Big Bus Tours

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london big bus tour route

Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise

london big bus tour route

Big Bus London Open-Top Evening Tour

london big bus tour route

The Big Day out - London Eye Ticket, London Hop-on Hop-Off Tour & River Cruise

london big bus tour route

The London Pass®: Access 90+ Attractions and Tours

london big bus tour route

Tower of London with London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise

london big bus tour route

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Adi G

Big Bus Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Big Bus London: Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour

Activity schedule, key highlights.

  • Inclusions & Exclusions

24 or 48 hours (take your pick!) Evening tour: 2 hours Walking tours: 1.5 hours

Hop-on, Hop-off: 8:30am to 5pm, every 20-60 min (depending on the routes) Panoramic evening tour: 7:30pm River cruise: 10am to 5:50pm, every 15 minutes in summertime, and every 30-40 minutes in winter Walking tours:

  • Royal Walk: 10am
  • Hidden Gems of the City of London Walk: 4pm
  • Hidden Gems of Westminster Walk: 1pm

London hop-on, hop-off tour: You can hop on to the bus from any of the stops. The first stop is Green Park Underground .  Evening tour: Hop on at the London Eye (Stop 11). River cruise: Board at the Tower of London to sail to Westminster, or board at Westminster to sail to the Tower of London. Walking tours:

  • Royal Walk: Stop 7
  • Hidden Gems of the City of London Walk: Stop 14
  • Hidden Gems of Westminster Walk: Stop 10

You can hop off at any of the stops

  • Enjoy marathon London sightseeing with 24 hours or 48 hours hop-on, hop-off tour covering top attractions
  • Plan your perfect London itinerary with the flexibility to hop on and off as many times as you like
  • Enjoy a River Thames cruise with every ticket
  • Book the Panoramic Evening Tour and see London illuminated and magical after sunset
  • See top London attractions including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey
  • Stops at Harrods, South Kensington Museums, Kensington Palace & Gardens, Notting Hill & Paddington
  • Both printed and smartphone vouchers accepted!

Explore London with a Big Bus hop-on, hop-off ticket. Travel around and experience unrestricted views of the city on-board the top-deck of an open-top, double-decker bus. This London hop-on, hop-off tour has 3 comprehensive routes and strategically located stops covering all the best-loved London landmarks and attractions. Customize your own itinerary and discover London at your own leisurely pace.

Discover central London on the Red route , West London on the Blue route , and hop on the London Green Link route , connecting King's Cross and St. Pancras stations with Covent Garden, where you'll be able to easily join our Red Route and Blue Route bus tours.

Enjoy pre-recorded commentary in multiple languages and immerse yourself in the history of London.

List of attractions covered:

  • Eros Statue
  • St James Park
  • St Mary le Strand
  • H.M.S. Belfast
  • Buckingham Palace
  • Princess Diana Memorial Fountain

You can choose from three hop-on, hop-off ticket options:

Discover Ticket:

  • 24 hours Hop-On, Hop-Off
  • River cruise one way

Essential ticket:

  • 48 hours Hop-On, Hop-Off
  • Guided walking tours

Explore ticket:

  • London evening tour

London Evening Tour: See London illuminated and magical as the sun begins to set on a panoramic bus tour that showcases significant landmarks and top attractions. Enjoy entertaining pre-recorded commentary in English as you pass attractions like the Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the London Eye.

Walking tours:

  • Royal Walk: Experience London's iconic royal pageantry, including the Changing of the Guard on days it is scheduled.
  • Hidden Gems of the City of London Walk: Immerse yourself in the history and modern architecture of the City of London.
  • Hidden Gems of Westminster Walk: Discover the City of Westminster, including Parliament, Big Ben, Horseguards and more.

Please check the Useful Downloads section for the updated route map.

  • 24 or 48 hours Hop-On, Hop-Off tour
  • Recorded commentary in English, German, Italian, French, Spanish
  • River Cruise - One way
  • Evening tour (with Explore ticket)

Useful downloads

  • Cruise timetable

Please note

Voucher Type: You can show your voucher on your smartphone (But if you’d rather print a copy – that’s fine too!)

Validity:  14 days from or before the date chosen at the time of booking

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

London is a functioning city and weather, traffic and events may occasionally cause disruption.

Timings and stops are subject to change. The updated map will be available on the buses.

The family ticket includes 4 persons - 2 adults and 2 children.

To collect your river cruise pass, please present your booking confirmation to a Big Bus Tours staff member first.

Customer Reviews

Theresa goulder.

My Mum and I really enjoyed our trip around London. We used the Big Bus app to keep tabs of where we were, although it would have been useful if there had been paper maps available on the bus itself. It took us a while to realise where we could access the audio which we'd been looking for, but neither of us had suitable headsets so we had to forego the commentary which was a shame. That said, we really enjoyed the trip and would consider booking it again at another time of year...with appropriate headsets!

Deepa Chhagan

Was greatful the sun was and was able to sit on the top.

