Opera House: Carmen
Plan your visit to Royal Opera House
Capacity: how many people the Royal Opera House seats
The main auditorium seats 2,255 people, one of the largest opera-house auditoriums in London; the Linbury Theatre and Paul Hamlyn Hall host smaller events.
- Main auditorium
- 2,255 seats
- Linbury Theatre
- 350 seats
- Paul Hamlyn Hall
- 600 standing
- Performances a year
- More than 500
The main auditorium is a traditional horseshoe theatre with four tiers of boxes and balconies and an Amphitheatre above them. It seats 2,255 people.
The Linbury Theatre, below ground, seats 350 and can be reconfigured. The Paul Hamlyn Hall, the former Floral Hall, holds 600 standing for a reception or 350 theatre-style.
For comparison, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane seats 2,196, the Lyceum Theatre 2,100 and the Novello Theatre 1,105.
| Venue | Capacity | Used for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Opera House, main auditorium | 2,255 | Opera and ballet | Wikidata |
| Theatre Royal Drury Lane | 2,196 | Musicals and plays | Wikidata |
| Lyceum Theatre | 2,100 | Musicals | Wikidata |
| Novello Theatre | 1,105 | Plays and musicals | Wikidata |
Seating plan: choosing a seat in the main auditorium
The main auditorium has five levels. The access page gives the floor each level is entered from and the step-free route into the building.
Levels
Ground, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th floors
Step-free entry
Piazza and Bow Street
Lifts
To all floors
The Orchestra Stalls and Stalls Circle are on the ground floor. The Donald Gordon Grand Tier is reached from the second floor, the Balcony from the third, and the Amphitheatre from the fourth and fifth floors.
Step-free entry is through the power-assisted door at the Piazza entrance in Covent Garden and at the ground-level entrance on Bow Street.
The access page says that stairs, escalators and lifts provide access to all floors, and that lifts on the left-hand side of the Main Stage Auditorium serve the Paul Hamlyn Hall, Crush Room, Linbury Foyer and Balconies Restaurant.
The table below repeats the access page's mapping so you can check the floor before choosing a level.
- Check the level before booking; the access page gives the floor for each level.
- Use the power-assisted doors at the Piazza and Bow Street entrances for step-free entry.
- Lifts reach all floors; the left-hand lifts in the Main Stage Auditorium serve the Paul Hamlyn Hall, Crush Room, Linbury Foyer and Balconies Restaurant.
Food and drink: Cicoria, bars and the café
Cicoria and Bar Cicoria on the fifth floor serve Italian food and drinks; the Ground Floor Café and bars cover quicker visits.
Cicoria is Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett's Italian restaurant on the fifth floor, open Monday to Saturday 12:00–23:00 and Sunday 12:00–21:00. Bar Cicoria next door serves drinks and small plates with city views.
The Balconies Restaurant and Crush Room are open to ticket holders only and require booking. The Dorfman Conservatory and Paul Hamlyn Hall are open around main-stage performances and open to all.
Only food and drink from the Ground Floor Café or bars may be consumed on site; in the auditorium only bottled water and ice creams are allowed. Free water stations are on all levels.
The venue is cashless. Restaurant enquiries: 020 7212 9254 or restaurants@roh.org.uk.
- Cicoria hours
- Mon–Sat 12:00–23:00; Sun 12:00–21:00
- Cicoria floor
- Fifth floor
- Restaurants phone
- 020 7212 9254
- Payment
- Cashless
Accessibility: step-free routes, toilets and assistance
Step-free entrances, lifts to every floor and accessible toilets make most of the building usable, but there are no Changing Places facilities.
Use the power-assisted door at the Piazza entrance in Covent Garden or the ground-level entrance on Bow Street. Stairs, escalators and lifts reach all floors.
Accessible toilets are on the ground floor, in the Linbury Foyer and on Level 5. There are no Changing Places toilets; the nearest is at the National Portrait Gallery, around a 10-minute walk away.
Assistance dogs are welcome everywhere. A complimentary companion ticket is available for visitors who need personal assistance.
Wheelchair spaces are close to accessible toilets in the Main Stage Auditorium. Covent Garden station has lifts, but there are 139 steep stairs from the platform; Leicester Square, Holborn and Tottenham Court Road are step-free alternatives.
- Step-free entrance
- Piazza and Bow Street
- Lifts
- To all floors
- Accessible toilets
- Ground floor, Linbury Foyer, Level 5
- Changing Places
- Not on site
- Companion ticket
- Complimentary
House rules: bags, phones and children
Bags are checked, large bags must be checked in, and photography is not allowed during performances.
Larger bags, suitcases and backpacks are not permitted in the theatres or on tours and must be checked into the cloakroom. Cloakrooms open two hours before evening shows and 90 minutes before matinees.
All bags are checked on arrival. Pushchairs, e-scooters and e-unicycles cannot be stored.
The use of mobile phones, electronic devices and all photography, filming and sound recording is not allowed during the performance.
Children under five are not admitted to the auditoria. Children aged five to 14 need their own ticket and must sit next to an accompanying adult; standing places are not recommended for those aged 15 and under.
