This event has already passed
Tower Bridge opens around a thousand times a year, averaging out to about 2-3 times each day. During the summer months it’s not unusual for it to open as many as 7-8 times a day.
Boat owners are supposed to give at least 24 hours notice if they want to pass underneath the drawbridge but not all of them do, so Tower Bridge only publicises a relatively small number of them in advance. If your date doesn't appear in the list below then there’s still a chance you’ll get lucky and see the drawbridge being raised.
Scheduled lift times
Fri 4 Oct: 16:30, 17:15; Sat 5 Oct: 16:15, 18:00, 18:30; Sun 6 Oct: 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 16:30, 21:30; Mon 7 Oct: 09:20, 21:15, 22:10; Tue 8 Oct: 06:00, 16:45, 18:15; Wed 9 Oct: 16:30, 17:00, 18:30, 19:50, 20:50, 21:20; Fri 11 Oct: 14:15, 14:45, 22:05; Sat 12 Oct: 09:40, 19:50; Sun 13 Oct: 09:40, 19:50, 20:45; Sat 19 Oct: 14:30, 15:00; Fri 25 Oct: 17:30, 18:15, 21:30, 22:15; Sat 26 Oct: 10:30, 11:15, 15:30, 16:15; Thu 31 Oct: 16:00, 16:45; Sat 2 Nov: 20:15, 20:45, 23:45; Sun 3 Nov: 00:15; Thu 14 Nov: 18:15, 19:00, 22:15, 23:00; Sat 30 Nov: 23:45; Sun 1 Dec: 00:45; Sat 7 Dec: 18:45, 19:45, 22:45, 23:30; Sun 15 Dec: 13:45, 14:45, 19:45, 20:30; Tue 31 Dec: 19:15, 20:00
Note: The drawbridge will only be in the air for about a minute, but if you include the time it takes them to open and close the approach road then the whole process takes about 3-5 minutes.
Where's the best place to stand?
The most popular place to watch the bridge open is on the river walk by the Tower of London, but we think you actually get a better photo from the other side of the river, by the old City Hall building.
There's another nice view from the opposite side of the bridge, standing by the river on Butler's Wharf.
You might be interested in…
Search for more free events in London, or look for things to do near the Tower of London
