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How To Visit Big Ben in 2024: Tickets, Access, Tours, And More

Cecilia Rinaldi Last Updated: March 26, 2024

Big Ben is a landmark clock tower in the heart of Westminster, London. It’s an iconic attraction that’s difficult to tour if you’re not a native Brit. If you’re planning a visit, this quick guide on how to visit Big Ben will help you know what to expect.

Pro Tip:  Planning what to do on your trip to London? Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you’re in the city. Check out our  guide to London  for more planning resources, our  top London tours  for a memorable trip, and the  top things to do in London .

Visiting Big Ben

According to Britannica, the tower was originally known as St. Stephens Tower. It was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honour of the Queen’s 60th Jubilee. Technically, only the bell is nicknamed Big Ben, but if you say “Big Ben,” everyone will know you mean more than just the bell. It has been a pillar of timekeeping for decades.

Great news for travelers: Big Ben is back in action! After a six-year restoration, it reopened to the public in 2023. Now, you can step inside, immerse yourself in history, and experience the timeless charm of this iconic clock tower.  Let’s jump into the most important things you need to know about visiting Big Ben in London.

• Access and tickets
• How long to budget for your visit
• What to see at Big Ben
• Facts and history of Big Ben
• Places to eat nearby

Big Ben Access and Tickets

Big Ben underwent extensive restoration from 2017 to 2023. The Great Bell (nicknamed Big Ben) has just been repaired. And the clock tower (Elizabeth Tower) has recently had all the scaffolding removed and is ready to show off in all your pictures.

Previously, only UK residents had the privilege of touring Big Ben. However, there’s great news! Now, both UK-based and international visitors aged 11 and over are warmly welcomed to experience the magnificence of Big Ben. Here are some important things to know before your visit to Big Ben:

• Get ready for a climb! It’s 334 steps to the top!
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Be prepared for any weather conditions as you ascend to a height of 62 meters.
• Be aware of the high noise levels from the clock mechanism and bells.
• Remember, no eating or drinking allowed in the Elizabeth Tower, so hydrate beforehand.

The closest metro stations to Big Ben are Westminster Station and Waterloo Station. Both stations are within walking distance of Big Ben.

• Tickets for tours in the first half of 2024 are sold out.
• Next tickets will be available on Wednesday, April 10th, for tours in July.
• Tickets are released every second Wednesday of the month at 10:00 am local time.
• Tour tickets cost £30 for adults and £15 for children aged 11-17.
• UK residents can get a free tour by contacting a Member of the House of Commons or House of Lords.
• Tickets can only be purchased online through the UK Parliament website.
• Each person can book up to eight tickets, depending on availability.

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our article on the best London tours to take and why .

How Long To Spend at Big Ben

In total, you should plan for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes for your visit to Big Ben, including the 90-minute tour duration. This extra time allows for any necessary preparations before the tour begins and ensures you have ample time to enjoy the experience.

Pro tip: Stand anywhere on Westminster Bridge for great views of Big Ben. Or even better, stand just in front of the statue of Queen Boadicea at the foot of Westminster Bridge, close to Westminster tube station. There you can enjoy unobstructed views as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are just across the road.

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What To See at Big Ben

• The Great Bell (Big Ben)
• Four Smaller Bells In The Clock Tower
• The Elizabeth Tower (The Clock Tower)

Facts and History of Big Ben 

Here are some interesting facts about Big Ben from the official Parliament website to help you understand how incredible this timekeeping monument is.

• It’s commonly known as Big Ben but that’s just the nickname for the bell (which isn’t visible from the street). Also, the bell’s real name is the Great Bell and the clock tower is called the Elizabeth Tower.
• It was built in 1848 during the Victorian period.
• Big Ben (the bell) weighs 13.76 tons, and the tower is 96 metres tall.
• The clock tower has 399 steps. Visitors are warned they need to be fit enough to manage the steps.
• Pennies carefully placed on the bell’s pendulum ensure the chiming is always accurate.
• There are four other smaller bells in the clock tower.
• Not even World War II could stop Big Ben’s chimes. It suffered a direct hit during the war but continued its hourly bongs.
• The government planned to use fake Big Ben bongs during World War II to confuse Nazi planes trying to find Westminster.
• There are no credible historical references as to why it is called Big Ben. Some say it honours a 19th-century heavyweight boxing champion called Benjamin Caunt whose nickname was Big Ben.
• It’s not quite the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but Big Ben does lean very slightly by 4 degrees.
• The renovations, which will be completed in 2022, are the most extensive in its history.

Places To Eat Nearby

With Big Ben closed for refurbishments, there is no on-site café or restaurant. However, there are many options nearby, one of which has amazing views. 

Westminster Abbey Kiosk : ££ | Quick Snack —Although it’s not indoors, nonetheless, it’s handy for a quick bite to eat. Light snacks, sandwiches, hotdogs, pastries, and cakes as well as hot and cold drinks. You’ll find it near the Sanctuary at the Westminster Abbey west gates.  

Storey’s Gate Café : ££ | Coffee Shop —This building was once the home of King Charles II’s birdkeeper Edward Storey. It now sells healthy snacks and light lunches. Vegans and vegetarians will find it has an attractive selection. 

Riverside Café : ££ | Great Views —There’s an enjoyable walk through the scenic Victoria Tower Gardens, next to Parliament to get to this café. It has the best views of the Houses of Parliament and the River Thames. Moreover, it serves a full English breakfast as well as pizza, paninis, pasta, and sandwiches. You can also buy beverages like tea, lattes, coffee, cappuccinos, mochas, and cold drinks.  

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The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Big Ben & Houses of Parliament

Big ben and the houses of parliament ultimate guide.

Out of all the London landmarks scattered throughout the city that can be visited with free walking tours, none are more recognizable or synonymous with London’s culture than the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

The Houses of Parliament and its magnificent clock tower (famously nicknamed “Big Ben”) have become iconic symbols of London for centuries, and it’s hard not to imagine these two attractions when an image of London comes to mind.

The Houses of Parliament (also known as the Palace of Westminster – not to be confused with the nearby Westminster Abbey) was originally built as a royal palace and residence during the reign of Henry VIII. In 1547, the building was given to the British Parliament, and it has been its permanent location ever since.

Big Ben (now named The Elizabeth Tower) which is located at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, stands at 96 metres in height and also contains the second largest four-faced chiming clock in the world.

Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament Highlights

Unbeknownst to many visitors admiring its glorious architecture and massive clock tower from the outside, the Palace of Westminster actually serves as a meeting point for British politicians; and if you’re lucky enough, during your visit to London you may even be able to sit in on a House of Commons meeting (for free!).