The venue is cashless, and only food and drink from the Ground Floor Café or bars may be consumed on site.
- Large bags
- Must be checked in
- Cloakroom
- 2 hours before evening shows
- Photography
- Not during performances
- Under-fives
- Not admitted
- Payment
- Cashless
Getting there: tube, train and bus to Covent Garden
The Royal Opera House is on the Covent Garden Piazza, a 3-minute walk from Covent Garden station and 13 minutes from Charing Cross.
Covent Garden is on the Piccadilly line and is the nearest Underground station, about 190 m away. The station has 139 steep stairs to street level, but lifts are available.
For step-free access, use Leicester Square, Holborn or Tottenham Court Road instead; all three are listed by the venue as step-free alternatives.
Charing Cross mainline station is about 0.5 miles or a 13-minute walk, with good wheelchair access. Waterloo and Euston are a short bus or taxi ride away.
Buses stop at Aldwych, about a 5-minute walk, and at Aldwych/Drury Lane, about 6 minutes.
Parking: garages, rates and walking times
There is no on-site parking; the nearest public garage is Q-Park Covent Garden on Bedfordbury, about a 7-minute walk.
The venue has limited public disabled-access bays on Bow Street and Floral Street. Q-Park Covent Garden at 34-35 Bedfordbury has 33 spaces, a 1.83 m height limit and is open 07:00–23:00.
Apex Parking on Parker Mews, Parker Street, is about a 5-minute walk and publishes £6.00/hour or £30.00/day, with an early-bird rate of £15 and an evening rate of £17; it is open 24 hours.
Q-Park Chinatown on Newport Place is open 24/7 and has 254 spaces, 2 disabled spaces and 16 electric charging points, but neither Q-Park garage publishes a walk-up tariff online; pre-book or pay on arrival.
Pre-booked private spaces near the Royal Opera House start at £4.80/hour and £26.50/day through JustPark, subject to availability.
| Car park | Address | Walk | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q-Park Covent Garden | 34-35 Bedfordbury, London WC2N 4HX | 7 min | No walk-up tariff online |
| Apex Parking, Covent Garden Car Park | Parker Mews, Parker Street, London WC2B 5NT | 5 min | £6.00/hour; £30.00/day; early bird £15; evening £17 |
| JustPark, spaces near the Royal Opera House | Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD | 2–10 min | From £4.80/hour; £26.50/day |
- On-site parking
- None
- Closest garage
- Q-Park Covent Garden, 7 min
- Cheapest published day rate
- £26.50 at JustPark
- Disabled bays
- Bow Street and Floral Street
Rooms and halls: main auditorium, Linbury and Paul Hamlyn Hall
Four public spaces host performances and events, from the 2,255-seat main auditorium to the 70-standing Dorfman Conservatory.
- Main auditorium
- 2,255 seats
- Linbury Theatre
- 350 seats
- Paul Hamlyn Hall
- 600 standing
- Clore Studio
- 176 seats
| Space | Seated | Standing |
|---|---|---|
| Main auditorium | 2,255 | Not listed |
| Linbury Theatre | 350 | Not listed |
| Paul Hamlyn Hall | 350 theatre-style | 600 |
| Crush Room | 140 | 200 |
| Clore Studio | 176 | 250 |
| Dorfman Conservatory | Not listed | 70 |
First visit: tickets, doors and what to expect
Tickets start at £9, the auditorium opens 30 minutes before the performance, and tickets are digital only.
Book on rbo.org.uk; prices for productions start from £9, and the Young RBO scheme offers £30 tickets for 16-25 year olds.
Tickets are digital only. The box office is open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 until the start of the evening performance or 18:00, and on Sundays with performances from 90 minutes before showtime.
Latecomers are admitted at a suitable break, which can be up to 90 minutes into the performance. The auditorium opens 30 minutes before curtain-up.
There is no formal dress code. The building opens daily at 12:00 and closes after the evening performance, or at 23:00 Monday to Saturday and 21:00 on Sunday when there is no evening performance.
- Tickets from
- £9
- Young RBO
- £30 for 16-25 year olds
- Doors
- 30 minutes before
- Dress code
- No formal dress code
- Latecomers
- Admitted up to 90 minutes in
History: three theatres on the Covent Garden site
Three theatres have stood on the site since 1732; the present building opened in 1858 and was extensively rebuilt in the 1990s.
The first Theatre Royal opened on 7 December 1732. Handel gave regular opera seasons there from 1735 until his death in 1759, and the theatre burned down in 1808.
A second theatre opened on 18 September 1809 and burned in 1856. The third theatre, designed by Edward Middleton Barry, opened on 15 May 1858 with Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots; its façade, foyer and auditorium survive.
The 1990s reconstruction added the Linbury Theatre and opened up the Floral Hall, built in 1860 as a flower market, as the Paul Hamlyn Hall.
The Royal Opera House is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, and welcomes over one million visitors a year.
