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Walking Across Tower Bridge

Updated: November 6, 2023
 By Margaret

This post is about planning a visit to London's Tower Bridge and walking across it.

First and foremost, it's a beautiful bridge that is just begging for your camera to capture it day and night.  

It's instantly obvious why it's a great seller for postcards. 

Second, it is a bridge and you can use it to get across the Thames. It is totally free to walk across the bridge, the drawbridge anyway.

You can also time your walk to coincide with the lifting of the drawbridge. Both are top free things to do in London

London by Boat
Image courtesy of the Hammock Hombre.

Lastly, you could also walk across the upper-level walkway of Tower Bridge, part of the Tower Bridge Experience.

This last option comes with a cost but offers the visitor wonderful views of London 42m (130 feet) above the river (check out the video below).

It also offers the opportunity to learn all about the bridge itself and how it works. 

And, in the video below, Sinead, a tour guide with us, Free Tours by Foot, takes you on a virtual tour across the bridge.

So, without further ado, on with the post.


How to Get to London Tower Bridge 

TIP: We have a great view of the Bridge in our City of London Tour.  

The Tower Bridge is located on the Thames River between the City of London and Southwark nearby the Tower of London, London Bridge, Monument, and City Hall.  

You can reach Tower Bridge via the London Underground stations of Tower Hill, Monument, and London Bridge.  

We recommend using this Google map for directions to Tower Bridge.

The closest Tube station is Tower Hill, which is serviced by both the Circle and District lines and just a few minutes walk around the Tower of London to Tower Bridge.  

London Bridge Tube station, which is serviced by both the Jubilee and Northern lines is approximately a 12-minute walk to the foot of the bridge.

If you mistake it for London Bridge, don't beat yourself up, because you are not alone.

London Bridge is actually a comparatively underwhelming structure slightly up the River Thames.  

Constructed in 1894, Tower Bridge is a suspension bridge and a world heritage site.

It measures 244m (801 feet) long and 65m (264 feet) high and provides a roadway across the Thames for over 40,000 people both on foot and on wheels. 

It's free to walk across the bridge and to witness its opening and closing, but you will need to buy a ticket for the Tower Bridge Exhibition.  


THE TOWER BRIDGE EXPERIENCE

Pedestrian access to the Tower Bridge is available just about any time, but admission to the Tower Bridge Experience will cost extra.

This service allows you to enter the actual bridge itself, see the engines that are used to operate the attraction, and even watch the pedestrians below from glass floors above.

For more details, make sure to read our post covering how to get tickets and what to expect from the Tower Bridge Experience.


When is the Best Time to Visit?

Although you can visit this popular landmark year-round, it can get pretty crowded during popular seasons.

In particular, several travelers report that the Tower Bridge is especially popular during warm summer days.

In order to avoid long waits and lines, you might want to consider a trip during far less popular times.

Best Time to Go to Tower Bridge

Crowds also get pretty large during the middle of the day and during weekends, so either an early morning outing on a weekend or a weekday visit might be your best bet.

Weekdays Tower Bridge Experience

Several tourists try their best to visit Tower Bridge when the bridge is lifted for a boat to pass.

As a result, it can get pretty crowded while visiting during this event.

Thankfully, the Tower Bridge Experience has provided an app that will allow you to see what this event looks like even if you visit at the wrong time.

With their Raise Tower Bridge app, you can point your phone at the glass floor and simulate the experience of seeing the bridge lift up underneath. 


HOW OFTEN DOES THE BRIDGE OPEN

A good way to enhance your visit to the Tower Bridge is to schedule a visit when the bridge opens to allow a vessel to pass by. 

The bridge opens and closes approximately 1000 times per year or 3 times per day.  

It takes approximately 1 min to open and 1 min to close plus the time it takes a vessel to pass through.

They say it is good luck to see the bridge open because it's not a regular occurrence.

Let Sinead show you the bridge opening in this video below.

The scheduled lift times are posted on the Tower Bridge website.  

Ships have up to 24 hours before passing to notify bridge authorities that they will be passing through, so the schedule can change often.

