Lift 109 at Battersea Power Station

Battersea Power Station is an iconic landmark along the River Thames. The power station generated electricity for London from the 1930s until the 1980s when it ceased operation, and, over time, its distinctive chimneys and Art Deco design became an integral part of London’s skyline.

The power station has recently undergone a remarkable rejuvenation, transitioning from an industrial relic to a vibrant shopping and residential development. The site’s historic significance has been preserved through careful restoration efforts, while new additions such as residential, commercial and leisure spaces have breathed new life into the area.

The Lift 109 experience

You begin your experience with an exhibition that uses multimedia displays to look at Battersea Power Station’s significance to London and its transformation into the modern shopping and residential complex that you see today. There’s also an interactive display in the exhibition area where you can generate electricity to power a lighting installation.

This exhibition area has a big screen with a countdown to your lift departure time and then prior to boarding the life you go into a room with an immersive audio-visual experience.

Then you board the first lift, which takes you up around 15 floors to a staircase that you need to take up to the main lift.

The main lift is a large circular glass lift that doubles as the observation platform. The immersive experience continues inside this lift as you pass a series of neon lights as the lift makes its way to the top. After reaching a height of 109m (357 ft), the lift pops up above the top of the chimney, offering panoramic views of the London skyline.

The top of the chimney is equivalent to the top floor of a 33-storey building and the design of the circular glass lift means that you have a 360º view across London without any walls obstructing your view.

It offers great views of the Battersea area including Battersea Park and the Battersea Power Station development. You have a great view of south London with views towards Wimbledon and Twickenham, looking north across the river you get a great view of Chelsea and Pimlico and you also have views both east and west along the River Thames and views of The City and the Shard. However, the Battersea location means that the views from Lift 109 are not as good as more centrally-located observation decks elsewhere in London.

The lift only sits at the top of the chimney for eight minutes before taking you back down towards ground level, so make the most of your limited time at the top.

The lift holds around 20–30 people including a guide who can answer any questions about the lift and what you’re looking at.

It is a unique experience that is very different to other observation decks in London. It is pricey considering that London has several excellent free observation decks and the location in Battersea means that isn’t as centrally located as other options closer to The City and the West End. However, it is a professionally-run operation that offers a lot more than just a view and the unique experience of taking a lift up a chimney coupled with a vantage point looking up the Thames makes Lift 109 a worthwhile option.

Visiting Lift 109

Lift 109 is in the former Battersea Power Station, which has been redeveloped into a shopping centre at the heart of the Battersea Power Station development. Other than the redeveloped power station and the surrounding development, there is not a lot to see in the immediate vicinity, although it is close to Chelsea Bridge and Battersea Park.

There are several ways to get here including by the Uber Boat ferry to Battersea Power Station pier, by tube to Battersea Power Station station (on the Northern line) and on one of the buses that cross Chelsea Bridge (routes 44, 137 or 452) followed by around a 6–7-minute walk.

Your Lift 109 ticket is for a specific entry time and you can’t get in if you arrive too early.

Visitor facilities include a gift shop and the location in the shopping centre means that there are plenty of places to eat and drink nearby.

The entire Lift 109 experience takes around 45 minutes and only eight minutes of this takes place at 109m.