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London St Paul's Cathedral Tickets: how to buy and prices

With a height of 110 meters, St. Paul's is the second tallest cathedral in the world and a must-see on your trip to London.

María Cano

María Cano

10 min read

London St Paul's Cathedral Tickets: how to buy and prices

St. Paul's Cathedral | ©Eric Titcombe

Located on Ludgate Hill, St. Peter's Cathedral, in English Baroque style, is a must-see on your trip to London. And is that, with 110 meters high, is the second highest cathedral in the world after St. Peter's Basilica and from its dome you will have one of the best views of the city.

The original wooden cathedral dates from 1314 but after the fire of 1666 was badly affected and its reconstruction, carried out by Christopher Wren, began the following year and was completed in 1708. Today, it is the most emblematic religious building in the United Kingdom. Seat of the diocese and the Bishop of London, has witnessed events of great historical significance as the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana of Wales and the funerals of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.

If you want to plan a trip of 10, visit the postWhatto see and do in London and you will know the best plans.

The best option

London St. Paul's Cathedral Tickets

London: Don't miss out on your ticket to Saint Paul's Cathedral

A perfect option if you don't want to waste time at the box office.

Recommended whether you are an architecture lover or not. St. Paul's Cathedral is a must-see on your trip to London.

How much do tickets to St. Paul's Cathedral cost?

St Paul's Cathedral| ©Loco Steve
St Paul's Cathedral| ©Loco Steve

Tickets to St. Paul's Cathedral are priced from €21.50 (£18) per adult if purchased in advance or €25 (£21) if purchased at the box office. In addition, there are certain groups that benefit from a reduced price as is the case of students and seniors over 65 who pay approximately 19 € (£16) or children under 18 who pay only about 9.50 € (£8). On the other hand, there are also family tickets for one adult with two or three children from 35€ (£30) and for two adults with two or three children from 50€ (£43).

The ticket price includes the audio guide. Do not hesitate to get one to know all the details of the visit. Also, keep in mind that the entrance to St. Paul's Cathedral is included in some of the tourist passes of the city as London Pass or Explorer Pass.

Book your ticket to St. Paul's Cathedral

Are there guided tours of St. Paul's Cathedral?

Details of St Paul's Cathedral| ©duncanh1
Details of St Paul's Cathedral| ©duncanh1

On your visit to St. Paul's Cathedral you have the possibility to take a guided tour to learn all the details of the history and architecture of the monument, although they are only available on certain days and at specific times. Do not hesitate to visit the official website for more details of the schedules.

The guided tour takes place in the main nave, the crypt, the chapel of Saint Michel and Saint George, the choir and the geometric staircase. And if your visit does not coincide with one of the guided tours, do not worry, because the entrance fee includes a free audio guide in several languages and, equally, you can learn all the details and curiosities of the Cathedral of Saint Paul.

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How to get tickets for St. Paul's Cathedral?

Inside St Paul's Cathedral| ©soomness
Inside St Paul's Cathedral| ©soomness

Tickets to St. Paul's Cathedral can be purchased both at the box office and online at the official website. I recommend that you buy them in advance and online, as you will benefit from a discount of at least 3 € on the price of your ticket.

I recommend that on your trip to London you buy your ticket to St. Paul's Cathedral in advance. This way, you will benefit from a discount of at least 3€ on the price compared to if you buy it at the box office on the same day.

Buy tickets for St Paul's Cathedral

Are tickets to St. Paul's Cathedral included in any city sightseeing pass?

During a mass at St. Paul's Cathedral| ©duncanh1
During a mass at St. Paul's Cathedral| ©duncanh1

The visit to St. Paul's Cathedral is included in some of the most popular tourist passes in London as London Pass, a card recommended for those who want to see as many attractions as possible on your trip, or London Explorer Pass, for those more selective travelers who only want to see a certain number.

With the London Pass you will choose the number of days (1, 2, 3, 5 or 7) and during that time you will have unlimited access to a total of 80 attractions including St. Paul's Cathedral. Thus, the price will depend on the days you purchase it.

