visit york vip pass

The Visit York Pass is the official all-inclusive sightseeing card for York and beyond, giving visitors entry to York & beyond attractions for one great price.

Visit York Attraction members can benefit from additional visits by joining The Visit York Pass free of charge. Each attraction receives a full page of copy in the York Pass guidebook and entry on Yorkpass.com. All York Pass visits are paid for monthly on receipt of invoice.

The Visit York Pass operates a smart mobile ticketing option, with Passes downloadable directly to a smartphone. Visit York Passes can be sold directly through your own website via an online booking widget.

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Great value for your guests and visitors The Visit York Pass offers your guests and visitors the opportunity to experience York’s top attractions for one great price. Stock The Visit York Pass leaflet in your information racks by ordering through Info Direct.

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Iconic York

York Minster – Northern Europe’s largest gothic cathedral, Viking history galore at JORVIK, York’s grisly past at York Dungeon or try a chocolate tasting… all part of York’s heritage.

City Cruises York

Yorkshire Museum

York City Sightseeing

Clifford’s Tower

Golden Tours York

DIG: An Archaeological Adventure

York Cocoa Works

JORVIK Viking Centre

National Railway Museum – Road Train

The City Walls Experience

The York Dungeon

Treasurer’s House

York Castle Museum

York Minster

Van Gogh Immersive Experience

A number of attractions require pre-booking, please check before your visit. Further information can be found on the individual attraction pages – payment is not required to pre-book.

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Is the york pass worth the money | what discounts are included.

Planning a trip to York in England, then keep reading for how to save money.

I’m all for a good bargain, who isn’t? If you can do the same activity, book the same flight or hotel for cheaper than pretty much everyone I know would jump at the chance!

After a recent trip to York, using the York Pass I will tell you whether it’s worth buying for your trip to York.

Here can you read whether all about what the York Pass is, how much it costs, whether it is right for you and your trip?

And ultimately whether it will save you money or not?

I’ve also included suggested itineraries for a 1, 2 or 3-day visit to York to see how you could use the pass save money, plus a few discount codes I’ve found.

Planning your York holiday in England now? Ask me any more questions about things to do in the comments below.

York Pass – All you need to know

What is the York Pass?

The York Pass is a card that you can purchase either before or during your York trip to save you money on attractions, tours, plus discounts in restaurants and shops on your visit to York City in the UK.

There are three options a 1-day option, valid for one calendar day, a 2-day pass, valid for two calendar days or a three-day pass, valid for six consecutive days.

How Much Does the York Pass Cost?

The York Pass has individual costs for adults and children. There are no lower rates for senior citizens or students.

Keep reading to see how you can save!

• 1-Day – From £45 adults/£26 children
• 2-Day – From £55 adults/£30 children
• 3-Day – From £65 adults/£35 children

Interestingly, if you purchase the York Pass via the official website at www.yorkpass.com the prices are slightly more expensive for both adults and children (up to £2-£5 depending on adult/child tickets and which day pass you buy).

However, if you like saving even more money and this could make a difference for a family then I would recommend checking options for purchasing your tickets via Get Your Guide .

Update January 2019

• Currently, the GetYourGuide tickets are the same price as the main website. But it’s always worth checking in case they are offering any good discounts or deals 🙂
• Also on  www.yorkpass.com  they are offering a 20% discount off the 3 and 6-day York Pass. 

You can check here for the latest prices for buying your York Pass here.

What is Included in the York Pass?

• The York Pass includes free entry  to York’s many attractions and tours in the city.
• Activities away from York are also free with the Pass – including attractions in the Howardian Hills and North York Moors National Park.
• A mini guidebook, complete with map, how to use your ‘York Pass’ information, details of all the free and discounted attractions.
• Discounts on additional tours, activities, restaurants and shops.

What is NOT Included in the York Pass?

• The York Pass is not a Fast Track Pass
• Public bus and train transport is not included
• Going up to the top of the Central Tower in York Minster is not included
• Free meals, food or drinks (discounts only available)

York Pass – Is it Worth the Money?

Like any city pass you buy, whether it’s the Berlin WelcomeCard or the Budapest City Card, the amount you use it increases it’s worth to you! The costs are transparent for the museums and York attractions so if you make the most of your trip to York then you’ll save money.

If you spend the entire time visiting restaurants and bars, you’ll probably not spend the value of the York Pass.

There are also limits on the York Pass but you’d have to fit a lot in around the city to exceed these on your trip.

For example, the adult limit on the one-day pass is £75 and for children, it’s £50 (All examples below do not exceed the limits).

Here are my suggested itineraries for the must-see things to do and see on your York trip, including costs for all activities and tours.

Plus the saving you would make so you can see for yourself if you are going to save before you buy!

York Pass – 1-Day option

For one day in York with the pass, the calculations are simple, spend more than the cost of your York Pass in the day and you’ll make your money back (and save!)

• Adults – from £45
• Children – from £26

Of course, you don’t want to be running around the entire city of York to make the most of the pass.

Plus there are also a variety of FREE things you can do in York as well. Each of these attractions/tours will take between 1-hour to 1.5-hours, depending on your preferences.

