The London Dungeon sells four tickets and the pricing has a quirk worth understanding before you pick one.
The Anytime ticket costs 35 pounds online. The standard ticket costs 35 pounds at the door. Exactly the same money, for two completely different things: one lets you arrive whenever you like, the other is what you pay for not planning.
Book ahead and flexibility is free. Turn up and you pay for it anyway, without getting it.
The four tickets
Standard: from 27 pounds online, 35 pounds on the day. A booked time slot.
Anytime Entry: from 35 pounds online, 43 pounds on the day. Arrive at any point during opening hours.
London Dungeon and London Eye together: from 49 pounds online, which the operator bills as under 25 pounds per attraction and a saving of up to 25 pounds against buying both separately.
That combo is the genuinely good deal on this page. The London Eye on its own is rarely close to 25 pounds, and the two sit beside each other on the South Bank, so there is no travel between them. Our London Eye page covers what it costs alone.
The combo booking step people miss
The same rule applies here as at the other attractions in the group. A multi-attraction ticket books your date and time for one attraction only. For the other you have to log in with your confirmation number and book a separate free timed-entry slot before you go.
Do that at the point of buying, not on the morning, because the Eye’s slots fill.
The hours, which are shorter than you think
On the day we checked, the Dungeon was open 11am to 4pm. That is a five hour day, which is short for a major paid attraction and much shorter than the neighbours: the London Eye and the Sea Life aquarium both run considerably later.
Hours vary by date, so this is one to check for your specific day rather than assume. An 11am opening also means it is not an early start option if you are trying to fill a morning.
What it actually is
A walk-through show rather than a museum. Live actors, sets and effects taking you through the grimmer parts of London’s history, on a timed route you cannot wander off.
That format is the thing to weigh. If you want to read captions and go at your own pace, this is not that, and the Tower of London covers much of the same history as an actual place where it happened.
If you want to be jumped out at in the dark for ninety minutes, it does that well and knows exactly what it is.
It is on the South Bank in County Hall, next to the London Eye and a few minutes from Waterloo.
How long it takes, and the number that is not on the ticket
The tour runs about 75 minutes. The queue is separate and is not included in that. Your ticket time is your entry time to the attraction, after which you join the queue, and the Dungeon says queues typically run 10 to 30 minutes but can reach 60 minutes at busy periods.
So the honest planning figure is 85 minutes to well over two hours, depending on the day. Anyone budgeting 75 minutes between two other bookings is going to be late for the second one.
You will not be admitted before the time on your ticket, so arriving early buys nothing. Arrive after it and you may face an extended wait for the next available show, with no guaranteed entry at busy periods.
There is no cloakroom at all. Combined with the 30 litre bag limit, that means whatever you bring you carry through the entire tour.
Parking, at 7 pounds
The Dungeon says driving to its central London location is usually slower than public transport, but it holds agreements with local car parks. The National Theatre car park is £7 for the day, pre-booked through its own website, which is the same arrangement the London Eye publishes next door.
The age rules, which are stricter than the recommendation
Under-5s are not admitted at all. Children of 5 and over can enter at their parent or guardian’s discretion, and everyone under 16 must be with an adult of 18 or over. The Dungeon’s own recommended age is 12 and above, so between 5 and 12 it is explicitly leaving the decision to you rather than refusing entry.
The Drop Dead drop ride has a separate minimum height of 1.4 metres, so a child can be admitted to the Dungeon and still be turned away from the ride.
Who it does not suit
The operator is unusually frank about this. It says some shows are scary with moments of darkness and occasional jump scares, while others are lighter. There are enclosed spaces, and it asks anyone who suffers from claustrophobia or panic attacks to speak to the team about whether the attraction is suitable before going in. If you do have a panic attack inside, telling an actor or a staff member will get you taken out to a calmer area.
Pregnant visitors are welcome, but it is a mostly standing or walking experience with little chance to sit down, and the Drop Dead ride is not suitable. Staff will show alternative routes around it.
Bags, photos and lateness
Handbags and backpacks up to 30 litres are allowed. Suitcases and large hand luggage are refused, and you will be sent to left luggage at the London Eye ticket office or Waterloo station, the same arrangement as at Sea Life.
Photography is banned on the main tour entirely. You can take photos in the admission area and at the end, and nowhere in between.
Miss your 15 minute timeslot and the Dungeon will try to fit you in, but cannot promise it at peak times. Arrive after the stated closing time and you will not be admitted and will not get a refund.
