The Shard (The Shard of Glass) is the tallest building in the United Kingdom. The Shard building includes exclusive residences, and luxury hotels & restaurants, and of course, The View from The Shard for visitors, and The View from The Shard located at 69 levels is the premium visitor attraction inside The Shard and it offers an amazing 360-degree viewing experience of London Skyline. on a clear day, it offers views up to 64 km (40 miles) from the building’s viewing gallery. The View from The Shard (viewing platform) is the primary highlight of the shard. it attracts thousands of visitors each year.
The Shard is located in Southwark, London, on the edge of London Bridge. the construction of the building was completed in 2012 and it was opened to the public in February 2013. It was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano and it is 306-metres high and one of the tallest free-standing structures in the UK. The shard is accessible by train, bus, and tube and the nearest stations are London Bridge Underground Station (Northern and Jubilee Lines), and London Bridge Railway Station. It’s about a 5-minute walk away from London Bridge Station.
Where Can You Leave Your Luggage?
Unfortunately, The shard doesn’t offer a cloakroom or left-luggage office to store luggage, even small bags cannot be stored at the viewing gallery inside the building. And if you are planning to visit the view from the Shard You need to store your bags outside the building. You can’t store bags while visiting the viewing platforms but visitors are allowed to take backpacks no larger than 22 x 15 x 8 inches. Also, there aren’t storage facilities available at London Bridge Station. Don’t worry! you can store your bags with excess baggage at main stations of central London like Victoria and King Cross Station. You can also store your bags with luggage storage providers such as BagsAway, NannyBags, Bagbnb and more.
How much does it cost to store bags?
The excess-Baggage company offers storage at a charge of £7.5 for up to 3 hours in London, And it also depends on the duration, for long-term storage 48-72 hours you need to pay around £27 and after 72 hours they charge £5 per day. storage providers like BagsAway, STasher and LuggageHero cost £5-10 for 24 hours. You can also choose an hourly rate that starts at £1.5. This specific option is recommended for luggage storage in London, going with any of the above companies offers more convenience compared to leaving luggage at the stations. They are not only a secure luggage storage providers they also make it easy to drop bags nearby London’s attractions partnering with local hotels, Airbnbs and shops.
Opening Times, Contact And More Info
Name & Location: The Shard (Shard London Bridge) 32 London Bridge St, London SE1 9SG, United Kingdom.
Opening Hours: The opening times are different throughout the year, 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM from April to October 24th, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Sunday to Wednesday from 25th October to March, 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM Thursday to Saturday from October 25th to 31st March.
Parking: There is no car parking at the shard but there are a number of vehicle parking areas in the local area.
No support for lost items at “The View from Shard” but for general inquiries or booking-related queries you can contact them at 44 (0)844 499 7111, or you can write an email to [email protected].
What to Expect?
The View from The shard is the main viewing gallery where digital telescopes are available. you can zoom in on each tourist attraction and find more info about them on the screen. You can see all the popular landmarks & attractions from the top including Hyde Park, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, The London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament on the north bank of the River Thames.
The viewing platforms also offer all other facilities, public toilets are accessible, You are allowed to take photos and shoot videos for commercial use, but make sure you don’t visit with a tripod because it is not permitted inside. They also offer group tours and school tours. there are a number of restaurants and bars inside the shard building. There are stores of globally known brands. The building also includes the 5-star luxury (Shangri La) hotel where you can stay but keep in mind that it is one of the most expensive hotels in London, it costs around $650 per night.
More Hotels Nearby
London Bridge Hotel: a 4-star hotel located at a distance of just 130 m from the building, a budget category hotel with top-notch services, 4.3 average ratings on Google, voted for the great location, starting at $130 per night.
Hilton Tower Bridge: 4-star hotel near the shard, located 270 m away from the building, 4.4 average ratings on Google and TripAdvisor, Starting at $120 per night.
Vintry & Mercer: Another top-rated luxury hotel 0.9 km away from the area, #4 best value near the London Bridge, offers premium services, 5.0 ratings out of 5, starting at $330 per night.
Frequently Asked Questions!
Q: Can you leave your luggage at the Shard?
No, They don’t offer a luggage storage facility or cloakroom to store bags and coats but visitors are allowed to take backpacks no larger than 22 x 15 x 8 inches at the viewing platforms. Bags and items will be searched at the entrance.
Q: Can you go up the shard for free?
Yes, You can, If you want to visit restaurants and bars But for the viewing gallery you need to book your tickets in advance at least 14 days ago, and it costs £24.95 for adults, £18.95 for a child. You can contact them for group tour prices.
Q: Which is better the shard or London Eye?
Both attractions are popular, The London Eye is standing at a height of 135 meters, and “The View from The Shard” is a massive 244 meters. But both offer incredible views across London. Now the choice is yours.
Q: How far is the shard from Victoria Station?
The distance between The Shard and Victoria Station is 3 miles and it takes 10-15 minutes to get there.