Jo Anne Provencio

Fair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

travel inspiration from guidebook

LONDON CALLING : Top London Attractions to Experience in England’s Capital in 2023

LONDON CALLING : Top London Attractions to Experience in England’s Capital in 2023

London – the dynamic and lively capital of England welcomes you! From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, this bustling metropolis has no… The post LONDON CALLING : Top London Attractions to Experience in England’s Capital in 2023 appeared first on The Guidebook - isango! .

The Best Way to Capture London – Take a Thames River Cruise

The Best Way to Capture London – Take a Thames River Cruise

Ride the Thames Tide The post The Best Way to Capture London – Take a Thames River Cruise appeared first on The Guidebook - isango! .

Celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – Top Royal Tours to Take

Celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – Top Royal Tours to Take

Hooray, it’s a celebration day! The post Celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – Top Royal Tours to Take appeared first on The Guidebook - isango! .

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london big bus tour route

London's Best Bus Routes for Sightseeing

Stephen Lux/Getty Images 

There's a lot to see on a trip to London , and especially on your first trip to the city. Taking a bus is one of the easiest ways to get a good view of London without much hassle or expense; all you have to do is find out which route you want to take and then leave the driving to them while you gawk at the scene. London is covered by more than 700 bus routes, and many travel past some of the city's iconic sights. As a bonus, many of the buses are double-deckers , and what a great view you'll get on the upper deck. This list focuses on routes in central London only and includes links to a full guide that rounds up all the sights included on the route as well as helpful tips and additional information. 

London buses no longer accept cash fares, so you will need an Oyster card loaded with sufficient credit or a travelcard. You could also consider using a contactless payment card to pay for London transport .

If you are short on time and want to guarantee that you see all of the big sights in London , your best bet is the classic Big Bus Tours circular route.

No. 11 Route

This bus route is a perfect one to take if it is your first trip to London. The key section of the No. 11 route starts at Liverpool Street Station and ends at Victoria Station. It goes through the City of London and past such must-sees as  St. Paul's Cathedral , Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey.

No. 9 Route

Brendan Mccarthy/Getty Images

The best section of the No. 9 route starts in Kensington and ends on the edge of Covent Garden. It goes past Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park, along Piccadilly, past St. James's Palace and Trafalgar Square .

No. 73 Route

joe daniel price/Getty Images

The No. 73 route starts at Victoria Station and ends in Stoke Newington in northeast London. It goes past the Buckingham Palace gardens, Wellington Arch, Hyde Park, Marble Arch, along with the whole length of Oxford Street, and through Islington.

No. 26 Route

vladimir zakharov/Getty Images

The No. 26 route starts at Hackney Wick in east London and ends at Waterloo by the South Bank . It goes through Hackney and the City of London before traveling over Waterloo Bridge for fantastic views on both sides.

No. 24 Route

Stephen Rafferty/Getty Images

The No. 24 route starts at Hampstead Heath in north London and winds its way to Pimlico, near ​ Tate Britain . It goes through Camden and Trafalgar Square, as well as Parliament Square, where you'll get a glimpse of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

Laurie Noble/Getty Images

The RV1 route starts at Tower Hill, close to the Tower of London, and ends in Covent Garden. The route links the Tower of London to London Bridge and Borough Market, via Tower Bridge, and Waterloo and the South Bank to Covent Garden Piazza.

David Bank/Getty Images

This route starts in West Hampstead and passes through other upmarket North London neighborhoods, including St. John's Wood where the famous Abbey Road pedestrian crossing can be found, before heading along Oxford and Regent streets, through Piccadilly Circus and around Trafalgar Square, and ending in Waterloo with magnificent views from Waterloo Bridge.

London Monopoly Board Locations

Bruno Vincent/Getty Images

Visitors to London often walk London Monopoly board locations. It's easier if you take the bus on these four routes, which will drive you past all the Monopoly board locations. These routes all connect. Catch No. 205 at Marylebone Station, No. 78 at Liverpool Street Station, No. 72 at Old Kent Road, and No. 23 at Fleet Street. If you want an abbreviated tour, pick No. 23, where you will hit the jackpot and roll past the lion's share of Monopoly board names on just this one route.

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Big Bus London Tours: Hop on Hop off Stops to Make

By: Author Kristi

If you are planning a visit to London you really should do one of the Big Bus London Tours. The bus will take you throughout London and the Burroughs to see all the best attractions.

The key is to make sure that you know the differences between the different lines.

Each will take you to a different part of the city and allow you to see certain important landmarks and sites.

If you are wondering what you will get the chance to see, we have a guide to taking a Big Bus London tour.

London Hop on Hop Off Stops to Make

Guide to the Big Bus London Tours

Your trip on a Big Bus Tour of London has a few advantages. First of all, you will get a map of London with all of the sites highlighted so you plan out your day around the city.

There are 3 for the Big Bus Tour: Red, Blue & Green. You will want to pay attention to the different lines because they take you to different places and often overlap the same place but in a different order (or direction).

Some lines have a live tour guide (Red), while others are simply audio (earphones are provided).

All Big Bus Tour buses offer free wifi which is a big benefit when you are travelling abroad!

