Want to see Wicked on Broadway? Here are 5 best places to buy theatre tickets in London
It’s gotta be frustrating when you’re walking down the street, and everyone’s decked out in pink and green, belting out songs from Wicked—and you have no idea what they’re singing about. You’re stuck on the outside, feeling like you’re missing out on the magic.
But don’t worry, you’re not behind the times. London’s got your back with plenty of places where you can grab theatre tickets and finally get in on all that cultural action.
When my team and I went on a theatre marathon, we checked out a few different spots to pick up our tickets. Now, we’re here to share the ones we think are the best, along with their pros and cons, so you can choose the one that works best for you!
| How much do theatre tickets cost in London? Theatre tickets in London costs around £15 to £150. The final cost depends on the show, seat location, and venue. Discounts are also often available through promotions, lotteries, or day-of ticket booths. |
1. TKTS London
Address: TKTS, Leicester Square
Phone: +44 20 7557 6700
Business hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 10:30 AM – 6 PM
- Sunday: 12 PM – 4:30 PM
If you’re looking for affordable West End tickets in London, TKTS in Leicester Square is the place to go.
The Society of London Theatre runs it, so all the tickets are legit and come straight from the theatres. Plus, the profits support theatre-related causes.
Even if there’s a queue, it moves quickly. You might even end up chatting with other theatre fans!
One customer we spoke to mentioned they’d tried booking online before and found it convenient. However, they chose to go in person to fully enjoy the experience.
My team and I loved the great selection of discounted tickets, including half-price deals for same-day shows. They even have discounts for performances later in the week.
We also appreciated how the staff recommended the best seats for our budget.
One thing we’ve noticed recently, though, is that not all tickets are as discounted as they used to be. Some are only 25% off instead of 50%. Still, the prices are better than paying the full price.
Best place in London to get theatre tickets
“Best place in London to get theatre tickets. Check times to see when they open and don’t be afraid of the line, it moves quickly. Last-minute tickets are discounted and the also sell advanced tickets up to a week ahead of time. You can also go online and buy tickets and pick your exact seats. Love this service.”
A.L. Harris, Google review
Extraordinary service and really lovely booking experience
“On the day last ticket purchase was made perfectly bespoke by us by the lovely Catherine. We gave her a couple of musicals we’ve watched and enjoyed and she gave us a recommendation, found 60% discounted front-row circle seats and a show that started at a reasonable time. Extraordinary service and really lovely booking experience. Thank you, Catherine.”
Jamie-Lee Mounter, Google review
2. Leicester Square Box Office
Address: 42 Cranbourn St
Phone: +44 20 7087 2999
Business hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 10 AM – 7 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Leicester Square Box Office (LSBO) is also right in the middle of Leicester Square. We easily found its convenient location, and is perfect for anyone heading to a West End show.
Their membership program is worth checking out if you’re a regular theatre fan. We love how it gives early alerts for popular shows and priority access to tickets, so you’re always ahead of the game when new productions come out.
You can also trust that their tickets are legit because they’re part of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR).
That said, some customers we talked to feel their booking fees are a bit high. Even though they cap fees at £4 per ticket, the added cost can make the tickets seem less attractive than sellers offering lower or no fees for in-person purchases.
On the bright side, LSBO puts a lot of effort into being accessible. Their helpful team was always ready to answer any of our questions.
These guys are the real deal!
“Great tickets for unbelievably cheap prices. These guys are the real deal! Staff are super lovely and helped us answer all our questions and see us off to kinky boots! Would definitely use again!”
Helene Klaustrup, Google review
I’ll definitely use the service again
“Great company! I booked tickets both at the box office in Leicester Square and through the website and I’ll definitely use the service again. Great deals and prices! Going to see Book of Mormon next week and will definitely check LSBO to get tickets!”
Manuel Bau, Google review
3. Official London Theatre
Address: 32 Rose St
Phone: +44 20 7557 6700
Business hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday to Sunday: Closed
We’ve had a chance to explore the Official London Theatre. It’s run by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT), and what’s cool is that it’s not-for-profit.
This means any money they make goes straight back into programs to make theatre more accessible, especially for kids and people who might not usually get the chance to enjoy it.
What we really liked is how much more it offers than just tickets. It’s like having a guide to London theatre in your pocket. We had fun browsing their website for show details, venue information, the latest theatre news, and even behind-the-scenes interviews.
