London has so many sights and attractions. However long you are in the capital for, you will wish it was longer! A great way to get around the sights, at least for part of your trip, is to use a guided bus tour. This is especially good at the start of you stay Ipen they can whisk you around the sights and orientate you in the city.
There are three main companies Original London Bus Tours, Big Bus Tour, Golden Double Decker Bus Tours, each offering comprehensive tours, There are many similarities in the offerings and routes, although check which route suits you best. Passes will more bus routes may be better if you know where you want to go, but longer routes may suit you if you want to see everything in one trip!
Also note that the Golden Tour Pass is included with certain discount attraction passes for London. This can offer great savings if it fits with what you want to see.
The Original London Sightseeing |
Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour |
Golden Hop-On Hop-Off Tour |
London Ghost Bus Tour |
Bus Tour with London Eye & Cruise |
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4.0 (6,100 Reviews) | 4.0 (5,000 Reviews) | 3.5 (6,641 Reviews) | 4.0 (1,083 Reviews) | 3.5 (139 Reviews) |
Bus Routes Map | |||||
What is it? | The Original London Sightseeing Bus Tour goes through 6 routes covering all the major attractions in London. It offers live audio commentary on headphone, and also has a live guide on the bus for yellow route. There are 3 complimentary walking tours, a Thames river cruise, and a kids activity pack with the 48-hour ticket. | Big Bus tours offers unlimited hop on hop off tours on in three different routes covering over 50 attractions. The tour has a live guide on the bus in Red Route and recorded audio commentary in 12 languages in other routes. The complimentary offer includes 3 walking tours, Thames river cruise, and a voucher booklet with attractive discounts in restaurants and attractions. | The Golden Bus Tours offer unlimited hop on and hop off opportunity to discover London at your own pace. The buses offer free Wi-Fi, live audio commentary on the Blue Route, and recorded commentary in other routes. This pass also offers family discounts and complimentary offers like walking tours and Thames River Cruise. | The London Ghost Bus Tour service offers a theatrical angle into your sightseeing adventure which shows tourists the dark side of London with a little bit of comedy and horror on board the classic Route master bus of the 1960's. The tour covers the House of Parliament and Westminster Abbey all the way over to St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London, you also get to see the London murder, torture, execution sites, learn about the ghosts and grisly skeletons in the city capital's cupboards. | Discover London and its famous top attractions onboard the one and only Routemaster bus with a combined admission to the London Eye and Thames River Cruise. Get onboard the Routemaster bus and see the city through its panoramic windows. The Routemaster double-decker bus offers open-top views in the summer so you don't miss a moment. Learn about the city's attractions and its past with the help of a live guide. See attractions such as St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, and many more. Cruise along the River Thames and see attractions such as the HMS Belfast, Shakespeare's Globe, London Bridge, and many others. Hop-off the boat unto the bus and continue your tour to Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the British Royal Family and take pictures as you witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony. End your tour atop the famous "London Eye", the tallest cantilever wheel for observation in the world and see London from another perspective in 360-degree views like Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben etc. Marvel at the London Eye 4D Experience and see London in a whole new way. |
Ticket Cost |
24-hour Ticket:£26 Adult (Age: 16+)/£12.5 Child (Age: 5-15) 48-hour Ticket:£36 Adult (Age: 16+)/£16.5 Child (Age: 5-15) (Thames River cruise + 3 Walking Tours) |
24-hour Ticket:£26 Adult (Age: 16+)/£13 Child (Age: 5-15) 48-hour Ticket:£33 Adult (Age: 16+)/£17.5 Child (Age: 5-15) |
1 Day basic Ticket:£25 Adult (Age: 17+)/£11 Child (Age: 3-16) 1 Day basic family Ticket:£60 (2 adults + 2 children) 1+2 Day Ticket:£29 Adult (Age: 17+)/£13 Child (Age: 3-16) (1 Day Bus tour + 2 days for Boat Ride and Walking tour) 1+2 Day basic family Ticket:£75 (2 adults + 2 children) (1 Day Bus tour + 2 days for Boat Ride and Walking tour) |
Ghost Bus Ticket Senior (60-99) £23.00 Adult (16-59) £15.00 Child (0-15) £17.00 |
Bus Tour London Eye & Cruise
Adult (12-64) - €65.13 |
Ticket Validity |
1/2 consecutive days |
1/2 consecutive days |