While you can purchase your Big Bus Tickets outside the bus stop area, you will save a ton of money if you purchase them in advance.

Big Bus London starting points for each tour are as follows:

Blue Route: Stop #1: Baker Street Red Route: Stop #26: Green Park Underground Station Green Link: Stop #49: Woburn (Northbound) Night Tour: Stop #9/15: London Eye

Big Bus London Stops to Make on the Red Line

My favorite of the three lines to take on the Big Bus London Tour is the Red Line. You will get to see the most famous landmarks while on this section of the London Bus Tour. While you will see more than the following on the tour, these are the London Hop on Hop off Stops you should pay attention to:

Hyde Park Corner Stop

London Wellington Arch Site

Wellington Arch

Wellington Arch once served as the entrance to Buckingham Palace. Later, it became a victory arch when Wellington defeated Napoleon.

The top is crowned with the largest bronze sculpture in Europe, the Angel of Peace descending on a four-horsed chariot of War.

While you can view it from below (or the bus) for free if you would like to walk to the top & see the panoramic view of London there is a small cost.

This is just a sampling of the Big Bus London Hop on Hop off stops to make.

Trafalgar Square Stop

National Gallery at Trafalgar Square

National Gallery

Art lovers will not want to miss this Big Bus London Hop on Hop off stop. You will get to see everything from preliminary drawings by Da Vinci to works by other prominent artists like Van Gogh and Michaelangelo.

You could easily spend an entire day exploring the National Gallery, but if you don’t have that kind of time, be sure to make sure that you see these 30 paintings .

St Paul’s Cathedral Stop

St Pauls in London

St. Paul’s Cathedral

While the outside of this Cathedral is beautiful, the real joy is found on the inside. Bask in the majestic interior and learn about its fascinating history. Be sure not to miss walking up to the dome where you will have amazing views of London.

Plan to spend 1-2 hours at this stop.

St. Paul’s opens at 8:30 am and the last time to enter for a tour is 4:30 pm.

The price of admission includes entry to the Cathedral floor, the crypt, and the three galleries in the dome. Admission also includes multimedia guides and guided tours.

Visit Globe Theater in London

Globe Theater

Just across the Millennium Bridge is the reconstructed Globe Theater.

Here you will be able to see a replica of Shakespeare’s Theater along with various exhibits.

It is worth taking the time to explore the permanent exhibits inside even if you don’t have time to take the full Globe Theater tour .

Tower of London Stop

Tower of London stop on Big Bus Tour

Tower of London

The Tower of London is a sight to behold and you will certainly get a feel for its enormity when you see it from the London Big Bus Tour.

Take time to get off at the stop to tour the entire complex.

With an admission ticket, you can tour the fortress, palace and prison while learning about its important history.

You can also buy a combination ticket that allows you to tour the Tower of London and see the Crown Jewels (which is a separate ticketed entry).

Tower Bridge Exhibition in London

Tower Bridge

While just seeing the bridge is exciting, you should also consider stopping here and taking the tour.

Touring the Tower Bridge Exhibition gives you a chance to learn about the bridge’s history, including how it was built.

You will also get to see impressive views of London and can stand on a glass bottom platform giving a new perspective of the bridge!

The Tower Bridge Exhibit opens at 9:30 am and the last time to enter for a tour is 17:00 pm.

Temple Underground Station Stop

Cleopatra's Needle in London

Cleopatra’s Needle

If you love Egyptian art, one of the Big Bus London Hop on Hop off stops to make is to see Cleopatra’s Needle. The Obelisk brought to London from Alexandria, Egypt sits on the bank of Themes River called the “Victoria Embankment”.

The history of Cleopatra’s Needle is that it belonged to Pharaoh Thotmes III and dates back to 1460 BC, making it almost 3,500 years old.

On each side of the obelisk are hieroglyphics that date from different parts of Egyptian history and at the top of the obelisk you can see a sphinx making offerings to the Gods of Heliopolis.

There is an interesting story concerning the journey of Cleopatra’s Needle from Alexandria to Egypt. You will find it on plaques that surround the obelisk.

Two bronze Sphinxes in Victoria Embankment

You will also find two bronze Sphinxes in Victoria Embankment, but they are reproductions from the Victorian era and are NOT Egyptian.

Buckingham Palace in London

Buckingham Palace Stop

Buckingham Palace is open to visitors during the summer, but even if you aren’t planning on going on a tour of Her Majesty’s residence, you should take time to get off the Big Bus Tour to see it close up.

Buckingham Palace Green Gardens

While in the area, you can walk through Green Park, The Queen Victoria Memorial & take a look at the Palace gates.

If you choose to visit Buckingham Palace, you should know that only parts of it are open and tourable throughout certain times of the year.

Tickets to Buckingham Palace include a visit to the State Rooms and free entry into the Prince of Wales Exhibition.

Nova Complex Stop

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Those wanting to see where Prince William and Kate Middleton were married will want to make sure to get off at this stop so that they can experience Westminster Abbey.

The history of the church doesn’t limit itself to weddings. Beginning with William the Conqueror, every British sovereign has been crowned in Westminster Abbey (with the exception of Edward V and Edward VIII).