The best place to view the lifting of the bridge is from the riverbanks.

But, it's also possible to view it up close on the bridge itself or inside the Tower Bridge Experience.  

Tip 1: If you plan to take photos, consider the time of day that the bridge opens and closes so that you can be sure to be on the best side for light.

Tip 2: The bridge doesn't always open at the posted time, as the vessel passes through maybe early.  Be sure to arrive 10-15 minutes before the scheduled raising.

For more tips, check our post about when the Tower Bridge lifts.


WHAT TO DO BEFORE OR AFTER YOUR VISIT

The most obvious things to do before or after are to visit the Tower of London, the HMS Belfast, or to head to the top of the Shard.

However, there are some other options.  Of course, do check out our post on top things to do in London

Consider taking our free City of London Tour or our All-in-One Tour, which both end at the Tower of London, near the entrance to the bridge.

We are good at what we do. Just check out the reviews.

Free Tours by FootExcellentFree Tours by Foot4.9 Based on 727 reviews fromSee all reviews review us onKristin H.Kristin H. ★★★★★ Loved Sinead! She kept us moving without feeling rushed. We saw it all, but more importantly we laughed and enjoyed the stories behind the stories.Gizzy05Gizzy05 ★★★★★ I booked the City of London Tour and it was exceptional! It turned out that I was the only one. My „personal guide“, Matt, was very knowledgeable and the tour was both entertaining and fun. Highly recommended!Kimberley P.Kimberley P. ★★★★★ A great way to explore London and see some areas that you wouldn't see otherwise, and you pay what you can afford. The guides are very knowledgeable and happy to answer questions.Tessa B.Tessa B. ★★★★★ We hebben de bermondsey beer mile expierence gedaan met Dan. Dan was super enthousiast en wist veel over bier, de omgeving en de stad te vertellen. We waren met een klein groepje, 5 in totaal. 2 gezelschappen en de gids. Het was een super leuke ervaring waarbij we ook tijd hadden om elkaar te leren kennen en over culturen te praten, omdat de groep zo klein was. Heerlijke biertjes geproefd en toffe plekken gezien. Echt een aanrader!Carine C.Carine C. ★★★★★ Great tour full of great information. Margaret was brilliant and very friendly. We really enjoyed it.jefferson lord (.jefferson lord (. ★★★★★ (Jack The Ripper)Absolutely fantastic tour, Sinead (our guide ) really seduces you into a brutally descriptive immersion of 1888 white chapel and each of the canonical 5 murders. Would certainly book more tours with her.Brenda C.Brenda C. ★★★★★ Candice was out your guide and he was fabulous! Loved this tour and we learned so much about the city!Jill K.Jill K. ★★★★★ It was perfect in every way! Sinead is a treasure and such a welcoming ambassador for London. We will be talking about the tour for years to come. We are already thinking about our next trip and booking another walking tour!PM J.PM J. ★★★★★ Jack-the-Ripper-Tour mit Sinead war großartig. Sie hat ein großes, dramatisches Talent und schafft es, die Athmospäre des alten Eastend heraufzubeschwören… gleichzeitig ist sie unheimlich freundlich und hat sich um alle Teilnehmer sehr gut gekümmert 🙂 Wir waren begeistert!Damien C.Damien C. ★★★★★ Tanja H.Tanja H. ★★★★★ Eine hervorragende Stadtführung mit erfahrenen Guides die einen auch an verborgene Ecken führen, die man selber nie gefunden hätte. Ich habe zwei Führungen in London mitgemacht, eine Geisterführung und eine Führung in der City of London, also dem alten Teil der Stadt. Es werden aber noch andere Führungen angeboten. Das schöne ist, dass man zwar einen Platz reservieren muss (geht manchmal noch sm selben Morgen) aber bezahlt wird erst nach der Führung und nur das, was es einem Wert war. Es gibt auch etliche Videos auf Youtube, die man sich als Vorgeschmack anschauen kann. Die meisten Führungen werden zwar ausschließlich in Englisch angeboten aber es gibt wohl auch manchmal Führungen auf Deutsch. Ich kann diese Firma wärmstens empfehlen.Christie Sears T.Christie Sears T. ★★★★★ I took two