But that’s not all the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben have to offer. Inside the Palace of Westminster you can see plaques commemorating the trials of William Wallace, Guy Fawkes and Charles I (just to name a few); and the oldest section of the palace (The Hall) is an architectural delight which contains the largest hammer-beamed room in the world.

St. Stephen’s Hall is another famous section inside the Palace of Westminster, which is located at the far end of Westminster Hall. St. Stephen’s Hall was once used as a royal chapel, and some of the most important parliamentary events in British history took place here.

Special Tips

Getting There

Visiting big ben and the houses of parliament, big ben tours:.

This guided tour of the Big Ben (the Elizabeth Tower) takes you up a narrow 334-step spiral stairwell to the belfry where Big Ben, the Great Bell, hangs. Along the route, your guide will reveal details of the most extensive and complex conservation project in the Tower’s history. This vital conservation work involved over 500 people from across the UK and their traditional crafts including stone masonry, glass blowing, gilding, plastering, cast iron and clock mechanics.

On this tour, visitors will see the inner workings of the clock mechanism, stand next to the world-famous Big Ben bell as it strikes the hour, and step behind the dials. Visitors are also welcome to explore medieval Westminster Hall afterwards.

• Child (aged 11-17) £15. Visitors must be aged 11 years and over.

How to book: These highly popular tours tend to sell out on the day of release. Tickets are released three months in advance, on the second Wednesday of every month at 10am. Tickets can only be purchased  online and visitors will be able to book a maximum of eight tickets per person, depending on availability.

Speaker’s House guided tours:

This is a visit of the State Apartments of Speaker’s House , the part of the Palace of Westminster where the Speaker conducts official business and lives. A guide will share the history and traditions of the role of the Speaker and show the artworks on display.

Tour highlights include the Grand Staircase, the Crimson Drawing Room, the State Dining Room, and the State Bedroom.

• Young adult (16-24) £12
• Concessions (UK Armed Forces) £12
• Visitors with a disability can book a free ticket for their essential companion

How to book:  Tours can be booked online or at the ticket office which is at the front of Portcullis House (post code SW1A 2LW).

Self-guided audio tours of the Palace of Westminster:

Using a multimedia device, visitors on this self-guided tour are guided through famous spaces including medieval Westminster Hall, the House of Commons Chamber, House of Lords Chamber, and other spaces. The multimedia device is available in 10 languages -English, British Sign Language, Welsh, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, Russian, and Brazilian Portuguese.

• Adult £26 (£28 on the day)
• Young adult (16-24) £19 (£21 on the day)
• Children under 5 go free but still require a ticket for entry.
• Concessions (UK Armed Forces) £19 (£21 on the day)

*One child free with each full paying adult included in adult and child package.

How to book: Tours can be booked online or at the ticket office which is at the front of Portcullis House (post code SW1A 2LW).

Guided tours of the Palace of Westminster:

Discover the history and work of UK Parliament on guided tour of the Palace of Westminster . Your is offered in English and includes the House of Commons, House of Lords, and Westminster Hall. Your guide will share the history, art, and architecture of the building, as well as giving you an insight into the Houses of Commons and Lords today.

• Adult £33 (£35 on the day)
• Young adult (16-24) £27 (£29 on the day)
• Children under 5 go free but still require a ticket for entry. Please note the guided tour is not recommended for this age group.
• Concessions (UK Armed Forces) £27 (£29 on the day)

Opening times

Parliament recesses for three months over the summer, as well as over the Easter and Christmas holidays. During this time, there are guided tours to both the chambers and various other historic areas, as well as every Saturday any time of the year.

If you are checking out the Big Ben, you might also want to join any of the free London tours  that are available on offer.

Free Tours in Your Language

Tickets to climb Big Ben tower go on sale for first time since refurbishment

Tickets for the Big Ben tour go on sale at 10am on Wednesday and are expected to sell out quickly.

Wednesday 14 June 2023 09:44, UK

Big Ben will reopen to visitors this summer for the first time since a massive restoration project, with tickets going on sale on Wednesday morning. 

Tickets for the tours, which will run from July to September, can be booked from 10am on Wednesday and are expected to sell out quickly.

The tours will be the first opportunity for the public to go inside Big Ben since the biggest conservation project in the tower's 160-year history .

The five-year restoration of the Elizabeth Tower involved extensive scaffolding, 500 workers and ended up running £51m over budget.

The tower spent years shrouded in scaffolding with its famous bell largely silent from 2017 to 2022.

Visitors attending a Big Ben tour must be at least 11 years old and comfortable climbing 334 steps unaided.

Tickets for a tour are £25 for adults and £10 for children aged 11 to 17.

Tickets can be booked through the Parliament website. If you're not successful in this round, tickets for future tours will go on sale on the second Wednesday of each month at 10am.

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16-24s go free on available tours up until 11th December - choose your tour and book your free ticket now!

Big Ben Preview Tour Dates and Times

Big ben preview tour.

This guided tour of the Elizabeth Tower takes you up a narrow 334-step spiral stairwell to the Belfry where Big Ben, the Great Bell, hangs. Along the route, your guide will reveal details of the most extensive and complex conservation project in Big Ben’s 160 years. This vital conservation work involved over 500 people from across the UK and their traditional crafts including stone masonry, glass blowing, gilding, plastering, cast iron and clock mechanics. 

On this preview tour you will see the inner workings of the clock mechanism, stand next to the world-famous Big Ben as it strikes the hour and step behind the dials, each spanning 6.9m in diameter. You are also welcome to explore the medieval Westminster Hall after your visit to the Elizabeth Tower.

This limited tour in English is offered at a reduced rate of £10 and is a rare opportunity to see inside the Tower while UK Parliament put the finishing touches on the exhibition elements ahead of the official reopening this summer. The Big Ben preview tour is not suitable for everyone. Visitors must be aged 11 and over and be comfortable climbing 300+ steps and experiencing high noise levels from the clock mechanism and bells - ear defenders will be provided. The total tour duration is 90 minutes and toilet facilities are available at the beginning and end of the tour only. Due to the constraints of the Tower, accessible tours including step-free access are not currently available as part of these preview tours. Sign up to UK Parliament’s newsletter to hear about accessible tour options later in the year. If you have any other questions, please contact [email protected] or visit our website for more information

There are no dates currently available.

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Bong! You’ll once again be able to go inside Big Ben from July

Tours of the tower are back after a six-year hiatus

After what feels like eons, Big Ben is officially back and bonging. Soon, visitors will be able to book tickets to climb the 334 steps inside the Elizabeth Tower again. In the hour-long tour, you’ll get up close and personal with the world-famous massive clock as it strikes the hour.

Set those alarms, because tickets for tours in July, August and September will be released on the Parliament website at 10am on Wednesday June 14. Tickets cost £25 for adults and a tenner for 11-17 year olds. As before, there will be a limited number of free tours available to UK residents that can be booked through local MPs. 