For one day in York, these would be my must-see attractions:

• JORVIK Viking Centre – (Cost adults £11, children £8)
• York Minster – (Cost adults £10, children £0)
• York Dungeon – (Cost adults from £16.95, children £14.95)
• York’s City Sightseeing bus tour – (Cost adults £14, children £7)
• York’s Chocolate Story – (Cost adults £12.50, children £10)

Total adult cost (paying individually) = £64.45

Total saving with the York Pass up to £24.45

Total child cost (paying individually) = £39.95

Total saving with the York Pass up to £13.95

1-day Examples

2 x adults would save up to £48.90

2 x adults and 2 x children would save up to £76.80

York Pass – 2-Day option

If you opt for the two days York Pass , then your costs can be calculated as follows:

• Adults – from £55
• Children – from £30

Meaning that to recoup your costs and save money each day you need to visit attractions to the value from £28 for adults and £15 for children per day.

These activities and tours take between 1-hour to 1.5-hours.

For two days in York, these would be my must-see attractions (in addition to the must-see attractions from day one above):

• York Castle Museum – (Cost adults £10, children £0)
• Clifford’s Tower – (Cost adults £5.40, children £3.60)
• York City Cruises – (Cost adults £9.75, children £5.50)
• York Brewery Tour – (Cost adults £8, children £4.50)
• Mansion House – (Cost adults £6.50, children £3.50)

Total adult cost (paying individually) – Day 1 £64.45 + Day 2 £39.65 = £104.10

Total saving with the York Pass up to £49.10

Total child cost (paying individually) – Day 1 £39.95 + Day 2 £17.10 = £57.05

Total saving with the York Pass up to £27.05

2-day Examples

2 x adults would save up to £98.20

2 x adults and 2 x children would save up to £152.30

York Pass – 3-Day option

So you’ve spent 2 days exploring the beautiful city of York, getting great discounts and seeing all the free things with your York Pass. But now it’s time to experience what it’s like away from the city.

There are many different places away from York that you can visit.

If you opt for the three day York Pass , then your costs can be calculated as follows:

• Adults – from £65
• Children – from £35

Buy your York Pass here , ready for your trip. Save time + money!

Meaning that to recoup your costs and save money each day you need to visit attractions to the value from £22 for adults and £12 for children per day.

My recommendations for each itinerary are based on driving to the locations as the public transport options will result in longer travelling times and you may not be able to fit everything in.

The York Pass also offers a free upgrade of a car if you hire through Europcar.

Here are my three suggestions for day trips from York

You can read all about my Day Trips from York here. Includes options below + more!

North Yorkshire Moors Railway to Whitby – (Cost adults £31, children £15.50)

This is based on a full day on the Railway , the steams trains run from Pickering (the closest station to York) all the way to the seaside town of Whitby.

The full journey takes up to 1 hour, 55 minutes (depending on which train you catch). But you can hop on and off throughout the day.

Adult cost (paying individually) – Day 1 £64.45 + Day 2 £39.65 + Day 3 £31 = £135.10

Total saving with the York Pass up to £70.10

Child cost (paying individually) – Day 1 £39.95 + Day 2 £17.10 + Day 3 £15.50 = £72.55

Total saving with the York Pass up to £37.55

3-day Examples

2 x adults would save up to £140.20

2 x adults and 2 x children would save up to £215.30

Visit Castle Howard House and Gardens  

• (Cost adults £18.95, children £9.95)
• Located in the Howardian Hills, it’s a 30-minute drive from York to the House and Gardens. Open from 10 am.
• Free parking

(Drive time from Castle Howard to Pickering approximately 30 minutes, 16 miles. Allow time for parking too!)

North Yorkshire Moors Railway to Grosmont  

• (Cost adults £26, children £13)
• This is based on a shorter day on the Railway , the steams trains run from Pickering (the closest station to York) all the way to the seaside town of Whitby.
• The full journey takes up to 1 hour, 5 minutes (depending on which train you catch).  But you can hop on and off the train.
• Great for an afternoon (14.00, 15.00, 16.00 trains from Pickering).
• Parking is £5 all day

Adult cost (paying individually) – Day 1 £64.45 + Day 2 £39.65 + Day 3 £44.95 = £180.05

Total saving with the York Pass up to £115.05

Child cost (paying individually) – Day 1 £39.95 + Day 2 £17.10 + Day 3 £22.95 = £95.50

Total saving with the York Pass up to £60.50

2 x adults would save up to £230.10

2 x adults and 2 x children would save up to £351.10

Visit Helmsley for the day, a small Yorkshire Village with lots to do!

Go to the National Bird of Prey Centre  

• (Cost adults £9.00, children £6.50)

Visit Helmsley Castle*  

• (Cost adults £6.80, children £4.10)

Helmsley Walled Garden  

• (Cost adults £7.50, children £0)

Visit Rievaulx Abbey*  

• (Cost adults £8.90, children £5.30)

*Please note if you are National Trust member Helmsley Castle and Rievalux Abbey are already free for members.

Adult cost (paying individually) – Day 1 £64.45 + Day 2 £39.65 + Day 3 £32.20 = £136.30

Total saving with the York Pass up to £71.30

Child cost (paying individually) – Day 1 £39.95 + Day 2 £17.10 + Day 3 £15.90 = £72.95

Total saving with the York Pass up to £37.95

2 x adults would save up to £142.60

2 x adults and 2 x children would save up to £218.50

More Ways to Save Money with the York Pass

The York Pass includes discounts for various attractions, tours, restaurants and shops so be sure to check out the guidebook for full details and how to save!

