Best New York Bus Tours

Best NYC Bus Tours

New York Sightseeing Buses - Big Bus Tour or Gray Line Bus NYC or City Sights Bus

Overview of Best NYC Open Bus Tours

A bus tour is a great way to see the sights of New York City. It is not only a convenient way to get between them, a bus tour also offers a great vantage point to view this amazing city.

Three companies offer bus tours in New York(Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off, Gray Line Bus NYC, City sights Bus tour New York), and we give you all the details of the tours, routes and prices here. They all offer similar routing and are competitively priced. Big Bus Tours is the most highly rated and justifiable popular. Take note though that they focus on the central areas, but the other two companies offer better options in Brooklyn and the Bronx too if you want to see these areas. Another important consideration is that Bug Bus Tours and CitySights Buses are included with different New York City discount attraction passes. This can represent a great economical way to save on your stay in the city, check out our guide to such discount passes.

Quick Jump links to New York Bus Tours Guide

Unbiased Comparing Best NYC Bus Tours sightseeing

Big Bus Tours

Gray Line Bus

CitySights Bus

Bus Tour + World Observatory

  Big Bus Tours Gray Line Bus CitySights Bus Bus Tour + World Observatory
TripAdvisor Review 4.0 (8,300 Reviews) 3.5 (5,250 Reviews) 3.0 (1,083 Reviews) 4.5 (16 Reviews)
Bus Routes Map
What is it?

Big Bus Tours go through 4 routes covering all the major attractions in New York. It is rated the best hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour in New York by TripAdvisor, Tours offers live commentary, free mobile app, and restaurant, shopping, and tour discounts.

The 2 Day and 3 Day also include a complimentary Hornblower River Cruise and free entry to the Museum of the City of New York with 3 Day ticket.

Gray Line buses, which are also known as City Sightseeing buses are red in colour and run in 5 different routes. These 5 routes cover all the major attractions of New York and you can hop on and hop unlimited times with live audio commentary.

It also offers complimentary hop on hop off ferry rides, Museum of the City of New York, and "Eat and Play" discount card with the 2 Day and 3 Day ticket.

CitySights Buses also allow unlimited hop on hop off - similar to the other sightseeing bus tours of New York. It also has 5 routes with live audio commentary.

The complementary offers with 2 Day and 3 day ticket includes hop-on hop-off ferry, a choice of 2 museums, "Eat and Play" discount card, and 2 free car sharing rides.

Discover New York City aboard the city sightseeing bus with a 1-day New York Bus Tour ticket. Hop-on the open-top double-decker bus and see sights in 360-degree panoramic views and listen to the audio guide in different languages. The professional tour guide makes sure you never miss a thing while travelling through Downtown Manhattan and its top attractions such as Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Radio City, 9/11 Memorial and Flat Iron, South Street Seaport, Financial districts, Empire State Building, Times Square, the United Nations, Fifth Avenue, Greenwich Village, Little Italy, and many more. Get on a ferry cruise and see New York's skyline from the water's point of view with 4 stops in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Hop-off the ferry and explore on foot and walk through the Brooklyn Bridge Park, Wall Street, Theatre District, Times Square and many more and enjoy skip-the-line access at the One World Observatory where you will get up more than 100 stories in less than a minute. See New York in 360-degrees from the 102nd floor of the One World Observatory, then visit the 9/11 Tribute Centre just close by and listen to the stories and how the city rebuilt after the terror attack from the tour guide.
Ticket Cost

Classic 1 Day Ticket:
$55 Adult/ $45 Child

(Only includes Uptown and Downtown loops)

Deluxe 2 Day Ticket:
$65 Adult/ $55 Child

(All routes + Hornblower River Cruise)

Big Apple 3 Day Ticket:
$79 Adult/ $59 Child

(All routes + Hornblower River Cruise + Free entry to the Museum of the City of New York)

1 Day Single Route Ticket:
$49 Adult/ $39 Child

(Choose only one of the four routes)

2 Day All Routes Ticket:
$59 Adult/ $49 Child

(All routes + hop-on hop-off ferry + free entry to the Museum of the City of New York + 'Eat and Play" card)

2 Day Ticket:
$69 Adult/ $59 Child

(All routes + hop-on hop-off ferry + free entry to the Museum of the City of New York + 'Eat and Play" card)

1 Day Single Route Ticket:
$49 Adult/ $39 Child

(Choose only one of the four routes)

2 Day All Routes Ticket:
$64 Adult/ $54 Child

(All routes + hop-on hop-off ferry + free entry to New York Historical Society or the Museum of the City of New York + "Eat and Play" card + 2 free Via car sharing cards)