How to choose
Know your time: the standard ticket from 27 pounds online. Cheapest option, booked slot.
Do not know your time: the Anytime ticket at 35 pounds online, which costs the same as a standard ticket bought at the door and gives you something for the money.
Doing the Eye as well: the combo from 49 pounds, and book the Eye’s free timed slot straight away.
Never at the door. Forty three pounds is the most expensive way to enter this building.
The South Bank page covers what else is within a few minutes’ walk, most of which is free.
The London Dungeon
- Address
- County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1
- Nearest
- Waterloo or Westminster
- Hours
- Varies by date. On the day we checked, 11am to 4pm
- Booking
- Online, where every ticket is cheaper
- Price
- Standard from 27 pounds online and 35 on the day. Anytime Entry from 35 pounds online and 43 on the day. With the London Eye, from 49 pounds online
- Standing
- A walk-through show with live actors and effects, next to the London Eye on the South Bank
How to get in
The Anytime ticket online costs the same as a standard ticket bought at the door. Multi-attraction tickets book a time for one attraction only: a free timed-entry ticket must be booked separately for the other.
Where to go next
The London Eye is next door and is the attraction the Dungeon is most often sold with, and the South Bank covers what else is nearby.
The Tower of London covers much of the same history as a real place, and things to do in the rain cover the other indoor options.
Questions we get asked
How much is the London Dungeon?
A standard adult ticket is from 27 pounds online and 35 pounds on the day. An Anytime Entry ticket, which lets you arrive whenever you like, is from 35 pounds online and 43 on the day. A combined ticket with the London Eye starts at 49 pounds online.
Is the London Dungeon and London Eye ticket worth it?
It is the best value on offer there. At 49 pounds online for both, the operator bills it as under 25 pounds per attraction and a saving of up to 25 pounds against separate tickets, and the two are next to each other on the South Bank so there is no travel in between.
What time does the London Dungeon open?
Hours vary by date and are shorter than people expect. On the day we checked it ran 11am to 4pm, a five hour day, which is well short of the neighbouring attractions. Check the schedule for your specific date.
Should you book the London Dungeon in advance?
Yes. Every ticket type is cheaper online, and the Anytime ticket booked online costs the same 35 pounds as a standard timed ticket bought at the door, so booking ahead buys flexibility for nothing.
What is the London Dungeon like?
A walk-through show rather than a museum, with live actors, sets and effects on a timed route through the grimmer parts of London's history. You cannot wander off the route or go at your own pace.
What is the age limit for the London Dungeon?
Under-5s are not admitted. Children of 5 and over can enter at their parent or guardian's discretion, and everyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. The Dungeon's own recommended age is 12 and above.
Is there a height restriction at the London Dungeon?
Yes, for the Drop Dead drop ride, which has a minimum height of 1.4 metres. A child can be admitted to the Dungeon and still be too short for that ride.
Is the London Dungeon suitable if you are claustrophobic?
The operator asks you to speak to the team first. It describes enclosed spaces, darkness and jump scares, and says that if you have a panic attack inside, telling an actor or staff member will get you taken out to a calmer area.
Can you go to the London Dungeon when pregnant?
Yes, but it is mostly standing or walking with little chance to sit down, and the Drop Dead ride is not suitable. Staff will show you alternative routes.
Can you take photos in the London Dungeon?
Not on the main tour, where photography is banned at all times. You can take photos in the admission area and at the end of the tour.
How long does the London Dungeon take?
The tour lasts about 75 minutes, but that excludes the queue. Your ticket time is your entry time to the attraction, after which you join a queue that typically runs 10 to 30 minutes and can reach 60 minutes at busy periods.
Should you arrive early at the London Dungeon?
No. You will not be admitted before the time on your ticket. Arriving after it may mean an extended wait for the next show, with no guaranteed entry during busy periods.
Is there a cloakroom at the London Dungeon?
No. There is no cloakroom, and bags are limited to 30 litres, so anything you bring you carry through the whole tour.
Is there parking at the London Dungeon?
Not its own, but it has agreements with local car parks, including the National Theatre car park at a £7 day rate pre-booked through their website. The Dungeon says public transport is usually quicker.
Written by Robert J Wills, no. 231 in the guide.
Last checked 5 October 2026 against the venues' own published information. Nobody pays to appear here and we take no bookings.