1/3 days |
1 day(s) |
24 hours |
Routes and Time |
1. Yellow RouteFirst Tour: 8.30 A.M.Last Tour: 4.30 P.M 2. Red RouteFirst Tour: 8.30 A.M.Last Tour: 4.50 P.M 3. Blue RouteFirst Tour: 8.30 A.M.Last Tour: 5.50 P.M 4. Orange RouteFirst Tour: 8.45 A.M.Last Tour: 2.00 P.M 5. Green RouteFirst Tour: 9.15 A.M.Last Tour: 2.35 P.M 6. Purple RouteFirst Tour: 8.10 A.M.Last Tour: 5.05 P.M |
1. Red RouteFirst Tour: 8.20 A.M.2. Blue RouteFirst Tour: 8.20 A.M.3. Green RouteFirst Tour: 8.30 A.M.Please ask the bus official for the last tour time as they vary regularly. |
1. Blue Route (Essential Tour)First Tour: 8.00 A.M.Last Tour: 4.30 P.M. (5.00 P.M. in Summer) 2. Red Route (Classic Tour)First Tour: 8.00 A.M.Last Tour: 4.30 P.M. (5.00 P.M. in Summer) 3. Orange Route (Grand Tour)First Tour: 7.15 A.M.Last Tour: 2.20 P.M. (4.00 P.M. in Summer) 4. Yellow Route (Pick Up)First Tour: 7.00 A.M.Last Tour: 10.00 A.M. 5. Green Route (The Drop Off Route)First Tour: 4.56 P.M.Last Tour: 6.28 P.M. |
Bus Route
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Morning Tour:March Gate 19 - 20; 7.45 AM and 8.15 AM from 1st April. Afternoon Tour:Gate 0 from 1.00 PM |
Tour Duration |
Yellow Route: 2 hours 15 minutes Red Route: 2 hours 15 minutes Blue Route: 2 hours 15 minutes Orange Route: 1 hour Green Route: 1 hour Purple Route: 40 minutes |
Red Route: 2 hours 15 minutes Blue Route: 3 hours 15 minutes Green Route: 1 hour |
Blue Route(Essential Tour): 3 hours Red Route(Classic Tour): 3 hours Orang eRoute(Gran dTour): 2.5hours Yellow Route(Pic kUp): 15minutes Green Route(The Drop Off Route): 30minutes |
1 hour 15 minutes | 4-hours |
Departure Point |
Yellow Route:Coventry StreetRed Route:Grosvenor GardensBlue Route:Kensington Palace GateOrange Route:Woburn PlaceGreen Route:Charing Cross RoadPurple Route:Holland Park |
Red Route:Green Park UndergroundBlue Route:Queen Mother GatesGreen Route:Woburn |
Blue Route (Essential Tour):HaymarketRed Route (Classic Tour):Queen Elizabeth GateOrange Route (Grand Tour):Queen Elizabeth GateYellow Route (Pick Up):Holland Park AvenueGreen Route (The Drop Off Route):Lambeth Palace Road |
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The tour starts from Victoria Coach Station |
Bus Stops/Attractions |
Yellow Route:
Red Route:
Blue Route - Museum Tour:
Green Route:
Orange Route:
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Red Route:
Blue Route
Green Route:
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Blue Route:
Red Route:
Orange Route:
Yellow Route:
Green Route:
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Frequency |
Yellow Route: 15-30 minutes Red Route: 15-30 minutes Blue Route: 15-30 minutes Orange Route: 20-30 minutes Green Route: 20-30 minutes Purple Route: 20-30 minutes |
Red Route: 10-20 minutes Blue Route: 10-20 minutes Green Route: 20 minutes |
Blue Route (Essential Tour): 30 minutes Red Route (Classic Tour): 10-20 minutes Orange Route (Grand Tour): 15-20 minutes Yellow Route (Pick Up): 20-30 minutes Green Route (The Drop Off Route): 20-30 minutes |
Every 15 to 20 minutes (depending on season) |
N/A |
Audio commentary |
Yes Yellow Route: Live English commentary Other Routes: Recorded English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin, Kids commentary |
Yes (12-languages) Red Route: Live English commentary Other Routes: Recorded English, German, Spanish, Arabic, French, Italian, Russian, Hindi, Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese, and Mandarin commentary |
Yes (11-languages) Recorded in Spanish, English, French, Hindi, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Mandarin |
English commentary |
N/A |
Complimentary tours and cruises |
3 Free Walking tours (only with 2 day ticket): Rock 'n' Roll Walk Jack the Ripper Walk Thames River Cruise (only with 2 day ticket) Kids club and activity pack |
3 Free Walking tours Royal London walking tour Harry Potter Film Locations walking tour The Ghosts by Gaslight walking tour River Thames cruise (30 minutes) |
Walking tour (Choose any one) (only with 3 day ticket) The Royal Walking Tour including the Changing of the Guards The Beatles London Walking Tour Thames Clipper Boat Ride (only with 3 day ticket) |
None | N/A |
Other amenities |
Live guide on bus tour(only on yellow route) |
Live guide on bus (only on Red route) Free Wi-Fi Voucher Booklet (attraction and restaurant discounts) Free Hotel drop-off Mobile App Wheelchair accessible buses |
Live guide on bus (only on Blue route) Free Wi-Fi |
Professional actors/guides on board, and a Free Guide Book |
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Other information |
No bus service on 25th December. Free for children below 4 years. 3 months validity since the day of purchase Valid for 24h/48h from the time of first boarding of bus. |