Big Ben reopens after being closed in 2017 for vital conservation and repair work to the Elizabeth Tower. This included repairing cracks in the masonry, leaks, erosion, and severe rusting of the metalwork. The entire clock mechanism was also taken apart and restored by specialists in Cumbria. 

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the House of Commons, said: ‘For more than 160 years, the Elizabeth Tower has been a beloved cultural icon of the United Kingdom, a symbol of our Parliamentary democracy that is recognisable around the world. 

‘So, it gives me great pleasure that we are once again able to welcome back visitors – eager to climb the 334 steps from ground level to the belfry – to hear Big Ben and the quarter bells ring out their famous Westminster chimes.’

Bing, bong indeed. 

Big Ben tours. Booking opens 10am Jun 14. £25. 

A secret windmill in Croydon will reopen to the public for the first time in three years.

A new café is opening in a London cabmen’s shelter .

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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Reserve Your Spot with Confidence! Full Refunds with 24 Hrs Notice. Reschedule at any point, even after tour, if space allows!

Big Ben Tickets and Tours

Many people have a visit to Big Ben on their list of things to do when in London when visiting. Here I explain the ins and outs of doing so.

Included is how to take a free tour, where it is located, nearby sights and activities, and a short history.

As a local tour guide and resident of London, I love to share my knowledge of the city and this big old clock tower is one of my favorite sights!

Besides my own insights, I include tips from members of our popular London Travel Tips Facebook group.

The group has over 160k members and is made up of locals, frequent travelers to the UK, as well as first-time visitors to London.

You don't need to become a member to read the posts, comments, and recommendations.

So, check out our group once you've finished reading this post!

• Introduction
• Big Ben Tours
• Nearby Attractions
• Tips from Locals and Travelers
• Westminster Abbey Tickets
• Things to Do in Westminster

INTRODUCTION

Big Ben in London is quite probably the most recognizable clock in the world.

Its iconic four-faced chiming clock is the largest in the world and has been ticking since 1859.

It dominates the skyline in the City of Westminster in London and is just a few minutes walk from such major historic sights, as Westminster Abbey .

Would it surprise you to know that Big Ben is not the real name of this clock tower?

Its original name was simply 'The Clock Tower’. Not exactly memorable, is it?

The clock tower was renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Tower in honor of the Queen on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by DamsoPhoto (@damsophoto)

Here’s another shocker. Big Ben, the largest bell inside the Queen Elizabeth II Tower is officially named the “Great Bell”, but nobody calls it that!  

I suggest you stick with Big Ben.

You might get some strange looks if you ask someone, “How can I get to the Queen Elizabeth II Tower so I can hear the Great Bell?”

So we know where the ‘Big’ comes from just by looking at it! But who is Ben?

There are two theories as to where the moniker came from.

Some say it refers to Benjamin Hall, a Member of Parliament who oversaw the installation of the Great Bell and was a rather rotund figure!

Another theory is that it is named after Benjamin Caunt, an English heavyweight boxing champion known as Big Ben himself.

Though we will never know for sure, we do know that Big Ben is a sight to behold when in London.

Read more history and fun facts about Big Ben below .

CAN I GO INSIDE BIG BEN?

Yes! You can go inside Big Ben by taking a tour. Read just below to find out how.

TOURS OF BIG BEN

These 90-minute tours of Big Ben take you up the Elizabeth Tower, behind the clock faces, and into the belfry to see Big Ben itself.

Tickets are £25 for adults and £10 for children aged 11 - 17. Children under 11 are not permitted on a tour.

Tickets can be purchased only online via the official website . 

Visitors will be able to book a maximum of eight tickets per person, depending on availability.

Tickets are released in blocks and sell out quickly, so keep an eye on the Parliament website for the next ticket release date.

IMPORTANT : Before you book, read the website to see if the tour is suitable for you.

Just a few examples:

• You must be able to climb all 334 steps unaided without assistance.
• Visitors with heart-related illnesses or who are in the later stages of pregnancy will not be allowed.
• You must arrive with sensible footwear, or you may be declined their position on the tour.
• Read more considerations here .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by snaps by jho 📸 (@missjhosaa)

Only UK residents can request a free tour by contacting a Member of the House of Commons or House of Lords directly.

These free tours tend to be sold out for up to 6 months in advance so be prepared to wait a while!

The same suitability requirements above are for free tour guests as well.

More information can be found on the  official website .

TIP: Looking for more London attractions and activities that won't cost you a thing, see our post on  free things to do in London .

HOW TO GET HERE

Big Ben is located in the City of Westminster in the heart of London.

The nearest Underground Station is Westminster (Circle, District, and Jubilee lines).  

You can also access Big Ben from Waterloo Station (Bakerloo, Northern, Waterloo, City, and Jubilee lines).

Use this Google map for directions to Big Ben from anywhere in London .

Click on the image to enlarge

If you are new to traveling on London's public transport, see our post on  using the London Underground .

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS AND TOURS

Big Ben is within walking distance of several major historical sights.

• Buckingham Palace
• St. James’s Palace  and the  Changing of the Guard
• Westminster Abbey
• 10 Downing St.
• Churchill War Rooms

Right next to Big Ben is Westminster Pier where you can catch several  Thames boat rides and cruises .

You can also simply walk across Westminster Bridge and go to the  London Eye  and the  London Dungeon .

TIP : Many of the attractions above are included with London tourist passes which can save money on tickets and tours.

TOURS THAT STOP AT BIG BEN

If you want to learn about both Big Ben and nearby sights, consider taking a tour of the area that includes a stop outside Big Ben.

Both our pay-what-you-wish Westminster Walking Tour and 6-hour pay-what-you-wish All-in-One London Tour stop outside of Big Ben.

If you can't join us for either tour, you might enjoy our GPS-led audio tour  of Westminster or our self-guided Westminster Tour .

Alternatively, you may also want to consider one of the many paid London walking tours which include stops at Big Ben.

TIPS FROM LOCALS AND TRAVELERS

Here are some thoughts about touring Big Ben from members of our London Travel Tips Facebook group.

No one said the experience was not worth it, though some people said that you can get just as good views if not better elsewhere.

Even if you are concerned about being physically fit enough, it is still recommended as there are stops along the way to catch your breath.

However, there is another consideration you might not have thought of -- fear of heights. Here is what one member had to say about that.

And lastly, here's a great tip!

You can find more advice on Big Ben and all things London on our Facebook group, so be sure to take a look.

You don't need to become a member to read the posts, comments, and advice!

Why not even post a question yourself?

HISTORY OF BIG BEN AND THE ELIZABETH TOWER 

The Queen Elizabeth II Tower stands in Westminster, connected to the Palace of Westminster.

