The View from The Shard

Billed as the tallest building in Western Europe The View From The Shard has quickly become a popular visitor attraction that is ideally set on the banks of the River Thames.  There are plenty of Budget Views of London but the 360 degree panoramic views over London are spectacular that take in the main tourist sights including the London Eye, Tower of London & Houses of Parliament.

1. The View from The Shard; National Rail 2 for 1 Promotion

Here’s a chance to pick up 2 for 1 on general entry tickets to The View from The Shard if you travel by train. This National Rail 2 for 1 promotion runs across a range of top London visitor attractions and now stipulates that it is for advance bookings only against General Entry tickets. Tickets are subject to availability and not valid on standard, family, weekday saver, group, group delux, all inclusive or annual passes.  More information is available at National Rail 2 for 1 Promotion.

The Shard in London, (photo; Phil Loach)

2. The View from The Shard; FREE Return Visit

Hedge your bets against the great British weather with this View Guarantee that offers a FREE return visit if your visibility is restricted.  Guests can pick up a free return visit if they are cannot see at least 3 of the the top London landmarks as set out by The View from The Shard. Simply place a request with staff before exiting the venue and they will let know if a View Guarantee has been authorised.  Good to know that return visits are valid for 3 months to allow you time to arrange another trip.

Find out more over at The View from The Shard; View Guarantee.

3. The View from The Shard; Tesco Clubcard

Tesco shoppers can take advantage of this loyalty card promotion and use clubcard reward partner codes to purchase select tickets for the The View from The Shard.  Codes can be used to purchase General Entry & General Entry with Champagne tickets for The View from The Shard, The View from The River and The View and cruise combo so plenty of options with this promotion.  Just remember your clubcard codes are only valid for use when booking tickets in advance.

4. The View from The Shard Annual Pass

At select times of the year, you can invest in an annual pass. Whether it is a lunchtime coffee break, celebrations drinks or a school holiday visit, every view of The Shard is unique so for those planning subsequent visits, consider an annual pass.  The great news is that the annual pass comes with 12 months unlimited standard entry PLUS fastrack entry on each visit! There are also discounts on food, drinks & souvenirs too.

LOOK OUT FOR THE Silent Disco at The Shard for a chance to dance the night away whilst taking in fantastic views over the city!

The Silent Disco at The Shard

The View from The Shard; Top Tips

1. Book Online; for those that can book online in advance you can pick up  discounts off standard price tickets that can offer substantial savings for those that can plan ahead.

2. Whatever The Weather; the Shard is clearly a weather dependent attraction so worth taking account of both visibility & weather conditions on the day of your visit, (with good visibility your view can reach a distance of 40 miles away).  A popular time to visit is pre-dusk to take advantage of views during the day & evening.

3. Take your Time; did you know that there is no limit on the length of time you can spend up The Shard?  Whilst tickets are timed entry that offers you a 30 minute window in which to begin your ascent to the viewing platform, once you’ve made it to the top, you can stay for as long as you wish during opening times!

4. Say Cheese? No Thanks! There is the inevitable photo opportunity as you first arrive at The Shard, (after security but before entering the lifts), that are available for purchase upon your descent.  Whilst this can be a bone of contention, particularly with children in tow, I always side-step the issue by choosing not to pose in the first place.

Viewing Desk from The View from The Shard, (photo; Phil Loach)

5. Free Digital Telescopes; good to see that the digital telescopes dotted around the viewing platform are free of charge. However it might be wise to bring your own binoculars with you as on busy days it might be difficult to get your hands on one.

6. Don’t Sit Down; perhaps this would be better worded as ‘can’t sit down’ as there is a decidedly lack of seats around each of the 2 viewing platforms.

7. The Silent Disco; dance the night away at the top of Western Europe’s tallest building with the Silent Disco that takes place regularly throughout the year at The Shard.  We previously popped along to see how this works with more details available at The Silent Disco; Tried & Tested.

8. A Great Range Of Add-On Events; keep an eye out for some rather unusual events running at The Shard throughout the year.  From sky high yoga sessions complete with breathtaking views to silent discos on select weekends, I’m quite impressed with the range of options available.

9. Souvenir Shopping; if you are looking to pick up a souvenir, then you’ll find a much greater range of gifts at the shop located on the ground floor rather than the more cramped shop located on the 69th floor.

10. Spot the Shard? located on Joiner Street, conveniently located next to London Bridge Station.

Looking out from The Shard, (photo; Phil Loach)