open to bus tour london

Top Sight Tours Group

Open Top London Bus Tour with Live Guide

Tour start time: daily from 10am to 5pm, start every 1 hour, what we will see & where we will be.

This is an open top bus tour through most iconic landmarks of London with live guide ( on selected departures, subject to availability) . Sit back and relax as our well-ventilated bus reconnects you with the city. The tour lasts between 1.5 hours and 2 hours (subject to traffic on the day).

The bus glides past Central London with most iconic landmarks such as London Tower Bridge, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, London Eye, .

The buses will be running at reduced capacity and tickets will be sold in specific time slots to avoid overcrowding.

Know before you go

What’s included :

• Professional live guide on selected departures (s ubject to availability)
• Audio guides available in 11 languages
• Reduced capacity and allocated time slots to avoid over crowding

What’s exlcuded :

• Entrances to any attraction

Please bring with you

• Bottled water

Please note :

• Not hop-on hop-off bus tour
• Buses will be cleaned thoroughly after every tour.

Where we meet

London Eye Tourist Stop, Belvedere Road

Once you have booked, we will send you a confirmation email with all the details of how, where and who to meet on the day of your tour.

Tour Highlights

• A fully ventilated open top bus tour of London
• See London’s most iconic landmarks
• Great history lesson for all ages
• Live English-speaking guide
• Audio guide available 

Notable sights :

• London Tower Bridge
• Houses of Parliament
• Buckingham Palace
• Westminster Abbey
• Trafalgar Square
• Piccadilly Circus
• London Eye 

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London Panorama Open Top Bus Tour with Audio Guide

Home > Tours > London Panorama Open Top Bus Tour with Audio Guide

Reconnect with London on this 90min open top bus tour. Drive past all the greatest London landmarks including Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament in our well ventilated open top buses, with a live English-speaking guide*

• Panoramic tour of London’s most remarkable regions and landmarks
• E-tickets accepted on all hop on hop off services!
• View such iconic structures as Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge
• See celebrated areas of London including Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly
• Enjoy the insights and fascinating facts with a live English, or multilingual audio guided tour
• A great introduction to the history of London for the kids
• Free cancellations available on this tour**
• Audio guides available in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Indian, Japanese and Arabic.
• Open top bus tour around London
• A professional live guide*
• Audio guides available in 11 languages
• Reduced capacity and allocated time slots to avoid over crowding
• This is not a Hop-On Hop-Off tour
• Entrances to any attraction
• No refreshments will be provided

When would you like to go?

Unavailable, please select:, options selected:, optional extras, price breakdown:, you may also like.

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The 9 best bus tours in London from 007 to fine dining

Anyone call for a bright red double-decker? See the capital in all its glory on one of these brilliant London bus tours

Whether you’re after a whirlwind tour of London’s attractions  for the first time or you want a little refresher of your favourite spots in London, we’ve rounded up the best London bus tours for you to take your pick. Our choice selection includes open-top classics that enable you to tick off your favourite landmarks one by one and some sinister tours that take place after dark... And don’t worry Harry Potter fans – we’ve included a London bus tour that takes in all the bespectacled boy wizard’s trips around the capital, from King’s Cross to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. 

Time Out tip:  Wherever you're headed while you're visiting London always have two things to hand: a brolly and Citymapper. 

Want more? 🚲Try a London bike tour instead 💂‍♀️Check out  the best London tours   🛏Stay in the best Airbnbs in London

This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here .

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Best London bus tours

1.  The Beatles evening tour

Trace the years from 1962 to 1970, when Beatlemania was at its peak, as you visit more than 35 Beatles-related landmarks on this evening tour of central London. You’ll also see some of the sites surrounding the band members’ individual music careers, while your expert local guide entertains you with Beatles history through music and film footage - don't worry, there are plenty of photo stops.

Time Out tip: If you're a Beatles fan, you might also enjoy Music of The Mind, an exhibition exploring the works of artist and activist Yoko Ono. It runs until 1st September. 

2.  Ghost bus tour

Set aside an hour of your time to get well and truly spooked. On this ghost bus tour you’ll cruise the city’s historic streets in an old Routemaster (painted black, of course), learning all about London’s gruesome past with a hefty helping on chilling tales and the most haunted sites in the capital.

Time Out tip: For even more gore, why not check out the Sweeny Todd experience at the London Dungeon ?

3.  Big Bus London hop-on hop-off tour

Hop on and off at London's best landmarks and attractions on this classic open-top tour bus. Soak up the sights with over 40 stops around the capital, listen to captivating commentary about your surroundings and experience it all at your own pace.

Time Out tip: With a city this widespread, you'll need some flexibility. For that, you can grab a ticket valid for up to three days, that way you can take your time getting to know London.

4.  Harry Potter bus tour

We may all be muggles, but London contains a wealth of fun Harry Potter experiences that are more than magical. Hop onboard this tour and you’ll journey from Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross to Number 12 Grimmauld Place – a trip that takes three hours (aka just enough time to get  really  into the Potterverse). You’ll get to learn about locations that inspired JK Rowling’s awesome books and discover the tales behind some of wizarding wonders. And the best thing? You’ll also be shown some of the most famous Harry Potter film locations.

Time Out tip: Once you head back to Kings Cross, you grab a slice and enjoy the sun (providing there is any) at Happy Face Pizza. It's Neapolitan style, so you know it's good. 