2 Day VIP Ticket- Skip the line priority boarding:
$89 Adult/ $79 Child

(All routes + hop-on hop-off ferry + free entry to New York Historical Society or the Museum of the City of New York + "Eat and Play" card + 2 free Via car sharing cards)

3 Day Ticket:
$69 Adult/ $59 Child

(All routes + hop-on hop-off ferry + free entry to New York Historical Society or the Museum of the City of New York + "Eat and Play" card + 2 free Via car sharing cards + Free entry to Ripley's Believe it or not- Limited period offer)

New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory

Adult (13-99) - €116.97
Child (2-12) - €107.91
Infant (0-1) - FREE

Ticket Validity

1/2/3 consecutive days

1/2/3 consecutive days

1/2/3 consecutive days

24 hours
Routes and Time

1. Downtown Loop (Red)

First Tour: 8.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 5.00 P.M.

2. Uptown Loop (Blue)

First Tour: 9.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 5.00 P.M.

3. Brooklyn Loop (Green)

First Tour: 10.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 3.00 P.M.

4. Night Tour (Yellow)

First Tour: 6.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 8.00 P.M.

1. Downtown Loop

First Tour: 8.30 A.M.

Last Tour: 5.00 P.M.

2. Uptown Loop

First Tour: 9.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 4.00 P.M.

3. Brooklyn Loop

First Tour: 10.30 A.M.

Last Tour: 3.00 P.M.

4. Bronx Loop

First Tour: 10.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 3.00 P.M.

5. Night Tour

First Tour: 6.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 9.00 P.M.

1. Downtown Loop

First Tour: 8.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 6.00 P.M.

2. Uptown Loop

First Tour: 9.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 5.00 P.M.

3. Brooklyn Loop

First Tour: 10.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 3.00 P.M.

4. Bronx Loop

First Tour: 10.00 A.M.

Last Tour: 3.00 P.M.

5. Night Tour

First Tour: 6.30 A.M.

Last Tour: 8.00 P.M.

Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour: Buses run from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

City Sightseeing New York Hop-On, Hop-Off Ferry: Daily 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

One World Observatory: from 9:00am until 8:00pm

9/11 Tribute Center: From 10am to 6pm & 5pm on Sundays.

Tour Duration

Downtown Loop: 2 hours

Uptown Loop: 2 hours

Brooklyn Loop: 1.5 hours

Night Tour: 1.45 hours

Downtown Loop: 2 hours

Uptown Loop: 2 hours

Brooklyn Loop: 2 hours

Bronx Loop: 1 hours

Night Tour: 2.5 hours

Downtown Loop: 2.5 hours

Uptown Loop: 2 hours

Brooklyn Loop: 1.5 hours

Bronx Loop: 1.5 hours

Night Tour: 2 hours

6-hours
Departure Point

Downtown Loop: Times Square 48th

Uptown Loop: Times Square 48th

Brooklyn Loop: Battery Park

Night Tour: Times Square 48th

Downtown Loop: Times Square 48th

Uptown Loop: Times Square 48th

Brooklyn Loop: Brooklyn Promenade

Bronx Loop: Grant's Tomb

Night Tour: Times Square 48th

Downtown Loop: Times Square 48th

Uptown Loop: Times Square 42nd

Brooklyn Loop: City Hall/ Brooklyn Bridge

Bronx Loop: Grant's Tomb

Night Tour: Times Square 48th

The tour starts in front of Le Parker Meridien Hotel
Bus Stops/Attractions

Downtown Loop

  1. Times Square 48th
  2. Times Square 42nd
  3. Empire State Building
  4. Korea Town
  5. Flatiron District
  6. Union Square
  7. Greenwich Village
  8. NOHO
  9. SoHo
  10. China Town/ Little Italy
  11. World Trade Center
  12. Battery Park- to Statue of Liberty
  13. Battery Park- Battery Place
  14. High Line
  15. Madison Square Garden
  16. Theater District Shopping Court
  17. M&M's World Stop

Uptown Loop

  1. Times Square 48th
  2. Times Square 42nd
  3. Rockefeller Centre
  4. Central Park and Columbus Circle
  5. Lincoln Centre Plaza
  6. Dakota/Strawberry Fields
  7. American Museum of National History
  8. Cathedral of St. John the Divine
  9. Grant's Tomb
  10. Apollo Theatre/ Harlem
  11. Museum of the city of New York
  12. The Guggenheim Museum
  13. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  14. The Frick Museum
  15. Central Park Zoo
  16. Central Park South
  17. M&M's World Stop