Another great thing is their close connection with productions. This ensures the information is accurate, and sometimes you can find exclusive deals that you won’t see anywhere else.
There is a small downside, though. Some people we spoke to weren’t thrilled with their refund and exchange policies. Exchanges depend on whether the theatre allows it, and refunds are only given if a performance is cancelled.
Very friendly and helpful customer support
“Very friendly and helpful customer support. I made a mistake and booked the wrong date. The support responded very quickly, even though it was the Christmas holidays. Even though it was my own fault, the tickets were refunded to me. Many thanks to Jen!”
Ulli Storck, Google review
I would personally recommend it
“I booked two tickets to a show and booked the wrong date. I emailed in asking if I could change the date and they said I’d have to buy new tickets and the old ones would be refunded. So I purchased new tickets, replied to them with the new booking reference and within an hour the refund had been authorised on PayPal. All of this was sorted within a couple of ours, Amy (Theatre Customer Service Senior Agent) was very responsive and helped me promptly. From my experience, I would personally recommend. Thanks all, customer service was very good.”
Emperor Barbers, Google review
4. London Theatre Direct
Address: 55 Strand
Phone: +44 333 009 0997
Business hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 10 AM – 7:30 PM
- Sunday: 11 AM – 6 PM
We found London Theatre Direct’s website pretty easy to use, especially with features like dynamic pricing and mobile ticketing. It’s convenient for finding deals and booking tickets on the go.
Their interactive seat plans are a highlight too—you can see exactly where you’ll be sitting before making a decision, which makes the whole process feel simple and straightforward.
We also noticed they run some nice promotions, like £25 vouchers for subscribers, plus regular giveaways and loyalty perks. It’s no wonder some of the people we spoke with said they’d be happy to book through them again.
One cool tech feature that stood out is their use of Amazon Alexa for ticket purchases. They were actually the first to do this, which adds a fun and modern twist to getting tickets.
The only thing we could point out is how their website can be prone to crashing. This is particularly true during high-traffic times, which can make booking tickets a bit frustrating.
What a pleasant and easy experience
“I needed to exchange my tickets due to taking a lateral flow prior to performance and having the big c! I emailed to see the possibilities of exchanging tickets, within 24 hours I had a confirmation of ticket exchange with no extra charge. What a pleasant and easy experience, thank you. Looking forward to seeing Tina Turner in March!”
Portia Cooper, Google review
No fuss, just done
“Highly impressed with the efficiency that a ticket exchange request was performed to move dates back when someone could no longer make the original booked ticket dates. No fuss, just done. Thanks Roger & Team.”
Larry Cooper, Google review
5. SeatPlan
Address: 86-90 Paul St
Business hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 10 AM – 8 PM
- Sunday: 12 PM – 6 PM
Another website we checked out was SeatPlan. We liked how it lets you pick your own seats from an interactive map. It was awesome being able to choose exactly where we wanted to sit instead of just getting a random seat.
We also found the user reviews and photos really helpful. It showed us what the view was like from different seats and if anything was blocking the view. This made it easier for us to decide where to sit.
SeatPlan also has a section for discounted tickets, which makes it easy to find deals. We could compare prices for different shows and make sure we were getting the best price.
On top of that, the site gave us lots of info about the shows, like the cast, performance times, and descriptions.
However, some customers we’ve interviewed run into a few problems. Some of them experienced glitches on the site, like issues with picking seats or problems during checkout, which was a bit annoying.
Exceptional Customer Service
“Exceptional Customer Service. I initially used Seatplan to purchase theatre tickets – I got such a great price that I wasn’t sure if it was legit and even phoned the venue to check – who promptly confirmed they were. I use the site all the time to check seat views and have recently started to upload my own to take advantage of money off rewards. I had an issue where I was unknowingly using two different accounts – they identified the issue straight away and rectified it. Replied to emails very promptly. Have to say one of the easiest companies I’ve dealt with in a long time. Well done”
Sonya Bithell, Google review
Truly one of the best tools to have at your side before a trip to the West End
“SeatPlan is a great site that give the average theatre goer that little more insight into what their trip to a show will be like. I use the site every time I book a ticket and also contribute to it myself. The staff all seem friendly and passionate about their work. It’s truly one of the best tools to have at your side before a trip to the West End.”
Jack Gregson, Google review