I wasted my money so you don’t have to.
After seeing it all over social media, I finally decided to try the Chimney Lift at Battersea Power Station, the circular glass elevator that travels up one of the iconic chimneys. On paper it sounds amazing. A glass lift rising 109 metres above London with 360-degree skyline views from the top of one of the city’s most famous landmarks.
But after trying it for myself, I honestly left feeling a bit underwhelmed.
The whole experience is surprisingly short, and even with a discounted ticket I didn’t feel like it was particularly good value compared to other viewpoints in London.
Here’s what it’s actually like.
What Is the Chimney Lift?
The Chimney Lift is a circular glass elevator built inside the north-west chimney of Battersea Power Station.
Your visit starts inside the power station where there is a small exhibition explaining the history of the building. The exhibition space includes historic photos, blueprints, models of the power station and interactive displays showing how the building once generated electricity from coal.
You also pass through a short 360-degree film experience which tells the story of Battersea Power Station from its construction through to its closure in 1983 and its modern redevelopment.
After that, the lift experience begins.
The Ascent Experience
You step inside a circular glass elevator that slowly rises through the chimney. As the lift travels upwards, coloured lights and projections guide the ascent.
The lift climbs 109 metres above ground level before reaching a glass viewing platform at the top of the chimney. From the top you can see views across London including the Thames and the surrounding skyline.
It sounds impressive, but the reality is that the entire experience is very quick. From start to finish, the lift ride and viewing time is less than 15 minutes.
Chimney Lift Ticket Prices
Ticket prices vary depending on the type of ticket you choose.
Entry Tickets (online from £16)
These require a booked time slot and give access to the exhibition and the lift experience.
On the day tickets can cost around £24 per adult, so booking online in advance can save up to 30 percent.
Any Time Tickets (online from £24)
These allow you to arrive at any time on your selected day instead of booking a specific time slot.
Riser Experience Tickets (from £19)
These include either an early morning ascent with a hot drink or mimosa, or a late-day ascent with a champagne cocktail.
Exhibition Only Ticket (from £10)
This option allows you to explore the exhibition space without ascending the chimney.
There is also a limited-time midweek offer for £10 on Wednesdays in March, which is what convinced me to finally try it.
Even at that price, I still didn’t think it was worth it.
How Long Does the Chimney Lift Take?
One of the biggest surprises was how quick it is.
The actual lift experience is usually under 15 minutes. By the time you get to the top, take a couple of photos and look around, it’s basically time to go back down again. For the standard price, that feels very short.
Is the Chimney Lift Worth It?
In my opinion, not really.
The views are nice, but London has so many incredible viewpoints that are either free or much better value. For something that lasts such a short amount of time, the price feels difficult to justify.
If this was included as part of a bigger attraction it might feel different, but as a standalone experience it felt quite underwhelming.
Better (and Cheaper) London Viewpoints
If you’re looking for amazing views across London, I would honestly recommend trying these instead.
Completely free to visit and offers incredible panoramic views across the city.
Another free rooftop viewpoint with fantastic skyline views.
London’s highest free viewing platform and easily one of the best viewpoints in the city.
If you’re happy to pay for an attraction, I would honestly save your money and go up London Eye instead. The experience lasts longer and the views are far more impressive.
Final Thoughts
The Chimney Lift at Battersea Power Station is a cool idea and it’s definitely unique, but the experience is incredibly short for the price.
If you manage to grab a heavily discounted ticket it might be worth doing once, but at full price I would personally skip it and choose one of London’s many other viewpoints instead.
London has some truly amazing skyline views and many of them won’t cost you anything at all.
