St Pauls Cathedral: Tickets, Hours and Tips
St Pauls Cathedral: Tickets, Hours and Tips
Christopher Wren spent 35 years building this cathedral and quietly changing the design the whole time, which is part of why it still feels considered rather than compromised three centuries later. GBP 27 gets adults into the cathedral floor, the crypt, and all three Dome Galleries, the last of which means 528 steps up to one of the better elevated views in the City of London. Do the Whispering Gallery at minimum, and only commit to the top if stairs genuinely don’t bother you.
St Pauls Cathedral at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Price | GBP 27 adult, GBP 10.50 child, covers Cathedral Floor, Crypt and Dome Galleries |
| Hours | Mon-Sat from 8:30am (10am Wed), last entry around 4pm; Dome open Sundays 15 Mar-25 Oct |
| Time needed | 1.5-2 hours for the floor and crypt; add an hour for the Golden Gallery climb |
| Booking lead | Advance booking sensible in summer and school holidays, door queues are real |
| Getting there | St Paul’s station (Central line), directly beneath the cathedral’s north side |
Is the climb to the top actually worth 528 steps?
If you can manage stairs, yes. The Whispering Gallery at 257 steps is the easy win, a genuine acoustic curiosity where a whisper against the wall travels 34 metres around the dome. The Stone and Golden Galleries add hundreds more steps for progressively better rooftop views across the City and the Thames, a real commitment, not a mild one.
Does the summer discount actually apply here?
Yes. Between 25 June and 1 September 2026, the UK Government’s Great British Summer Savings scheme trims weekday sightseeing prices below the standard rate, so check current pricing on the official site before you book if you’re visiting in that window rather than assuming the year-round GBP 27 figure.
Book tickets and check today’s exact pricing on the official ticket page , or plan your visit hours and dress expectations on the visitor information page . If you’d rather skip the door queue with a guide who knows the building’s history cold, book a guided cathedral tour .
Walk south afterward over the Millennium Bridge toward Tower Bridge and the South Bank, about twenty minutes on foot with St Paul’s dome behind you the whole way, or start from the London guide for the rest of the City.
Photograph the dome from the bridge itself before you climb it. The view back at St Paul’s from mid-river, especially at golden hour, beats anything you’ll get from inside the Golden Gallery looking out.