Both printed and mobile voucher accepted. Free for children below 4 years. No service on 25th December Valid for 24h/48h from the time of first boarding of bus. |
Free for children below 3 years. Route changes/disruptions on major events, especially 31st December and 1st January. Thames Boat Ride is not valid on 25th and 26th December. |
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How to use |
Exchange the e-voucher or voucher print out at The Original Sightseeing Tour visitor centre in Trafalgar Square to get your ticket. |
Show the mobile or printed voucher to the Big Bus employee in the bus. |
Show your printed voucher to the bus driver. |
Tourists can exchange their booking voucher for the London Ghost Bus Tour ticket at the starting point near Trafalgar Square in central London. By simply choosing to hand the voucher to the conductor who will exchange it for a ticket valid for 24 hours from the time you get the ticket. |
Both paper and mobile tickets are accepted. Exchange your voucher at the Victoria Coach Station to get your tour ticket. |
The Original London Sightseeing |
Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour |
Golden Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour |
London Ghost Bus Tour |
Bus Tour with London Eye & Cruise |
London Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour is a travel service allowing tourists to discover London in an easy and time-efficient manner. The bus tour covers all major tourist points of interest in the British capital, giving you an opportunity to explore the city at your convenience. Whether you will ride in circles, take off at specified stops and continue the tour later, it's up to you.
Prices for this convenient tourist bus service are:
Children under 5 years ride for free.
TripAdvisor Reviews: with the average rate of 4 by its former users, this bus sightseeing service ranks very well. The number of dissatisfied travelers is far below those that are very satisfied. The overall number of reviews is 6100 and 45% of participating tourists rated the bus tour as excellent. Nearly 30% gave a "very good" rate.
These are some reviews from TripAdvisor:
Magical London Tour!
Spent a lot of time in London over the years, but never took the time to really get to know the city's history. I felt we were extremely fortunate to get Georgie as our tour guide. A charming and passionate speaker, with a truly infectious enthusiasm for all the little facts and details of this big beautiful city. Thanks to everyone at Big Bus tours! It was such a treat.
Viator Reviews: If you refer to reviews from Viator, the overall rate is even more impressive - 4.5 by 593 reviewers.
Get Your Guide Reviews: Tourists that reserved the Big Bus sightseeing tour through this booking website have rated the experience with 4.4 (212 reviewers) rate.
The Original Bus Tour is the service that allows you to discover tourist attractions of London in a short time. Besides, you can use the tour as a convenient transfer option since most tourist sightseeing points of interest are near available stops. Hence, you can use Original London bus tours for quick transfers and save money and time, you would otherwise spend on the public transportation.
Besides regular bus tours, you benefit of the following guided tours as a holder of this pass:
With the London Original Bus Tour, you save money for visiting the following popular attractions:
Prices for the tour are:
Children under 5 years of age enjoy free rides.
com: Most of the Original London Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours users have a high opinion of this sightseeing bus tour. The overall rating of the tour is 4 with around 5000 reviews at this point on TripAdvisor. The number of people that weren t satisfied is within usual limits.
TripAdvisor reviews
Couldn t fault it bought a 24hr ticket upgraded to 48hrs & free river cruise all for £32. Four different routes to see & choice of river cruise, we took the one to Greenwich & return. Very informative plenty of stops to get off & see the sights. Plenty of buses so never had to wait long for one to come along. Definitely worth doing.
Viator Reviews: these ratings are even more impressive. The overall rate of the tour is 4.5 by around 2700 reviews.
Get Your Guide: Finally, the Original sightseeing bus tour has a 4.3 rate by almost 900 users of the Get Your Guide booking website.
The Golden Hop-On Hop-Off Tour is a London bus sightseeing service with several routes covering top and other attractions of the city, it offers a great overview of the destination. More so, you are free to alight at any available stop and continue your tour later. In addition, you become eligible to take complimentary walking tours and a cruise along the River Thames by purchasing the Golden Tour pass.