Brooklyn Loop

  1. Battery Park
  2. One World Observatory

Night Tour

Panoramic Tour

Downtown Loop

  1. Times Square 48th
  2. Broadway/Theatre District
  3. Madison Square Garden
  4. Empire State Building
  5. Flatiron District
  6. Union Square
  7. Rubin Museum of Art
  8. Greenwich Village
  9. SoHo
  10. China Town / Little Italy
  11. City Hall/ Brooklyn Bridge
  12. World Trade Center
  13. Battery Park- to Statue of Liberty
  14. South Street Seaport
  15. Lower East Side
  16. East Village
  17. United Nations
  18. Waldorf- Astoria Hotel
  19. Rockefeller Centre
  20. Central Park
  21. Park Central Hotel
  22. Winter garden Theatre

Uptown Loop

  1. Times Square 48th
  2. Columbus Circle
  3. Lincoln Centre Plaza
  4. Dakota/Strawberry Fields
  5. American Museum of National History
  6. Upper West Side
  7. American Youth Hostel
  8. Cathedral of St. John the Divine
  9. Grant's Tomb
  10. Apollo Theatre/ Harlem
  11. Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market
  12. Smithsonian National Museum of Design/ Jewish museum
  13. The Guggenheim Museum
  14. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  15. The Frick Museum
  16. Central Park Zoo
  17. Central Park South
  18. Port Authority Bus terminal

Brooklyn Loop

  1. Brooklyn Promenade
  2. Atlantic Avenue Middle Eastern Restaurant
  3. Barclays Centre
  4. Brooklyn Museum of Art
  5. Prospect Park Zoo
  6. Brooklyn Public library
  7. Fort Greene park
  8. Junior's restaurant

Bronx Loop

  1. Grant's Tomb
  2. Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market
  3. Yankee Stadium

Night Tour

Panoramic Tour

Downtown Loop

  1. Times Square 48th
  2. Broadway /Theatre District
  3. Madison Square Garden
  4. Empire State Building
  5. Empire State Building-2
  6. Flatiron District
  7. Union Square
  8. Greenwich Village
  9. SoHo
  10. China Town / Little Italy
  11. City Hall/ Brooklyn Bridge
  12. Battery Park- to Statue of Liberty
  13. South Street Seaport
  14. Lower East Side
  15. East Village
  16. United Nations
  17. Waldorf- Astoria Hotel
  18. Rockefeller Centre
  19. Central Park
  20. Park Central Hotel
  21. Winter garden Theatre

Uptown Loop

  1. Times Square 42nd
  2. Times Square 46th
  3. Times Square 56th
  4. Columbus Circle
  5. Lincoln Centre Plaza
  6. Dakota/Strawberry Fields
  7. American Museum of National History
  8. Quality Inn/Newton hotels
  9. Upper West Side
  10. Cathedral of St. John the Divine
  11. Grant's Tomb
  12. Apollo Theatre/ Harlem
  13. Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market
  14. Museum of the city of New York
  15. Smithsonian National Museum of Design/ Jewish museum
  16. The Guggenheim Museum
  17. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  18. The Frick Museum
  19. Central Park Zoo
  20. Central Park South
  21. Winter garden Theatre
  22. Times Square 42nd

Brooklyn Loop

  1. City Hall/ Brooklyn Bridge
  2. Brooklyn Promenade
  3. Atlantic Avenue Middle Eastern Restaurant
  4. Barclays Centre
  5. Brooklyn Museum of Art
  6. Prospect Park Zoo
  7. Brooklyn Public library
  8. Fort Greene park
  9. Junior's restaurant

Bronx Loop

  1. Grant's Tomb
  2. Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market
  3. Yankee Stadium

Night Tour

Panoramic Tour

  1. Empire State Building
  2. Greenwich Village
  3. SoHo, Little Italy
  4. Chinatown
  5. The World Trade Center site
  6. Battery Park
  7. South Street Seaport
  8. Times Square
  9. Rockefeller Plaza
  10. Radio City
  11. The United Nation
  12. Fifth Avenue
  13. Times Square
  14. The Theatre District
  15. Wall Street
  16. Brooklyn Bridge Park
  17. Pier 78
  18. World Financial Center
  19. One World Observatory
  20. 9/11 Tribute Center and many more.
Frequency

