Knowing exactly how long a West End show runs is the difference between a relaxed evening and a sprint for the last train. The right runtime lets you book pre-theatre dinner, plan post-show drinks, sort childcare and get home without stress. After plenty of 7:30pm curtains across the West End, we have pulled the approximate running times and interval details for every major show into one scannable guide, with the quick-reference table you actually came for right at the top.
West End Show Runtimes at a Glance
All times below are approximate and include the interval where there is one. Curtain-up for most evening performances is 7:30pm, so the finish times assume that start. Runtimes can shift slightly between performances, so treat these as your planning baseline.
| Show | Venue | Running time (approx.) | Interval | Finish (7:30pm start) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIX | Vaudeville Theatre | 1h 15m | None | ~8:45pm |
| The Play That Goes Wrong | Duchess Theatre | 1h 20m | One | ~9:05pm |
| The Woman in Black | Fortune Theatre | 1h 40m | One | ~9:10pm |
| ABBA Voyage | ABBA Arena | 1h 30m | None | ~9:00pm |
| The Mousetrap | St Martin's Theatre | 2h 10m | One | ~9:40pm |
| Witness for the Prosecution | County Hall | 2h 15m | One | ~9:45pm |
| Starlight Express | Troubadour Wembley Park | 2h 15m | One | ~9:45pm |
| The Lion King | Lyceum Theatre | 2h 30m | One | ~10:00pm |
| The Phantom of the Opera | His Majesty's Theatre | 2h 30m | One | ~10:00pm |
| Hadestown | Lyric Theatre | 2h 30m | One | ~10:00pm |
| The Book of Mormon | Prince of Wales Theatre | 2h 30m | One | ~10:00pm |
| Moulin Rouge! The Musical | Piccadilly Theatre | 2h 35m | One | ~10:05pm |
| Mamma Mia! | Novello Theatre | 2h 35m | One | ~10:05pm |
| Matilda the Musical | Cambridge Theatre | 2h 40m | One | ~10:10pm |
| Back to the Future | Adelphi Theatre | 2h 40m | One | ~10:10pm |
| Wicked | Apollo Victoria Theatre | 2h 45m | One | ~10:15pm |
| Crazy For You | Gillian Lynne Theatre | 2h 45m | One | ~10:15pm |
| Les Misérables | Sondheim Theatre | 2h 50m | One | ~10:20pm |
| Hamilton | Victoria Palace Theatre | 2h 50m | One | ~10:20pm |
| Stranger Things: The First Shadow | Phoenix Theatre | 3h 0m | One | ~10:30pm |
| Harry Potter and the Cursed Child | Palace Theatre | 3h 30m | One | ~11:00pm |
Shortest West End Shows (Under 2 Hours)
If you want to be done by 9pm, these are your picks. SIX runs about 75 minutes straight through with no interval, making it the fastest big night out in the West End and an easy one to pair with a late dinner afterwards.
ABBA Voyage at the purpose-built ABBA Arena in Stratford runs roughly 90 minutes with no interval, so factor in extra travel time out east. The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre comes in around 1 hour 40 minutes with one interval, a tight, unnerving night that wraps up early.
The Big Musicals (2 to 3 Hours)
This is where most of the West End sits. The Lion King at the Lyceum runs about 2 hours 30 minutes with one interval, finishing around 10pm from a 7:30pm start. It is one of the most consistently loved shows on tickadoo, holding a 4.8 rating across more than 8,200 customer reviews, so it is a safe family booking if you can manage a 10pm finish with younger children.
Wicked at the Apollo Victoria is one of the longer mega-musicals at about 2 hours 45 minutes, while Les Misérables at the Sondheim and Hamilton at the Victoria Palace both land around 2 hours 50 minutes. The Phantom of the Opera, Hadestown and The Book of Mormon all sit at roughly 2 hours 30 minutes. Matilda and Back to the Future run about 2 hours 40 minutes, and Mamma Mia! and Moulin Rouge! both come in near 2 hours 35 minutes.
The Longest West End Shows (Over 3 Hours)
Two shows demand a proper time commitment. Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix runs about 3 hours including one interval. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace is the marathon at roughly 3 hours 30 minutes for the single-part performance, finishing close to 11pm. Build in extra planning for late trains and, if you are bringing children, weigh that 11pm finish carefully.
Planning Your Evening
What time will I finish?
Most West End evening performances start at 7:30pm. The simple formula is start time plus runtime equals finish time, with the interval already baked into the running times above. As a rule of thumb from a 7:30pm curtain: a 2-hour show finishes around 9:50pm, a 2.5-hour show around 10:20pm, and a 3-hour show around 10:50pm.
Last train considerations
If your show finishes around 10pm you will have time for most last trains from the major London terminals. For finishes around 10:30pm or later, check your specific service, because some suburban lines stop earlier than you would expect. For 11pm-plus finishes such as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, night tubes run on Friday and Saturday, so plan alternatives on weeknights. Allow a 30-minute buffer between curtain-down and departure rather than cutting it fine.
Matinee timings
Most matinees start at 2:30pm or 3pm. A 2:30pm matinee of a 2.5-hour show finishes around 5:15pm, which is ideal for an early dinner afterwards. Matinees are also the gentler option for families seeing a longer show, since nobody is up past bedtime.
Timing Tips From the Stalls
Arrive 15 to 30 minutes before curtain. That window is not just for finding your seat, it covers programmes, the bathroom queue and a pre-show drink. Intervals are typically 15 to 20 minutes, long enough for a quick drink but short enough that the bar queue genuinely matters, so order ahead where the venue allows it. Professional productions hit their marks, so the times above are reliable, though the very first preview performances of a new run can sit slightly longer while the show beds in. If you want to save across multiple shows this season, a tickadoo+ membership is the route to look at.
Now you know how long every major West End show runs, you can book with confidence. Browse London theatre tickets on tickadoo, built by the founders of London Theatre Direct, and pair your runtime planning with our West End seating guides to lock in the right seats. Official tickets, instant confirmation. What do you wanna doo?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the longest West End show?
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre is the longest, running approximately 3 hours 30 minutes for the single-part performance, including one interval. From a 7:30pm start it finishes close to 11pm. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is the next longest at about 3 hours.
What is the shortest West End show?
SIX at the Vaudeville Theatre is the shortest major West End show at roughly 75 minutes with no interval, finishing around 8:45pm from a 7:30pm start. ABBA Voyage is next at about 90 minutes, also with no interval.
How long is The Lion King in London?
The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre runs approximately 2 hours 30 minutes including one interval of around 20 minutes. From a typical 7:30pm curtain it finishes around 10pm. You can see availability on the Lion King tickets page.
How long is Wicked in the West End?
Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre runs approximately 2 hours 45 minutes with one interval, making it one of the longer mega-musicals. From a 7:30pm start it finishes around 10:15pm.
Do West End shows have an interval?
Most full-length West End shows have one interval, typically 15 to 20 minutes, which is already included in the running times in this guide. A handful of shorter shows, including SIX and ABBA Voyage, run straight through with no interval.
What time do West End shows usually finish?
Most evening performances start at 7:30pm. A 2-hour show finishes around 9:50pm, a 2.5-hour show around 10:20pm, and a 3-hour show around 10:50pm. Always allow a buffer of about 30 minutes before any train you need to catch.
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