And if that wasn’t enough to make you want to tour the interior of this amazing UNESCO site, the abbey also has tombs and memorials of famous British subjects like Sir Isaac Newton, Geoffrey Chaucer, Robert Browning and many more.

Big Bus London: Stops to Make on the Blue Line

The Blue Line of the London Big Bus tour takes you toward the western part of the city. If you want to go to Kensington Palace, this is the line to take. Here are the London Hop on Hop off Stops to make:

South Kensington Museums Stop

Victoria Albert Museum in London

Victoria & Albert Museum

This museum is more of a showcase of pieces of art than a true art or history museum. You will find a little bit of everything and that is really what makes it worth checking out.

Jewelry Collection at Victoria Albert Museum

Don’t miss seeing the Jewelry collection which is one of the largest in the world.

Like all museums in London, admission to V&A museum is FREE!

Kensington Palace Stop

Kensington Palace in West London

Kensington Palace & Gardens 

While you won’t be able to see the Royal residence when touring the grounds of the home of the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, you can see the State Rooms and all public areas of the palace and gardens.

Queen Victoria, born in 1819, grew up at Kensington Palace. You will find the history of her life and marriage to Albert on display in part of the palace.

Diana Exhibition at Kensington Palace

Not to be missed is the Diana: Her Fashion Story exhibition, where you will find the iconic outfits and ball gowns she wore during her life.

Big Bus London: Stops to Make on the Green Line

St. pancras station stop.

The British Library in London

British Library

This is no normal library. The British Library is the second largest national library in the world in terms of how many pieces it contains (it is second only to the US Library of Congress).

While you can’t possibly see everything here, be sure to stop in the Treasures of the British Library Gallery to see some of the world’s most important books, manuscripts and documents.

You will find such items as DaVinci’s notebook; handwritten music from Beethoven, Shakespeare’s first folio; among other precious books and manuscripts.

British Museum (Southbound) Stop

British Museum in London

British Museum

This FREE museum is one of the best in England and is one of the best London Hop on Hop off Stops to Make. You will remember this museum from the movie Night in the Museum: Secret of the Tomb .

There is just so much to see in this museum that I couldn’t possibly list them all. To give you an idea of some of what you can experience, here is a list of what you can expect to see in one hour .

Museums are FREE

British Museum (Northbound) Stop

Churchill War Room

Churchill War Rooms

You don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy going through the bunker where Churchill made some of the most important decisions concerning WWII.

What makes this a neat experience is that it is exactly as it was when Japan surrendered.

Churchill Rooms

You will be able to see the map room where Churchill and his men spent countless hours planning, the rooms where people slept and the telephone room where important calls were made.

Big Bus London Tour

Overall, we are huge fans of Big Bus Hop on Hop off Tours and usually take them in any city where they are available. We find them a great way to get an overview of the city and make getting from one site to the next pretty effortless.

The one thing you will want to make sure of is that when you do hop off to walk around you look for the Big Bus Tour bus system sign to re-board.

There are several different bus tour groups available and you don’t want to be waiting for the wrong one!

london big bus tour route

Have you taken a Big Bus London Tours? What was your experience?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Thursday 12th of October 2017

Hey, It's actually a great idea of planning a bus tour to London and I am also Planning a trip with my family to London so but i didn't know about booking a bus tour of London. I just planned we walk around the city but now after reading your blog I think It's actually very tiresome so I decided to Plan a bus tour. sounds fun.

Saturday 7th of October 2017

Amazing, isn't it! Have been in London for 1 year, wonderful memories. Thanks for making them alive.

Sunday 6th of August 2017

While I was in London we walked around all time and after 3 days we wore exhausted!! ?? Next time I will follow your advice to take a tour bus!! Its seems much easier and fun.

Saturday 5th of August 2017

This looks like so much fun! The only tour I took in London was along the lines of a ghosts/mysteries walking tour. It was a lot of fun, but because we were walking, it certainly didn't cover this kind of ground. I'd love to go back and try one of these big bus tours, probably with either the actual guide or an audio guide to help me out with the backgrounds and the details. Very cool! Pinned!

Ooooh, a ghost tour sounds amazing. I bet it was really cool knowing the history of London is so vast.

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Tips For Family Trips

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Tips for Taking a Big Bus Tour in London

England / October 4, 2019 by Allison / 3 Comments This article may contain sponsored content or affiliate links.

Planning a trip to London? I used to scoff at Big Bus tours because they are “touristy.” However, I've now tried Big Bus in London and Washington D.C. and have decided that they are actually a fun, low-stress way to see a new city. 

My family used Big Bus as transportation and tour on our first full day in London. It was easy to use, and we saw more of the city that day than any other day of our trip. My kids (ages 11 and 14) loved riding in the open upper deck, and never complained about taking a break from all the walking we did on other days of our trip.

Here's are my tips for making the most of your Big Bus Tour in London.

Big Bus Tour London - Pinterest image

What is a Big Bus Tour?