Downtown Loop: 15 minutes

Uptown Loop: 15 minutes

Brooklyn Loop: 1 hour

Night Tour: 30 minutes

Downtown Loop: 30 minutes

Uptown Loop: 30 minutes

Brooklyn Loop: 30 minutes

Bronx Loop: 1 hour

Night Tour: 30 minutes

Downtown Loop: 30 minutes

Uptown Loop: 30 minutes

Brooklyn Loop: 30 minutes

Bronx Loop: 30 minutes

Night Tour: 30 minutes

Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour: every 25-30 minutes

New York Hop-On, Hop-Off City Sightseeing Ferry: It takes 90 minutes for the ferry cruise

Audio commentary

Yes

(in 11 languages)

Yes

(in 11 languages)

Yes

(in 11 languages)

Yes (11 languages) English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Russian, Japanese, Korean or Hebrew.
Complimentary tours and cruises
Heading

Hornblower River Cruise ( Only with 2-day Deluxe and 3-day Big Apple Ticket)

Free entry to the Museum of the City of New York (Only with 3-day Big Apple Ticket)

Optional tours to Madam Tussauds Museum, Empire State building, Statue of Liberty, and One World Observatory at an additional price.

Hop-on hop-off ferry ( Only with 2-day and 3-day Ticket)

Free entry to the Museum of the City of New York ( Only with 2-day and 3-day Ticket)

"Eat and Play" card (Only with 2-day and 3-day Ticket)

Hop-on hop-off ferry ( Only with 2-day and 3-day Ticket)

Free entry to the Museum of the City of New York OR New York Historical Society ( Only with 2-day and 3-day Ticket)

"Eat and Play" card (Only with 2-day and 3-day Ticket)

2 free Via car sharing cards

Other amenities

Live guide on bus

(English)

Live guide on bus

(English)

Live guide on bus

(English)

A live professional tour guide in English on the bus Panoramic windows Double-decker open-top bus Free Wi-Fi Wheelchair accessible
City Pass which includes this tour

New York Pass

Big Adventure Pass

None

Explorer Pass

N/A
Other information

    No bus service on 1st January

    Free for children below 5 years

    No bus service on 25th December and 1st January

    Buses operate only between 9:00 A.M. and 12 P.M. on Christmas eve and New Year eve

    Free for children below 3 years

    Buses operate only between 9:00 A.M. and 3 P.M. on New Year eve

    Free for children below 3 years

You get Eat and Play Card Cancel your ticket at least 24-hours in advance to get a full refund. Printed vouchers are required for this tour Cancellation must be 24 hours before the actual tour date
How to use

Print the voucher in your mail and exchange it near Stop 1, Times Square 48th Street.

Print the voucher in your mail and exchange it at Gray Line Visitor Centre on Times Square.

Print the voucher in your mail and exchange it near Stop 1, Times Square 48th Street.

You are required to present the paper printed voucher to the driver who will exchange it into a ticket at the departure point.

Big Bus Tours

Gray Line Bus

CitySights Buses

Bus Tour + World Observatory

 

City Sightseeing vs Big Bus NYC

1. Best New York CitySights Bus Tours

Best New York CitySights Bus Tours (1,800 Reviews)

City Sights New York Bus Tours is a handy service for tourists to familiarize themselves with the popular Big Apple. This bus service has 4 hop-on hop-off lines and a panoramic Night Tour. This offers you a convenience of organizing the sightseeing the way you are comfortable with. In addition to bus rides, City Sights NYC Bus Tours bestows its users with extras, such as a hop-on hop-off ferry ride, discount cards and more.

Key points of New York CitySights tour

  • New York sightseeing by bus.
  • Admiring the city from the river on an optional ferry ride with 2-day tickets.
  • 4 available routes passing by top attractions of the city.
  • A visit to one of two participating museums with a card whose validity is 2 days.
  • Complimentary discounts at Manhattan's restaurants and shops with 2-day passes.
  • Live commentary in English on board every bus.
  • Audio commentary available in major languages of the world.
  • Discovering points of interest and learning facts about them.
  • City Sights Bus Sightseeing Tour is a part of the tourist Explorer Pass.
  • Tours covering Downtown, Uptown, Brooklyn and Bronx areas.
  • You will see the Central Park, Times Square, Statue of Liberty and many other places and landmarks.

Complimentary sightseeing tours included in CitySights

  • Sightseeing ferry cruise with stops along the way (with 2-day passes).
  • A visit to the New York Historical Society or the Museum of the City of New York (2-day cards).