After the old Palace of Westminster was lost in a terrible fire in 1834, a new building was designed to sit in its place.

The design of the new Palace was commissioned to architect Charles Barry.

He wanted a clock tower as part of the new palace, but he did not design it himself.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fer Cortes (@goonfer4)

Instead, he asked noted architect August Welby Northmore Pugin for his help in designing the tower and clock.

Pugin designed the tower in his signature Gothic Revival style.

Before he died, Pugin is quoted as saying that his designing and building of the tower was the "hardest [he'd] ever worked in [his] life."

Big Ben and the Other Bells

The Great Bell (Big Ben) was cast in April 1858 at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry (also responsible for The Liberty Bell in the United States).

It weighs 13.76 tons and was the largest bell in the British Isles until 'Great Paul' inside St. Paul's Cathedral was cast in 1881.

Big Ben is the most famous bell in the tower, but there 4 other bells.

The four smaller bells ring every 15 minutes, while Big Ben is only rung at the top of every hour.

A mechanical process triggered by the clock dials raises a hammer which is then dropped onto Ben to make the chimes.

For those wishing to set their clocks, note it is the FIRST chime of Big Ben that marks the exact time.

Times When the Bells Were Not Rung

Although Big Ben has been praised throughout its history for accurately keeping time, including during the Blitz in WWII, the chimes have been silenced on occasion.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Facuu (@faq.ndoo_)

• During WWI the clock was silenced for two years, and the clock dials were darkened, to prevent detection by German zeppelin craft.
• On New Year’s Eve 1962, the cold weather froze the hands of the clock, causing the pendulum mechanism to fault meaning the New Year was rung in 10 minutes late!
• In 1967 the clock experienced its first - and so far only - breakdown when the airspeed regulator broke. Over 9 months the chimes were silenced for around 26 days for repairs. 
• As a mark of respect, the chimes were silenced during the funeral of Winston Churchill. The same protocol was taken during the funeral of Baroness Margaret Thatcher in 2013.

Facts and Figures

• The entire Queen Elizabeth II Tower is 315ft (96m) tall.
• Each clock face stands exactly 180ft (54.9m) off the ground.
• Each dial is nearly 23ft (7m) in diameter.
• Each dial holds over 300 individual pieces of frosted glass.
• The minute hands are each just over 13ft (4.2m) long.
• Despite appearing straight, the Tower is tilting 9.1in (230mm) to the north-west.
• Out of 650 MPs, 331 voted to approve the name change of the Clock Tower to the Queen Elizabeth Tower because the tower on the other side of Parliament was renamed the Victoria Tower in the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

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Big Ben is back in action, and you can climb to the top again!

Travel Global News Big Ben Reopens

Big Ben is one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, and for good reason. The 96-meter (315-foot) tower is a symbol of London and the United Kingdom, and its distinctive chimes are known to people all over the world.

After being closed for two years for renovations, Big Ben tours are finally reopening in July 2023. If you're planning a trip to London, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the world's most famous landmarks up close.

History And Significance Of Big Ben

Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell of the Clock Tower at the Palace of Westminster in London. The bell was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who was the First Commissioner of Works when the tower was being built.

The tower was completed in 1859, and the bell was first rung on July 31, 1859. The bell cracked during its first test ringing, and it took two more years to recast it. The bell has cracked several times since then, but it has always been repaired.

Big Ben is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, and its chimes are known to people all over the world. The bell rings every hour, and it also rings for special occasions, such as New Year's Eve and the Queen's (now King’s) Birthday.

Lesser-Known Facts About Big Ben

• The tower is 96 meters (315 feet) tall.
• The bell weighs 13.7 tons (12,580 kilograms).
• The bell's last crack occurred in 2017, and it is currently not in use.
• The minute hand of the Big Ben is said to weight 100 kilograms.
• Big Ben has never stopped working, and there are no records of it ever malfunctioning.

What Can One Expect To See Inside Big Ben?

• During a tour of Big Ben, visitors will see the Great Bell, the bell's mechanism, and the clock faces. They will also learn about the history of the tower and the bell.
• The Great Bell is located in the belfry, which is a small room at the top of the tower. The bell is suspended from a frame and is rung by striking it with a hammer.
• The clock faces are located on all four sides of the tower. They are made of cast iron and are each 7 meters (23 feet) in diameter.

Shaili Contractor

With a passport full of tales from around 30 countries, I love exploring each new culture I come across. A seasoned writer and editor with a deep love for travel, I can't resist the allure of Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Indonesia - my favorites so far! I still have to take that trip to Japan, as I'm a HUGE Studio Ghibli fan, and love all sorts of pop culture! I also love history and am obsessed with anything that's connected to WW II. I want to visit Poland soon, just for this reason. Traveling has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Bahrain during the Gulf War, and since then, I've moved to several different countries, exploring them as I go. I love airplane food, I enjoy airports more than one should and I love the journey as much as the destination. I write about history and culture, shopping, handy tips, city guides, my own travel experiences and so much more about places visited and less visited in the world. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or a first-timer, I'm here to help you plan your next adventure and make the most of your travels.

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Tours of Big Ben in London Reopen to Foreigners: How to Book

By Jason Cochran

06/14/2023, 10:00 AM

Big Ben is one of the most famous bells in the world, hanging in one of the most recognizable towers in the world, high above the Houses of Parliament in central London .

But since 2010 , the only visitors who have been permitted to tour the landmark have been British citizens. For security's sake, a regulation required Big Ben tour-seekers to write their representatives in Parliament—and of course international visitors don't have any. 

That's been particularly unfair for Americans because Big Ben is actually a cousin of Philadelphia's Liberty Bell. Although far apart in size and age, both were cast in the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in East London. (Big Ben cracked, too, which wasn't uncommon for such big ringers—but it was repaired.)

Now, following a lengthy and thorough restoration  that renewed Big Ben once again, visitors to London are ringing in a new era.

Big Ben tours have finally been made available to foreigners. 

The guided tours will start in July. The U.K. Parliament, which will oversee the tours, describes the experience this way:

"On this tour, you will see the inner workings of the clock mechanism, stand next to the world-famous Big Ben bell as it strikes the hour, and step behind the dials each spanning 6.9m [22.6 ft.] in diameter. ... Visitors must be aged 11 and over and be comfortable climbing 334 steps unaided and able to sustain moderate physical exertion for up to 90 minutes. You will experience high noise levels from the clock mechanism and bells—ear defenders [ear plugs] will be provided."

Did you catch that? Big Ben is the name of the bell, not the building. That's actually named the Elizabeth Tower. Maybe knowing that tidbit will help you win your next pub quiz.

Admission for the tour is £25 (US$31.60) for adults and £10 ($12.64) for children ages 11–17. Admission includes a visit to Westminster Hall , the cavernous, millennium-old room where Queen Elizabeth II lay in state before her funeral. 