York by Night

Go on a Ghost Tour  

• There are several companies that offer tours – The Bloody Tour of York, Ghost Bus Tours, Ghost Trail, Original Ghost Walk or The York Terror Trail.
• Each tour offers a discount of £1-£2 with the York Pass.

Go on an Evening Boat Cruise  

• Two options, either an early evening cruise – £2 discount
• Or the Floodlit Cruise – £4 discount

Other York Tours

Try one of the Escape Rooms

• Can You Escape or GR8escape. Both offer 10% discount with the Pass (Use the code when you book).
• A perfect activity to do one evening, tours can be booked between 10.30 to 20.30.

Brewtown Tours  

• Go on a beer tasting experience.
• 15% discount with the York Pass.

Would I Recommend the York Pass?

Yes, I would recommend the York Pass! But you certainly need to plan ahead to where you want to visit in order for it to be worthwhile.

It is a great thing to buy before you visit York. Use it wisely… as I’ve mentioned above and you can save loads of money, which means more money on delicious food, drink and shopping whilst you’re in York.

Before your York trip, think about what you like doing when you visit a city. Just because you are in York for 2 days doesn’t mean that you need to select the 2-day York Pass option.

Maybe the 1-day pass will work perfectly for you.

Visit all the York Pass attractions on day 1, then on day 2, you can do all the Free things in York !

I hope you’ve found this useful in deciding whether or not to buy the pass. Please note I only recommend things I have used and would buy again! Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments below.

Start planning your trip now and buy your York Pass here .

*The York Pass was provided to me by Visit York, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Becky the Traveller participates in the Amazon Services Associates Programme, as well as other affiliate programmes. If you make a purchase through these, I earn from the qualifying links. This is at no extra cost to you. Read more here .

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Visit York Pass Review + Itinerary

I was really intrigued when I heard about the York Pass and wanted to try it out for our family of four. See if the York passis worth it, write a review and create our own dream itinerary for some action-packed days out in York.

If you are thinking about getting the York attraction pass well have a read, check out our pictures and calculations and see if it is worth it for you and your family.

Please note the ads cover the high costs of running Trip Meets Travel and keeps it free for you to enjoy. We also have affiliate links. If you purchase something we recommend, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

What Is The York Pass?

In a nutshell, the York pass is an all in one attractions ticket for the city of York. Kind of like when you go to Disney World and you buy a ticket for a bunch of different places and then go to all the ones that you are most interested in.

The York Pass is not unlimited to everything unfortunately but does have a good list of places where on your York pass day, you can visit, to really get good value for money.

Why Are We Doing The York Pass?

We love York, yet it feels like we just don’t visit it enough or do York justice. We grew up in the seaside town of Bridlington, we now live even closer to York but have only been twice in almost two years and wanted to change this.

We were on a day out in York recently and went to Hole In The Wand , The York Walls and had a walk to The Shambles, and had an amazing day and said we better get a York Pass and really learn about this beautiful city and have even more fun.

Because we wanted to do the York pass for more than 2 days we opted for half term and then we can have some school holiday fun with the kids too.

York 3 Day Pass

You may be wondering if you should get the one day York pass, York 2 day pass or the 3 day York pass.

We are opting for the 3 day pass because its CHEAPER the more days you have, you can see more, as there is so much to see in York and the surrounding areas and we want it to feel like we have taken in a lot of York.

You can do the same or you can opt for 1 or 2 days. I don’t want to feel like I am forcing you into the 3 days lol.

But before you do opt for the 3 days, we recommend you look through the York pass attractions list below and see if you can actually get value for money out of them.

York Pass Attractions List

Here is a list of the attractions included so that you can see if there is enough going on that you would like, before you decide between 1,2,3 day ticket.

• Barley Hall
• Beningbrough Hall & Gardens
• Castle Howard 👍
• City Cruises York
• Clifford Tower
• Fairfax House
• Golden Tours York 👍
• Helmsley Walled Gardens
• Jorvik Viking Centre 👍
• Merchant Adventure’s Hall
• National Centre Of Bids Of Prey
• North Yorkshire Moors Railway 👍
• Scampston Walled Gardens
• Sightseeing Bus York
• The Bar Convent
• The York Dungeon 👍
• Treasurer’s House
• York Army Museum
• York Castle Museum 👍
• York Cocoa Works
• York Cold War Bunker
• York Mansion House
• York Minster 👍
• Yorkshire Air Force Museum
• Yorkshire Museum
• Van Gogh Experience

Note that I have put a thumbs up next to 7 of the York Pass attractions above. Those are all the attractions that are £15 or over and are the best options for you to get the most out of the pass.

Then those in bold are the ones we really want to do as part of our itinerary. Its nice to have a starting point and some firm ideas before you really get into planning what to do for your days in York.

Now these other few are what I call fillers. They are the cheap ones that are under £5 that are not listed above, that if you are nearby and have a free time slot then why not visit 😊

• Bedern Hall
• The City Walls Experience
• The National Railway Museum – Train Ride
• The Roman Baths

And now that you have looked through the list, is there enough to occupy yourself for 3 days or do you need less time?

How Much Is A York Pass?