Price Packages of CitySights NYC Bus Tour

  • 2-day Bus Tour + Cruise adult (12+) ticket: £52.2 / €59.7
  • 2-day Bus Tour + Cruise child (3-11) ticket: £44.7 / €51
  • 2-day Bus Tour + One Attraction adult (12+) ticket: £67.4 / €77
  • 2-day Bus Tour + One Attraction child (3-11) ticket: £59.8 / €68.4
  • 2-day VIP Pass adult (12+) ticket: £71.2 / €81.3
  • 2-day VIP Pass child (3-11) ticket: £63.6 / €72.7

Where to buy City Sights New York Bus Tours

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Tiqets Tickets Price
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Ticketbar Tickets Price
City Sights Bus Routes
  • Downtown Loop
  • Frequency: 30 minutes
  • Start time: 8am
  • End time (last departure): 6pm
  • Bus stops: Times Square 48th, Broadway/Theatre District, Madison Square Garden, Empire State Building, Empire State Building-2, Flatiron District, Union Square, Greenwich Village, SoHo, China Town/Little Italy, City Hall/Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park - to the Statue of Liberty, South Street Seaport, Lower East Side, East Village, United Nations, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Park Central Hotel and Winter Garden Theatre.
  • Uptown Loop
  • Frequency: 30 minutes
  • Start time: 9am
  • End time (last departure): 5pm
  • Bus stops: Times Square 42th, Times Square 46th, Times Square 56th, Columbus Circle, Lincoln Centre Plaza, Dakota/Strawberry Fields, American Museum of National History, Quality Inn/Newton Hotels, Upper West Side, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Grant's Tomb, Apollo Theatre/Harlem, Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market, Museum of the City of New York, Smithsonian National Museum of Design/Jewish Museum, The Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Frick Museum, Central Park Zoo, Central Park South, Winter Garden Theatre and Times Square 42th.
  • Brooklyn Loop
  • Frequency: 30 minutes
  • Start time: 10am
  • End time (last departure): 3pm
  • Bus stops: City Hall/Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Promenade, Atlantic Avenue Middle Eastern Restaurant, Barclays Centre, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Prospect Park Zoo, Brooklyn Public Library, Fort Greene Park and Junior's Restaurant.
  • Bronx Loop
  • Frequency: 30 minutes
  • Start time: 10am
  • End time (last departure): 3pm
  • Bus stops: Grant's Tomb, Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market and Yankee Stadium.
  • Night Tour
  • Frequency: 30 minutes
  • Start time: 6:30pm
  • End time (last departure): 8pm
  • Bus stops: Panoramic Tour

New York CitySights Bus Map

New York CitySights Bus Map
TripAdvisor Ratings for CitySights New York Sightseeing Tour
TripAdvisor: This hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour has an average rate of 3 on TripAdvisor by over 1800 reviewers. Albeit the rate isn't very impressive, travelers that used this company's services agree that they enjoyed the experience very much. Most of the complaints relate to questionable performances of the guides. Also, a number of negative reviews underlines long waiting times. But, the traffic in New York tends to be heavy, so little is in the hands of the company in this regard.
These are a few original reviews of the bus tour on TripAdvisor:
Ricardo L
Great choice to learn about NY places
Getting the full package for only 10USD extra is the best choice. You can use the 4 routes and the boat to brooklyn hoping off and on in all the places you must see at NY
Viator: Tourists that booked the sightseeing tour via Viator have a good opinion of the service. The average rate by 180 reviewers is 4.
Get Your Guide: With an average rate of 4.1 by 79 reviewers, this service is pretty popular with people who booked the tour via Get Your Guide.
CitySights Bus tour Verdict
Is the CitySights NYC bus tour Right for Me?

2. Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Tours

Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Tours (8,300 Reviews)

The Big Bus is a bus sightseeing provider in the city of New York. The service on offer allow you to explore the Big Apple in a manner most convenient for you. With interconnected bus routes, you can travel around the city with high efficiency. More so, strategically deployed stops allow you to take off the bus and resume the ride anytime you wish. In addition, you benefit of complimentary tours and visits to attractions with specific passes.

Key points of Big Bus NYC sightseeing tour

  • Discovering New York downtown and neighboring areas (Brooklyn and Bronx).
  • 4 bus routes, an optional river cruise and tickets for the Museum of the City.
  • 1-, 2- and 3-day passes.
  • Around 35 stops on all bus lines.
  • Audio commentary in 10 languages, including English, French, Spanish and Japanese.
  • Touring top attractions and places of interest in the Big Apple.
  • You will see the Central Park, Times Square, Madison Square Garden, Rockefeller Centre and the American Museum of National History among other sites.
  • English-speaking guides on board every bus.
  • Panoramic Night Tour by bus.
  • Optional tours to the Statue of Liberty, One World Observatory, Empire State Building and the Madame Tussauds.
  • The Big Bus Sightseeing Tour is part of New York and Big Adventure passes.