The first batch of tickets, for July 3 to the end of September, went on sale this week at Parliament.UK . They are already sold out. 

The next batch of tickets will go on sale at 10am London time on July 12. New tickets will be released at 10am London time on the second Wednesday of every month for the foreseeable future.

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Parliament to offer public tours of Big Ben next month

UPDATE – the preview tours are now finished, but public tours have now started – details here .

It’s now possible to climb to the top of the Elizabeth Tower and stand in ear-banging distance of Big Ben as it bongs the hours.

Following its restoration, these are preview tours, and will lead you up a narrow 334-step spiral stairwell to the Belfry where Big Ben , the Great Bell, hangs. Along the route, your guide will reveal details of the most extensive and complex conservation project in Big Ben’s 160 years.

On this preview tour you will see the inner workings of the clock mechanism, walk behind the dials, each spanning 6.9m in diameter – and best of all… stand next to the world-famous Big Ben as it strikes the hour.

Having been up there before, I can say that although Big Ben is loud, as you’d expect, it’s the quarter bells that make you jump in fright, and the heavy tolling of Big Ben is deeper and not as scary, but much more powerful and moving to stand close to.

This limited tour in English is offered at a reduced rate of £10 and is a rare opportunity to see inside the Tower while the UK Parliament put the finishing touches on the exhibition elements ahead of the official reopening this summer.

Tickets for the preview tours need to be booked in advance from here (ALREADY SOLD OUT – SORRY!) and they will take place on selected dates in April, May and June.

Visitors must be aged 11 and over and be comfortable climbing 300+ steps and experiencing high noise levels from the clock mechanism and bells – ear defenders will be provided. The total tour duration is 90 minutes and toilet facilities are available at the beginning and end of the tour only. Due to the constraints of the Tower, accessible tours including step-free access are not currently available as part of these preview tours.

You are also welcome to explore the medieval Westminster Hall after your visit to the Elizabeth Tower.

It used to be possible to arrange a tour of the Clock Tower as it was called back then, but only by writing to your MP, and while the tours were free, the thought of writing to an MP can be daunting for many people, so offering them at a modest charge via a website is going to open up the tours to vastly more people.

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Any plans for August tours at this time?

I’d like to book tickets for a visit to the Elizabeth Tower in November Is this possible?

I just booked a ticket in June they must have added more.

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Is Target Going to Be Open on the Fourth of July? Here are the Details.

• Author: Choya Johnson

If you love shopping at Target, you'll find any excuse to visit the popular store. Need something to keep your snacks organized ? They've got that. How about a stylish coffee table at an unbeatable price? They've got that, too. The store has nearly everything you need—even if you don't know you need it yet. So, it makes perfect sense that you might find yourself wondering: Is Target open on the Fourth of July ?

Target literally has something for everyone on any given day. And, if you're throwing a party this holiday, you'll definitely want to stop by to get what you need to make it a success . From food items to games and water toys for the kids, you'll definitely want to hit this one-stop shop. So, will it be open on the big day?

Related:  Target's Vibrant and Cute New Pyrex Sets Are the Best Money You'll Spend This Summer

Is Target Open on the 4th of July?

If you plan to spend your day off shopping the aisles of your local Target store, you're in luck. All Target stores will be open on the Fourth of July this year. It's advised, however, that you check with your local store to confirm the hours of operation, as they may be operating on adjusted hours for their staff.

Up next:  What are Chipotle's Fourth of July Hours in 2024? Here are the Details.

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Jennifer Lopez Rocks Her Wedding Ring After Ben Affleck Reportedly Removes His Stuff From Their Home

It’s hard to tell where Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck stand with each other amid rampant divorce speculation.

On June 29, Lopez was photographed wearing her wedding ring one day after a source told People that Affleck removed his belongings from their shared home. According to the publication, the 51-year-old Good Will Hunting star made sure everything was out before Lopez returned from her recent trip to Europe, where she attended Paris Fashion Week without her husband .

“Ben continues to live at the Brentwood rental. He’s been there for about two months now,” another source told People. “He seems okay. He’s been at his office every day and seems focused on work. He’s also spending time with his kids.”

Though Affleck was recently spotted without his wedding ring during a lunch outing with his daughter Violet on June 23, it was back on his finger by June 25. According to Page Six , Lopez was seen driving to Affleck’s office the very next day, which seems like another good sign for the couple’s relationship.

Jennifer Lopez on June 29 in Los Angeles

Bennifer divorce rumors first started swirling in back in May after Lopez was spotted house-hunting in Los Angeles without Affleck. Soon after, reports surfaced that Affleck had moved out of their $60 million home.

“They’ll never stop loving each other, but she can’t control him, and he can’t change her,” the source told In Touch at the time. “There’s no way it could have lasted. They waited almost two decades to get back together, but in the end, they just couldn’t make it work…. They both said they’d matured and learned from their mistakes, but some of the bigger issues that tore them apart the first time remained the same.”

He referred to the attention his wife receives as “fuckin’ bananas.”

Just a week after Lopez cancelled her world tour to spend time with her family , TMZ reported that the mansion was officially on the market on June 8. While TMZ suggested their divorce is “imminent,” you can never be too sure with Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. After all, this is the couple that managed to rekindle their romance 20 years after calling off their first engagement. Here’s hoping it won’t take them another 20 to work this out.

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Breaking news, jennifer garner is ‘done playing marriage counselor’ to ben affleck and jennifer lopez’s ‘circus’: report.

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You’re on your own, Ben.

Ben Affleck has reportedly been leaning on ex-wife Jennifer Garner for support amid his rumored marital issues with Jennifer Lopez, but sources say the “Alias” actress is “done” helping her former spouse.

“Jen eventually got to a place where she was like, ‘Sorry, figure this out yourself,'” an insider told the Daily Mail on Tuesday.

“It was beginning to become too painful for her because it was bringing back so many memories of their divorce,” they added.

Garner, 52, and Affleck, 51, were married for more than 10 years and have kids Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12 .

The former couple got together after Affleck and Lopez, 54, broke off their engagement in the early 2000s. Years after Affleck and Garner’s divorce, the “Justice League” actor reconciled with Lopez and they tied the knot in 2022.

The Daily Mail source said that Garner “felt like she was second” to Lopez when she was married to Affleck “even though there was no communication” between the former couple.

“She was surprised at how public he became when they reunited because he was always a man who wanted to be out of the spotlight when they were married,” the insider continued.

They also claimed that Garner was extremely welcoming to the “Let’s Get Loud” singer.

“Jen opened up her home and her life to J.Lo because she had moved on from the past. She cares about J.Lo and cares about their kids and how it will affect all of them,” said the source.