5.  James Bond bus tour

Sure, James Bond drives fancy cars, like a classic Aston Martin, but can he fit all his mates in there for a jolly around London? Not likely. Especially if you want to throw a guide in for good measure, too. Luckily, you can fit all those people and more on this Bond bus tour. Delve into 007’s world of espionage and late-night wanderings to discover filming locations as well as sites frequented by Ian Fleming.

Time Out tip: Want even more British novelty? Just a 14-minute tube stop away you'll find Rules, London's oldest restaurant serving traditional British fare. It's pretty fancy, so Bond would approve.

6.  London at night tour

Giving lucky riders a taste of the lit-up London skyline, this 1.5-hour night tour hits all of the top tourist spots. Naturally, you’ll be travelling on-board a classic double-decker, and it’s the perfect way get views of famous attractions, including Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye after hours. Plus, learn fascinating facts about these legendary landmarks from your expert guide and hear insider tips on exciting places to visit in the capital at night.

Time Out tip : If you're looking for more lates the National Gallery is open until 9 pm every Friday, while Sir John Soane's Museum hosts a themed late each month.

7.  Open-top tour on a vintage bus

A vintage double-decker bus has been transformed into an open-top sightseeing experience. From Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London via the Houses of Parliament, The Shard and St Paul’s Cathedral, see London without any of those annoying panes of glass in the way. Aboard the bus, you'll also have screens with historical footage of London through the decades. 

Time Out tip: If you're feeling peckish after the tour, head to the vibrant, colourful Carnaby Street (a 15-minute stroll) for lots of great food options. 

8.  Bustronome London

A bus tour for gourmands. The Bustronome team combine fine views with fine dining, across a series of lunch, afternoon tea and dinner services. As you pass a sequence of landmarks including Nelson’s Column, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s and the Tower of London, you’ll also enjoy a seasonal menu with an optional paired wine. Bon appetit!

Time Out tip: While this tour is on the pricier end of the scale, it makes a great gift. Not to mention you get to site-see while you dine.

9.  Afternoon Tea Bus London Tour

Fancy a quintessentially British afternoon tea on a classic London bus? Get involved on one of Golden Tours' afternoon tea buses  – as you sit down to a brew and a spread of sandwiches, cakes and pastries, you’ll be driven past Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St James’s Park, Hyde Park, the Royal Albert Hall and all the usual suspects. Splendid!

Time Out tip: This tour is an excellent choice if you're looking for wholesome hen-do ideas. 

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THE 10 BEST Hop-On Hop-Off Tours in London, England

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Discover The Top London Attractions in 75 minutes

The Classic Tour is a wonderful vintage double decker bus tour and sightseeing experience like no other. Hop on board our carefully restored classic 1960s double-decker Routemaster bus, for your open-top ride through the best attractions in London.  Our hand-picked, highly trained, entertaining and comedic tour guides are the best in the business and will help you experience an authentic London you may not have known. They are also very funny! You will see more, learn more and laugh more while understanding the astonishing history of the Capital, taking the photos and selfies of a lifetime, and enjoying the glorious sights of London.

Please note – choice of seats and deck are given on a first-come first-serve basis.

A Classic London Bus Experience

Experience historical London from our beautiful and iconic open-top London bus which was originally used by London Transport from the 1960s.

Finest Tour Guides in London

Our brilliant tour guides come from a variety of entertainment backgrounds and will bring you a tour like no other. Our guides really do know their history and facts about London. They will share their wealth of knowledge with you, as you pass the key landmarks. Watch and listen out for some incredible insights into the making of our Capital city.

State of The Art Audio Equipment

The buses have been fitted with state of the art enhanced technology to bring your experience into the 21 st century.

The Classic Tour Story

The Classic Tour provides a unique and entertaining tour on one of the most iconic and historic vehicles of our time - the Routemaster bus. It is seen in all the classic films with London as a back-drop, it is on all the postcards, and though they are no longer in widespread public service, with us you can still experience this thrilling, prestigious and stately ride that allows the most intimate and authentic opportunity to be experience and be part of our great city.

YOUR JOURNEY

Your journey starts at Trafalgar Square.

Departing from the absolute heart and centre of London, you will follow a carefully selected route to allow you to discovery the very best of our Capital and see the best attractions, buildings and landmarks in London. You will have constant opportunities to take some fantastic photographs and better understand the history of how and why the buildings came to symbolise our great city. Please also note, although we will always try our best, on rare occasions we may be unable to visit every landmark listed on the tour.

Find out more here

Our tours depart from Northumberland Avenue at:

Please Note: Our tours only run on certain days, please check our booking form for the latest date & time information

Please note that tour times are subject to change.

The following tickets are available when you book:

• Private Hire
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Have a query? send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

St Paul’s Cathedral, London, is an Anglican cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London. It sits on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grade 1 listed building.

Trafalgar Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, built around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars with France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar, Spain.

Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.

Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster.

The Shard, also referred to as the Shard of Glass, Shard London Bridge and formerly London Bridge Tower, is a 95-storey skyscraper in Southwark, London, that forms part of the London Bridge Quarter development. Standing 309.7 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom, the fourth-tallest building in Europe and the 111th-tallest building in the world.

The Tower of London, officially Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill.

The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. The structure is 443 feet (135 m) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 394 feet (120 m). When it opened to the public in 2000 it was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel.

Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London built between 1886 and 1894. The bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and has become an iconic symbol of London, resulting in it sometimes being confused with London Bridge, situated some 0.5 mi (0.80 km) upstream

Downing Street is a street in London, United Kingdom, known for housing the official residences and offices of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. “Downing Street” is used as a metonym for the Government of the United Kingdom.

17 Best London Bus Tours in 2023 (ranked!)

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Ready to tour London by bus?

You’ve come to the right place. I live in London, and have spent a lot of time figuring out the best London bus tours so that you can make the most of your trip to this incredible city.

In this guide, we’re going to explore the best 17 London bus tours – all led by expert guides who want to share their knowledge and help you have a memorable time.

If you’re like, just cut to the chase already, then don’t worry.

⏳ Don’t have time to read the whole list?

The best London bus tour is this Hop-On and Hop-Off bus tour .

Click here to check prices and availability.

The best London bus tour if you want the classic sightseeing experience is this Big Bus Hop-On and Hop-Off Bus Tour and the best bus tour in London if you want something a bit different is this Spooky London Ghost Vintage bus tour.

They both have hundreds of amazing reviews, so there’s no going wrong.

London is a massive city that can be much easier to explore by bus, and there are plenty of London bus tours that will cater to your specific interests, whether that be music history, architecture, filming locations in London , or something else entirely!

If you want to see what your other options are, here are the best London bus tours that are definitely worth your time.

PS – booking in advance is highly, highly recommended so you don’t miss out.

Easy Guide: Best London Bus Tour Picks

Best classic bus tours in london, 1. big bus hop-on hop-off classic london tour.

⭐️  RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars, 7,300+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1-3 day pass | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Big Bus is the most iconic London bus tour and one of my favorite of the sightseeing tours that are hop-on/hop-off style.

Choose the red route if you have less time, or the blue route if you want to see more of London, and enjoy being whizzed around the city with information at each stop about what you’re looking at (the worst kind of bus tour is one where they don’t even tell you!).

Big Bus operate in multiple cities around the world, so the formula isn’t new in London, but it’s a tried-and-tested hop-on and hop-off tour, and that’s why it makes my list as the best one if you’re just going to do one bus tour in London.

2. Vintage London Bus Tour with Optional London Eye

⭐️  RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars, 370+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3 hours 30 minutes | ✔️  BOOK NOW

The difference between this bus tour and a normal sightseeing tour is that you get to travel in style on a vintage London bus, not one of the ugly themed hop-on and hop-off bus styles.

The London Eye can also be included in your sightseeing ticket, which is a fantastic way to cover both at once as you’ll finish at the London Eye and not waste any time in traveling there (because the bus will take you!).

This is not a hop-on and hop-off variation, so this is also great if you don’t really need to get on or off and just want to sit and enjoy the views.

3. London Tootbus Must-See Hop-On Hop-Off Bus

⭐️  RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars, 3,500+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1 hour 30 – 2 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW!

Tootbus is newer on the scene in London when it comes to bus tours, but they’re doing amazing and have fantastic reviews and lots of repeat customers.

There are three different circuits to choose from to customize your London bus experience, and the upper deck is obviously the best place to sit (particularly when you’re going over the bridges!).

Tootbus is a great option for families with kids in London , as it has a little bit more of a casual vibe than the Big Bus options.

4. London Vintage Bus Tour with Thames Cruise

⭐️  RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars, 170+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  4 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Want to combine your London sightseeing bus tour with a Thames river cruise?

This is your best bet!

So many people want to do both during their time in London, and this is a great option for that, combining land and river for an epic sightseeing day out.

For the record, I prefer doing a sightseeing cruise with sightseeing bus in the warmer months, and a sightseeing bus with the London Eye (a previously listed tour – scroll up a bit) during the colder months just for comfort.

5. Golden Tours Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus

⭐️  RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars, 600+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1 day | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Golden Tours offer a hop-on and hop-off sightseeing tour around London that rivals the other big companies, and they are easy to spot with their blue and orange coloring.

I love that the front of the upper deck is covered in case the weather is bad, while the back of the top is open to the elements in case the sun is shining (or you just want to brave it!).

They do audio tours instead of live guides on their buses, so it’s better if you want that pre-recorded experience or have already tried Big Bus or Tootbus.

Best Night Bus Tours in London

6. london by night open top sightseeing tour.

⭐️  RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars, 540+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1 hour 30 minutes | ✔️  BOOK NOW

London is completely different at night , and even if you’ve done a London sightseeing tour during the daytime, a London bus tour at night is such a memorable experience that I recommend to all visitors.

This tour takes you all around the most iconic London attractions to see them lit up and sparkling in the dark, including the bright lights of the London Eye, the Tower of London , and the iconic Westminster Abbey.

You’ll get to see a side of the city that many people never see, and it can be a great thing to do on your first night in London to try and beat that jet lag.

7. London Christmas Lights at Night Bus Tour

⭐️  RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars, 130+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1 hour 45 minutes | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Deck the halls in London with a beautiful Christmas lights bus tour during the winter season.

There is something so insanely magical about London in winter when the Christmas lights are on, and this tour will take you right down some of the most important streets like Oxford Street and Regent’s Street.

The best part is that on the upper deck, you’ll be right under and right up close to the lights, as well as have a great vantage point to lights on the sides of the street lighting up the shops.

It’s a really wonderful tour to take in London in the winter if you’re visiting around the holiday season, and one I recommend to my friends and family often.

Best Music Bus Tours in London

8. rock music bohemian soho and north london tour.