Complimentary services included in Big Bus NYC

  • The Hornblower River Cruise with 2- and 3-day tickets.
  • Free entrance to the Museum of the City of New York with the 3-day ticket.

NYC Big Bus Price Packages

  • 1-day Classic adult (16+) ticket: £40.7 / €45.9
  • 1-day Classic child (5-15) ticket: £33.8 / €38.1
  • 2-day Premium adult (16+) ticket: £47.6 / €53.7
  • 2-day Premium child (5-15) ticket: £40.7 / €45.9
  • 2-day Deluxe adult (16+) ticket: £61.4 / €69.2
  • 2-day Deluxe child (5-15) ticket: £47.6 / €53.7
  • Panoramic Night Tour adult (16+) ticket: £30.7 / €35
  • Panoramic Night Tour child (5-15) ticket: £23.8 / €27.3
  • 3-day adult (16+) Big Apple ticket: £59.3 / €67.5

Young children don't pay for a ride.

Note:

Premium ticket adds a choice between the Panoramic Night Tour or the 1-hour Cruise.

Deluxe ticket offers you two additional choices. A choice between the Panoramic Night Tour or the 1-hour Cruise is the 1st one. The 2nd option includes choices between the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty tours.

Where to buy Big Bus New York Hop-on Hop-off Tour

Big Bus NYC Hop-on hop-off Bus Routes
  • Downtown Loop
  • Frequency: 15 minutes
  • Start time: 8am
  • End time (last departure): 5pm
  • Bus stops: Times Square 48th, Times Square 42nd, Empire State Building, Korea Town, Flatiron District, Union Square, Greenwich Village, NOHO, SoHo, China Town/Little Italy, World Trade Center, Battery Park - to Statue of Liberty, Battery Park - Battery Place, High Lane, Madison Square Garden, Theater District Shopping Court and M&M's World Stop.
  • Uptown Loop
  • Frequency: 15 minutes
  • Start time: 8am
  • End time (last departure): 5pm
  • Bus stops: Times Square 48th, Times Square 42nd, Rockefeller Centre, Central Park & Columbus Circle, Lincoln Centre Plaza, Dakota/Strawberry Fields, American Museum of National History, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Grant's Tomb, Apollo Theatre/Harlem, Museum of the City of New York, The Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Frick Museum, Central Park Zoo, Central Park South and M&M's World Stop.
  • Brooklyn Loop
  • Frequency: 1 hour
  • Start time: 10am
  • End time (last departure): 3pm
  • Bus stops: Battery Park and One World Observatory.
  • Night Tour
  • Frequency: 30 minutes
  • Start time: 6pm
  • End time (last departure): 8pm
  • Bus stops: M&M's World Stop.

New York Big Bus Route Map

New York Big Bus Route Map
TripAdvisor Rating of New York Big Bus Tour
TripAdvisor: The Big Bus Hop on Hop off Sightseeing Tour has an excellent rate of 4 by around 8300 users on TripAdvisor. The percentage of extremely satisfied customers is stunning 54% while very satisfied travelers participate with 23%. The number of disappointed customers is within usual limits, which is several percent.
In the following, you can read a few reviews from past users of this bus service.
Oliver V
Great Advice & Sightseeing
Me, my girlfriend and her parents all took a trip on the BIG BUS NYC last week while visiting. We had tour guide John Harkins who was excellent. Not only was he very knowledgable he was also very funny and entertaining! We all loved every second of it. Keep up the good work Johnny!
Viator: Some 875 reviewers on this booking website have beaten TripAdvisor's users in complimenting the provider. They rated the New York Big Bus Tour with the 4.5 rate.
Get Your Guide: Some 130 commentators on the Get Your Guide booking portal rated Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tours with the average rate of 4.4.
NYC Big Bus Hop on hop off Verdict
Is Big Bus Tour Right for Me?

3. Gray Line Citysightseeing Double Decker tour

Big Bus Hop-on Hop-Off Tour (5.250 Reviews)

Gray Line is the bus sightseeing provider that covers downtown, Brooklyn and Bronx areas of New York. The service disposes of stops next to major attractions of the Big Apple, so you can alight from the vehicle at any point. Consequently, you are free to choose where and when to resume your ride. Besides, Gray Line Hop-On Hop-Off Tour offers additional amenities, such as a river cruise, museum ticket and a discount card.