- First theatre
- 7 December 1732
- Present building
- Opened 15 May 1858
- Floral Hall
- Built 1860
- Visitors
- Over one million a year
Photos
Photo credits
The Royal Opera House's lit Covent Garden façade and Bow Street entrance at night: Matt Brown · CC BY 2.0
Interior of the Floral Hall at the Royal Opera House, showing its glass roof and ironwork: User:FA2010 · Public domain
The Royal Opera House auditorium in use, with the stage curtain, seating tiers and warm lighting: Nick Richards · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Cropped
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Royal Opera House: frequently asked questions
royal opera house tickets
Tickets are sold on the official website, rbo.org.uk, with prices from £9. The box office is open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 until the start of the evening performance or 18:00, and on Sundays with performances from 90 minutes before showtime.
royal opera house restaurant
Cicoria and Bar Cicoria on the fifth floor serve Italian-inspired food and drinks. The Balconies Restaurant and Crush Room are for ticket holders only and require booking.
royal opera house tours
The Royal Opera House runs guided tours, including backstage tours, Family Sundays and Live at Lunch events. Times and prices are listed on rbo.org.uk, and larger bags must be checked into the cloakroom.
royal opera house guided tour
Guided tours of the Royal Opera House cover the front of house and the history of the building. Times and prices are listed on rbo.org.uk.
royal opera house behind the scenes tour
Behind-the-scenes tours go into the backstage areas when the schedule allows. They must be booked in advance on rbo.org.uk, and larger bags must be checked into the cloakroom.
royal opera house address
Royal Opera House, Bow Street, London, WC2E 9DD, on the Covent Garden Piazza. The nearest Underground station is Covent Garden on the Piccadilly line, a 3-minute walk away.
royal opera house box office phone number
Call +44 (0)20 7304 4000 or email boxoffice@roh.org.uk. The box office is open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 until the start of the evening performance or 18:00.
royal opera house capacity
The main auditorium seats 2,255 people. The Linbury Theatre holds 350 and the Paul Hamlyn Hall 600 standing, so the Royal Opera House can host both large opera productions and small events.
royal opera house how many seats
The main auditorium has 2,255 seats. The Linbury Theatre seats 350 and the Paul Hamlyn Hall holds 600 standing, so the building can host large opera and ballet productions as well as small events.
royal opera house dress code
There is no formal dress code. Choose what you find comfortable for a theatre visit; the auditorium opens 30 minutes before the performance.
royal opera house seating plan
The main auditorium has four tiers of boxes and balconies plus the Amphitheatre. The Orchestra Stalls and Stalls Circle are entered from the ground floor, the Donald Gordon Grand Tier and Balcony from the second and third floors, and the Amphitheatre from the fourth and fifth floors.
royal opera house auditorium
The main auditorium seats 2,255 people across four tiers of boxes and balconies plus the Amphitheatre. It is a traditional horseshoe theatre, so seats at the extreme sides can have a restricted view.
royal opera house nearest tube
Covent Garden on the Piccadilly line is the nearest station, about 190 m or a 3-minute walk. It has 139 steep stairs to street level but lifts are available; Leicester Square, Holborn and Tottenham Court Road offer step-free access.
royal opera house parking
There is no on-site parking. The nearest public car park with accessible spaces is Q-Park Covent Garden at 34-35 Bedfordbury, about a 7-minute walk; Apex Parking on Parker Mews publishes £6.00/hour and £30.00/day. Limited disabled bays are on Bow Street and Floral Street.
royal opera house bag policy
Larger bags, suitcases and backpacks are not permitted in the theatres or on tours and must be checked into the cloakroom. All bags are checked on arrival, and pushchairs, e-scooters and e-unicycles cannot be stored.
royal opera house opening times
The building is open daily from 12:00. It closes after the evening performance, or at 23:00 Monday to Saturday and 21:00 on Sunday when there is no evening performance.
royal opera house food
Food and drink from the Ground Floor Café or bars may be consumed on site; in the auditorium only bottled water and ice creams are allowed. Cicoria and Bar Cicoria are on the fifth floor.
royal opera house hotel
There is no hotel inside the Royal Opera House. The closest hotels are in Covent Garden, around Leicester Square and near Charing Cross, all within easy walking distance of the Bow Street entrance.
royal opera house cinema
The Royal Opera House screens opera and ballet productions live in cinemas around the world. The cinema season and participating venues are listed on rbo.org.uk.
royal opera house email address
The box office email is boxoffice@roh.org.uk. Restaurant enquiries go to restaurants@roh.org.uk or 020 7212 9254.
What time do performances start and finish at the Royal Opera House?
Evening performances usually start at 19:15 or 19:30 and finish around 21:40 to 22:20, depending on the production. Matinees often start at 12:30, 13:00 or 15:00 and finish around 14:40 to 17:45; check the production page for the exact running time.
Sources: Royal Opera House: venue hire (November 11, 2026) · Royal Opera House: access at the Royal Opera House (November 11, 2026) · Royal Opera House: visitor information; OpenStreetMap area data (November 11, 2026) · Royal Opera House: your first visit (November 11, 2026) · Royal Opera House: Cicoria and eat and drink (November 11, 2026) · Royal Opera House: attending a performance (November 11, 2026) · Wikipedia: Royal Opera House (November 11, 2026)