Big Bus tours are private double-decker buses that drive through the most visited and well-known sections of London. Every bus has a live tour guide or recorded narration that tells you more about what you're seeing. 

You can get off the bus anytime to spend more time at any of the attractions along the way. There are 40+ stops between 4 routes. When you're done, climb on the next Big Bus that comes by and continue your tour. Your wait will probably be 15 minutes or less.

Riding the Big Bus Tour, London

All-Day Transportation

Big Bus is an activity and a full-day's transportation rolled into one. The bus will stop near most major activities in London. You can ride the bus, see the sights, and hop off for activities anytime you want. When you're finished, hop back on the next Big Bus that comes by. Buses should arrive every few minutes. 

You can start and end your day at any Big Bus stop. We arrived with our passes, and they were activated as we boarded. We chose a beginning and end point within walking distance of our hotel.

Related: My Review of Travelodge London-Covent Garden

Big Bus Tour London

Which Route is Best?

Stick with the Red Tour if this is your first trip to London and you only have one day on Big Bus.

The Red Tour is the Central London route, which will take you past London's most famous landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London and more. This is the only route with a live tour guide.

Big Bus has four routes to choose from – red, blue, orange and green. You can switch to any route any time, and back again at no extra cost. 

We planned to spend 2-3 hours just riding without hopping off, and imagined that we might transfer to the blue or orange route to see more of the city. It turned out that the Red Tour, with stops at St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London, took the whole day.

See all the routes and plan your day at https://www.bigbustours.com/london .

Houses of Parliament via Big Bus Tour London

Keep Activities Short

Aim for smaller museums or landmarks that will not take more than an hour or so – and not too many of them – on your Big Bus day. This will give you time to see more of London on the bus. 

We stopped at St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London on our Big Bus day. From a transportation perspective, these were good choices for us because they weren't very close to our hotel or other activities on our itinerary. On the other hand, the Tower of London is a major activity that can easily take 2-3 hours (or more) if you love history.

If you know you'll want to spend a lot of time at a single activity or neighborhood, do that on a different day. You'll get the most for your money if you use Big Bus to see more places.

Related: Tips for Visiting the Tower of London

Photo of the Tower of London

Save Time to Ride

You may want to spend some time just riding the bus, without hopping off at all. This is what we did after we finished at the Tower of London in the afternoon.

We passed neighborhoods and landmarks that I'd heard about, but might never have seen without Big Bus. The recorded narration or live guide filled in the details. It was a great way to become more familiar with a new city.

If you just take the Red Route without hopping off, a round trip will take about 2 hours 20 minutes.

View of Thames from Big Bus Tour, London

Dress for the Weather

Climbing to the open-air upper deck on your Big Bus will be a no-brainer for most families. It has the best unobstructed views. Dress for the weather so that rain or cold won't drive you into the sheltered lower deck too easily.

Related: Packing Tips from our London Trip

Expect Heavy Traffic

Be careful about scheduling other activities on your Big Bus day. We had evening tickets to Les Miserables in the West End and figured that we had plenty of time to take Big Bus from the Tower of London to Leicester Square. However, afternoon traffic was so slow that we had to settle for a grab-and-go dinner to arrive at the theatre in time. 

Slow traffic means you have time to take photos and soak up the scenery while someone else worries about driving. However, the Underground will be more efficient if you need to get somewhere quickly.

Related: How to Get Theatre Tickets in London

View of Thames and London from Big Bus Tour

Ways to Save

The current price for the 1-day Classic Ticket is £39 per adult if you buy in London when you board the bus. There are several easy ways to save money on your Big Bus ticket. 

Buy Online – You'll save a few pounds on each pass when you buy in advance through the official website. Learn more at www.bigbustours.com/london .

The London Pass – One full day on Big Bus is included with The London Pass. This bundle-and-save pass also includes popular activities like the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Churchill War Rooms and many more. Learn more about The London Pass at londonpass.com .

Upgrade your ticket  – It only costs an extra £5-10 to add a second or third day to your Big Bus ticket. If you love the low-stress Big Bus experience, this option is a good way to see London for as little as £15 per day. 

Related: My Review of The London Pass for Families

london big bus tour route

Every member of my family loved our Big Bus Tour in London and we recommend it. We saw a lot more of the city than we could have seen on foot or on the Underground. The tour guide/recorded narration was informative. We didn't need to spend any other money on transportation that day, and never worried about getting lost. 

I hope that our experience helps your family make the most of your time and money in London.

Happy travels!

Disclosure: My family received complimentary 2-Day London Passes for the purpose of review. Big Bus is included in The London Pass. All opinions are my own.

Allison on Email

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Reader Interactions

John Phillips

June 30, 2020 at 8:37 am

Hi Allison Thank you for the very informative review which includes lots of good points.

I’ve travelled around London on a tourist bus but with another company called Megasightseeing. Their 2 hour non stop tour was also excellent but at a fraction of the price of Big Bus & the other tour bus companies that operate in London.

Perhaps you might want to check them out when you are next in town.