⭐️  RATING:  5 of 5 Stars, 12+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3.5 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

From Pink Floyd’s studio to the former home of Rod Stewart, the Rock Music Bohemian tour will take you through some of London’s most boho neighborhoods to let you into the world of rock music legends like The Clash, the Beatles, Sting, and so much more.

You’ll get to take a bus around town, meaning you can hit more places than if you go on a walking tour, and along the way you’ll also get to enjoy the architecture and charm of Camden, Islington, and of course the iconic Abbey Road.

Listen to the music blasting from your bus as you tour around the city, perfectly timed with the stops, and enjoy this wonderful world of London rock music with an expert (and hilarious) guide.

9. London Rock Legends Bus Tour

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars, 350+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3 hours 30 minutes | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Another fantastic option for music fans, the London Rock Legends bus tour is a great choice if you’re wanting to see Notting Hill, Soho, Chelsea, and more – and if those don’t ring a bell to you, think: Ringo’s House, Jimmy Page’s house, and tons of Queen-related locations.

You’ll zip around the city with your guide and leave feeling like you’ve truly learned something new about the musical history of London – this tour is similar to the one mentioned above, so choose which one works best for your schedule.

10. A Ticket to Ride: Beatles in London Tour

⭐️  RATING:  4.6 out of 5 Stars, 170+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  2 hours 30 minutes | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Join the Beatles’ vibe on a chill evening bus tour through London, catching the city all lit up.

Cruise through the ‘Beatlemania’ era, from 1962 to 1969, and beyond, hitting up Mayfair, Marylebone, St John’s Wood, and the edge of Soho. Celebrate the ‘Fab Four’ spanning over 50 years.

Swing by cool spots like the Scotch of St James Club and other joints where the Beatles hung out.

Check out the pads and offices of the band members and their manager Brian Epstein, where they partied, met their significant others, and did their thing.

And, of course, take a casual stroll across the iconic Abbey Road crossing near the legendary recording studio.

11. London Rock Music Tour

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars, 830+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  8 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Wanna dive into London’s rock history?

From where the Rolling Stones rocked their first record at ‘Tin Pan Alley’ to the famous Abbey Road zebra crossing, this tour has got it all covered.

Take your pick between morning, afternoon, or go all-in with the full-day London Rock Music Tour.

Check out Abbey Road, swing by Apple HQ, drop by Paul’s House, Ringo’s place, and Jimmy Page’s crib, plus a bunch more.

Your rock-savvy guide will dish out insider stories about your favorite musicians while giving you the lowdown on all things music.

Best Ghost Bus Tours in London

12. spooky london ghost vintage bus tour.

⭐️  RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars, 480+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1 hour | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Join your spooky guide as you hit up notorious local haunts, hearing tales of restless spirits and passing by places with a dark history—St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, and the infamous Fleet Street.

As you roll through the city, keep an eye out for top attractions like Tower Bridge while your guide spills the beans on London’s haunted past.

The cherry on top?

You’ll be cruising in a retro 1960s Routemaster with a Gothic twist.

Get set for a laid-back, eerie adventure through the spookier side of London!

13. Comedy London Ghost Bus Tour

⭐️  RATING:  4.3 out of 5 Stars, 1300+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1 hour | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Get ready to hop on the Necrobus for a ride on the creepy side of London! It’s like the city’s spooky history comes to life.

With on-board actors and tech tricks, this tour is all about giving you the heebie-jeebies while checking out London’s coolest and eeriest spots.

Picture this: a creepy conductor sharing all the ghostly deets, from haunted palaces to secret burial grounds.

The Ghost Bus Tour takes you all around town, hitting up the West End and cruising south of the river.

You’ll get the lowdown on Westminster Abbey, Fleet Street, The Tower of London, and London Bridge—all while soaking in the eerie vibes of the city’s oldest and most historic places.

Best Afternoon Tea Bus Tours in London

14. english afternoon tea bus with panoramic tour of london.

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars, 150+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1 hour 30 minutes | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Ditch the crowds and hop on a double-decker bus to check out the coolest London landmarks without any obstructions.

Cruise around, see way more stuff than you would on foot, and to top it off, indulge in some classic British afternoon tea while you ride.

There’s even a bunch of menu options, so you can munch on what you love. It’s like soaking up the vibes of London while enjoying good eats and drinks on the upper deck.

Perfect for newbies trying to figure out the city!

15. Brigit’s Afternoon Tea Bus in London

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars, 900+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1 hour 25 minutes | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Brigit’s is one of the most iconic afternoon tea buses in London, and you can’t go wrong with one of their afternoon tea bus tours .

In addition to the regular sightseeing tour, they also offer specialty afternoon tea London bus tours like ones for kids featuring Paddington, as well as ones during the holiday season where everything gets a good dose of Christmas as you look at the lights while enjoying tea.

They’re absolute professionals at making sure that you have the best time seeing the city with your pinkies up, and visitors to the city always rate this as one of their favorite things to do in London.

Best London Movie Bus Tours

16. magical harry potter london bus tour.

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars, 130+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Harry Potter fans, all aboard!

Not the Hogwarts Express, sadly, but the Magical Harry Potter London Bus tour, where you’ll zip past so many Harry Potter filming locations while on tour.

London was where many of the scenes of the “muggle” world were filmed, and you can recognize important attractions like the Millennium Bridge featuring heavily in the movie franchise as the bridge the dementors destroy in the 6th film.