different tours with this company and both were fantastic! Both Sinead and Alan are great guides!Alba B.Alba B. ★★★★★ We booked two different tours in London and had a great experience. The Ghost tour and the Street art tour were very interesting and the guides were great. I will definitely book tours with them next time I am around.Christopher O.Christopher O. ★★★★★ Brilliant tour. Really interesting and informative. Our guide Nelly was so knowledgeable, clear and friendly. Highly recommended.AmélieAmélie ★★★★★ The tour was amazing! Our guide was Margaret, a really nice woman who knew the answer to every possible question we had - even regarding sights we didn't tour but were curious about. We booked the "London in one day" tour and visited the popular sights as well as little streets we would have never seen if it wasn't for the tour. We learned a lot of stuff, mostly really fun facts, anecdotes and the history behind the places. Margaret made the tour so much fun with her way of explaining things so it really didn't feel like six hours. She gave us many recommendations for other places to visit or to get some food. I'd recommend this tour to everyone!janet A.janet A. ★★★★★ Margaret Stockton-Davies was very personable, knowledgeable, good at keeping tour group together, answered all questions, easy to hear, nice sense of humor. Fun tour.S KS K ★★★★★ Margaret led our tour and did a great job. Please be aware of pick pockets targeting these tours.Wanda B.Wanda B. ★★★★★ Most enjoyable walking tour with Margaret, she was very knowledgeable about the history of London, royalty and landmarks. Margaret told stories in a delightful manner, including silly trivia.I would recommend her tour without any hesitation.LindsayLindsay ★★★★★ I did the World War II walking tour with Canice. I really enjoyed it and I was happy that a lot of details and images were shown throughout the tour in addition to physical sites. All of the information was comprehensible even if you, like me, know about WWII but are not an expert. I really enjoyed seeing the sites of the London Blitz and learning a lot about its history. I highly recommend!tali B.tali B. ★★★★★ המדריך ששמו canice היה מצוין! נתן הרבה מידע מתובל בהומור, בעל ידע רב. נהננו ולמדו רבות!SRIDHAR R.SRIDHAR R. ★★★★★ Execellent and cheapest way to explore if you are first time visitingJennifer I.Jennifer I. ★★★★★ The Grand Central Terminal tour with John on 05/28/32 was brilliant. Highly recommended.Lauren U.Lauren U. ★★★★★ We did Shakespeare’s London with Canice, and had a blast. He made southwark history extremely accessible and had an abundance of fabulous quips and anecdotes. The time flew by, I’d highly recommend!!Sandra R.Sandra R. ★★★★★ Gregory did a fantastic job guiding us in Birmingham. We had no idea of what we could expect from this city, and we were strongly surprised. Thank you Greg!R S.R S. ★★★★★ We have been to many walking tours, but Margaret's tour was a cut above the rest. She was funny, knowledgeable and kept the momentum going. There was not one boring or tiring moment in the trip.Reader of M.Reader of M. ★★★★★ Elizabeth H.Elizabeth H. ★★★★★ Thanks for the lovely tour - really appreciated the stories and details you layered into our conversation!Jandy H.Jandy H. ★★★★★ My walking tour with Margaret was amazing. She’s not only knowledgeable but her energy made the tour so much fun and enjoyable.perry W.perry W. ★★★★★ Like watching 👀Daria P.Daria P. ★★★★★ The tour London all in one with Margaret was really well prepared, organised and full of information. I enjoyed it even though weather wasn;t the best! It seems quite long, but thank to to Margaret's charisma and coffee break surely doable! Margarte was also caring about your safety, needs and more than happy to chat between stops and give useful recommendations!Jude M.Jude M. ★★★★★ While researching an upcoming trip to the UK from Australia I stumbled across the Free Tours by Foot YouTube channel and have been captivated ever since. Sinead is a brilliant guide who, with just a camera and herself, has given me an amazing insight into London