The York pass price varies depending on a 1,2, or 3 day ticket. Its so much easier for me to explain with a screenshot.

Take a closer look and you can see that as a family of four, (2 adults and 2 kids) if you went for just one day it would cost you £188.00. This is still an excellent price because you could do 5 different things which would normally cost £200.00 and you have made a saving.

However, then compare two days. A 2 day pass is £240.00 , so already you are making a saving, but you have to ask yourself, is there enough for you and your family for it to be worth it for 2 days?

Then for a 3 day pass (the option we are going with) it will cost us £290.00 though we do have a £20 discount but that might not be on their website when you choose to book.

If you do the maths (after the discount) that is £22.50 a day each for a 3 day pass , £27.50 a day each for 2 days, and £47 each for just one day .

In other words, the more days you go, the cheaper it becomes. If you are looking for the cheapest York Pass, then it is the 3 day option.

Now it’s a case of matching up enough attractions that we like for that £22.50 a day option to be worth it!

How Does The York Pass Work?

The York pass works by giving you a pass that allows you access to the pass attractions list. You can then use the pass like a gift voucher for access into all the different places. You can visit as few or as many as you can manage within the time period.

Of course, you only have the days you paid for and not extra days, so its important that you have a plan of action ready to go.

Our York Attraction Pass Plan

We have now set a plan in motion. We have gone with a 3 day pass because we want to get the most out of York and the surrounding areas. In truth if there was a 4 day pass, we would have gladly gone with that.

We have made our outline of the places we would like to visit as part of the York visitor pass the most. Plus, we have looked at places that also cost the most to visit, because we want value for money.

After all, you don’t just want to be visiting the places that are less than £10 each as otherwise you might as well pay for the places separately and not just get the pass.

Then once you have a rough idea of where you want to go its time to pay for the pass and put the plan into action.

Our first outline of how to spend our days is as follows:

Sightseeing Bus – Operates every 15 minutes and will be fun to get a good view of the city as well as using it to get to certain attractions.

Dig – I saw this and thought the kids would love it. I am pre-booked for 10.30am because I wanted it early enough to be able to do this and then go to our next activity.

Cocoa Works – We are booked in for day 1 at 12.30pm . I kind of find this confusing as The Chocolate Story used to be on the attraction pass and isn’t now and they sound similar. They only had two spaces left this one or an hour earlier so this was the only time we could do. From their website it looks like they are very limited in time slots for York Pass holders, vs other bookings which seems unfair.

York Minster – The kids have been to Beverley Minster so I know they will love York so this was an absolute must see on our list of things to do in York. Brilliant that no pre-booking is needed.

Clifford’s Tower – I was going to do this on day 2 but its one of the stops on the sightseeing bus which we are going today, so it felt perfect to aim this for day 1.

Jorvik Centre – Then for final part of our first day we have the last slot which is 5pm for the Jorvik Centre. I decided to do it this way, because the Jorvik often has a crazy queue outside and didn’t want it to be near a time slot for something else and then it could end up like a pack of cards when you end up late for one thing and everything else follows.

We are also focusing on a longer day for Day 1, and then when we are more tired on day 2 and 3 there is not as much pressure on us. 

The City Cruise – A must do for our day 2 and we have pre-booked for 11am. You have to be there at 10.45am (15 minutes before) so it gives us amble time to get there with us waiting for our park and ride .

Golden Tours – This is on our agenda today to see how it compares to the sightseeing bus. What I find interesting here is for 2 days in York City Centre we have access to two different hop on and hop off buses so we can use one for one day and the other for the second day.

York Castle Museum – Another must and something we have not done before. We have the castle museum booked for 1pm and are really looking forward to it.

York Army Museum – We have pre-booked the army museum and even though it is pre-booked it is just pre-booked for the day so you can turn up any time. This is brilliant because you can slot it in between some of your pre-booked events.

Barley Hall – This is our last of the day and is pre-booked for 4pm. Something different than the usual places on the list for our pass and looking at the info on their website reminds me of the houses from The Beamish Museum which we loved.   

Okay we want a day away from York City Centre and to make use of the most expensive attractions on the ticket. Which is Castle Howard where you get access to both the house and the gardens and the steam railway and to visit Pickering train station from Harry Potter, head to Whitby and do the Captain Cook Museum and probably do the Whitby steps again.

Both are favourite options of ours and we are really struggling to decide. We have gone with Castle Howard because it includes the house and the garden, whilst we can do the steam train at a later date and then visit the other stops such as Goathland.

Planning Your York Pass Days Out

To be able to get good value for money into your York Pass and to fill up your days, there is a level of planning involved.

I must have spent about 5 evenings, sat on the recliner, TV on in the background, with my tablet out, scrolling through everywhere that was included and deciding where we wanted to go and didn’t want to go.

I have epilepsy so the Van Gough Museum didn’t seem like a good match.

Plus, we needed to consider what time to leave home at, as it’s a 55 minute drive to York + waiting time for the park and ride.

Once I had a plan of which places, I wanted to visit I started a Google Doc and created an outline for our days.

Then we paid for our 3 day York pass and went back through our preferred places and booked them all one by one. Then saved all the email notifications and we were then done and dusted and just had to pack our rucksacks for the day so we had plenty of water and we were all set.