But it doesn’t stop there.

From the origins of Diagon Alley to other Harry Potter filming locations throughout the city, this is the perfect Harry Potter tour in London to pair with the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Watford to make sure you’ve truly followed in the footsteps of the Boy who Lived.

17. James Bond Bus Tour of London

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars, 30+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  4 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

Dive into the awesome world of 007 with this super cool 4-hour James Bond tour around London!

Follow the footsteps of your favorite spy as you hit up filming spots from classics like ‘GoldenEye,’ ‘The World is Not Enough,’ and ‘Die Another Day,’ as well as recent hits like ‘Spectre,’ ‘Skyfall,’ and ‘No Time to Die.’

Get the lowdown on Bond trivia, from Sean Connery to Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Feel the spy vibes for real as you cruise past MI6, the actual spy headquarters in London.

Kick back in a comfy mini-coach with live commentary, and soak up the cinematic thrill of Bond’s adventures all over the city!

Want more London tours? Check these out!

• 15 Best London History Tours
• 5 Best London Speedboat Tours
• 5 Best Tower of London Tours
• 5 Best Westminster Tours in London
• 5 Best Winston Churchill Tours in London
• 7 Best Borough Market Tours
• 7 Best James Bond Tours
• 7 Best Black Cab Tours of London
• 11 Best Royal Tours in London for Visitors
• 11 Best London Art Tours
• 5 Best Graffiti Tours in London
• 11 Best Full Day London Tours
• 9 Best Tours of London’s East End
• 11 Best Private Tours in London
• 17 Best London Food Tours
• 17 Best London Harry Potter Tours
• 11 Best London Bus Tours
• 15 Best London Pub Crawl Tours
• 9 Best Street Art Tours in London
• 9 Best London Literary Tours for Bookworms
• 11 Best Jack the Ripper Tours in London
• 11 Best London Bike Tours
• 11 Best Beatles Tours in London
• 11 Best London Museum Tours
• 21 Best London Walking Tours
• 11 Best London Rock N Roll Tours
• 7 Best Changing of the Guard Tours in London
• 19 Unique London Tours
• 5 Best Open Top Bus Tours in London
• 7 Best London Helicopter Tours

Heading to London? Want the best tips?

Check out my Ultimate Guide to London for Visitors. Using text, images and video, this guide is packed full of tips, tricks, safety advice, knowledge on how to get around and what to do, and more!

Moving to the UK or already an Expat?

Grab my book which covers moving to the UK, struggles I faced and that you might face too, and uplifting advice to help you along the way! Available in hard copy and on Kindle.

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On this page, most popular sights, tickets & sightseeing passes, things to see and do, from our blog.

OPEN TOP SIGHTSEEING BUSES

London tours, popular tours from london, free self-guided walks.

• Guide to hotel areas
• Bed & breakfast
• Backpacker hostels
• Airbnb London
• Central London tours
• Tours from London
• Hop-on hop-off bus tours
• Harry Potter tours
• Stonehenge tours
• Downton Abbey tours
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• Private tours
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• Central London attractions
• Attractions outside London
• Harry Potter attractions
• Tower of London
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT
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Comparing London's hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses

Tootbus compared with big bus + golden tours with previously asked questions.

Tootbus has routes to major sights and free cruises

London's hop-on sightseeing bus tour providers

Nowadays sightseeing tours of London are dominated by London's three hop-on, hop-off open top sightseeing operators:

1. Tootbus (formerly The Original Tour) 2. Big Bus 3. Golden Tours

If you see anybody else offering a hop-on, hop-off tour for London they are acting as an agent for one of the above.

At first inspection all three London sightseeing operators offer a very similar product. But spend an hour or so studying each service and you begin to identify the differences.

This page aims to save you that time and present the differences as concisely as possible.

The traditional guided coach tour of London is still available, but in terms of market share this is tiny compared with London's popular hop-on, hop off sightseeing buses.

Premium Tours also run a small fleet of open top vintage red London buses. These fall somewhere between the guided coach tour and the hop-on, hop-off sightseeing buses. The London red vintage bus tour has no hop-on, hop-off facility and is basically a guided orientation tour of London's main sights with a few photo stops and a river cruise.

Comparison table of London's hop-on bus prices 2024

BOOK HOP-ON BUS TICKETS   Compare 3 hop-on bus companies   Ticket differences   London Pass - Big Bus or Golden Tours   River Cruise   Money saving - Hop-on bus plus attraction   Hop-on bus price comparison table   Previously asked questions about hop-on buses  

TOOTBUS HOP-ON BUS & GUIDED WALKING TOURS

Tootbus London Discovery tickets + Vox City guided walking tours

• Choose from 24, 48 or 72-hr tickets • Audio guide in 5 languages • 2 professionally guided walking tours: The Wizard Walk - Harry Potter Walking Guided Tour & The Royals and Landmarks - Walking Guided Tour 

DISCOUNTED BIG BUS LONDON TICKETS

DISCOUNTED TICKETS COMPARED WITH BOOKING DIRECT

Choice of tickets • FREE River cruises on all tickets • 3 FREE guided walking tours on Essential & Explore tickets • Evening tours included on Explore ticket • Free Wi-Fi on board • Audio in 5 languages • London in your Pocket app access

GOLDEN TOURS HOP-ON BUS LONDON TICKETS

Hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus London

Choice of 1-day, 24, 48 or 72-hr tickets • Free one-way Thames river cruise (if selected) • Two walking tours • Free Wi-Fi on board • Audio in 11 languages • London in your Pocket app access

Tootbus (The Original Tour) v Big Bus v Golden Tours comparison

All 3 London sightseeing tour operators are established operators in the London market. Big Bus and Tootbus (formerly The Original Tour) are owned by large corporates and Golden Tours, the relative newcomer entered the market several years ago after a long history of offering the traditional guided coach tours, which they still do.