Liz Entwistle

October 22, 2021 at 4:33 am

Which is the nearest stop on the red bus tour to Euston station? & how far from Euston is it

October 22, 2021 at 4:09 pm

Hi! Let me start by clarifying that I don’t live in London or know the Big Bus route well. But using Google Maps and the official Big Bus Tours website, I was able to figure out that unfortunately, Euston Station is not very close to a stop on the Red Tour. You’re not too far if you ride a couple of stops via the Underground.

I got an address near Euston Station (the British Library) on Google Maps and then typed it into the official Big Bus site here: https://www.bigbustours.com/en/london/find-a-bus-stop-london . From there, I was able to see the location in relation to the Big Bus routes. It’s a handy tool and it was fun to find it. Thanks!

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Hop-On-Hop-Off London Bus Tours

london big bus tour route

Our tour guides do their best to show you as many landmarks as possible in London, but some of the most popular attractions are spread out pretty far apart.

Most guides will recommend taking the tube from one point to the next, but hop-on hop-off tours are another option to consider as well.

In addition to including helpful details about each of the hop-on hop-off bus tours available in London, we will also include some tips and advice from locals and travelers who use our Facebook Group.

  • Companies + Routes
  • Night Bus Tours
  • Discounts & Deals
  • Pros and Cons
  • Tips From Locals
  • Other London Bus Tours
  • Things to Do in London

Disclosure:  We think you should consider  our free tours , but we have also provided other options. While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the  full text .

HOP-ON HOP-OFF TOURS

This section will cover each of the 3 main London bus tour companies that allow you to jump off and explore each stop at your leisure.

We will provide details about ticket types, hours, prices, and other important factors.

And again, you also might consider our free, hop-on-hop-off tour on the public bus 11 route, which comes with GPS-enabled audio.

We actually recommend using these bus tours to get an idea for which attractions you'd like to visit, and then checking to see if one of our free London walking tours includes those locations.

Big Bus Tours

Big Bus London considers itself the premiere hop-on-hop-off tour bus company and the reviews appear to agree.

This company offers 3 routes with 38 bus stops.

The purchase of all tickets also includes a free Thames River cruise, which you could from Westminster Pier or London Tower Pier.

Each type of ticket also includes 3 guided walking tours .

  • Changing of the Guard Walking Tour
  • Jack the Ripper Walking Tour
  • City of London Past to Present Walking Tour

You will also enjoy free wifi onboard, as well as a booklet filled with vouchers for various London attractions.  

All ticket types, with the exception of the Classic Ticket, also include the Big Bus night tour.

You can also combine a Big Bus ticket with several popular attractions for a combo discount .

Ticket Prices (with a 10% online discount)

Discover Ticket (24 Hours)

  • Adult – £40.50
  • Child – £31.50
  • Family – £128.25
  • Includes free cruise on the Thames.

Purchase tickets or learn more .

NOTE: A 1-day ticket is included for free with the London Explorer Pass and the London Sightseeing Pass .

Essential Ticket (48 Hours)

  • Adult – £49.50
  • Child – £40.50
  • Family – £159.75
  • Includes a free cruise on the Thames.
  • Includes free guided walking tours.

Explore Ticket (48 Hours)

  • Adult – £58.50
  • Child – £49.50
  • Family – £191.25
  • Includes a free cruise along the Thames.
  • Includes the night bus tour for free.

TIP: If you want to save an extra 5% , consider using Tiqets !

NOTE: There is sometimes a multi-day ticket for a few pounds more that allows you to use your ticket on non-consecutive days.

Times: 8:10 am - 7:00 pm. Tours run every 10-20 minutes. Big Bus also offers a night tour .

Where to Purchase Tickets

Purchase tickets here . Tickets are cheaper when purchased online in advance.

Or you could get them from Central Departure Points.

These points are Marble Arch, Green Park, Victoria Station, Baker Street, and Trafalgar Square. Onsite tickets are a bit more expensive.

Commentary Languages and Type

Each ticket entitles you to an audio guide.

Recorded commentary in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Arabic, Hindi, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, and English.

Red Route (2 hrs 30 min):

The best of London covers Central London, from Green Park to Victoria Station, including Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, Covent Garden, Big Ben, Mayfair, London Bridge, and much more.

The Big Bus red route starts from the Green Park Underground station next to the Ritz (first stop at 08:30 and last stop at 16:00)

Big Bus London Map

Click on the map for a larger view

Blue Route (1 hrs 15 min):

As above, plus Kensington Gardens, Knightsbridge, Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus, Paddington, Notting Hill, Regents Park, and more.

The Big Bus blue route starts from 144 Regent Street (TfL Bus Stop "V", near the corner with Beak Street)

Green Route (1 hr 10 min):

Temple Church, The Mall, St James’s Park, British Museum, Kings Cross, Churchill Museum, Downing Street, National Portrait Gallery, and much more.

The Big Bus green route starts from

Holiday Routes

For the holidays, Big Bus offers a special route at night which will take you around London to see all of the best Christmas lights and displays.

They also have a Christmas Day bus tour , which might not seem like a big deal at first, but it's worth noting that none of the public buses will be running on this day.

