The Tower of London by Train: Everything You Need to Know

The Tower of London is situated on the Northern banks of the River Thames in central London, and is easy to reach by rail. The closest train stations are London Bridge and London Fenchurch Street, which are both within a 15-minute walk.

Trains to and from London Bridge station are provided by Southeastern, Southern and Thameslink. Southeastern has one of the busiest rail networks in the UK, serving London, Kent and East Sussex. Southern’s services span central and south London, Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, and Surrey, while Thameslink trains run across London between destinations like Cambridge and Horsham and between Luton and Sutton.

London Bridge is one of the two mainline stations south of the River Thames and takes more than 50 million passengers in and out of the city each year. There’s step-free access to all platforms, along with extensive retail and dining spaces and free Wi-Fi. To walk to the Tower of London, exit the station, walk north and turn left onto Duke Street Hill. Then turn right onto Borough High Street, take the pedestrian tunnel stairs to cross the river, and turn right onto Lower Thames Street. Finally, continue onto Byward Street until you reach the Tower.

London Fenchurch Street is served by c2c and offers regional trains from East London and South Essex, including Basildon, Southend Central, Tilbury Town, Grays, Southend-on-Sea, and Shoeburyness.

Fenchurch Street is the only London terminal with no direct links to the London Underground, but there’s no shortage of Tube stations nearby. Facilities at the station include cash machines, shops, and a currency exchange. To walk to the Tower of London, exit the station, walk north-east on Crutched Friars towards Rangoon Street, after 150 ft cross the road and take a slight left onto Cooper Row, then continue onto Trinity Square until you reach the Tower.

If you’re travelling by tube, the nearest station is Tower Hill Underground station, served by the District and Circle lines, which is a five-minute walk away. The station offers step-free access to street level. To work out the best route for you, why not take a look at the TrainPal journey planner? The best way to get cheap tickets is to book in advance on the TrainPal website.

The Tower of London is usually open daily. Opening times can vary depending on the day, but it’s generally open 9 am to 5.30 pm Tuesday to Saturday and 10 am to 5.30 pm on Sundays and Mondays.Tickets can be booked in advance online or purchased on the day at the ticket office. You can arrive within 30 minutes of your ticket time.

Ticket prices are currently as follows:

• Adult (18-64 years): £35.80
• Child 5-15 or young person 16-17: £17.90
• Senior (65+ years), student or disabled: £28.50
• Carers and children under 4 years: free
• Groups (over 15 people): £33

A ticket includes entry to the following:

• All open public areas of the Tower including: The Crown Jewels, The White Tower, Battlements, Bloody Tower, Torture at the Tower exhibition, Fusiliers Museum, and Royal Mint exhibition.
• The Yeoman Warder Tour (subject to availability).

Tip: to find out about the latest events and exhibitions at the Tower of London, you can check out the what’s on page on their official website.

There’s plenty of exciting things to do once you arrive at the Tower of London, from seeing the famous Crown Jewels to taking a tour with the Beefeaters or visiting the lavish Medieval Palace. Here’s an overview of the must-see parts of the Tower of London:

The Crown Jewels

The Crown Jewels are kept under armed guard in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, and have been displayed at the tower since 1661. This magnificent world-famous collection of 23,578 gemstones is part of the Royal Collection and features pieces that are still used by the monarch in important national ceremonies, such as the State Opening of Parliament, today.

Yeoman Warder Tour

Listen to stories from 1,000 years of history and learn about the Tower's iconic history as a fortress, palace, and prison with an entertaining tour led by the famous Yeoman Warders, also known as ‘Beefeaters’. Tales of intrigue, imprisonment, execution, and torture await you.

The Medieval Palace

Newly refurbished in spring 2025, the Medieval Palace takes you back to the 1200s and into the households of kings Henry III and Edward I. Lavish textiles and colourful wall paintings provide a glimpse into the richness of the medieval world, while music from the 1200s, crackling fires, and prayers in Latin emerging from the chapels immerse you in the middle ages.

Bars

Fancy a tipple after your visit to the Tower of London? You’ll find a range of bars nearby, from popular chains like All Bar One and Slug & Lettuce to luxurious rooftop bars like The Savage Garden and cloudM Tower of London.

Restaurants

There’s a range of eateries close to the Tower of London, from burgers at BrewDog Tower Hill to more gourmet options like The Lampery restaurant. For spectacular views while you drink or dine, why not visit the Skygarden, London’s highest public garden?

Hotels

Planning to stay overnight after your trip to the Tower of London? There are plenty of hotels to suit all budgets nearby, from the luxury five-star Cheval Three Quays to the popular hotel chain Premier Inn London City (Tower Hill).

Shops

Fancy picking up a few souvenirs after your visit to the Tower of London? There are plenty of gift shops in the streets directly surrounding the Tower, including London Red Bus Gifts and Souvenirs.

Coventry to London

The journey from Coventry to London Euston covers approximately 85 miles. There are two direct train options: the quickest route is with Avanti West Coast, with journey times from as little as 57m and average journey times of 1h 3m. You can also get a train from Coventry to London Euston with West Midlands Railway or London Northwestern Railway. Direct journey times on this route tend to be between 1h 42m and 1h 45m, with services running approximately every half an hour. For tips on how to get the best price for your train to London, check out the TrainPal guide to cheap train tickets.

Bristol to London

The train journey from Bristol to London usually takes around 1h 14m and 1h 34m, depending on which train service you take and which train station you want to arrive at. The main train line that operates between Bristol and London is the Great Western Main Line, serviced by Great Western Railway (GWR). The main departure station is Bristol Temple Meads, and the arrival stations are London Paddington and London Waterloo. To work out the best route for you, take a look at TrainPal’s journey planner.

Leeds to London

Direct trains from Leeds station to London are provided by London North Eastern Railway (LNER), with a journey time of around 2h 15 m. To get the cheapest price for your train to London, make sure to book in advance on the TrainPal website. If you travel frequently, you might like to consider getting a Railcard to save even more money on your train journey. Take a look at the TrainPal Railcard guide for more info.

*Information is subject to change. Please check the latest train timetable before your trip

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