Well, that was our plan, and, in the end, we ended up doing the itinerary that you see below. We have split the days up and if you follow the links you see, this will take you to the individual posts we wrote about each place.

York Pass Itinerary Day 1

DIG – We visited the DIG as our first adventure on Day 1. We had a reserved booking slot for 10.30am and arrived slightly early and then was ready to go when it was our turn. We loved the experience of DIG, and it was one of our favourites from everything we did over the 3 days. We asked Jorge at the end of the York Passes and he named DIG as his favourite.

You have a talk first which is very interesting and makes you think a lot about yourself and what rubbish we produce. Then the kids get to have a good dig and see what they can find, this is then finished with a walk around the mini museum they have.

But what surprises people the most is that DIG is inside an old church.

Cocoa Works – This was our second stop of the day and after getting confused over its location, we had lost over an hour of our day and had to reschedule our trip to this place. They were very good about moving us from 12.30pm to 2pm.

At Cocoa Works you get a brief tour of the windows of where the chocolate is made here, then you get even more information about the chocolate once inside. Then you get what everyone is waiting for and that is the taste test.

This is no good if you don’t like dark chocolate (I do, but Dom and kids not so much) and then you start with the darkest options and then work your way down to milk chocolate and eventually the white chocolate.

Then you can visit the shop and buy the chocolate you want. We picked up some white hot chocolate powder to take with us for our trip to Primrose Valley.

Sightseeing Bus – Before going to the cocoa works we tried out the Red sightseeing bus. It was brilliant and you could hop on and off as much as you wanted in a 24 hour time slot.

We recommend that you do the full route and then use it as your quick transport to hop on and off for your various attractions. The full circuit lasts just over an hour and the tour guide on it was brilliant.

Plus, you can also use the sightseeing bus to get some good pictures of York and learn more about York. 

York Minster – It was then 3pm and we wanted to do the York Minster that day. As it was closing at 4pm it had to be done now if we were going to fit it in on the same day.

When you go inside York Minster you will love how beautiful it is and it feels very much like everyone is there to take photos and maybe light a candle and it can be difficult to get pictures of things when everyone is in there doing the same.

Jorvik – We then finished our York visitor pass with the Jorvik Centre and now VERY IMPORTANT make sure you do this as the attraction is closing for the day because it is much quieter and you will not be stuck queuing for an hour. We were the only ones in the line when we arrived compared to the 50+ people we have seen every other time we have walked past it. We got the 5pm slot and when you go to pre-book look at the last available option and book that.

Inside the Jorvik you will be wowed with all its amazing material of the Viking era. There is glass you walk over first, then you hop on the train which shares the history of the Vikings as you go around. Then you have a walk around and discover more things before you can get a viking coin.

And that was our day 1 of our York city pass. We were disappointed in ourselves that we got lost and could have fitted in something else on the same day, but at least we were back the next day!

York Pass Itinerary Day 2

York City Cruises – We started Day 2 of our York passes with a river cruise on the rive ouse. It was fun to see everything going on along the river and it was a chance to relax as when you are spending the day on your feet with kids going around museums it’s a nice break.

There is someone talking telling you about the York history and pointing things out to photo. But we felt we got better photo opportunities on the sightseeing bus.

It lasted just short of an hour, and you had the upstairs with no roof (it was cold when we went), the downstairs and a bar open for drinks and a much needed hot chocolate to warm us up!

Clifford’s Tower – Then our York passes headed over to Clifford’s Tower and we admired the amazing views from above. I mean wow, it is just amazing and also another chance to get a great view of the York Minster and the other highlights of York.

You could get lost up here for an hour taking selfies and admiring the views. And we were probably here for about 45 minutes and there is a lot of stairs to go up and down so no good if you are not good on steps.   

York Castle Museum – The York Castle Museum on the York Pass has to be Me & Dom’s personal favourite. It was so big and so much to do and we felt like we got lost inside. There is a Victorian era street with real smells, a toy area where the kids even did a sooty and sweep show for me, we played hungry hippos we saw the cells of Dick Turpin and learned a lot about the York history.

When we asked the kids what they loved the most from everything we did on the York family pass, Sofia said that York Castle Museum was her favourite. I reckon its because she got the chance to play with so many toys as we walked around!

Golden Tours – Then we had to make a decision it was 3.35pm and we could either go to Barley Hall like we had planned or jump on the Golden Tours and compare it to the red sightseeing bus that we had done the day before.

To our regret, we chose the Golden Tours. There was no guide, and it was pre-recorded with just the bus conductor. We also didn’t get a full service as even though it said last full service was 4.15pm it arrived at 4pm and we only got just under half of the service.

When we looked at it was £5 more than the red bus and you got a guide on the red bus, it makes me realise that they are not on a level with each other.

That completed our two days doing the York city pass attractions and our next day would be an easier day at Castle Howard and would be nice that we didn’t have to rush about as much.

York Pass Itinerary Day 3

Castle Howard – For our day 3 we kept the visit York pass simple with a day trip to Castle Howard. We loved that you got a full day of the house and gardens for the price and it wasn’t a reduced service.

We did the house first (good bribery with kids be good in the house then you can have the playground lol) and it was a great wonder around and our first trip there since we did Christmas at Castle Howard.