In other words, you can expect far less traffic on Christmas day, and that might make the experience much more enjoyable.

Of course, a lot of places will also be closed on Christmas, and this route doesn't allow you to hop on or off at your own leisure.

Even so, if you're interested in seeing the city without too much traffic, this could be the best time to do it!

Reviews of Big Bus Tours London

With a 4 out of 5-star rating on TripAdvisor, Big Bus Tours has received quite a few respectable reviews from its customers.

Most passengers felt like this was a great way to learn about London and see many significant landmarks.

Unhappy reviews tend to increase during the early summer season as buses become more crowded, so be sure to temper your expectations.

The TootBus Sightseeing Tour

The TootBus Sightseeing Tour, also known as the Original London Sightseeing Tour company is almost identical to Big Bus Tours and their reviews are about equal.

As their name hints, they are the original hop-on-hop-off London sightseeing bus tour.

Original Bus Tour London

The Original Tour also offers opportunities to combine a bus ticket with tickets to popular attractions to save on both. 

Extras: 24-hour and 48-hour tickets include a free river cruise, 3 free walking tours, and a booklet filled with vouchers for various London attractions (not for The Original Tour).

Also for children, a free activity pack is included.

The 3 free walking tours are: Changing of the Guard, Rock N Roll London, and Jack the Ripper.

Original London also offers a nighttime bus tour as well as a bus tour specifically for families .

Ticket Prices (with 15% discount)

24-Hour London Discovery Ticket Price

  • Adult – £29.75
  • Child – £17.00
  • Family – £90.00

48-Hour London Discovery Ticket Price

  • Adult – £34.85
  • Child – £21.25
  • Family – £107.00

72-Hour Ticket Price

  • Adult – £39.95
  • Child – £25.50
  • Family – £124.00
  • Purchase tickets or learn more . (Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance)

Yellow Route

  • Buses run every 20-35 minutes.
  • Buses run every 15-30 minutes.
  • Daily: 9 am - 4 pm
  • Buses run every 20-30 minutes.

Yellow Route   – The Original Tour (T1 and T2)

  • Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s Cathedral, London Eye, The Shard, Tower Bridge and Leicester Square.National Gallery, and more.
  • T1 – Live commentary in English.  T2 – Recorded commentary in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, Mandarin. PLUS special commentary specifically for children.
  • First bus: 8:30 am. Frequency: every 5-20 mins.

Original Tour Map

Blue Route – The Royal Borough Route (T4)

  • Harrods, Victoria & Albert Museum, Science Museum, Natural History Museum and Design Museum, and more. 
  • Multilingual commentary.
  • First bus:  8:30 am. Frequency: Every 15-20 mins.

Orange Route   – The British Museum Tour  (T5)

  • British Museum, British Library, Chinatown, Shaftesbury Avenue, and more.
  • First bus: 8:35 am. Frequency: Every 20-30 mins.

NOTE: This route is not currently available and we don't know when they will bring it back.

Reviews of Toot Bus London

Much like their competition, The Original London Sightseeing Tour has received a 4 out of 5-star rating on TripAdvisor.

Reviews for their hop-on-hop-off bus tours are mostly positive, but they have had some unhappy customers from time to time.

Some guests complained that they didn’t learn a lot and the trip took too long, but many others were pleasantly surprised by everything they experienced.

Several visitors were very impressed by their drivers and the additional walking tours that they offer for free.

City Sightseeing London Hop-On Hop-off Tours

This is one of the most popular bus tour companies in the world, and they offer a very similar level of service to their competitors.

City Sightseeing currently offers both a 24-hour and 48-hour ticket. Each ticket includes at least one additional activity, including free walking tours, cruises, and more.

There are a total of 25 stops spread across two routes.

The red route will take you to some of the most notable sites in London,

Here are the prices you can expect to pay for each ticket:

24-Hour Ticket

  • £37/Adults | £22/Children
  • £96/Family (2 Adults, 2 Children)
  • 24-Hour Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour.
  • Self-Guided Royal London Tour.

24-Hour Ticket + Cruise

  • £42/Adults | £25/Children
  • £109/Family (2 Adults, 2 Children)
  • Thames River Cruise.

48-Hour Ticket + Cruise

  • £49/Adults | £29/Children
  • £127/Family (2 Adults, 2 Children)
  • 48-Hour Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour.
  • 6 Self-Guided London Tours.

City Sightseeing London Routes

City Sightseeing offers pretty much the same red and green route provided by Big Bus Tours.

The red route starts from the London Eye, Belvedere Road, Stand 3788, and follows a route that covers mostly Westminster and the City of London.

The green route also starts from the London Eye and travels north to sites such as Woburn Place and Southampton Row.

There aren't many differences to note, as they both follow pretty much the same path.

If you want to get a better idea of where the bus will take you, use the following map for more information.

london big bus tour route

The Thames River cruise, the blue route, starts from Westminster Pier, across from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and has just one stop ending at Tower Pier, near the Tower of London .

You might have noticed that City Sightseeing offers better pricing than some of its competitors, but it should be noted that the quality of service might not be as great.

