Arlington National Cemetery
The best Arlington Cemetery tours
The tram tour, guided walks to the Changing of the Guard, JFK's eternal flame, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Arlington House. Here is how to tour Arlington National Cemetery, with honest advice on lines for the tram, hearing your guide, and the ID and security check.
See our 6 picks
For most visitors, the best tour of Arlington Cemetery is a 2.5-hour guided walk that includes the Changing of the Guard, from €35.
If hills are hard for you, take the narrated tram loop instead, from €19.
You can also visit on your own. The cemetery is open daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., a 5-minute walk from the Metro.
Our 6 picks for Arlington Cemetery tours
Four guided walks, the tram and two walks you can add a DC bus tour to. All six have free cancellation.
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from €35 per person Our top pick 2 h 30 min 4.9 (209) reviews on GetYourGuide
Guided walk with the Changing of the Guard and JFK's flame
A 2.5-hour walk with a licensed guide. The guide takes you to a good spot for the Changing of the Guard. You also see JFK's Eternal Flame and the view from Arlington House. There are stairs; not for wheelchair users.
Best for The story and the ceremony
Check availability: Guided walk with the Changing of the Guard and JFK's flame on GetYourGuide - from €19 per person
45-minute loop, 3 stops
Arlington tram
45-minute loop 4.6 (612) reviews on GetYourGuide
Arlington tram ticket
A narrated 45-minute tram loop with 3 stops: JFK's grave, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Arlington House. Bags go through a metal detector at the Welcome Center.
Best for Hills, heat, older visitors
Check availability: Arlington tram ticket on GetYourGuide - from €49 per person
Up to 10 people, 2.5 hours
Small-group walk
2 h 30 min 4.8 (40) reviews on GetYourGuide
Small-group walk, 10 people at most
A 2.5-hour walk in a group of no more than 10. You visit the Tomb of the Unknowns, JFK's grave and the Space Shuttle memorials. Bring photo ID: without it, ages 16 and up are turned away with no refund.
Best for Hearing your guide
Check availability: Small-group walk, 10 people at most on GetYourGuide - from €35 per person
JFK's flame
Guard and JFK walk
2 hours 4.5 (89) reviews on GetYourGuide
Changing of the Guard and JFK gravesite walk
A 2-hour walk to the Changing of the Guard, JFK's Eternal Flame and Arlington House. A wheelchair user can join with a helper, but there is a steep hill.
Best for Wheelchair users with a helper
Check availability: Changing of the Guard and JFK gravesite walk on GetYourGuide - from €49 per person
10+ bus stops
Arlington and DC by bus
2–6 hours 4.3 (72) reviews on GetYourGuide
Guided walk with an optional DC bus tour
A 2-hour guided walk to the Changing of the Guard and the Kennedy graves. You can add a 3-hour DC bus tour with 10+ stops. Bring a passport, or a driver's license if you live in the US.
Best for A full day
Check availability: Guided walk with an optional DC bus tour on GetYourGuide - from €49 per person
The Mall by night
Arlington and night tour
2–5 hours 4.1 (53) reviews on GetYourGuide
Guided walk with an optional night bus tour
A 2-hour guided walk at Arlington, with the Changing of the Guard and the Kennedy grave. You can add a 3-hour night bus tour of the Mall. Not suggested for pushchairs.
Best for Arlington by day, the Mall by night
Check availability: Guided walk with an optional night bus tour on GetYourGuide
Arlington Cemetery tours at a glance
| Tour | From | Duration | Changing of the Guard | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided walk with the Changing of the Guard and JFK's flame | €35 per person | 2 h 30 min | Yes, with a good spot | The story and the ceremony | The best-rated Arlington tour, with 209 reviews. |
| Arlington tram ticket | €19 per person | 45-minute loop | Stop at the Tomb | Hills, heat, older visitors | The cheapest way round, from €19, with no long walk. |
| Small-group walk, 10 people at most | €49 per person | 2 h 30 min | Perhaps | Hearing your guide | The smallest group, so you can hear every word. |
| Changing of the Guard and JFK gravesite walk | €35 per person | 2 hours | Yes | Wheelchair users with a helper | The only walk the listing calls wheelchair-accessible. |
| Guided walk with an optional DC bus tour | €49 per person | 2–6 hours | Yes | A full day | Arlington and the DC sights in one booking. |
| Guided walk with an optional night bus tour | €49 per person | 2–5 hours | Yes | Arlington by day, the Mall by night | The only pick that adds the monuments at night. |
Guided walk with the Changing of the Guard and JFK's flame
€35 per person2 h 30 min 4.9 (209)
Details
- Changing of the Guard
- Yes, with a good spot
- Who it suits
- The story and the ceremony
- Why we picked it
- The best-rated Arlington tour, with 209 reviews.