After a good look around, we then took the kids to the café by the lake, then the playground for them to get rid of some of the I’m bored energy. The playground is quite big even on a busy day and they all had a great time. 

Then we went on the land train that they have, headed to the butchers to get some sausages for our camping trip and then headed home.

And that was our 3 day York pass and we now needed to figure out if the York pass is worth it and what the York pass value was for us.

Eating On The York Pass

This wasn’t a problem at Castle Howard but when you are on the other days and have to quickly go from one attraction to another, you simply don’t have time for a nice lunch.

Normally in York it would be more slow paced with a picnic in the park or a trip to Betty’s Tearooms but instead it’s a quick snack when you can fit it in.

Is The York Pass Worth It?

I know in truth this is all you want to know. Is the York pass worth it and did I feel like I got good value for money.

Well, the answer is YES but only if you get a 3 day pass, as for a 1 day pass it would be cheaper to pay for the attractions individually.

Let me explain.

York Pass Day 1 Attractions

• Sightseeing Bus £35  
• Dig £28.50  
• Cocoa works £30 (Was £50 when we visited)
• York Minster £32
• Jorvik Centre £43.00
• Total Cost Day 1 = £168.50

York Pass Day 2 Attractions

• City Cruises £41
• Golden Tours £40
• York Castle Museum £39
• Clifford’s Tower £25.90
• Total Cost Day 2 = £145.90

York Pass Day 3 Attractions

• Castle Howard £72
• Total Cost Day 3 = £72

Grand total £386.40

From a financial point of view, we would have paid £386.40 to visit these places without a York Pass . Yet with our York Pass they cost us £270.00 . This meant that we saved £116.40 or if you are more about percentages then think that with a York Pass it became 30% cheaper.

Well, worth it, but only if you like enough of the different places in York for it to be worthwhile to you.

But its also about being money savvy, as there are loads of activities included that are not worth a lot therefore, you would on a loss.

I recommend you investigate what is included and make a plan of action before buying your pass like we have done.

For regrets, we regret getting lost (obviously), doing the cocoa works as we felt it didn’t offer value for money just a pre-sell for buying their chocolates, and the golden tour bus. 

If we were to name our five favourites on the visit York pass it would be DIG, York Castle Museum, the red Sightseeing Bus, Castle Howard and The Jorvik Centre.

York City Pass Top Tips

The most important thing with a York City Pass is value for money and for it to be worth it. There is no point spending your day going to places that cost less than £5 each to get in. Aim for the high ticket items best you can such as The North York Moors Railway, Jovik Centre, Castle Howard and York Dungeons.

Have a backup plan. There are a lot of things you can do for your pass that don’t need pre-booking and that you can use as time fillers in between events. Such as The Roman Bath or York Minster.

Anything with a big queue do last . That way you are not having it go into the next attraction you have planned and hold you up. We planned it this way, with our trip to The Jorvik Centre.

Check out the York Pass Map as it will show you how close the attractions are to each other and then you can do those close together after each other, rather than having to power walk from one end of the city to the other.

A lot of places on the pass system are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays during term time. If going during this time check opening times online before booking the pass or look at a Wednesday – Friday pass.

York Pass Visitor Information

• How long is a York Pass valid for? The York pass is valid for the amount of days you booked from the point of using it for the first time. I.e. if you buy a 2 day York pass and start your first attraction at 9am on Monday morning, then it is valid until the end of Tuesday.
• Do you have to book attractions in York? Not all attractions will require a pre-book but York is very busy and we highly recommend booking any that will let you book ahead.
• York pass cost. The cost for a York pass varies for the amount of days you want. From £59 an adult for 1 day, £75 for 2 days, or £90 for 3 days. Plus, it is cheaper for the kids. We got our 3 day York attractions pass for £270 for our family of four.

Pin York City Pass For Later!

Well, that’s a wrap, do you have any questions then do ask below and if you want to refer back, to this later for planning your day out in York then don’t forget to pin it to your travel board or days out board on Pinterest.

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York Pass Review: Free & Discounted Attractions – is it Worth it?

Is the York Pass worth it? In this York Pass review in this guide I answer all of your questions and help you decide if you should purchase the York City Pass.

The beautiful walled city of York lies in the northeast area of the country. With Roman roots, Viking ties, and a medieval old town centre, it’s a great place to discover England’s historic past. And after my day trip to York , found that the city has plenty of modern attractions as well.

Iconic sites are found in abundance, which is why so many travellers purchase a York Pass for their trip, I included. But is it worth it? What does it include? How many days can you purchase it for?

This is my York Pass review, which will answer all of your questions and help you decide if you should purchase it for your UK city break in York.

York Pass Review | What is the York Pass?

The York Pass is the official sightseeing pass of the city. Once purchased, it includes free entrance to some of York’s top attractions, most of which are found in the city centre.

It also includes a ticket for the 24-hour hop on hop off bus tour , a river cruises of York, and a meal at ASK Italian Restaurant.

You can purchase an adult or child pass for either one or two days. The children’s pass is available for children between 5 and 16 years old.

Adult York Pass: £48 for one day / £65 for two days

Child York Pass: £30 for one day / £35 for two days

How Does the York Pass Work?

The pass only becomes activated once you visit your first attraction. Until activated, it’s valid for 24 months after you purchase it.