They added: “But in the end, it is not Jen’s circus, not Jen’s monkeys and she is done playing marriage counselor to her ex-husband and his wife.”

The Post has reached out to reps for Garner, Affleck and Lopez for comment.

As reports claim that Affleck and Lopez’s divorce is imminent, and that their marriage has been over since March , the “Argo” director visited his ex-wife’s house on Sunday, June 30.

In May, Garner, who has been dating businessman John Miller  since 2018, was  reportedly encouraging Affleck  to “work on his marriage” with Lopez.

“She fully supports their relationship and wants nothing more than for him to be happy,” a source  told Us Weekly  in May.

The rumors about Affleck and Lopez’s marriage began in early May, when Lopez  attended the Met Gala  without her husband. Soon after,  Affleck was reported to be staying at a separate house from Lopez .

InTouch reported  that the pair were in therapy to work on their marital issues.

“Ben believes in therapy, to a point, and is willing to be a good sport about participating with an open mind, even though he hates the whole humiliating process,” a source told the outlet.

The duo’s $60 million Beverly Hills mansion  was listed on Zillow  in June. Affleck has since  moved his belongings out and the stars are said to be selling off art from the house.

The couple have mostly been apart since the start of summer. Lopez took a trip to Italy  with friends and then flew commercial to Paris fashion week , while Affleck stayed home in Los Angeles.

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Should Rory McIlroy’s caddie have ‘stepped in’ at U.S. Open? Analyst says yes

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Rory McIlroy and Harry Diamond on the 15th hole at Pinehurst during the U.S. Open's final round.

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Rory McIlroy missed from 3 feet, 9 inches away on the 18th hole during the U.S. Open’s final round. 

And from 2 feet, 6 inches away on the 16th hole.

But Smylie Kaufman also remembers a decision on the 15th hole, where, had it been made differently, he believes McIlroy “could have taken control of the championship” that Bryson DeChambeau ended up winning. Instead, McIlroy hit 7-iron on the 205-yard par-3 at Pinehurst , his ball rolled off the back of the green and next to a patch of native grass — and Kaufman is wondering if McIlroy’s caddie should have intervened. 

“I felt like Harry Diamond really should have stepped in on the 15th hole,” the on-course NBC analyst said.

He was talking on this week’s episode of GOLF’s Subpar podcast, which you can watch in full here . He’d also been walking with McIlroy last month during the Open , and Kaufman thought McIlroy should have hit an 8-iron on the championship’s 69th hole. 

“He did not have the right club in his hands,” Kaufman said on the podcast. “And I felt like Rory could have taken control of the championship on 15 if he just hits it in the middle of the green. And he hit a good shot. But it just was the wrong club. And never, never was a 7-iron for Rory. Especially with a right flag. If the wind was down off the right, it’s not exactly a flag and a wind condition and the heat to be able to land it in a hula hoop, where you got to hit this kind of soft, spinny, fade 7-iron. It was an 8-iron all day, hit it in the middle of the green. 

“I would say that was a huge, huge mistake.”

After the tee shot, McIlroy managed a bump-and-run chip shot to 31 feet, and he missed the ensuing putt to the left to start a stretch that saw him bogey three of his final four holes. On the podcast, Kaufman said if “anything on that hole, short was where you wanted to leave it [with the tee shot].”

But what could Diamond have done there? That was asked by Subpar co-host Drew Stoltz. 

A conversation followed among Kaufman, Stoltz and Colt Knost , another Subpar co-host who also works as a CBS on-course analyst. It examined the McIlroy-Diamond dynamic, other player-caddie relationships and digestion of poor shots. 

Inside the tense moments after Rory McIlroy’s calamitous U.S. Open defeat

Said Kaufman: “To be fair, and I want to maybe ask Colt about this, too, it’s not unusual for Rory to kind of make all the decisions. I don’t really ever see Harry stepping in a ton. Rory always, if he has a question, he’ll ask, but for the most part, Rory kind of goes and does his thing and he’s got a lot of feel. I don’t know if you feel that way, too.” 

Said Knost: “Well, in my opinion, and this isn’t a knock on a lot of the caddies, but a lot of the caddies nowadays are much more vocal. You know, they’re on TV a lot more. And Harry’s very soft-spoken. I think he does give his opinion; it’s just not out loud for the boom mic to pick up like a lot of the other guys.” 

Said Kaufman: “Yeah, I didn’t pick anything up on 15, but …” 

Said Knost: “I think he is very soft-spoken and he’s not out there to be heard or anything like that. But he does give his opinion to Rory. Harry’s a great player, by the way. There’s a lot of criticisms. … Should he move on? And I was like, dude, Rory feels comfortable with his guy. It’s one of his best friends in the world, they’ve won together — I mean, it’s not Harry out there hitting the shots.” 

Said Kaufman: “I just think there was a wrong decision made, and when it comes down to one shot, which it did, there was one shot that …”

Said Stoltz: “The miss was in the wrong spot, I think is the bottom line. If you’re going to miss anything, if you’re in between, like we got to be short.” 

Said Kaufman: “In my head, as a player, when you execute a shot exactly how you’re supposed to and it ends up in a terrible spot, you have to look at, all right, what happened here. Because that’s what happened at the 15th hole. I know Pinehurst, there’s a lot of luck involved. Maybe that ball doesn’t bounce as hard and it stays in that fairway cut and he chips up and makes a bogey anyways. OK, that’s fine. 

“I think I’m talking about it because of where the golf ball ended up, that when a pro hits a good shot and ends up in a bad place, you got to have to question the club and the decision.”

Editor’s note: To watch the entire Subpar episode, please click here or scroll below. 

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Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his role, he is responsible for editing, writing and developing stories across the golf space. And when he’s not writing about ways to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native is probably playing the game, hitting the ball left, right and short, and drinking a cold beer to wash away his score. You can reach out to him about any of these topics — his stories, his game or his beers — at [email protected].

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Battleship New Jersey is open for tours again after $10 million facelift

After a $10 million makeover, Big J is reopening for tours just in time for July 4 celebrations.

After a $10 million facelift , Battleship New Jersey is ready to show off its new look.

Beginning Wednesday and just in time for July 4 celebrations, tours are resuming on Big J, the Navy’s most-decorated battleship.

Self-guided tours on the battleship run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and guided tours start at noon, according to its website . Tickets cost $5 to $40.

The ship will have the main deck and captain’s and admiral’s cabins and decks open for guests to watch fireworks on Wednesday.

The ship returned home to the Camden waterfront on June 20 following three months of repairs and maintenance in South Philadelphia. The makeover marked the first time the decorated battleship had ventured out since 2001 .

The battleship left Camden for a stop in Paulsboro on March 21, then moved to Philadelphia on March 27.