All 3 operators offer similar packages, but more differences have opened up in recent years, see below for more details.

Walking Tours

Both Golden Tours and Big Bus offer highly regarded professionally guided walking tours included with your ticket (selected tickets only).

With Golden Tours you can choose from a Jack The Ripper Walking Tour or Coronation Walking Tour.

Big Bus offer THREE FREE TOURS with their Essential and Explore tickets: Changing of the Guard Walking Tour, City of London Walking Tour and a Jack the Ripper Walking Tour. Each tour is 1.5 hours long.

Tootbus do not offer guided walking tours but instead give you the chance to download "Tootwalk" to your phone: a choice of three self-guided walks.

River cruises

River cruises are available with all three tour companies, but not all tours automatically include them; the cheaper (both 24-hr and calendar day) tours do not. If this is important to you, do check carefully before booking.

Routes and vehicles

All operators offer an open top bus experience with routes that all cover the major sights in central London.

Although they each have a different number of routes, where they visit is almost identical, with all three sightseeing tour operators almost duplicating each others routes in the very heart of London.

You can click through on the links below to study each operators route map in detail.

Tootbus are the only operator to offer the unique Kids Tour which is a non-stop tour (not hop-on, hop off) but which is cheaper and offers a commentary that is very family friendly. In addition they are also the only company to offer a 1.5-hr Bar Bus tour , again, not hop-on hop off but a memorable experience with bar on board.

Vehicles used are almost identical, all offer free Wi-Fi and audio guides providing commentary in English and at least one other language.

Tootbus route map London 2024

Big Bus Tour map London 2024

Golden Tours route map London 2024

Live guides vs audio guides

This is one area that has also changed in recent years. Traditionally all three companies offered live guides on at least one of their hop-on tours.

Today you will find this is no longer the case. If having a live guide is important to you there are a couple of options, but none of them are hop-on, hop-off but rather 60 or 90-minute continuous sightseeing tours.

Golden Tours have a live guide on their 90 min non-stop tour.

Tootbus have a live guide on their London Kids Tour and London Christmas Tour.

Big Bus no longer offer a live guide service on any of their tours.

Prices are similar to the 1-day tour but many people really value having a live guide if English is a language they speak fluently.

Tootbus no longer offer the range of languages it once used to; now audio is either in English or French. Big Bus have an audio guide with 5 languages. Golden Tours have the most with 11 languages.

Times and frequencies of buses

All operators start up around 8.30am and start running down the service around 5pm. Evening services are also additionally available as a separate tour with all three operators.

All three operators, even in the winter months operate frequent bus services, however of the three operators perhaps Golden Tours is slightly less frequent. You shouldn't generally have to wait more than twenty minutes however.

London's hop-on buses - differences between tickets for all 3 operators

Standard tour ticket durations

24, 48 or 72-hr durations.

All operators offer tickets with 24 and 48-hr validity periods; Tootbus and Golden Tours also offer 72-hr tickets.

In addition Tootbus offer a 60-min Bar Bus ticket, while Golden Tours offer a fully guided 1.5-hr Express ticket (see above).

Tootbus call their tickets, '1-day' and '2-day' but the actual validity is 24, 48 or 72 hours.

Golden Tours offer cheaper calendar tours (which run from when you buy them to the end of the day) in addition to 24/48/72-hr tickets. The calendar day tickets do not include the river cruise.

Shorter tours/express tours (not hop on, hop off)

Both Tootbus and Golden Tours offer shorter tours, of 1.5 hrs which are different to the traditional hop on, hop off buses in that you stay on them for the duration of the tour. Tootbus call theirs as 'Bar Bus' as drinks are available on board (over 18s only). River cruises are not included with these tours.

For Golden Tours this is their only product featuring a live guide. Although much shorter therefore, the price is nearly as much as a 24-hr hop on bus tour.

Tootbus' similar offering is in the same price band but does not feature the live guide. Many people really appreciate the difference between having a live guide and an audio guide.

Evening tours (not hop on, hop off)

All three companies offer evening tours which are non-stop for around 1.5 hours. Again, Golden Tours is the only operator offering the live guide on this experience, though Tootbus have a live guide on their Kids Tour and Christmas Lights tour.

Big Bus also include a separate evening tour with their Explore ticket.

Discounted - cheapest tickets

Hop-on, hop off sightseeing tickets are freely available in London from hotels, tourist centres and on the day from the representatives of the tour companies you find around the bus stops.

Do not expect to find discount vouchers or codes, if you do find one it's the exception rather than the rule.

However, cheaper tickets can be found using our banners on this page. By booking online ahead of our hop-on, hop-off bus tour you will always save money.

Our partners Travel Compendium bring you exclusive discounts on hop on bus tours in London with Golden Tours and Big Bus.

Pre-booking tickets - flexibility and ease/cost of obtaining tickets

All three operators now require you to select your date of tour at purchase. However all 3 tours companies offer a 'flexible booking guarantee' should you need to amend your tour date at any time (Tootbus allow this up 12 months from date of purchase, Golden Tours allow a cancellation for full refund up to 24 hours before boarding, Big Bus require 72 hours to amend your booking.)

