How to get to St Paul’s Cathedral

Take a trip to London’s most iconic church

Sitting at the top of the highest hill in the City of London, St Paul’s Cathedral is the mother church for the Diocese of London in the Church of England. 

It is rumoured that a church has sat on the spot since as early as 604 AD, but construction of the current cathedral was completed in 1708, and remains one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. 

• In 1666 the Old St Paul’s Cathedral burnt down in the Great Fire of London.

• Sir Christopher Wren was tasked with designing the new church, and would eventually design more than 50 churches in the city following the Great Fire.

• Constructed in a restrained Baroque style, St Paul’s Cathedral features a double shelled dome and the largest crypt in Europe.

• Lord Horatio Nelson, Commander during the Battle of Trafalgar and featured on Nelson’s column in Trafalgar square, is laid to rest in the place of honour in the crypt, directly beneath the centre of the dome.

• 13 protected views are maintained around London to ensure St Paul’s Cathedral can be seen from key locations around the city, including from Parliament Hill, Westminster Pier, Primrose Hill, Alexandra Palace, and King Henry VIII’s Mound in Richmond Park. 

• During WWII a special group of firewatchers was established specifically to prevent the cathedral from burning down in order to maintain the city’s morale.

• The dome stands 111 metres or 365 feet tall, making it the second largest church dome in the world, just behind St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City.

Getting to St Paul’s Cathedral

The cathedral has its own dedicated St Paul’s Underground station (Zone 1), with two exits that bring you out just north of the St Paul’s churchyard. Exiting the St Paul’s station will put you 2mins north of the cathedral itself. Either turn right and follow New Change street to the south, turning right again on Cannon street to see the front facade of the cathedral, or turn left down Panyer Alley to enter the churchyard. 

Since the cathedral is considered the centre of London City, it is also easily accessible from a number of other train station terminals:

• City Thameslink: A 5-minute walk directly east along Ludgate Hill.

• Mansion House (District Line and Circle Line): A 5 minute walk directly west along Cannon Street.

• London Blackfriars (District Line and Circle Line): A 7 minute walk northeast of the station. Follow Victoria Street west and then take Peter’s Hill north.

• Cannon Street Station (District Line and Circle Line): A 10 minute walk directly west along Cannon Street.

Plan your visit to St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s Cathedral is open from 08:30 to 16:30 Monday to Saturday, and 08:00 to 18:00 on Sundays, but only for worship. Since St Paul’s is an active church that sits at the centre of the capital it is often closed to the public on short notice for state events and ceremonies. It is also closed for sightseeing during religious holidays such as Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Good Friday.

Sightseeing tickets to St Paul’s Cathedral start at £24 for admission for adults, and £9.50 for children. It offers free admission to visitors with disabilities and their carers, as well as former choristers who can bring up to six accompanying family members. Additionally, St Paul’s offers a Treasures Tour for a guided look at the iconic interior, which costs £16 plus the cost of admission.

The Cathedral floor and Crypt are wheelchair accessible, but the dome is only accessible via stairs, so plan your visit accordingly. The toilets for the building are located in the Crypt, along with a cafe, restaurant, and gift shop.

Located in the heart of London, finding shopping, food, and more historic activities is easy. Find rooftop bars to enjoy the skyline within a 10 minute walk, or go for a historical pub crawl, visiting the same haunts as leaders and literary figures of old.

The Tate Modern is a 15 minute walk across the iconic Millenium Bridge, or visit the Old Bailey just five minutes west up Ludgate Hill. The shopping centre at 1 New Change, directly across from the eastern side of the cathedral, features an array of restaurants, bars and shops for an easy stop after your tour is done.