Philadelphia Ship Repair workers repainted and repaired the hull, in addition to replacing anticorrosion technology. The hull project also included an inspection and sealing of about 160 through holes that drew in seawater to cool the engines when the ship was operational. Carpenters installed a new teak deck .

Gov. Phil Murphy allocated $5 million last summer for the project through the N.J. Historical Commission . Camden County also financed the project with $3.2 million in guaranteed revenue bonds, and the Home Port Alliance for the USS New Jersey Inc. raised money to pay for the work .

The ship — 887 feet long and four stories tall, and weighing 45,000 tons — was launched from dry-dock at what was then the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on Dec. 7, 1942, the first anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Production of the ship already was underway before Dec. 7, 1941.

One of four “Iowa Class” battleships produced, Big J is the most decorated vessel in Navy history. After World War II, the ship was again put into service during the Korean conflict, the Vietnam War, and as part of Ronald Reagan’s defense buildup in 1981. The ship was decommissioned in 1991 and turned into a floating museum in 2001.

When Big J was built, thousands of people were employed at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Thousands also served on it during World War II.

Democrats are talking about replacing Joe Biden. That wouldn't be so easy.

President Joe Biden's performance in the first debate Thursday has sparked a new round of criticism from Democrats , as well as public and private musing about whether he should remain at the top of the ticket.

In the modern era, a national party has never tried to adversarially replace its nominee, in part, because knows it would most likely fail. The issue came before both parties in 2016, but neither took action.

Party rules make it almost impossible to replace nominees without their consent, let alone smoothly replace them with someone else. And doing so would amount to party insiders’ overturning the results of primaries when Democratic voters overwhelmingly to nominate Biden. He won almost 99% of all delegates.

And at the moment, there’s no known, serious effort to push him off the top of the ticket.

Still, the Democratic National Committee's charter does make some provisions in case the party’s nominee is incapacitated or opts to step aside, and an anti-Biden coup at the convention is theoretically possible, if highly unlikely. So how would it work?

What happens if Biden drops out before the convention?

The only plausible scenario for Democrats to get a new nominee would be for Biden to decide to withdraw, which he has sworn off repeatedly during other bumpy stretches of his campaign.  

He could do so while serving out the rest of his term in the White House, as Lyndon Johnson did in 1968. 

If Biden were to drop out before he is scheduled to be formally nominated in August, it would create a free-for-all among Democrats, because there’s no mechanism for him or anyone else to anoint a chosen successor.

It takes a majority of the roughly 4,000 pledged delegates to win the party’s nomination. Biden’s won 3,900 of them. Under recent reforms, the party’s more than 700 superdelegates — Democratic lawmakers and dignitaries — are allowed to vote only if no one wins a majority of pledged delegates on the first ballot, so their votes could be crucial in a contested convention. 

Because Biden's opponents all won effectively no delegates throughout the Democratic nominating process, there'd be a virtual clean slate heading into the convention, and the decision would most likely come down to the convention delegates who were initially pledged to Biden.

Biden would have some influence over his pledged delegates, but ultimately, they can vote as they please, so candidates would most likely campaign aggressively to win over each individual delegate.

However, there's a potentially important wrinkle: Democrats plan to formally nominate Biden virtually ahead of the late-August convention to sidestep any potential concerns about ballo t access in Ohio, where a technical quirk has complicated things

Democrats decided to plan a virtual nomination for Biden after Ohio Republicans balked at passing pro forma legislation that would allow Biden to be on the ballot, even though the convention falls after a state deadline. But while Republicans passed a law to shift the deadline, Democrats decided to move forward with a virtual nomination nonetheless.

Could Democrats replace Biden against his will?

There’s no evidence the party would entertain a change without Biden’s consent. But even if it did, there’s no mechanism for it to replace a candidate before the convention, and certainly no way for it to anoint a chosen successor.

If large swaths of the Democratic Party lost faith in Biden, delegates to the national convention could theoretically defect en masse. Of course, they were chosen to be delegates because of their loyalty to Biden and have pledged to support him at the convention.

But, unlike many Republican delegates, Democratic delegates aren’t technically bound to their candidate. DNC rules allow delegates to “in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them,” providing some wiggle room.

The party’s charter does include provisions to replace the nominee in the event of a vacancy. The measure is intended to be used in case of death, resignation or incapacitation, not to replace someone who has no desire to step down.

That was the measure that Donna Brazile, then the interim DNC chair, considered invoking after Hillary Clinton collapsed two months before the 2016 election, she wrote in her memoir .

In her memoir, released a year later, Brazile wrote that she was worried “not just about Hillary’s health but about her anemic campaign ... so lacking in the spirit of fight.” 

“Perhaps changing the candidate was a chance to win this thing, to change the playing field in a way that would send Donald Trump scrambling and unable to catch up,” she wrote, adding that aides to other would-be candidates contacted her, including then-Vice President Biden’s chief of staff.

But after less than 24 hours of consideration, Brazile realized the idea was untenable without Clinton’s cooperation and likely to only divide her party further. “I could not make good on my threat to replace her," she wrote.

Current DNC Chair Jaime Harrison is a longtime Biden ally who serves, essentially, at the pleasure of the president. And the national party has certainly given no indication it’s anything but fully behind his re-election.  

What happens if Biden withdraws after the convention?

To fill a vacancy on the national ticket, the chair can call a “special meeting” of the full DNC, which includes about 500 members. On paper, at least, all it takes is a majority vote of those present to pick new presidential and vice presidential nominees. But that process would most likely be anything but smooth and be filled with behind-the-scenes jockeying and public pressure campaigns. 

If a vacancy were to occur close to the November election, however, it could raise constitutional, legal and practical concerns. Among other issues, ballots have to be printed well in advance of the election, and it might not be possible to change them in time.

Would Kamala Harris replace Biden?

If Biden were to relinquish the presidency, Vice President Kamala Harris would automatically become president — but not the Democratic Party’s nominee. Nor would she necessarily be the nominee if Biden withdrew from his re-election bid while he remained in the White House.

She might be politically favored, but party rules give the vice president no major mechanical benefit over other candidates. 

Biden’s delegates wouldn’t automatically transfer to Harris, and the convention holds separate votes on nominees for president and vice president. So she would still need to win a majority of delegates at the convention. 

If the top of the ticket were vacated after the convention, she would still need to win a majority of votes at the special meeting of the DNC.

That is all, at least, under current party rules. But a vacancy at the top of the ticket is the kind of dramatic moment that might lead party leaders to revisit them in the name of easing the transition. Harris has some close allies in key places at the DNC, including a co-chair of the party’s Rules and Bylaws Committee. But nothing would be likely to happen without a fight.

Ben Kamisar is a national political reporter for NBC News.

Alex Seitz-Wald is a senior politics reporter for NBC News.