  • The one-day pass is priced from 74€ (£62) per adult and 49€ (£41) per child.
  • The two-day pass is priced from 102€ (£86) per adult and 63€ (£53) per child.
  • The three-day pass is priced from 117€ (£98) per adult and 79€ (£66) per child.
  • The four-day pass is priced from 150€ (£126) per adult and 95€ (£80) per child.
  • The five-day pass is priced from 157€ (£131) per adult and 99€ (£83) per child.

On the other hand, with the London Explorer Pass you pay for a certain number of attractions. Thus, the three-attraction pass costs from €58 per adult and €40 per child, the five-attraction pass costs from €88 per adult and €58 per child and the seven-attraction pass costs from €110 per adult and €74 per child.

If you want more details about the tourist passes, read the post the best tourist card in London.

Book your London sightseeing pass

How to get to St. Paul's Cathedral?

Waiting for the Metro| ©Ingela Persson-Rue
Waiting for the Metro| ©Ingela Persson-Rue

St. Paul's Cathedral can be reached by subway, bus or train. In my opinion, the most comfortable option is the subway, but if you walk from the Millennium Bridge you will have the opportunity to take some dreamy pictures with the dome in the background.

  • Subway: If you go by subway you have to take the central line and the destination station is easy to find, as it is called St. Paul's, and is located next to the temple. Still, you can read the practical guide to the London Underground for more details.
  • Bus: By bus you have many options as you can get with lines 4, 8, 11, 15, 17, 17, 23, 25, 26, 56, 76, 100, 172 and 242.
  • Train: There is also the possibility of going by train and, for this, the nearest stations are City Thameslink, which is the closest and is just three minutes walk, Blakfriars, about five minutes, and Cannon Street, which is located about six minutes.

Parking

Saint Paul's Cathedral has no parking, but there is a public parking lot next to the church if you choose to use the car as a means of transport. The parking lot is called Baynard House Car Park and is located at 133 Queen Victoria Street, approximately five minutes walk from the monument. Regarding the price, it costs from 5 € (£4) per hour.

Book your ticket to St Paul's Cathedral

Is it advisable to go to St. Paul's Cathedral with children?

Touring St Paul's Cathedral| ©Gary Campbell-Hall
Touring St Paul's Cathedral| ©Gary Campbell-Hall

St. Paul's Cathedral is a recommended visit if you go with the little ones of the house, as the views from the last gallery of the dome, 85 meters high, will leave them really surprised. They will have the opportunity to see the most emblematic monuments and sites of the city such as the London Eye, the Millennium Bridge, the Tate Modern, the Parliament...

If you go with the little ones of the house, visit the post of things to do in London with children where you will find other original ideas for your trip.

Book your ticket to St. Paul's Cathedral

What you can't miss at St. Paul's Cathedral

Details of the Cathedral Cupola| ©David Barrie
Details of the Cathedral Cupola| ©David Barrie

St. Paul's Cathedral is one of the essential visits on your trip to London and is that, with 110 meters high, is the second tallest cathedral in the world. Below, I indicate everything you can not miss on your visit.

  • The dome: On your visit to St. Paul's Cathedral you have the possibility to climb the dome. It consists of three circular galleries and Wren was inspired by Michelangelo's work in St. Peter's Basilica for its design. It highlights its decoration with paintings of St. Paul the Apostle.
  • Whispering Gallery At 257 steps and a height of approximately 30 meters is the first stop. Its name, the Whispering Gallery, is due to its particular acoustics.
  • Stone Gallery: The Stone Gallery gives you access to an exterior corridor that surrounds the dome and is located at 376 steps.
  • The Golden Gallery: At a height of 85 meters, it is the highest point of the building. Do not let the stairs discourage you because from the top you will have one of the best panoramic views of the city of London, 528 steps high.
  • Crypt It is another attraction of the visit. In this crypt lie key figures of British history such as Winston Churchill, Admiral Nelson, Duke Wellington, Christopher Wren, Florence Nightingale and Alexander Fleming. In addition, remains of the temples prior to Christopher Wren's current project of 1666 are preserved.
  • Facade: Both before and after your visit I recommend that you sit in front of the facade and look carefully at its towers and sculptures. One of its peculiarities is the clock, with a diameter of five meters, dating from the late nineteenth century.
  • Nave: As soon as you enter the Saint Paul Cathedral, you will be surprised by its high ceilings. I recommend that you stop your look at the many frescoes of the temple. It also highlights the high altar of 1958 and the choir located in the center of the nave. In addition, Saint Paul's Cathedral houses the largest organ in the United Kingdom. It was installed in the late seventeenth century and has a total of 7,189 pipes.

