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Bridge Lifts

Tower Bridge lifts around 800 times a year. This page details upcoming Bridge Lift times, which vessels will pass through, and the direction of their travel.

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A close up image of Tower Bridge showing the bascules raising

108 results

April

Saturday 18 April 2026

13:45 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

14:30 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Sunday 19 April 2026

04:15 Upriver

Motor Ship

Hamburg

16:15 Downriver

Motor Ship

Hamburg

Tuesday 21 April 2026

07:30 Upriver

Tower Bridge

Maintenance Lift

09:00 Downriver

Tower Bridge

Maintenance Lift

Thursday 23 April 2026

16:00 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:45 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Saturday 25 April 2026

10:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

11:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

15:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

19:30 Upriver

Sailing Vessel

Energy Observer

20:00 Downriver

Sailing Vessel

Energy Observer

Thursday 30 April 2026

12:15 Upriver

Marine Towage and Salvage/Tugboat

VB Boluman

12:15 Upriver

Marine Towage and Salvage/Tugboat

VB Peter

12:15 Upriver

Motor Vessel

World Navigator

12:45 Downriver

Marine Towage and Salvage/Tugboat

VB Boluman

12:45 Downriver

Marine Towage and Salvage/Tugboat

VB Peter

16:00 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:30 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

May

Friday 1 May 2026

09:45 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

10:30 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

13:45 Upriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

14:30 Downriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

14:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

15:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:45 Upriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

17:30 Downriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

22:30 Upriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

23:15 Downriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

Saturday 2 May 2026

00:15 Upriver

Marine Towage and Salvage/Tugboat

VB Boluman

00:15 Upriver

Marine Towage and Salvage/Tugboat

VB Peter

00:45 Downriver

Motor Vessel

World Navigator

00:45 Downriver

Marine Towage and Salvage/Tugboat

VB Boluman

00:45 Downriver

Marine Towage and Salvage/Tugboat

VB Peter

10:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

11:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

15:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Friday 8 May 2026

16:15 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

17:00 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Wednesday 13 May 2026

16:00 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:45 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Saturday 16 May 2026

10:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

11:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

13:15 Downriver

Motor Vessel

Dutch Master

13:15 Downriver

Motor Vessel

Dutch Master

13:30 Upriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

14:00 Downriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

15:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Thursday 28 May 2026

16:00 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:30 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

June

Friday 5 June 2026

00:00 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Thursday 11 June 2026

17:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

18:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Saturday 13 June 2026

10:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

11:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

15:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Wednesday 17 June 2026

16:00 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:45 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Saturday 20 June 2026

18:30 Upriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

19:00 Downriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

Saturday 27 June 2026

10:45 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

11:30 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Sunday 28 June 2026

14:45 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

15:30 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

July

Thursday 2 July 2026

12:45 Upriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

13:30 Downriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

Saturday 4 July 2026

10:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

11:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

15:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Thursday 16 July 2026

13:45 Upriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

14:15 Downriver

Paddle Steamer

Dixie Queen

Thursday 23 July 2026

16:00 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:45 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

August

Saturday 29 August 2026

10:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

11:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

15:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

September

Saturday 5 September 2026

17:15 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

17:45 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Saturday 12 September 2026

17:15 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

18:00 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Sunday 13 September 2026

11:45 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

12:30 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

17:15 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

18:00 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Friday 18 September 2026

16:15 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

17:00 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Saturday 19 September 2026

16:15 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

17:00 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Saturday 26 September 2026

10:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

11:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

15:30 Upriver

Sailing Barge

Will

16:15 Downriver

Sailing Barge

Will

Stories behind Bridge Lifts

Ever wondered how and why Tower Bridge lifts? Discover more about this wonderous sight and the stories behind it.

Browse more stories
A historical painting of Tower Bridge with ships sailing through.

10 interesting vessels to sail through Tower Bridge

10 interesting and iconic vessels that have passed through Tower Bridge since the opening at 1894.
A Bridge Driver standing in the old control room over several large levers in front of dials in the background. The photo is black and white.

What does a Bridge Driver do?

Behind every Bridge Lift, there is a highly skilled Bridge Driver. Take a deep dive into the role and find out what it takes to train for a truly unique job.
An old postcard of Tower Bridge lifting for a large ship

How does Tower Bridge work?

Tower Bridge opens up to let boats through, but have you ever wondered how that works?
Bridge Lift for the Gotheborg of Sweden at Tower Bridge

Why does Tower Bridge open?

Tower Bridge opens to let tall boats pass through. Learn more about why Tower Bridge lifts.
A dark large cavernous space with curved brick stairs.

The Bascule Chambers

One of London’s greatest hidden spaces, the Bascule Chambers were built as an operational area to allow for the movement of the Bridge's huge counterweights used during Bridge Lifts. 

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