Key information
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Bookings are usually opened 9 months in advance and all capacity is usually taken in a few days. Group guided tour bookings are currently possible for September 2023 only. Bookings for visiting the CERN Science Gateway (from October 2023, with additional activities) will be opened in a near future. Check this website regularly. Thanks for your patience. |
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Our guided tours are free of charge Refuse any offer from a Tour Operator which claims they had to pay for the CERN guided tour |
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Tours consist of a video introduction to CERN, followed by a visit of one or two areas on the site, such as control rooms, research facilities, engineering facilities, etc. Tours take place both indoors and outdoors. Please note that underground visits are extremely rare and only possible when the accelerators are not running and that the LHC tunnel cannot be visited. The final tour programme is decided maximum 20 days before the tour in order to take operational and safety constraints into account, as well as group profile (ages, special medical condtions etc.). Therefore, the exact programme cannot be guaranteed in advance. In addition to your tour, you can explore our permanent exhibition Universe of Particles, located on the ground floor of the Globe of Science and Innovation. |
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From Monday to Saturday Exceptional closures |
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Tours last between 2 and 3 hours depending on programme and group availability It is not possible to leave a tour before the end |
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For groups of 12 to 48 visitors |
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Mandatory registration available 9 months in advance The approval or reject of your guided tour request depends on various parameters: your group category and size, the requested language, your country of origin (to guarantee a fair balance between countries), whether or not you have your own coach, the requested dates, etc. It is not unlikely that all capacity is booked months in advance. It is therefore recommended to book as early as possible (i.e. 9 months in advance). |
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Recommended for ages 12+ Minors must be accompanied by at least one adult Groups of minors must be accompanied by at least 2 adults |
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Most tours will require the use of a coach CERN has a limited number of coaches available Having your own coach for the tour increases your chance of getting a place |
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Up to 30 languages (depending on guide availability) French and English always available Please refrain to request a guided tour in a language that is not easily understood by participants. On the spot interpretation does not allow a tour in good conditions (shortened programme, lack of interactivity with the guide etc.). |
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Requests from tour operators will be systematically rejected Requests for school/university groups must be submitted via an official school or university e-mail address |
Procedure for booking a guided tour for groups
- Click on button below to access booking form
- Define your group profile (category, number of visitors, language, country, transport etc.).
- Pick one available date. If no date is available try again another day.
- Provide contact information about your group and submit your request.
- Your request will be approved or rejected by the Visits Service within five working days. Wait for your guided tour to be approved before making firm travel and accommodation arrangements.
- Once your guided tour has been approved, you will be requested to provide details of all the members of your party (last name, first name, date of birth, place of birth, country of birth and nationality), 21 days before your tour is due to take place at the latest. Failure to do so may lead to the cancellation of your guided tour. More information on what we do with visitor’s personal data. To provide visitors information, an account is required. You can use a CERN, eduGAIN, Google, LinkedIn, GitHub or Facebook account. Alternatively, you can create a CERN guest account. Make sure your account is identified with the same e-mail you used for your booking request.
Request for a guided tour for groups |