Key points of Gray line Double Decker sightseeing tour

  • New York City sightseeing by bus.
  • Optional river cruise and free entry to the Museum of the City of New York.
  • Accompanying audio commentary in all major languages in the world.
  • A bonus discount card for restaurants, shops, attractions and entertainment.
  • 5 available bus tours including the Night Tour.
  • Hopping on and off the bus at your leisure at any of a few dozen stops.
  • You will see top tourist attractions and famous sites throughout New York, such as the Central Park, Madison Square Garden and Times Square.
  • You will see the Guggenheim Museum, Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Centre and the Empire State Building among other sites.
  • Great coverage of the Brooklyn and Bronx neighborhoods.
  • Live guide on every bus in English.
  • A choice between several passes for a better personalized experience.

Complimentary sightseeing tours included

  • Free 2.5-hour panoramic Night Tour.
  • Hop-on hop-off ferry ride with 2- and 3-day passes.
  • Free admission to the New York City Museum for holders of 2- and 3-day tickets.

Price Packages of Gray Line Hop-on hop-off

  • 1-day Downtown Loop adult (12+) ticket: £40.9 / €46.7
  • 1-day Downtown Loop child (3-11) ticket: £33.3 / €38.1
  • 1-day Uptown Loop adult (12+) ticket: £40.9 / €46.7
  • 1-day Uptown Loop child (3-11) ticket: £33.3 / €38.1
  • 1-day Brooklyn Loop adult (12+) ticket: £40.9 / €46.7
  • 1-day Brooklyn Loop child (3-11) ticket: £33.3 / €38.1
  • 1-day Bronx Loop adult (12+) ticket: £40.9 / €46.7
  • 1-day Bronx Loop child (3-11) ticket: £33.3 / €38.1
  • 2-day All Around adult (12+) ticket: £48.4 / €55.4
  • 2-day All Around child (3-11) ticket: £40.9 / €46.7
  • 3-day All Around adult (12+) ticket: £56 / €64
  • 3-day All Around child (3-11) ticket: £48.4 / €55.4

Children under 3 don't pay.

Where to buy Grey Line New York Hop-on Hop-off Tour

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Gray Line Sightseeing Tour Routes
  • Downtown Loop
  • Frequency: 30 minutes
  • Start time: 8:30am
  • End time (last departure): 5pm
  • Bus stops: Times Square 48th, Broadway/Theatre District, Madison Square Garden, Empire State Building, Flatiron District, Union Square, Robin Museum of Art, Greenwich Village, SoHo, China Town/Little Italy, City Hall/Brooklyn Bridge, World Trade Center, Battery Park - to the Statue of Liberty, South Street Seaport, Lower East Side, East Village, United Nations, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Park Central Hotel and Winter Garden Theatre.
  • Uptown Loop
  • Frequency: 30 minutes
  • Start time: 9am
  • End time (last departure): 4pm
  • Bus stops: Times Square 48th, Columbus Circle, Lincoln Centre Plaza, Dakota/Strawberry Fields, American Museum of National History, Upper West Side, American Youth Hostel, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Grant's Tomb, Apollo Theatre/Harlem, Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market, Smithsonian National Museum of Design/Jewish Museum, The Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Frick Museum, Central Park Zoo, Central Park South and Port Authority Bus Terminal.
  • Brooklyn Loop
  • Frequency: 30 minutes
  • Start time: 10:30am
  • End time (last departure): 3pm
  • Bus stops: Brooklyn Promenade, Atlantic Avenue Middle Eastern Restaurant, Barclays Centre, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Prospect Park Zoo, Brooklyn Public Library, Fort Greene Park and Junior's Restaurant.
  • Bronx Loop
  • Frequency: 1 hour
  • Start time: 10am
  • End time (last departure): 3pm
  • Bus stops: Grant's Tomb, Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market and Yankee Stadium.
  • Night Tour
  • Frequency: 30 minutes
  • Start time: 6pm
  • End time (last departure): 9pm
  • Bus stops: panoramic tour.

