St Paul’s Cathedral tickets and tours, compared
The entry ticket: what most people should book
I walk past the churchyard most working days and the queue there is made of people who did not realise St Paul’s is ticketed at all. It is a working cathedral, services are free to attend, and sightseeing is a separate paid thing. The entry ticket is that paid thing, sold as straight admission with no guide attached. It gets you the nave and Wren’s floor, the quire and its mosaics, the American Memorial Chapel, the crypt, and the three dome galleries reached by 257, 376 and 528 steps. A multimedia guide is included, in nine languages. Free cancellation runs up to 24 hours ahead.
The ticket is valid for the whole day of the date on it, which matters more than people expect. Jenny from the UK managed five hours inside and wrote that she had no idea that was possible. Galip from Germany called the top view amazing and the price kinda high in the same breath, and I think both halves of that are fair. If you are weighing it up, read what a ticket covers before you decide.
Suits: anyone who wants the building itself and would rather set their own pace. Does not suit: anyone who wants commentary the whole way round.
The guided walks that end inside the cathedral
Three tours use St Paul’s as the finish of a longer walk. The five-hour Westminster walk starts by the red telephone boxes outside the Ritz and works east through Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards Parade, Downing Street, Parliament Square and the outside of Westminster Abbey before entry at St Paul’s. Small group, live guide, English only. It rates 4.8, but from nine reviews, so treat that number as thin.
The seven-hour Top 30 Sights version does all of that and keeps going — a tube hop, the Southbank Centre, Borough Market, London Bridge, then an hour inside the cathedral. Hotel pick-up and drop-off and snacks and drinks are included; the tube fare for the hop is not, so bring a contactless card. Eleven reviews, also 4.8. The Harry Potter walk meets at Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross and spends roughly three hours on film locations before two hours inside St Paul’s. The cathedral link is not a stretch: the geometric staircase in the South West Tower stood in for the Divination stairwell. Two reviews. All three are covered on the guided tours page.
The private tour
One private product, two to five and a half hours depending on the option, with a licensed guide available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Japanese and Chinese. Skip-the-line cathedral and dome tickets are included and it meets at the National Firefighters Memorial on Carter Lane. It shows 5.0, from three reviews, which is not a score so much as a rounding error. Buy it for the language and the pace, not the stars — the argument is laid out on the private tours page.
The London Pass
The multi-attraction pass, sold in lengths from one to ten days, includes St Paul’s alongside the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, the Shard, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle, Madame Tussauds and ninety-odd others. It rates 4.2 across 3,055 reviews, the lowest score in this set, and I think that is the pass telling the truth about itself: it rewards a hard pace and punishes a slow one. It is also listed as not suitable for wheelchair users. See combos and passes for when it earns its keep.
All six, side by side
Ratings, review counts and what each one is badged as. Live availability opens in a new tab.
Most bookedCathedral entry includedSt Paul’s Cathedral Entry Ticket
Guided comboEntry fee includedWestminster Walking Tour & St Paul’s Entry
Full dayEntry fee includedTop 30 Sights Walking Tour & St Paul’s
Private guideEntry fee includedSkip-the-Line St Paul’s Cathedral Private Tour
Themed walkEntry fee includedHarry Potter Walking Tour & St Paul’s Tickets
Multi-attractionSt Paul’s includedThe London Pass® — 100+ Attractions
Book the entry ticket
Pick your date and see what is left. Times shift for services and events, so check the date you actually want rather than assuming a Tuesday in March behaves like a Tuesday in August.
Entry ticket, guided walk or pass?
| Most bookedSt Paul’s Cathedral Entry Ticket | Westminster Walking Tour & St Paul’s Entry | The London Pass® — 100+ Attractions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | Cathedral entry only | Walk plus entry | Entry plus 100+ sites |
| Live guide | No — multimedia guide | Yes | No |
| Duration | As long as you like, one day | 5 hours | 1–10 days |
| Languages | 9 on the multimedia guide | English only | N/A |
| Group size | Independent | Small group | Independent |
| Reviews | 11,056 · 4.7 | 9 · 4.8 | 3,055 · 4.2 |
| Best for | The building itself | First day in London | Hard sightseeing weeks |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hrs | Check on booking | Check on booking |
| Book this → | View → | View → |
Book the first slot of the day if the dome is why you are going. Doors open at 8.30am, the galleries open at 9.30am, and the stairs between the Stone and Golden Galleries are narrow enough that a queue on them is genuinely unpleasant. By eleven there is usually one.
Read the honest write-ups first
I have reviewed all six in detail, including the three with review counts you can count on your fingers. Start with the review index if you want the long version before you spend anything.
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Frequently asked questions
Which St Paul's Cathedral ticket should I book?
For most visitors, the straight entry ticket. It covers the floor, the crypt and all three dome galleries, includes a multimedia guide in nine languages and stays valid the whole day. Book a guided walk instead only if you want a live guide and a wider London itinerary, and read the guided tours page first.
Do I need a ticket to go inside St Paul's Cathedral?
For sightseeing, yes. Attending a service is free and always has been, but it is not a tour and you will not be climbing the dome during one. The tier structure is set out on the ticket prices page.
Is St Paul's Cathedral open on Sunday?
There is no general Sunday sightseeing — Sunday is a worship day. In 2026 the three dome galleries open on Sundays between 15 March and 25 October as a seasonal exception. Doors are 8.30am Monday to Saturday otherwise, with last entry usually 4pm; see opening hours.
Can I buy a ticket at the door?
You can, and you will stand in the churchyard to do it. Booking online is the normal route and it is the only reliable way to skip that queue. Availability for the entry ticket is above.