St Paul’s Cathedral Entry Ticket review
My verdict: book this one unless you have a specific reason not to. It is plain admission with no guide attached, valid for the whole day of the date you booked, and it covers the cathedral floor, the crypt and all three dome galleries. At 4.7 from 11,056 reviews it is the only listing here with a sample big enough to argue with.
What the ticket actually covers
Everything the general visitor is allowed to see. The nave and Wren’s floor, the view up into the painted inner dome, the quire with its mosaics and its organ, the American Memorial Chapel behind the high altar, and the crypt, which is the largest in Europe and holds Nelson, Wellington and Wren himself. Then the stairs: 257 to the Whispering Gallery, 376 to the Stone Gallery, 528 to the Golden Gallery at the base of the lantern. No lift serves any of them. I have written the climb up properly on the dome climb page, including who should not start it.
A multimedia guide comes with the ticket in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. There are also free guided tours and talks running inside on limited spots. You register for those on arrival and they are not reserved, so if one matters to you, be early rather than clever. What is worth your time inside is set out on what to see inside.
What works
- 11,056 reviews at 4.7 — a settled score, not a hopeful one
- Valid the whole day, so you can leave for lunch and come back
- All three dome galleries included, not sold as an upgrade
- Multimedia guide in nine languages at no extra charge
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- The cheapest route in, and the one that skips the churchyard queue
Worth knowing
- No live guide unless you catch one of the free in-house talks
- Those talks run on limited spots and are not reserved in advance
- The galleries are stairs only, all 528 of them
- Sightseeing runs Monday to Saturday and the last entry is around 4pm
- Bags over 45cm × 30cm × 25cm are refused and there is no left luggage
- No selfie sticks, no flash, no pets except assistance dogs, no unaccompanied minors
Who it suits
Anyone who wants to move at their own speed, which at St Paul’s means anyone who wants to sit down in the nave for a while and then climb. Also families, because the all-day validity absorbs a nap or a meltdown, and repeat visitors who know exactly which chapel they came back for.
Who it does not suit
People who want a person explaining things out loud. The multimedia guide is competent and it is not company. If that is what you are after, the walking tours on the guided tours page put a live guide in front of you and still include entry. It also does not suit anyone who cannot manage stairs and was hoping the dome had a lift, because it does not, and the floor and crypt alone are a shorter visit than most people expect.
What reviewers say
“The top view was amazing. But the price is kinda high.”
“Who knew you could spend 5 hours wandering around St Paul’s Cathedral… Outstanding views.”
“smooth entry, even a little earlier than we had actually booked”
Galip is the one to take seriously. He liked the view and he still flagged the cost, and that combination turns up again and again in the 4-star reviews. It is a paid sightseeing ticket at a working cathedral, and people who arrive expecting a church to be free feel the sting. Whether it repays the money depends almost entirely on whether you climb, which is the argument I make on is it worth visiting. Sven from Germany called it very impressive. Ineke from the Netherlands went further: if you have to pick between here and the Abbey, she says pick here, and I have put that quarrel to bed as fairly as I can on St Paul’s vs Westminster Abbey.
Meet at St Paul’s Churchyard, London EC4M 8AD. The North Transept door is the step-free one. Book a morning slot and climb first — the stairs are narrow, they get busier through the day, and the gallery last entry is earlier than the cathedral’s.
Other ways in
Guided comboEntry fee includedWestminster Walking Tour & St Paul’s Entry
Private guideEntry fee includedSkip-the-Line St Paul’s Cathedral Private Tour
Multi-attractionSt Paul’s includedThe London Pass® — 100+ Attractions
Frequently asked questions
Is the St Paul’s entry ticket valid all day?
Yes. It covers the date you booked, so you can go in at opening, walk out for lunch and come back for the crypt. See opening hours for the last entry times, which are earlier than most people assume.
Does the entry ticket include the dome climb?
It does. All three galleries — Whispering at 257 steps, Stone at 376, Golden at 528 — come with standard admission and are not sold separately. The dome climb page covers what each one gives you and who should skip it.
Is there a guide with this ticket?
A multimedia guide in nine languages, plus free in-house tours and talks you register for on arrival on limited spots. For a live guide booked in advance, look at guided tours instead.