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Visiting The Shard in London: Guide, Tickets and Facts

The Shard is one of the most iconic buildings in the skyline of London, the capital city of England. Towering high above the cultural attractions nearby, providing exquisite views over the Thames and the North and southern parts of London, The Shard is hugely distinctive. 

No, it doesn’t look like an old-time castle, Parliament building, or museum. Instead, it seems like a towering glass structure that is a modern version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Curious if you can visit and check out the birds-eye view of the bustling metropolis below? Read our guide to see when to visit The Shard, how to visit, and tips and tricks to keep in mind before planning this outing during your next tourist excursion to London. 

What should I do at The Shard?

Internal structure of the Shard – By Michaelmas1957 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24496430

Some tourists might be wondering – what can you even do at The Shard? Plenty! Now that The Shard is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city, visitors can check out ‘The View from The Shard,’ a 360-degree viewing point from the 68th and 69th levels of the building. You can even test your fear of heights even more and check out the Skydeck three floors up — offering even better views of London (if that is possible). 

When you are at the top of The Shard and want to gaze at the city down below, keep an eye out for some of the most famous landmarks, such as the Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, The Tower of London, The Thames, and Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. Plus, when you get peckish after sitting and gazing at the views for a few hours, you can have a tasty cocktail or snack at one of the many bars. 

Prices and Tickets

The Shard as part of the London City skyline – By Quist – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81369872

If you want to make this one of your stops during your next trip to the capital city of the United Kingdom, you need to budget accordingly. Want to bring your kids to check out the idyllic viewpoint? You can purchase a family ticket for just £25 — the equivalent of a kids’ meal at the local pub or breakfast diner in this expensive city. Plus, an adult ticket is only £45, meaning your afternoon day out won’t break the bank. 

To get tickets ahead of time, all you have to do is visit one of the many London tourist websites and look at the available dates. You don’t even have to book a time slot! This means if you are running behind schedule or you find yourself at The Shard earlier than expected, you can walk in with your daily ticket. Check out sites like , , or . 

If you head to London on a romantic holiday with your partner, then you can enjoy the Champagne Experience. Enjoy a glass of Champagne and admission to The Shard for just a little bit extra! Plus, you can splurge on a private guided tour to find out more interesting facts about this iconic London building. 

If you want to save money during your vacation, consider purchasing a companion ticket that allows you to visit one of the many destinations without having to pay full price for each one. You can join the Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour, St. Paul’s Cathedral Ticket, Tower of London ticket, or London Pass to combine the entrance ticket prices into one do-it-all pass.

Best Time to Visit

The Shard dominating the City of London Skyline in 2013 – By Cmglee – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27300860

Curious when you should visit The Shard? Truthfully, you can visit all year round! Since you are inside most of the time, you don’t have to worry about being too cold, being too hot, or standing in the rain during your trip. Instead, you can head here at any month of the year to enjoy the views and learn the little-known facts about this modern building.

During the summer, tickets are available between 10 am-10 pm, meaning if you want to check out the view of the city skyline lights after dinner, head here for a nightcap and a romantic evening. During the wintertime, you can enjoy the views from 10 am-10 pm between Thursday to Saturday, or from 10 am-7 pm between Sunday to Wednesday — after all, you have to go to bed slightly early to get up for work the next day!

During the winter, the hours of 4 pm-6 pm are the busiest, whereas, during summer, 7-9 pm are the busiest. To enjoy The Shard using the less busy times, we recommend avoiding the sunset hours. However, this is often the best time to check out The Thames and the glow of the sun off of the London skyscrapers. 

How to get here

The inauguration of The Shard in 2012 – By Richard Goldschmidt, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26167285

Lastly, now that you are convinced it is time to make this one of your must-stop destinations during your next holiday, you need to know how to get here. Whether you are in the East of India or Southern London, getting here is easy. The Shard is based in Southwark on the bank of the Thames. The closest tube stop is the London Bridge station servicing the Jubilee and Northern Lines. If you want to include London Bridge on your tourist stops, the walking here is just a few minutes’ walk or one stop from the Monument tube station on the Circle or District lines.