Watching Tower Bridge open with children: everything you need to know

Tower Bridge is a London icon. Most visitors to London will see and maybe even pass over Tower Bridge at some point on their trip. But not everyone gets to see Tower Bridge open and close to let river traffic through. Watching Tower Bridge open with children is a special thing, and, importantly for families who have already spent a lot of money on their trip, it’s FREE! This guide will provide you with all the essential information you need to plan a successful outing to watch Tower Bridge open with your children, ensuring a smooth and exciting experience for the whole family.

Watching Tower Bridge open: the essentials

Why does Tower Bridge open?

The stretch of the River Thames from London Bridge to below Tower Bridge, has been a key part of London’s development as a major port and commercial centre for centuries. Known as the Pool of London, its importance grew throughout the Medieval period as London became a significant trading hub.

Overseas trade expanded and the Industrial Revolution and Britain’s growing empire in the 18th and 19th centuries led to a massive increase in shipping. The banks of the Thames were soon lined with warehouses (many of which can still be seen today). The Pool of London’s prime position in London’s center facilitated the distribution of goods within the city and to other locations. During the Victorian era, more than fifty percent of Britain’s trade was being managed by the Pool.

By the 1880s it became clear that an increased population in London required another river crossing (London Bridge being at that time the last permanent river crossing until the sea). Tower Bridge was the solution. Even though downriver docks were being developed, access to the Pool of London was still required and so Tower Bridge was designed to raise to allow river traffic through.

The design of Tower Bridge serves both road traffic and river traffic, maintaining the vital connection between the two banks of the Thames while not impeding maritime transport.

Ships too tall to pass under Tower Bridge continue to need to access the Pool of London today and so Tower Bridge continues to open regularly.

Is Tower Bridge the only bridge that opens in London?

Tower Bridge is the only bridge across the Thames in central London that opens. It is unique in the heart of the city, making it a special attraction for both locals and visitors.

How often does Tower Bridge open? Does it open every day?

Tower Bridge opens approximately 800 times a year, which averages out to opening about 2-3 times per day. However, it doesn’t necessarily open every single day. Some days Tower Bridge opens several times for traffic up and down the river and some days it does not open at all. The bridge’s lifting schedule varies. Each lift is scheduled in advance.

The Summer months often see more bridge lifts due to increased river activity from special tourist and private hire vessels. Occasionally, there are special lifts for events or important vessels.

The fact that Tower Bridge doesn’t open every day or on a regular schedule means that watching Tower Bridge open is a special thing to do and one that not every family visiting London will experience.

How do you find out when Tower Bridge will open?

As noted above, bridge lifts are pre-planned and notice given in advance. For families planning to watch Tower Bridge lift, it’s best to check the official schedule beforehand to avoid disappointment.

Find he official schedule of bridge lift times here.

For families planning a visit, it’s best to check the night before or the morning of your trip. While lifts are scheduled in advance, lifts can be cancelled at short notice and without any prior notification.

If you can, try and time visiting nearby attractions such as the Tower of London or a walk along the South Bank of the Thames to coincide with a bridge lift.

How long does Tower Bridge take to open?

The entire process of Tower Bridge opening and closing typically takes less than 10 minutes.

Depending on where you are stood and which direction the vessel wanting to cross under the bridge is travelling in, you will likely spot the boat/ship approaching Tower Bridge before anything else starts to happen. ‘Up river’ on the schedule means West towards the City and ‘down river’ on the schedule means East away from the City and towards Canary Wharf.

Around four or five minutes before the scheduled lift time, an alarm will sound (which you may be able to hear, depending on where you’re viewing from). Traffic lights on the bridge will stop traffic from crossing and pedestrians will be cleared from the moving sections of the bridge. Barriers will be put across the road and pavements.

Once cleared, the bridge will start to lift. Although the bascules (the movable roadways) can open to nearly vertical, they mostly do not need to do so in order to allow ships to pass through, this is usually only required for large cruise type ships.

As the bridge starts lifting, the waiting boat/ship will start to move towards the bridge. The process of the bridge lifting, the boat/ship passing under Tower Bridge and the bridge closing usually takes around three minutes.

Once the bridge has closed, the road re-opens to car and foot traffic again.

For families with children, the best thing about the whole process is that it is quick enough that children don’t lose patience and interest.

Where to watch Tower Bridge opening?

Wondering where is best to watch Tower Bridge lift? Well, there are several great places where you can watch Tower Bridge opening, each offering a unique perspective:

• From the banks of the Thames – both banks of the Thames offer close up views of the bridge opening:
  • North bank
    • West of Tower Bridge – Perhaps the most popular place to watch Tower Bridge lift from is the riverbank outside the Tower of London.
    • East of Tower Bridge – A quieter place to watch from is just outside the Tower Hotel on the edge of St Katharine Docks.
  • South bank –
    • West of Tower Bridge – The area between London Bridge and Tower Bridge provides excellent views and perhaps the most iconic viewpoint for photos as you could also get the Tower of London in shot. This area is perhaps the least accessible with small children though as the walls that line the Thames are generally solid.
    • East of Tower Bridge – the Butlers Wharf area to the East of Tower Bridge is another spot that would be a good place to watch the Bridge lift with older children.
• On Tower Bridge itself – if you want an up close view of the spectacle of having the bridge rise up in front of you, you can stand on Tower Bridge itself (behind the barriers of course) while it opens.
• From the Tower Bridge Exhibition – the Tower Bridge Exhibition gives visitors access to the walkways across Tower Bridge and above the road. Sections of the floors of those walkways are glass, allowing visitors to look down at the road below them. If you happen to time your visit to the Tower Bridge Exhibition to coincide with a bridge lift, you will be able to have a bird’s eye view as the road lifts and a boat passes through underneath you (see example here).

• From outside Old Billingsgate Market – a little further away than the banks of the Thames closer to Tower Bridge, the square on the river just behind Old Billingsgate Market offers a wonderful view across to Tower Bridge from which you can watch it open. It’s also a great spot for photos with a classic Tower Bridge backdrop.
• From London Bridge – further west along the Thames, London Bridge offers a great view across to Tower Bridge and would be an excellent place from which to watch the bridge open whilst still being conveniently located for other attractions.
• From a viewing platform – there are various viewing platforms in London which offer views of Tower Bridge, including The Shard, Horizon 22, the Lookout, the Sky Garden and the Garden at 120.

We’ve put together a map of the best places to watch Tower Bridge marked in order to make it easy for you:

Basically, the rule of thumb when it comes to watching Tower Bridge lift is, if you can see Tower Bridge, you will be in a good spot to be able to see it lift.

TOP TIPS for watching Tower Bridge open with children

• Arrive early – arrive at your viewing spot 15-20 minutes before the scheduled lift to secure a good viewing spot (this is especially important in peak tourist season and in places where there will be lots of others, such as outside the Tower of London). The process may start slightly earlier than the time indicated on the official schedule, therefore it is a good idea to be ready and waiting.

Is there a question you have about watching Tower Bridge open with children that we haven’t answered here? Let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to address it.