If after your visit to St. Paul's Cathedral you are looking to see the city from other observatories, do not hesitate to go up to The Shard or London Eye. In the posts views from The Shard or views from the London Eye you have more details of both viewpoints.

Book your ticket to St Paul's Cathedral

What are the opening hours of St. Paul's Cathedral?

Baptismal font in St Paul's Cathedral| ©Gary Campbell-Hall
Baptismal font in St Paul's Cathedral| ©Gary Campbell-Hall

The opening hours of St Paul's Cathedral are from Monday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, although the visit to the dome has a shorter schedule, from 9:30 am to 4:15 pm. I recommend that you go first thing in the morning and start the visit in the nave when it is still not very crowded, to go up to the dome an hour later when they allow access.

How much time do you need to visit St. Paul's Cathedral?

St Paul's Cathedral at night| ©Brian Smithson
St Paul's Cathedral at night| ©Brian Smithson

The visit to St. Paul's Cathedral has an estimated duration of approximately two hours. It is important that you take this into account so that you can plan the rest of the day as well as possible, since next to the temple there are several monuments and museums that you can see before or after.

Main attractions close to St. Paul's Cathedral

Tate Modern Museum in London| ©Eric Titcombe
Tate Modern Museum in London| ©Eric Titcombe

After your visit to St. Paul's Cathedral, I recommend that you take the opportunity to go to some of the points of interest of the city closest to the temple in order to make the most of the tourist day. Here are the main ones:

  • Museum of London: It is one of the most important museums in the city and its collection includes pieces ranging from prehistory to the present.
  • Shakespeare's Globe Theatre: Located in Southwark, it is a reconstruction of The Globe, from the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century, where the playwright William Shakespeare wrote a large number of plays.
  • The Millennium Bridge: This pedestrian suspension bridge links the City of London with the Bankside area.
  • Tate Modern: This contemporary art museum has an important collection of works that includes paintings by artists such as Dalí, Picasso or Cézanne.

In addition, I recommend you to read the post 10 secret places in London and learn about other surprising proposals for your trip.

Recommendations for visiting St. Paul's Cathedral

Afternoon St Paul's Cathedral| ©Matt Smith
Afternoon St Paul's Cathedral| ©Matt Smith

If you want your visit to St. Paul's Cathedral to be as fruitful as possible, do not hesitate to take into account the following recommendations:

  • Buy your ticket in advance to save a few euros discount and not waste time at the ticket office.
  • It is not possible to take photos or videos inside, so I recommend that you focus on the visit and enjoy it as much as possible.
  • Go first thing in the morning, so that you have a chance to see the main nave before it gets crowded with tourists.

I recommend that you wear comfortable shoes, as you will have to climb more than 500 steps to see the dome.

If your visit coincides with a choir demonstration or an organ concert you are in luck, as you can enjoy two shows for the price of one.

Frequently asked questions

  • Is it possible to take pictures in St. Paul's Cathedral?

    It is forbidden to take pictures inside the cathedral, but you can try to capture its beauty from afar (good luck trying to get the whole thing in one photo, it's huge!).

  • Is St. Paul's Cathedral open to the public?

    St. Paul's Cathedral is open to the public from Monday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. Its galleries open at 9:30 a.m.

  • How long does a tour of Canterbury Cathedral usually last?

    Generally, touring the entire cathedral will take you about an hour and a half.