Budget around 1.5–2 hours for The View from The Shard. A shorter 60–75-minute visit works if you mainly want the skyline and photos; allow longer for the Skydeck, drinks, photographs and a slower look around. There is no fixed time limit once you're inside, so you can stay until closing.
Quick Information
RECOMMENDED DURATION
2 hours
Timings
12:00–20:00
VISITORS PER YEAR
1750000
TICKETS
From $35.35
NUMBER OF ENTRANCES
3
EXPECTED WAIT TIME - STANDARD
30-60 mins (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)
Did you know?
Did you know The Shard is one of the UK’s greenest skyscrapers? Over 50% of its materials are recycled, and 20% of the steel used comes from reused sources. Talk about sustainable chic!
A fox named Romeo once called The Shard home during construction! He set up shop at the top, living off food scraps from workers until he was rescued and relocated. Guess he liked the view too!
The Shard made its big-screen debut in the 2006 movie Children of Men! Even though construction didn’t start until 2009, filmmakers used early sketches to feature it in their dystopian future.
Is The Shard worth visiting?
London looks different from 244 metres up. The traffic becomes threads of light, the Thames cuts a silver line through the city, and familiar landmarks suddenly make sense as part of one enormous map. At Level 72, the glass opens to the sky, so you can feel the wind rather than simply look through another window.
The building was conceived as a “vertical city”: a place where people could live, work, eat and spend time above London Bridge. The public viewing gallery was part of that idea from the beginning, giving visitors a perspective of London that street level simply cannot provide.
The payoff is seeing London rearranged beneath you. Tower Bridge, St Paul's, the London Eye and the Thames stop being separate sights and become one sweeping panorama. For a special occasion, the champagne option adds a little ceremony; for sightseeing, the London Eye or Tower Bridge combos make the ticket work harder.
Skip it if: you strongly dislike heights or would rather spend your limited London time entirely at street level.
What to see at The View from The Shard?
1/5
Level 68: The indoor viewing gallery
Start here for the first full reveal of London's skyline. Floor-to-ceiling glass gives you 360° views, while the viewing area provides a comfortable introduction before heading higher.
Level 69: The triple-height gallery
The triple-height space fills with natural light by day and city lights after dark. This is also where you can find the bar and take in the skyline without stepping outdoors.
Level 72: The open-air Skydeck
The highest publicly accessible level lets you stand outside with the London skyline around you. Look upwards as well as outwards: the building's glass shards separate dramatically above the deck.
London landmarks from above
Use the views to pick out Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral, the London Eye and One Canada Square. On a clear day, the panorama can stretch for around 40 miles.
The London skyline at sunset
As daylight fades, London's landmarks begin lighting up below you. Sunset slots are particularly atmospheric, but they are also popular, so book around sunset if that is the view you specifically want.
How to explore The Shard
How much time to spend?
Best visit order
Take the high-speed lifts from the entrance to Level 68 first, where the panoramic view opens up immediately. Continue to Level 69 for the indoor gallery and bar, then finish on Level 72 for the open-air Skydeck. This order gives you a gradual move from enclosed viewing to London's highest public outdoor viewpoint.
Must-see highlights
Must-see: Level 68's first panoramic reveal, the triple-height Level 69 gallery and Level 72's open-air Skydeck.
Optional: Add champagne or a soft drink if you're marking an occasion, or choose the city audio guide if you want more context while looking across London.
Worth adding nearby
Tower Bridge is around a 10-minute walk away and pairs naturally with The Shard if you want to combine modern architecture with Victorian engineering. The Tower of London is also nearby, while London Bridge and Borough Market make easy additions if you prefer a self-paced South Bank itinerary. The Tower Bridge + The Shard combo is particularly practical if both are already on your list.
Guided or self-paced?
Self-paced works well if your priority is simply getting high above London, taking photographs and moving between the three viewing levels at your own speed.
The standard ticket includes an expert London guide, while the Westminster & London Bridge Small-Group Walking Tour with Tickets to The Shard makes more sense if you want the skyline visit connected to London's history and major sights.
For a bigger sightseeing day, the The Shard + London Eye or The Shard + Tower of London combo gives you two major attractions in one booking.
Brief history of The Shard
- 1998: Developer Irvine Sellar acquires Southwark Towers, setting the stage for a new high-rise development beside London Bridge Station.
- 2000: Sellar meets architect Renzo Piano in Berlin. Piano sketches the tapering tower that would become The Shard on a restaurant menu.
- 2003: Following a public inquiry, the project receives planning approval.
- 2008: Qatar joins the project as a development partner, helping secure the scheme's future after the global financial crisis.
- 2009: Construction begins using pioneering top-down construction techniques, allowing work on the foundations and core to progress simultaneously.
- 2012: The tower reaches its full height of 309.6 metres and is officially inaugurated in July.
- 2013: The View from The Shard opens to the public on 1 February, giving visitors access to the upper viewing galleries.
Architecture of The Shard
The Shard's architecture is designed to make a 309.6-metre tower feel less like a solid block and more like a collection of glass shards rising into the sky. Renzo Piano drew inspiration from London's church spires, the masts of ships and the River Thames. Eight sloping glass façades rise at different angles, creating the fragmented silhouette that gives the building its name.
Around 11,000 glass panels make up the façade, covering more than 55,000 square metres. The glass allows changing daylight and reflections to become part of the building's appearance, while the separate shards help break up its enormous scale. From Level 72, you can look back at the architecture itself, with the glass fragments extending above the Skydeck.
Who built The Shard?
Renzo Piano designed The Shard with his Renzo Piano Building Workshop. Rather than treating the skyscraper as an isolated tower, Piano and developer Irvine Sellar envisioned a “vertical city” combining offices, homes, restaurants, a hotel and public viewing spaces. Piano's design was shaped by the site's railway connections, the Thames and London's historic church spires.
The Shard as a vertical city
The Shard is more than a viewing tower. Its original concept was to bring different parts of city life into one vertical building, with workplaces, residences, restaurants, a hotel and public spaces stacked above London Bridge. The View from The Shard occupies the upper levels, while the building also contains the Shangri-La hotel, restaurants and offices.
That makes the viewing experience slightly different from a standalone observation tower. You are looking across London from inside a working part of the city rather than from an attraction built solely around its viewpoint. If you want to make the most of the visit, consider pairing your ticket with another nearby attraction or choosing a combo that covers two London landmarks in the same day.
Frequently asked questions about The Shard
The View from The Shard is the public viewing attraction inside The Shard. A ticket gives access to the designated viewing levels, rather than the building's private offices, residences, hotel or other spaces.
You can access the building's public areas, but entry to The View from The Shard requires a ticket. Tickets can be purchased on the day subject to availability, although advance booking is recommended.
Standard View from The Shard tickets include Levels 68 and 69 and the open-air viewing platform on Level 72. The three levels offer different perspectives, from enclosed panoramic views to the outdoor Skydeck.
Yes. There is no fixed time limit once you are inside, so you can stay until closing. Last entry is generally one hour before the advertised closing time, and opening hours vary by date.
Yes. The attraction provides step-free access from the booking hall through to Level 72, with accessible facilities available. Disabled visitors who require assistance can also receive a free carer ticket subject to the venue's documentation requirements.
Outside food and drinks are not permitted. Food and beverages purchased within the attraction can be consumed in designated areas, with bars on Levels 69 and 72 offering drinks and snacks.
Yes, but anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Children aged three and under are admitted free according to the venue's current ticket terms.
Advance booking is sensible because entry is timed and same-day tickets are subject to availability. If you're visiting at sunset or have a combo itinerary, booking ahead also makes it easier to secure the time you actually want.
