Tower Bridge: how to see it open, and is the inside worth it?
Crossing is free. The inside is ticketed. And the bridge lifts are published in advance — so seeing it open is a plan, not luck.
Visitor information checked 14 October 2026 · prices and hours change
The video gives you the verdict and the viewpoints in under five minutes. This page has the numbers that change — prices, hours, rules — and the map pins.
Worth it? The bridge itself, absolutely — and that part is free. Give the inside about an hour to an hour and a half. It's worth the ticket if you like engineering, or if you can match your visit to a listed lift and watch it from the glass floor.
Skip the ticket if you only have a short stop and no lift is listed. Walk across, and take the view from Potters Fields.
Five mistakes people make here
- Hoping to catch a lift by luckThere are only a few hundred a year. Check the schedule and plan around a listed lift — it may be days away.
- Paying to crossWalking over the bridge is free; it's a public road. The ticket is for the towers, the high-level walkways with the glass floors, and the Victorian Engine Rooms.
- Thinking a pre-booked ticket skips the queueIn the operator's words, it "will not offer you fast track entry". The queue is outdoors, on the bridge.
- Bringing a suitcaseBags no bigger than 45 × 35 × 20 cm. No suitcases or wheeled bags; every bag is searched; no glass bottles near the glass floors.
- Leaving before the Engine RoomsThe route ends on the south bank in the Victorian Engine Rooms — your ticket is checked again there, so keep it.
What the ticket covers
| Part | Included? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Walking across the bridge | Free | No ticket needed |
| North and South Towers | Yes | Stairs, with lifts in both towers |
| High-Level Walkways and glass floors | Yes | Over 40 m above the river; watch traffic — or a lift — below your feet |
| Victorian Engine Rooms | Yes | South bank, at river level; the original steam engines |
Prices
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | £18.00 |
| Concession (60+, students 18+, 16–17, disabled adults) | £13.50 |
| Child (5–15) | £9.00 |
| Disabled child | £6.80 |
| Under 5 | Free |
| Local ticket (Southwark, Tower Hamlets, City residents, with ID) | £1 |
One companion free with each disabled visitor. National Rail 2-for-1 on full-price adult tickets. Book up to 8 weeks ahead for your preferred time.
The route inside
It's one-way, north to south, and ends on the south bank.
- North Tower — ticket office on the north-west side of the bridge, bag search, then up.
- High-Level Walkways — both East and West, with the glass floors.
- South Tower — look up: seven worker statues are hidden in the roof structure.
- The Blue Line — a painted line to the Engine Rooms, with 80 bronze plaques to people who worked on the bridge.
- Victorian Engine Rooms — steam raised the bascules until 1976. Ticket checked again.
Practical details
Find it — map pins
The two starred spots are the free full-length views of the bridge.
- Tower BridgeTicket office on the north-west side
- Tower Bridge Engine RoomsWhere the route ends
- ⭐ Potters Fields ParkSouth bank, west side — the classic view with the City behind
- ⭐ Butler's Wharf PierSouth bank, east side
- St Katharine DocksNorth bank, east side · free
What to take
The audio tour runs on your own phone, there's no water on site, and the bag limit is checked at the door.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The links below are paid links: if you buy through one, WanderSmart Guide may earn a commission. We only list kit that answers a rule or a problem on this page, and we never quote prices — Amazon's change constantly.
- Earbuds paid linkThe free audio tour plays on your phone — the operator asks you to bring headphones.
- Budget earbuds paid linkThe cheaper option if you only need them for the tour.
- Travel power bank paid linkQR-code audio, photos and maps drain a phone fast.
- Foldable backpack paid linkWithin the 45 × 35 × 20 cm limit, with room for the water and food you have to bring yourself.
The rest of the kit
- Sun hat paid link
- Rain poncho paid link
- Sunscreen paid link
- Headphones paid link
- Budget headphones paid link
- Universal travel adapter paid link
- Wireless charging station paid link
- Carry-on bag paid link
- Suitcase paid link
Nearby
Walking times are our estimates.
- Tower of London5 min from the North Tower · book ahead in summer
- St Katharine Docks5 min · free
- Shad Thames and Butler's Wharf3–5 min from the exit · Victorian warehouse streets
- HMS Belfast8–10 min along Queen's Walk
- St Paul's Cathedral — our guideAbout 25 min along the river
Book direct
- Tower Bridge tickets — official
- Bridge lift schedule
- Plan your visit — bags, food, transport
- Accessibility
- Free audio tour
We link to official booking pages, never resellers.