This means that if you’re planning a trip to York you can buy the pass beforehand. This is a real bonus if you don’t want to fuss with buying it once you arrive, or if you’re unsure of your dates.

York Passes work on a calendar day basis. So, once you activate the pass, it’s only good for that day, and not for a 24h period. Don’t activate it too late in the day, or you won’t have as much time to fit attractions in.

It’s also good to note that the two-day pass has to be used on consecutive days.

Where Can I Buy the York Pass?

The easiest way to buy your pass is via the official York City Pass website . Once you’re on the webpage, head to check out and choose the duration you’d like to buy the pass for (one or two days).

Alternatively, you can purchase the York Pass once you arrive at the following address.

The Visitor Information Centre

1 Museum Street, York YO1 7DT

Monday – Saturday: 09:00 – 17:00

Sunday: 10:00 – 16:00

How Do You Get Your York Pass?

If you’re buying the York Pass online, after purchase, it will be emailed to you to use as a digital pass. There’s no need to print anything out, and it’s compatible with all mobile devices. Once you arrive at the attractions or tours included in the pass, you’ll need to have your York Passcode on your phone scanned to gain entry.

If you’re buying the York Pass at the Visitor Information Centre, you’ll be given a printed copy of the pass to carry with you to use.

Can I Buy the York Pass For a Friend?

Absolutely, and it makes for an excellent gift for someone who’s visiting York England. The pass doesn’t have a name attached to it, so you can simply purchase and send it to your friend.

York Pass Attractions

There are 17 attractions and activities included in the York City Pass. Most attractions are found in the city centre, just a short walk from each other. This makes it very easy to explore York on foot .

However, since the pass also includes a ticket for the 24-hour York city sightseeing bus tour, you can catch a ride anytime you’d like. A guidebook of York is also included and will help you plan your trip.

Here is the official list of the attractions and activities included in the York Pass.

●      City Cruises York

●      Van Gogh Immersive Experience

●      DIG: An Archaeological Adventure

●      Fairfax House

●      JORVIK Viking Centre

●      Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

●      National Railway Museum Road Train

●      The Roman Bath Museum York

●      York Army Museum

●      24-hour York City Sightseeing Bus Tour ticket

●      The York Dungeon

●      York Mansion House

●      York Minster

●      Yorkshire Air Museum

●      Clifford’s Tower

●      Barley Hall

●      Beningbrough Hall Gallery & Gardens

●      ASK Italian Restaurant – choice of one pizza or pasta meal

The Top Attractions Included in the York Pass

Most of the main York Pass attractions can be visited in a few hours. This makes it easy to fill your whole day with sightseeing.

Below is a slightly more detailed description of the popular York attractions included in the pass. But remember not to pass up the smaller points of interest. Sites like the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall only take about 30 minutes to explore and are very much worth seeing.

York Minster

York Minster is one of the largest gothic cathedrals of its kind in Northern Europe. It also contains the largest expanse of medieval stained glass found anywhere in the world.

The majority of the church was built from 1230 to 1472. It contains a treasure trove of religious relics and historical gems.

JORVIK Viking Centre

JORVIK Viking Centre is a museum that offers a fun interactive experience. Visitors are taken on a carriage ride through different life-size dioramas. You’ll see a recreation of a Viking town and find out what life was like when this ancient population inhabited Britain.

There are also displays you can browse featuring original Viking equipment.

The Jorvik Viking Centre and York Minster are my top picks that you have to see when you visit York. The Viking Centre is actually really interesting to visit, and you’ll learn a lot.

National Railway Museum Road Train

The National Railway Museum Road Train takes guests between the museum and York Minster roughly every 30 minutes from 11:00 to 16:00. It’s a fun experience to either start or end your museum trip with. Note, the National Railway Museum is free to enter.

The York Dungeon

The York Dungeon is a thrilling attraction that shows the city’s dark past . Using state-of-the-art equipment, immersive sets, and actor-led shows, you’ll explore more than 2000 years of dark history.

Yorkshire Air Museum

The Yorkshire Air Museum is Britain’s largest independent air museum. It outlines almost the whole history of aviation in the UK, from the early years of flight on through to both world wars and the Cold War era.

You can admire an impressive selection of indoor and outdoor aircraft. There are also well laid out exhibits that include artefacts like uniforms, photographs, books, films, and more.

How to Get the Most Out of the York Pass

To get the most out of your York Pass try and see as much of the city as possible. The more you see, the more you save. That’s what I did, also look where the attractions are location and book attractions in close proximity of each other after each other to save yourself walking across the city multiple times.  

I booked the Viking Centre at 9am (the exhibition is 45mins), so I booked my ticket to Clifford’s Tower at 10:30pm. To give myself enough time to enjoy the interactive take of the Viking centre and also explore the museum and gift. Plus, walk to Clifford’s Tower which was 5 minutes’ walk from the Viking Centre without rushing.

The two-day York City Pass is also a better value compared to the one-day pass. It’s less than double the price and allows for another full day of sightseeing.

Be sure to start using the pass in the morning. The Jorvik Viking Centre is one of the earlier opening attractions. It starts welcoming visitors at 09:00 each day. If you make this your first stop you’ll be off to a great start.  

Also, make sure to check the opening hours of the attractions before you visit. Most close at either 16:00 or 17:00 (some even earlier). And some attractions have limited hours during winter.