New York Gray Line Bus Map

New York Gray Line Bus Map
TripAdvisor Rating of Grayline Bus Tour
TripAdvisor: Users of the New York Gray Line Bus Sightseeing have rated this service with an average rate of 3.5 on TripAdvisor (around 5250 reviewers). The percentage of extremely satisfied to extremely displeased travelers is 29% to 20% respectively. However, we have to point out that most complaints relate to long waiting times. Which, with the Big Apple's traffic jams, may not be the company's sole responsibility. The percentage of satisfied users is 24%.
Read some reviews from the service's past users on TripAdvisor in their original forms:
Marion 06810
Grayline Great Tours and Travel
First, their employees wear bright red jackets so they're easy to find at the bus tour stops. You can hop on an off all day, see all kinds of museums and buildings and walk in between tour stops to grab food and drink. Then there is Leon, the best looking tour guide who channels Dustin Hoffman in the film Rain Man with his exhaustive knowledge of how many steps there are in the Empire State Building. So in addition to learning the reason and street sighs being four different colors and lots of facts about bridges, buildings and things about NYC, you are sitting with a clear view of all of it. Thank you to Leon (best looking tour guide in NYC) for informing and entertaining.
Viator: Travelers that booked Gray Line Tours NYC via Viator have rated the overall experience with the 4 rate (around 100 reviewers).
NYC Grayline Bus Tour Verdict
Is the Gray Line Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour NYC right for me?

4. New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory

Big Bus Hop-on Hop-Off Tour (16 Reviews)

Explore New York City on a double-decker open-top bus with panoramic views of the city's skyline and its top attractions. Use a 24-hour pass to enjoy free Wi-Fi onboard the city sightseeing bus and free headphones to listen to the audio commentary in 11 different languages. The bus also includes a live licensed tour guide who gives the history of all the top attractions from Downtown to Uptown Manhattan (Brooklyn to the Bronx). Travel past top attractions such as Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Radio City,9/11 Memorial and Flat Iron, South Street Seaport,Financial districts, Empire State Building,Times Square,the United Nations,Fifth Avenue, Greenwich Village,Little Italy, and many more.

Enjoy express admission onto the city sightseeing ferry and see New York's skyline from the water. Get off the ferry and explore on your own places like Brooklyn Bridge Park, Wall Street, Theatre District, Times Square and many more. Go up over 100 stories in less than 60 seconds and get a different view from atop the 102nd floor of the One World Observatory. Also, visit the 911/ Tribute Centre nearby and listen to the stories and how New York rebuilt after the terror attack on the city from the tour guide.

Key points of New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory

  • See New York City on a Hop-on Hop-off Bus from Brooklyn to the Bronx
  • Get off and back on the bus at any stops of your choice
  • Cruise on a City sightseeing ferry and see New York
  • Get up over 100 stories at the One World Observatory and enjoy 360-degree views of the city from the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere
  • Marvel at Manhattan’s landmarks such as the Financial District, Central Park, 9/11 Memorial, Fifth Avenue, Greenwich Village,Little Italy, and more.
  • Enjoy free Wi-Fi on the bus
  • This is a comprehensive tour and a perfect introduction for all first-time tourists in 24-hours
  • Enjoy discounts with the Eat and Play Card at restaurants, attractions, retailers and more.

Complimentary sightseeing tours included

There are no complimentary tours included in the New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory.

New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory Discounts

This hop-on-hop-off bus pass includes an Eat and Play Card and other discounts.

How much is a 1/2 Day New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory?

The following are prices for theNew York Bus Tour with One World Observatory pass:

New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory

Adult (13-99) - €116.97

Child (2-12) - €107.91

Infant (0-1) - FREE

NOTE: Children from 0-1 years ride the New York Bus Tour with One World Observatoryfor free and must be in the company of adults.

Where to Buy Bus Tour + World Observatory?

Where to buy Bus Tour + World Observatory

New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory routes and start time:

Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour: Buses run from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

City Sightseeing New York Hop-On, Hop-Off Ferry: Daily 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

One World Observatory: from 9:00am until 8:00pm

9/11 Tribute Center: From 10am to 6pm & 5pm on Sundays.

Top Attractions include:

Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown, The World Trade Center site, Battery Park, South Street Seaport, Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, Radio City, the United Nation, Fifth Avenue, Times Square, the Theatre District, Wall Street and Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 78, World Financial Center, One World Observatory, 9/11 Tribute Center and many more.

Departure Point: The tour starts in front of Le Parker Meridien Hotel

New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory map

New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory map
New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory Tripadvisor Reviews
Berlin Hop on hop off & Madame-Tussauds
New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory Verdict
Is the New York Bus Tour with One World Observatory right for me?

 

FAQs about New York Bus Tours

Tripindicator's experts taken greater care in comparing prices for New York sighseeing bus tours from the ratings and leading tickets websites so that you don’t have to. See below the FAQs about New York open bus tour and answers.

How long does the New York Open Bus tours take?

New York city has many routes leading to a diverse range of attractions, meaning that the time it takes on a New York bus tour will vary depending on where you’d like to go.

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