Millennium Dome - Ticket prices announced

Big discounts for families and groups

Greenwich, 18 March 1999

Ticket prices for the Dome at Greenwich were announced today, with attractive discounts for families and groups. Parties of five (2 adults and up to 3 children or 1 adult and up to 4 children) will be able to visit for UK£11.40 (c.US$ 18.80) per head.   Up to one million school children will have free admission to the Dome as part of the Education Tours Scheme announced by the Prime Minister on Wednesday 17 March.   Prices have been announced seven months ahead of tickets going on public sale to allow tour operators to finalise their prices. The travel trade is already reporting heavy demand for accommodation and travel packages. 

The New Millennium Experience Company also announced that negotiations with rail and coach operators on discounted travel to the Dome would provide attractive transport deals from across the UK, as part of special millennium packages.

National Express is proposing to offer a lead package price with return coach travel and admission to the Dome for UK£29.99 (c.US$50 )from anywhere in England, Scotland or Wales. 

Prices for the Dome, the centrepiece of the UK's millennium celebrations with 12 million visitors expected during the year 2000, were confirmed today as:

Group Rates:

'Family Five' ticket:

• (2 adults + up to 3 children or 1 adult + up to 4 children) £57.00 @ £11.40 each
• Senior Citizens Groups of 15 or more £12.00 each
• Group adults rate (15 or more) £17.50 each

Individual Rates:

• Single adult ticket £20.00 each
• Children under 5 Free of charge
• Children ages 5 to 15 inc. £16.50 each
• Student card holders £16.50 each
• Senior Citizens £18.00 each
• JSA40 holders £12.00

Education Rates:

• Students/college visits £14.50 each
• School visits (all ages) £8 each
• Education tours (ages 8 to 16) Free of charge

NMEC Chief Executive Jennie Page said today:

"In 2000, the Dome will be the greatest concentration of entertainment, inspiration and education under one roof anywhere in the world. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will be open for only 366 days. The ticket prices announced today are extremely good value for money. 

"We want people to come to the Dome with family and friends, making the millennium a shared experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives. We have deliberately structured our ticket prices to favour group visits, so that the biggest discounts are offered to people coming to the Dome with family and friends.

"We believe that the Family Five ticket will be seen as outstanding value for money, with the £57 price equivalent to £11.40 per head. All our research suggests that these prices will mean that the 12 million target for visitors can be achieved and that our budgeted income will be met.

"We are delighted that National Express are planning to offer a flat rate of £29.99 for travel and admission to the Dome combined - meaning that people travelling from as far afield as Plymouth, Cardiff or Aberdeen will pay the same as visitors travelling by coach from places much closer to London. Now that we have announced our ticket prices, other travel operators will be announcing their special millennium deals shortly.

"We plan to offer one million education visits free of charge - representing a marvellous opportunity for school children to enjoy the inspiration, education and entertainment at the Dome.

"Schools will be able to register to take part in a series of draws for free education visits for up to 100 children per school. In addition, schools will be able to purchase child tickets at less than half price. Details of the scheme that will allow schools free admission to the Dome for up to 100 children will be announced to schools in June."

Travel to the Dome will attract competitive discounts under agreements currently being negotiated with train and coach operators. Final details will be announced in the next few months. NMEC is working with operators to ensure that good value packages for transport and Dome admissions are widely available for visitors to the Dome so that it will be easy and affordable to use public transport to visit the Dome in 2000.

A number of accommodation, travel and Dome admission packages are already being advertised by shortbreak operators.