Remember, it’s not a fast-track card and doesn’t grant access to the front of the queue. 

Pros vs Cons of Getting the York Pass

When used as intended, the York Pass allows you to explore the city’s top attractions and save money at the same time. As long as you fill your day with the activities and attractions that it includes, buying the pass is totally worth it.

Also, it saves you time, as you don’t have to worry about purchasing tickets at each of your stops. Your pass is all you need to access the attractions.

The only negative of buying the York Pass is buying it and not using it, or only using it for one or two attractions. To get to the best value for money, you’ll need to use it on at least four attractions, or more.

Be sure to carefully look over the options included with the pass before you purchase it. Not every single one of York’s top attractions are included with the pass. If you don’t see enough things, you’re interested in using it for, it won’t be fully worth it.

How Much Do You Save When Using the York City Pass?

Let’s break down the savings a little more and go over something called “purse value”. This will give you a better understanding of how much you will save when using the pass.

Each York Pass is subject to purse value. This basically means that there is a certain value placed on it, and its usage is capped at a certain limit.

One day adult pass purse value: £90

One day child pass purse value: £60

Two-day adult pass purse value: £180

Two-day child pass purse value: £120

Seeing as a single day adult York City Pass costs £48 and has a purse value of £90, you’re saving £42 by buying it – which is a great value.

You’ll save even more money if you buy the two-day adult pass. Even though it’s capped at £180, it only costs £65. This gives you a savings of £115, which is a great deal any way you look at it.

York Day Pass Sample Itinerary

Here is an example itinerary of how much you can save when using the York Day Pass.

24-hour York City Sightseeing Bus Tour: Normally £16.00

JORVIK Viking Centre: Normally £12.50

York Minster: Normally £11.50

National Railway Museum Road Train: Normally £3.00

Pasta or pizza meal at ASK Italian Restaurant: Normally £8.65

The York Dungeon: Normally £16.95

City Cruises York: Normally £10.50

Total: £79.10

Or – just £48 when you buy a one-day York Pass

That’s a total savings of £31.00, and a really great day.

Should I Get the York Pass For One or Two Days?

This depends on how long you’re planning a trip to York for. If you’re only visiting for a weekend, you might want to purchase the pass for just one day. Then, you can spend the rest of your time shopping, dining and exploring the areas off the beaten track.

Or, visit an attraction not included with the pass, like York’s Chocolate Story.

I was visiting York on a day trip from Londo n and found that the one day pass was worth it. I had pre-book 5 attractions that I really wanted to see and was able to show my pass attractions like the hop-on hop-off bus, that was not on my list but I had time to spare and wanted to see the city from a different perspective and rest my legs from all the walking.

If you’re visiting for three (or more) days, or you’re keen to fill two days with as much sightseeing as possible, then the two-day York Pass is absolutely worth it.

Do You Get Any Extra York Pass Discounts or Savings?

Indeed, you do. For extra value, you can show your York Pass at certain attractions and tours in and around the city for special savings. These include cycle tours, ghost walks, escape rooms, day tours from York, and more.

To access these offers, just show your pass on arrival. Or, if you’re booking by phone, simply relay the pass number. These York Pass discounts will add up to save you even more money.

You can also visit the York Pass website and subscribe to their email list to receive special offers. They occasionally send out York Pass discount codes. Since it’s valid for 24 months after purchase, you could buy it and save it for a future trip.

York Pass Review – is it Worth it? Final Thoughts

As long as you plan on sightseeing during your time in York, the pass is definitely worth it. And, with so many great options included, you won’t struggle to fill your time. Even with the purse value, you’re still going to save money.

It’s also nice that the pass includes an option for transportation (24-hour York City sightseeing bus) and a meal at ASK Italian. If you’re planning a quick day trip from London , or anywhere else, you’ll be all set for a full day of easy sightseeing.

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Renowned for its exquisite architecture—from quaint cobbled streets to the imposing Minster—York is a flourishing city ripe for exploring.

Boasting a wealth of exciting visitor attractions, the city has plenty to keep you entertained after your visit to the National Railway Museum. Whether you’re exploring for the day or staying for a longer, more leisurely experience, York has something to inspire you. Below you’ll find all the information you need to make the most of your stay in this beautiful, historic city.

The city’s official sightseeing card is your one-stop shop for York’s best sights. You’ll save money at 30 top attractions and over 40 shops and restaurants—including 10% off in our café and restaurant .

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Explore all that York has to offer on the city’s official tourist information website, Visit York. You’ll find hundreds of attractions, museums, historic buildings, tours, shops, restaurants and bars on the site.

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Welcome to Yorkshire

Inspiration isn’t hard to find on the region’s official tourism website, Welcome to Yorkshire. The huge variety of experiences, sights, and guides will leave you spoilt for choice.

Discover the county

Enjoy a stroll along the history city walls.

Take a step back in time as you explore the Shambles.

Enjoy the beauty of a spectacular York sunset.

Mansion House, the Lord Mayor's residence, offers a dramatic view of the Minster.

Relax with a leisurely stroll along the River Ouse—or take to the water on one of the city's many boat tours.

Let your curiosity guide you around the speciality shops on Stonegate.

Tucked away behind the historic street you'll also find the eclectic Shambles Market.

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