even before I’ve actually arrived! Thank you Sinead. I will thank you in person in September 😊Anke van den B.Anke van den B. ★★★★★ Greg was the best tourguide you could wish! Thank you for aswering all our questions!Ines KInes K ★★★★★ I really enjoyed their tours.James D.James D. ★★★★★ Great tour of Westminster, Sinead was most definitely entertaining your guide and most importantly knowledgeable about Westminster!mark O.mark O. ★★★★★ Gregory opened our eyes to the fascinating history of Birmingham. It was a total pleasure throughout the tour. We would strongly recommend to everyone who comes to this city, to take advantage of the opportunity to learn about BirminghamKalina A.Kalina A. ★★★★★ ExcellentGreat tour with Margaret in London. She is very knowledgeable. The tour was so interesting. I highly recommend to everyone.Sankalp K.Sankalp K. ★★★★★ Margaret makes the mood all jolly while she gives us tour of London. Loved the experience.Gaveriela T.Gaveriela T. ★★★★★ Outstanding tour by Maciek (Polish origin) of Soho and Piccadilly on Thursday Feb 23, 2023.Outstanding tour by (do not remember) of Notting Hill on Saturday Feb 25, 2023.Both were professional, gentle, eloquent – real joy. Highly recommendedיואב בן א.יואב בן א. ★★★★★ shruti M.shruti M. ★★★★★ Eric B.Eric B. ★★★★★ Alexandra WAlexandra W ★★★★★ Great tour with Margrit! Highly recommend it!!!!Alice A.Alice A. ★★★★★ Really great walking tour from Amanda! Lots of knowledge and kept it very enticing with lots of history as well as life in Prague. Would definitely recommend!AniAni ★★★★★ לקחנו שלושה סיורים, היה מעניין מאוד, הרגשנו כמו סיור פרטי, תודה רבה, בעיקר למדריך מאט, שהדריך אותנו בשניים מהסיורים, היה מרתק, הוסיף תכנים נוספים שהעשירו את המידע ובכלל, היה נחמד ביותר!Layne P.Layne P. ★★★★★ We did the Westminster tour with in September Margaret and would highly recommend it! Margaret was funny and personable often chatting with the others in the group as we walked from place to place. All the history she shared was fascinating and interesting. Always willing to answer questions from the group and individually. She wore a headset and was easy to hear and had a flag for us to see when we followed her. Our group was larger than usual as one of the tour guides was sick that day and we had to combine tours, but it was still a comfortable size and didn't feel cramped. I also love that this is a pay-what-you-like tour. The tour guides keep all of what they receive and of course that's an incentive for them to engage with the group. I saw several other tour groups walking around London and all I could think was how miserable the guides looked. At the end, I was MORE than happy to give Margaret a large tip which was still much less than two of use would have spent on a traditional tour. Next time I'm there I will definitely be doing another tour with this company and will go out of my way to ask for Margaret.ally D.ally D. ★★★★★ Shuly A.Shuly A. ★★★★★ Christmas lights tour with Canis was great.Will absolutely look for his other toursJuan R.Juan R. ★★★★★ Muy buen tourjs_loader

The Tower Bridge is also a great place to start a free self-guided bus tour of London.  

The route from the Tower Bridge will take you through Southwark to Covent Garden, where you can transfer and continue your voyage into Westminster.  

Why not stop at the Mayflower Pub, especially interesting for Americans, as it stands near the landing point where the Pilgrims embarked for the New World?  

If you are visiting during a weekday, you could also stop in and visit City Hall.

About The Author

Margaret

An American simply by accident of birth, Margaret moved to London over 16 years ago and hasn’t looked back since! With a keen interest in History – and a BA degree to match – Margaret prides herself on her knowledge of the amazing city she calls home and she's been guiding here now for nearly a decade. Social history is her real expertise, with sound understanding of the day-to-day lives of Londoners over the past centuries. Read More...
Updated: November 6th, 2023
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