General information
Organising a tour of an experiment
CERN’s Visits Service organises tours of its experimental areas and facilities, which are free of charge. Tours in several languages are organised on Mondays to Saturdays starting at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. It is essential to book in advance.
Please note that the tours are not suitable for children under 14 years of age.
A visit lasts approximately half a day. It starts with an introductory presentation on CERN by one of our guides, followed by a film, a visit to one of the experiments and/or to an accelerator located at the surface.
The itinerary, which is chosen by the Visits Service, depends on the availability of the areas on the day of your visit.
You will be able to visit the exhibition in the Globe of Science and Innovation or the Microcosm exhibition either before or after your tour.
Group visits
Visits are organised for a minimum of 12 people and a maximum of 48 and bookings are taken on a first-come first-served basis. For tours of an experimental area, groups of more than 12 people are split into smaller groups of no more than 12 people and all groups are accompanied by a guide.
The standard languages for the tours are English, French, Italian and German. We can also arrange tours in other languages on request.
For group visits in all languages you will need to reserve at least four to six months in advance but in some cases even as much as a year in advance in view of the high demand.
If your group is travelling to CERN by coach, please note that this will be your mode of transport for the whole of your visit. If your group is not travelling to CERN by coach, transport can be provided for a maximum of 24 people. If your group consists of over 24 people, you must provide your own coach, which will be used for all journeys during the visit. Private vehicles may not be used for the tour.
Lunch is available at CERN on Mondays to Fridays only. A meal costs between 10 and 15 Swiss francs, or 8 to 10 euro. You may make a lunch booking, subject to availability of the restaurant, once your visit booking is confirmed.Swiss francs are standard tender in the restaurant. Credit cards are not accepted. Euro notes are accepted but change is given in Swiss francs.
Tours for individual visitors
Tours are organised on Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., subject to availability. The tours will be conducted either in English or in French. We can organise tours in other languages on request and subject to availability.
For further information, please contact us.
On the day of your visit to CERN
Your tour starts and ends at the Reception in Building 33.
As the CERN site straddles the border between France and Switzerland, some of the tours will entail crossing the border. Do not forget to bring your identity card with you (and possibly your passport with a visa if necessary, depending on your nationality).
Please note that the tour itineraries take you into buildings housing scientific and technical equipment. For safety reasons, high-heeled or open-toed shoes, flip-flops or sandals are not permitted. Don't forget to consult our web page to familiarise yourself with the safety rules that apply during visits by the general public.
CERN's restaurants and cafeterias accept only Swiss francs and euros. There is no restriction on the use of cameras and camcorders.
Souvenirs of your visit to CERN and various items of educational documentation may be purchased at the shop at the Reception in Building 33 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays. The shop accepts credit cards (VISA, MasterCard and Maestro), Swiss francs and euros.