St Paul’s Tickets: The Dome Closes for Entry at 4.15pm

Good news: the dome climb is included in standard admission. You do not need an upgrade to go up.

The catch is timing. The Dome Galleries stop admitting at 4.15pm, and it is 528 steps with no lift at any point. Arrive at half past three and you are paying full price for a cathedral floor you have not got time to climb above.

The three galleries

• Whispering Gallery — 257 steps.
• Stone Gallery — 376 steps, first outdoor view.
• Golden Gallery — 528 steps, the top.

Those are cumulative totals, and the last stretch is narrow.

Prices

A UK VAT cut runs to 1 September 2026. Adult £24 until then, £27 after. Senior 65+ £21.50 rising to £24. Child £9.50 rising to £10.50. Disabled visitors and one carer go free.

£1 tickets are available to UK residents on Universal Credit, Pension Credit or ESA. St Paul’s also offers an optional 10% donation on top at checkout — the base figures above are what you actually owe.

Sundays are different, and cheaper

There is no general sightseeing on Sundays, but “Dome Sundays” runs 15 March to 25 October 2026, admitting 12.30pm to 2pm for £12 adult. That buys the Dome Galleries, the Crypt and the cathedral floor — half the weekday price for the part most people climb for.

Otherwise doors open 8.30am Monday to Saturday, last sightseeing entry around 4pm. Source: stpauls.co.uk, checked 26 August 2026.

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