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Russia Sends Waves of Troops to the Front in a Brutal Style of Fighting

More than 1,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine were killed or wounded on average each day in May, according to NATO and Western military officials.

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By Julian E. Barnes ,  Eric Schmitt and Marc Santora

Julian E. Barnes and Eric Schmitt reported from Washington, and Marc Santora from Kyiv, Ukraine.

May was a particularly deadly month for the Russian army in Ukraine, with an average of more than 1,000 of its soldiers injured or killed each day, according to U.S., British and other Western intelligence agencies.

But despite its losses, Russia is recruiting 25,000 to 30,000 new soldiers a month — roughly as many as are exiting the battlefield, U.S. officials said. That has allowed its army to keep sending wave after wave of troops at Ukrainian defenses, hoping to overwhelm them and break through the trench lines.

It is a style of warfare that Russian soldiers have likened to being put into a meat grinder, with commanding officers seemingly oblivious to the fact that they are sending infantry soldiers to die.

At times, this approach has proved effective, bringing the Russian army victories in Avdiivka and Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. But Ukrainian and Western officials say the tactics were less successful this spring, as Russia tried to take land near the city of Kharkiv.

American officials said that Russia achieved a critical objective of President Vladimir V. Putin, creating a buffer zone along the border to make it more difficult for the Ukrainians to strike into the country.

But the drive did not threaten Kharkiv and was ultimately stopped by Ukrainian defenses, according to Western officials.

“President Putin and Moscow have really tried to make big gains, to break through the front lines this spring,” Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general, said in an interview with The New York Times editorial board. “They tried and they failed. They made very small gains, and they are paying a very high price.”

Russian casualties have spiked at other times, especially during the assaults on Avdiivka and Bakhmut. But the assaults on those cities were spread out over several months. The push in May, both outside Kharkiv and along the eastern front, involved more intense periods of Russian wave attacks. British military intelligence analysts said Russia’s casualties in May, which they put at an average of 1,200 a day , were the highest of the war.

The fighting last month decimated the town of Vovchansk, about 40 miles from Kharkiv, where Ukrainian and Russian are engaged in a grueling battle for control.

Russian soldiers have said on Telegram, the social media and messaging platform, that their units are suffering high casualties. Some say their ranks are being cut down by drones, machine gun fire and artillery barrages.

Russia’s use of infantry in wave attacks reflects one of its advantages in the war: Its population is much larger than Ukraine’s, giving it a bigger pool of potential recruits.

But the casualties have forced Russia to ship new recruits to Ukraine relatively quickly, meaning that the soldiers sent to the front are poorly trained.

The lack of structured training, and the need to commit new recruits to combat operations, has limited Russia’s ability to generate more capable units. It also increases casualties.

But it is more complicated than that. The changing nature of modern warfare has also increased the body count in recent months.

Ubiquitous drones have made it easy for both sides to spot, and target, enemy forces. And mines and cluster munitions make movement across open ground a nearly suicidal endeavor.

Since Mr. Putin launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, at least 350,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III recently said. British estimates put the number of Russians killed or wounded at more than 500,000.

U.S. estimates of casualties in the war are based on satellite imagery, communication intercepts, social media and news media dispatches from reporters, as well as official reporting from Russia and Ukraine. But such estimates vary, even within the U.S. government.

Reliable estimates of Ukraine’s casualties are more difficult to come by. Ukrainian officials guard those numbers carefully. Several U.S. officials insist they do not have an accurate account. Mr. Zelensky has said that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the first two years of the war, but American officials say that number appears to understate Ukraine’s losses.

Russia conducted a partial mobilization in September 2022, which led to tens of thousands of young men fleeing the country. But Western intelligence analysts say Russia will not need to conduct another such mobilization or draft this year.

Russia appears to be able to sustain its current campaign by offering financial incentives to recruits, drawing on convicts and bringing in some Russian mercenaries from Africa.

But the major question for this year will be whether Russia’s current strategy can best the Ukrainian military, which is finding its defensive footing. Arms and ammunition from a new $60 billion U.S. aid package are finally reaching the front lines, and Ukrainian commanders are no longer having to ration rounds. Russia still outguns Ukraine, but not by as much.

Ukraine has shifted its posture, building fortifications and laying minefields to slow the Russian advance. War favors the defender, and Ukraine is focusing on holding its lines, American officials said.

“What I see is a slowing of the Russians’ advance and a stabilizing of that particular piece of the front,” Mr. Austin told reporters in Brussels this month. “A couple of weeks ago, there was concern that we would see a significant breakthrough on the part of the Russians. I don’t think we’ll see that going forward.”

And Russia’s new buffer zone at the border near Kharkiv may be a hollow achievement.

Ukraine has still been able to use longer-range American weapons to strike into Russia because of a policy shift by the Biden administration that allows the Ukrainian military to use U.S. missiles to strike military targets just over the border .

American officials said the change is beginning to have an impact, taking out Russian artillery and making it harder for Moscow to strike against Kharkiv.

The result, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said this month, was that the Kharkiv offensive had proved to be “yet another mistake for Russia.”

“The destruction of Russian terrorists’ positions and launchers by our forces, our warriors, near the border really matters,” he said . “It is working. Exactly as we expected.”

But for all of Ukraine’s success around Kharkiv, there are more challenges ahead. In the weeks to come, U.S. and Western officials expect the fighting to shift back to the east and the south, as Russia continues to appear willing to expend forces to make incremental gains.

Julian E. Barnes covers the U.S. intelligence agencies and international security matters for The Times. He has written about security issues for more than two decades. More about Julian E. Barnes

Eric Schmitt is a national security correspondent for The Times, focusing on U.S. military affairs and counterterrorism issues overseas, topics he has reported on for more than three decades. More about Eric Schmitt

Marc Santora has been reporting from Ukraine since the beginning of the war with Russia. He was previously based in London as an international news editor focused on breaking news events and earlier the bureau chief for East and Central Europe, based in Warsaw. He has also reported extensively from Iraq and Africa. More about Marc Santora

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

U.S. officials raised the security alert level  at military bases in Europe in response to vague threats from the Kremlin over Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons on Russian territory.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, one of the few European leaders who maintains warm relations with Moscow, arrived in Ukraine for his first wartime visit to the nation .

Ukraine’s security service said that it had foiled yet another Russian plot  to stir public unrest and then use the ensuing turmoil to topple the government.

Evading Conscription: Fearful of a one-way ticket to bloody trench warfare, some Ukrainian men are spending their days holed up at home  to avoid draft officers who roam the streets.

Inside Russia’s Chechen Units: After hundreds of years of enmity with Russia, Chechens are deploying to Ukraine to fight Moscow’s war .

Narrowing Press Freedoms: Journalists in Ukraine say they are subject to increasing restrictions and pressure from the government , adding that the measures go beyond wartime security needs.

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