TripAdvisor Reviews: With the average rate of 3, this bus service is worth booking.
These are some reviews from TripAdvisor:
Golden Tours HOHO
Great way to see the main attractions London has to offer - especially if you are time constrained. Covered things like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace Marble Arch, Shopping districts, London Eye and much more. The audio guide is very helpful and informative and if you have good weather it's worth sitting on the top.
We tried to do a full revolution of the Blue circuit before we were going to choose where we would ideally want to get off and start exploring but bare in mind because of traffic it took nearly 4 hours just to do that. I d recommend pre bookings your 48 hours pass and planning out each day the night before with 2-3 main areas you want to see and go from there - once you get the gist of your barings aftger the first few days, it's then easy to use the tube and buses around town with the Oyster card instead which ends up being a much cheaper to get about and go even outside of the usual tourist areas.
This was my third time in London and I still found it was a great option to see the attractions from a different perspective.
Get Your Guide Reviews: Tourists that purchased the Golden Bus sightseeing tour via this booking website rated the service with the 3.9 rate (286 reviewers).
Discover London in a sightseeing Ghost Bus with 75 minutes of fun, fear, and anxiety. Enjoy the creepy conductor's overview of the city's great sights and gruesome ancient history of London and its most popular attractions. Experience the theatrical sightseeing tour aboard the Routemaster, one of the classic buses in the 1960's with live actors on-board and their technical tricks which recreates the horrors and frightening events that happened at the top attractions such as the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London and many more. You get to see and learn about the city's murder, torture and execution sites; and also London's ghosts and the capital city's grisly skeletons in her cupboard. This is an ideal way to explore London in a fun, and scary way through the nights in the capital city.
The price for the London Ghost Bus Tour is as follows:
London Ghost Bus Tour Prices (1-Day)Senior (60-99) - &€27.04
Adult (16-59) - &€19.98
Child (0-15) - &€17.63
Note: Children under 15 years are not allowed on the London Ghost Bus Tour
The London Ghost Bus Tour departs from outside the Grand Hotel opposite the Sherlock Holmes pub on Northumberland Avenue off Trafalgar Square in central London. The voucher is valid for the duration of time specified on your ticket from the date of first use. Tourists can get last minute tickets on-board the bus but must call first to check availability. Time might change due to local traffic conditions and seasons.
Westminster Abbey, Fleet Street, The Tower of London, London Bridge, Houses of Parliament, St. Paul's Cathedral, South River, Cross Bones Graveyard, and Northumberland Avenue.
Explore London on a 1960's Routemaster bus using a 4-hour hop-on-hop-off bus pass. Travel along the city stops on an open-top double-decker Routemaster with panoramic views of the city's top attractions. Enjoy the wonderful commentary by the live guide onboard in English and marvel at the Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and many more. Get on the Thames River Cruise and see all of London's famous landmarks from the water such as the HMS Belfast, Shakespeare's Globe, London Bridge, and many more. Get off the boat and continue on the tour to Buckingham Palace and see the Changing of Guards ceremony at the official residence of the British Royal Family.
To end your tour, visit the famous London Eye, which is regarded as the worlds tallest cantilever wheel for observation. Take time to enjoy a whole new view of the city as the wheel of the London Eye turns, attractions include Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, etc At the end of the 30 minutes London Eye circuit, you will be immersed in a multi-sensory 4D live-action experience about London's journey so far.
There are no complimentary tours included in the Bus Tour with London Eye & Cruise.
Lookout for discounts during the booking process.
The following are prices for theBus Tour with London Eye & Cruise pass:
Bus Tour with London Eye & Cruise
Adult (12-64) - €65.13
Senior (65-99) - €61.57
Child (3-11) - €53.29
Infant (0-2) - FREE
Student (with ID) - €61.85
NOTE: Children from 0-3 years ride the London Hop On Hop Off Bus and Thames River Cruise for free and must be in the company of adults.
Morning Tour: March Gate 19 - 20; 7.45 AM and 8.15 AM from 1st April.
Afternoon Tour: Gate 0 from 1.00 PM.
Top Attractions include:
Departure Point: The tour starts from Victoria Coach Station
Tripindicator's experts taken greater care in comparing prices for London sighseeing bus tours from the ratings and leading tickets websites so that you don’t have to. See below the FAQs about London open bus tour and answers.
London city has many routes leading to a diverse range of attractions, meaning that the time it takes on a London bus tour will vary depending on where you’d like to go.