Can I as a Canadian get a National Trust pass or discount? Each time I go on it or inquire they say, if I have had one in the past year I can renew? Is there a tourist offering? English Heritage offers an Overseas Visitors pass that seems so easy to purchase. But I get so frustrated each time I go on National Trust. There are a few locations that we are visiting that if we had this, it would save us significantly. Anyone have a simple explanation of how National Trust works for a tourist. Thanks so much!
Posted by
SE Pennsylvania
2375 posts
Is this the site you are using?
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/membership#joint-block-dropdown+
Posted by
OP
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
373 posts
Yes, I believe it is.
Posted by
Colorado Springs
2822 posts
Take a look at The Royal Oak Foundation: https://www.royal-oak.org/join/, which is an American partner of the National Trust and whose membership entitles you to unlimited entry to National Trust properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We joined just before our own trip to the UK last June and it was one of the best decisions we made - saved us a lot of money. Though the Royal Oak is an American non-profit, I believe that membership can be purchased from outside the US.
Here's a link to a discussion I posted before our trip that might be of interest. It includes a number of helpful comments regarding the program: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/experience-with-the-royal-oak-foundation.
Posted by
585 posts
You can buy a membership in National Trust Canada which gives you chess to UK national trust properties and others world wide.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
As far as I am aware, purchasing an overseas membership of an affiliate organisation will get you free entry into the properties (there are some exceptions), but you would have to pay for parking, where applicable (usually £4 per visit). The same applies to the NT Touring Pass.
The Touring Pass must be purchased before you come to the U.K. Googling “National Trust touring pass” takes me to their website, where you can add tickets to your online basket. They are picked up at a NT property on arrival here by using your confirmatory email as proof of purchase.
Posted by
Chicago
1943 posts
I don't know about Canada but I know many Americans that joined the Royal Oak Foundation and then were able to get unlimited admission to National Trust sites in the UK. I'm not sure of the costs but the link is below.
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
4094 posts
I just went through the National trust membership website and it was quite easy to get one. There are a series of drop-down menus that ask what country you are from, address etc. I was able to easily fill in the blanks and get to the payment page.
Posted by
Colorado Springs
2822 posts
For info, Royal Oak membership is a little cheaper than the NT Overseas membership, and it does include a free parking pass for all NT properties in England ... or at least all the ones we visited over the course of our 3 week trip.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
1834 posts
Are you a member of National Trust for Canada? If so they have reciprocal arrangements with the National Trust and you will get free membership to all NT and NTS properties.
https://www.into.org/places/
Check out the cost of their membership and then compare with National Trust membership.
You can always buy annual membership at the first NT palce you visit.
Posted by
Bristol, UK
1004 posts
The annoying thing about National Trust parking is that they only take coins. I presume they make it difficult to further encourage membership.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
1834 posts
I thought NT memberts automatically got free parking in their car parks.
Perhaps they don't want to spend the money on converting the machines to take cards and would rather spend it on their properties?