For Big Bus and Golden Tours tickets are e-tickets and are shown to the driver at your first bus stop. Here they give you a receipt which you keep for the validity of your hop-on bus tour.

Tootbus accept mobile tickets but encourage you to download your tickets on to their app, for ease of use.

Both Big Bus and Tootbus offer an app offering similar features such as:

Maps, route planning, real time bus tracking, walking directions to nearest bus stops, nearby eateries and attractions and even the secrets of must-see landmarks with audio commentaries.

With Tootbus you can also import your pass (tickets) ready to scan directly on the bus.

London Pass - choice of 2 hop on bus companies: Big Bus or Golden Tours

The London Pass is a flat rate sightseeing pass to many (but not all) of London's main sightseeing attractions. You can buy a London Pass for 1, 2, 3, 6 or 10 day durations

The London Pass gives you entry into more than 60 London tourist attractions and a river cruise on the River Thames.

The London Pass also now includes use of either Golden Tours or Big Bus hop-on hop-off bus for one calendar day, whatever the duration of the London Pass.

Tootbus are not part of the London Pass scheme.

Key points of the London Pass Ho Ho bus offer

You can choose to ride on the Golden Tours  or  Big Bus hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. Tootbus (Original Tour) is not covered.

The Ho Ho bus offer is for one calendar day  not  for 24 hours.

Most people use the Ho Ho facility on the first day of their London Pass, but there is nothing stopping using it on another day when the London Pass is valid.

The Ho Ho bus offer with London Pass doesn't include the walking tours and river cruises included in the standard tickets issued by the Ho Ho companies concerned, only the bus tour (but you do get a river cruise included in the London Pass separately anyway)

You show your London Pass to the driver or tour guide of the first bus you board. They will scan your London Pass and issue you with a separate ticket for the bus company concerned valid for the rest of the day. You cannot switch to the other bus company once you have made your first journey.

London Pass more details

Free river cruises

While all three tour companies have a river cruise option, not every tour comes with a river cruise automatically. The cheaper tours for example, do not feature a river cruise.

Both Big Bus and Tootbus use the same river cruise company, City Cruises , while Golden Tours use Thames River Sightseeing.

Golden Tours/Thames River Sightseeing operate a cruise between Westminster Pier and Greenwich Pier.

Tootbus and Big Bus cruises run between Westminster and Tower Pier (or Greenwich Pier for Big Bus Premium or Deluxe ticket holders).

All operators run river services approximately every 40 minutes and later services are usually available until around 6pm in the summer season from April.

The Thames Cruise should be a highlight of your day and we recommend you take advantage of the facility.

Thames river cruise ticket options by company

A complimentary one-way river cruise offered by  City Cruises  (lasting around thirty minutes) is included in your Big Bus London ticket.

Tootbus' cheaper ticket doesn't come with the river cruise included - look for it on the 'Must See London' ticket. Your one-way river cruise starts at either Westminster pier or Tower of London pier.

Golden Tours

Golden Tours' river cruise is only available on the 24-hr ticket, not the calendar day ticket. There is also another ticket option to choose 24-hrs without cruise. Cruises are also one-way.

Hop-on buses in London plus attractions - money saving

Save money buying attraction tickets & bus tour in one package

Many people opt to combine their hop-on bus tour with one or more top attractions in London, in order to save even more on entrance tickets.

Golden Tours hop-on buses plus top London attraction

At the moment Golden Tours probably offer the best range of hop-on bus tours combined with attractions.

Please see our full listing of your choices of Golden Tours hop-on bus plus top London attraction

Big Bus + top London attractions tickets - save up to 28%

Big bus + attraction through discount london.

Discount London are offering a great deal: buy your Big Bus tickets in combination with your choice of top London attraction and save up to 28% on the cost of buying tickets separately.

Attractions included are: London Eye , SEA LIFE , St Paul's Cathedral , London Dungeon , Madame Tussauds , Tower of London and London Zoo .

Please see our full listing of your choices of Big Bus plus top London attraction

Big Bus + attraction through Big Bus website

In addition, through the Big Bus official website you can also add on tickets to: Madame Tussauds , Tower of London and London Eye Fast Track .

Tootbus and add-on attraction in London

Tootbus don't currently offer any add-on attractions but they do offer alternative tours such as an Evening Tour , Bar Bus and a very popular Kids tour .

LONDON'S OPEN TOP HOP-ON, HOP-OFF SIGHTSEEING TOUR PRICING 2024

All the hop-on bus companies have permanently discounted online prices, (compared with walk-up prices) which are between 10 - 15% off.

Prices are seasonal and variable and prices above are based on low season prices. During school holidays prices are typically higher.

To be sure you are getting the best possible price it is advisable to check our prices above against the hop-on bus companies' websites as they occasionally run sales throughout the year:

Tootbus official website

Big Bus official website

Golden Tours official website

Tootbus offer cheaper tickets, which are bus only, no river cruise. Tootbus offer this for a 24, 48 or 72-hr period and call this ticket 'London Discovery'.

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London's hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses - previous questions answered by Bob

At present we are unable to maintain the discuss service but you can contact us using the Contact Us link at the bottom of each page. We have decided to leave the answers here as they are useful for many of the questions we receive. If you cannot find an answer to your question, we'll be happy to hear from you.