€19 per person45-minute loop 4.6 (612)
Details
- Changing of the Guard
- Stop at the Tomb
- Who it suits
- Hills, heat, older visitors
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest way round, from €19, with no long walk.
Small-group walk, 10 people at most
€49 per person2 h 30 min 4.8 (40)
Details
- Changing of the Guard
- Perhaps
- Who it suits
- Hearing your guide
- Why we picked it
- The smallest group, so you can hear every word.
Changing of the Guard and JFK gravesite walk
€35 per person2 hours 4.5 (89)
Details
- Changing of the Guard
- Yes
- Who it suits
- Wheelchair users with a helper
- Why we picked it
- The only walk the listing calls wheelchair-accessible.
Guided walk with an optional DC bus tour
€49 per person2–6 hours 4.3 (72)
Details
- Changing of the Guard
- Yes
- Who it suits
- A full day
- Why we picked it
- Arlington and the DC sights in one booking.
Guided walk with an optional night bus tour
€49 per person2–5 hours 4.1 (53)
Details
- Changing of the Guard
- Yes
- Who it suits
- Arlington by day, the Mall by night
- Why we picked it
- The only pick that adds the monuments at night.
- Group size: the small-group walk takes 10 people at most.
- None of the 6 includes hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point.
- All 6 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Walking tour or tram?
Take a walking tour for the stories and the Changing of the Guard. Take the tram if hills or heat are hard for you.
The walks last 2 to 2.5 hours, with a guide who explains what you see. The tram loop takes 45 minutes, with narration on board.
Both stop at JFK's grave and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The Arlington National Cemetery tram tour
Trams leave every 20 minutes, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., every day. Arlington National Cemetery Tours, Inc. runs them.
The loop takes 45 minutes and stops at JFK's grave, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Arlington House.
The cemetery's own pages state no tram price. On GetYourGuide the ticket costs from €19.
Is the trolley tour the same as the tram?
Yes. Some listings call the trams "trolleys". It is the same narrated loop.
Changing of the Guard at Arlington Cemetery
The Changing of the Guard takes place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The cemetery's own pages list no times.
The guided walks plan around it for you. The top walk takes you to a good place to watch.
Without a tour, ask at the Welcome Center when you arrive.
Arlington National Cemetery tours compared
For most people, the 2.5-hour guided walk is the best choice. It has the highest rating and covers the ceremony.
To hear the guide well, pick the small-group walk, with 10 people at most. For a wheelchair user with a helper, pick the 2-hour walk.
Arlington Cemetery bus tours from DC
Two walks let you add a DC bus tour. One adds a 3-hour daytime tour with 10+ stops.
The other adds a 3-hour night bus tour of the National Mall monuments.
Visiting on your own: Metro, hours and the security check
- 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- open daily
- 5 minutes
- walk from the Metro
You can visit without a tour. The cemetery is open every day, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Arlington Cemetery stop on the Metro is a 5-minute walk from the main entrance, at 1 Memorial Ave. Rosslyn station is a 15-minute walk from the Ord and Weitzel Gate.
If you walk in or come by Metro, you pass a security check at the Welcome Center. Adults who drive in need a REAL ID.
Going alone? Our guide to the Washington DC Metro to Arlington Cemetery shows the stop and the walk.
Arlington is the closest of our day tours from DC: it sits just across the river.
Before you book an Arlington tour
Bring photo ID
Tour listings say everyone must show ID. Without it, visitors 16 and older can be turned away with no refund.
Go early for the tram
Trams start at 8:30 a.m. and leave every 20 minutes until 4 p.m.
Pick a small group to hear the guide
The small-group walk takes 10 people at most.
Pack light
Bags go through a metal detector at the Welcome Center.
Check the walking
Most walks have hills or stairs. The tram is the easy option.
Cancel if plans change
All six tours have free cancellation. Check the exact deadline on each listing.
Questions about Arlington Cemetery tours
How long does it take to tour Arlington National Cemetery?
Can you visit Arlington National Cemetery without a tour?
How long is the tram tour at Arlington National Cemetery?
What time is the Changing of the Guard at Arlington Cemetery?
More Arlington Cemetery tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
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Sources (2), facts checked on 25 October 2026
Written by the Things to Do in Washington DC editorial team.