POPULAR LONDON ATTRACTIONS - ADVANCE PURCHASE AND/OR FAST TRACK TICKETS

The Original Tour is now Tootbus London

Ratp dev sightseeing activities will resume operation in london under a new brand: tootbus (the original open tour bus)..

This announcement follows the unveiling of Tootbus Bath and Tootbus Bristol, which were launched earlier in May.

… for a new City experience:   “ Let the city take you by surprise” 

Tootbus offers tourists the chance to experience the vibrant cultural life and rich historical legacy of London by taking in its most beautiful treasures. Visitors need merely step on board a Tootbus and let the city surprise them.

The Tootbus experience has been designed to offer tourists a convenient, entertaining, open-air way to discover or rediscover the city. Whether the passenger is a local or someone visiting for the first time, Tootbus London guarantees an exciting journey full of surprises, from historical landmarks to hidden gems.

After a year-long pause due to COVID-19, our teams are committed to once again providing our passengers with a safe and memorable tour of the city. Tootbus London is re-opening with some changes:

• a more digitalised service to simplify and enhance the experience for our customers: with our new website ( www.tootbus.com ), buying a sightseeing ticket has never been so easy and convenient
• a restructured offer to better match consumer demand among a more locally-based and family-oriented clientele 

On board Tootbus London open-top buses, the open-air experience is fully compliant with the public health measures and recommendations currently in effect . Tootbus London is proud to have received Visit Britain’s “We are Good to Go” accreditation.

A whole new audio-guide experience  

With this new identity comes the promise of a fun experience for international tourists and locals alike. The commentaries in the Tootbus audio guide have been wholly revised to help visitors form lasting memories and emotional bonds with the city as they travel to their next sightseeing stop, restaurant, or attraction.

Forging a closer connection with Londoners is a crucial aspect of the experience for visitors to the city. On Tootbus, that aspect is assured by our local guides; engaging characters who relish the chance to give passengers an authentic taste of their beloved city.  

For the convenience of our passengers, the exclusive Tootbus audio guide commentaries will be available in the Tootbus mobile app, so they can enjoy the experience wherever and whenever they want to.

Another new feature of Tootbus London is the audio guide specially created for children. Narrated by a local child exploring the city with his foreign friend, in a way that is fun and engaging, the kid’s audio guide is nonetheless informative and packed with history.

A singular identity for a deep-rooted company 

The Original Open Tour has been a part of London’s cityscape since 1951. It was the world’s first Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing company and has received multiple awards over the years. Now part of RATP Dev, our company continues to innovate and uphold our commitment to giving visitors an excellent service and an authentic experience of the city.

We have wholly revised our service to line up with consumer demand in today’s market: in addition to Hop-On Hop-Off tours, Tootbus offers unique experiences such as the Night Tour, the Kids’ Tour, and more recently the London Bar Bus, with live music on board.

We have long been a part of London. Over the decades, we have hosted countless tourists from all corners of the globe. Over the decades, we have worked hand in hand with our fellow Londoners and the local authorities. After the unprecedented times we have faced, we are even more committed to giving visitors a chance to marvel at the wonders of this extraordinary city. A city tour that is comfortable, convenient, memorable, responsible, and dotted with little-known gems of culture and history.

Catherine Booth, Managing Director of Tootbus London: “Over the last several months, we have been hard at work crafting novel and unique experiences for visitors to London. Today, we are delighted to be back up and running in the city under this new brand. We are proud to share our vision of getting London’s tourism and entertainment sector back on its feet. Our whole team is eager to welcome visitors on board the Tootbus experience and our new digital platform makes it easier for our customers and partners to book and buy tickets.”

About the company

We're not called The Original Tour for no reason. The Original Tour really was the original sightseeing bus tour in London. Since 1951, we have been providing sightseeing bus tours around the city. Our tour was first introduced by London Transport as Service J for the Festival of Britain, where we invited tourists to hop on board to tour ‘around the town for half a crown’.

In the early days, we operated a non-stop circular tour of London and tickets cost just 50p for adults and 30p for children. We were the first to introduce the, now popular, open-top bus tours and in 1970, we extended our service to include coach tours in the City, Windsor and Hampton Court.Showing no signs of putting the brakes on, we lead the way once again and introduced live guides on our tours in 1984. When the 90s arrived we launched audio commentary in 8 languages, our popular hop-on hop-off service and, after several name changes, we became The Original Tour in 1992.Now, over 65 years later, we are part of the RATP Group, the world’s 5th largest public transport provider. We are immensely proud of the innovative sightseeing bus services we have introduced over the years which are now common in cities all over the world. With multiple awards and a dedication to excellent service, enjoy the original way to see London with The Original Tour . 

About RATP Dev

Founded in 2002, RATP Dev operates and maintains urban public transport networks in 13 countries on four continents (Egypt, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Switzerland, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Hong Kong – S.A.R. China, the Philippines, and the United States of America). With more than 1.5 billion passengers travelling on its networks every year, RATP Dev demonstrates its extensive and renowned expertise every day through a wide range of mobility services:   rail transport, regional express rail, tramways, buses, cable cars, and sightseeing tours. The RATP Group has long operated the Paris public transport network, one of the largest such networks in the world. But beyond Paris, in France and around the world, RATP Dev brings to bear the technical expertise and experience of the RATP Group to lead the way in driverless and   tramway operations.   For more information, go to: www.ratpdev.com