According to TripAdvisor, this company currently has a 3 out of 5 rating, which isn't terrible, but it's also not very good.

While some guests enjoyed their experience, others were disappointed with the amount of information given and the regularity of service.

Keep these factors in mind before deciding which ticket to buy.

Golden Tours

24-Hour Hop-on-Hop-off Ticket Price

  • Adult – £41
  • Child – £25
  • Includes boat ride

48-Hour Hop-on-Hop-off Ticket Price

  • Adult – £47
  • Child – £28

72-Hour Hop-on-Hop-off Ticket Price

  • Adult – £54
  • Child – £34
  • Includes boat ride.

Purchase tickets or learn more . (Full refund up to 24 hours in advance)

NOTE: The 24-hour ticket is included for free with the London Explorer Pass .

Commentary Languages and Type: Live commentary in English. Recorded commentary in German, French, Spanish, Italian Japanese, Russian, and Brazilian Portuguese.

Route Duration: 1 – 3 hours

Extras: FREE riverboat cruise.

  • Red Route – Standard Route – Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace.
  • Yellow Route – Standard Route plus Kensington --- Harrods, V&A Museum, Royal Albert Hall, etc.
  • 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
  • Buses run every 10-20 minutes.

Although this service is worth mentioning, it’s important to note that Golden Tours has only been given a 3 ½ out of 5-star rating on TripAdvisor, but 4 out of 5 stars on Get Your Guide ( see the reviews ).

Reviews for their hop-on-hop-off bus tour are very mixed, and several customers have concluded that the service was not very good.

Some guests complained about their bus driver while others were displeased with how infrequently the buses ran.

Those who enjoyed their trip felt that it was a great value which made it a lot easier to explore London. 

LONDON NIGHT BUS TOURS

Many of the above-mentioned bus tour companies offer night bus tours, and we will detail those services below.

Most of these are not hop-on-hop-off tours, but they do take place in the same open-top double-decker buses that are used during the day.

Be sure to also check out our post on night tours of London for walking, bike, boat, and Segway tours.

There is also a Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes night bus tour.

London By Night

A double-decker bus tour of London after the sun goes down.

The tour route takes visitors through the most famous sites in London, all lit up, including the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, London Eye, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square, Harrods, and more!

This company has received an overall 4 out of 5-star rating on TripAdvisor and a 4.7 out of 5-star rating on Get Your Guide ( see the reviews ).

An overwhelming majority of reviewers were very pleased with their service, some going so far as to say that this was an excellent experience.

Although they have been given a few negative reviews, none of them indicate any serious issues with the tour bus.

Ticket Prices

  • Adult – £29
  • Child – £16
  • Family – £78
  • Under 5 – FREE
  • Purchase tickets here . (Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance)
  • 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:15, 21:45, 22:15 in Summer (Apr-Sept).
  • 19:30, 21:20 in Winter (Oct-Mar)
  • Tours last around 1 hr 15 min.

Location: Tours begin from Green Park Underground Station next to the Ritz Hotel, Piccadilly.

View the route map .

Commentary Type and Language: Live commentary in English.

This night tour will take you past notable and historic sites such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the London Eye after the sun sets.

The tour is offered three times per night and you can start the tour at one of three different stops. Hotel return service is provided at the end of your outing.

Pre-recorded commentary is available in 12 languages, as it is on their hop-on-hop-off bus tours.

  • Adult – £31.50
  • Child – £22.50
  • Family – £96.75
  • From the London Eye: 7:30 pm, 8 pm, 8:30 pm
  • From Victoria: 7:45 pm, 8:15 pm, 8:45 pm
  • From the Marble Arch: 8 pm, 8:30 pm, 9 pm

This night bus tour is only available for a limited time from April – September.

That said, you can purchase tickets ahead of time and use them on any day within 6 months of purchase.

The TootBus Night Tour (formerly the Original London Night Tour)

This company offers its yellow route as a night tour, and it includes a variety of popular landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and more.

Unlike other companies, this is essentially just an extension of their hop-on-hop-off bus tour during the day, but the night bus tickets are only valid after 6:30 pm.

Think of it as a discount ticket for the end of the day.

That said, this night bus tour does not include any of the additional activities that you can get with other services provided by the Original London Sightseeing Tour.

Regardless, being able to hop on and off at your own leisure will make this a much better option for anyone who wants to get some good pictures after the sun goes down.

  • Adult – £23.80
  • Child – £13.60
  • Family – £72.00
  • March - April: 7:30 pm
  • May: 8:00 pm
  • June - August: 8:30 pm
  • September: 7:30 pm
  • October: 7:00 pm
  • November: 5:30 pm
  • The tour lasts for up to 2 ½ hours

Toot Bus's night tour starts from Coventry Street, London W1D 6BH.

In addition to offering the opportunity to jump off and explore at your leisure, this is also the most affordable night bus tour in London and it’s available year-round!

Toot Bus also offers a bus tour specifically for families .

DISCOUNTS AND DEALS

The following section will cover all of the different ways you can save money on a hop-on-hop-off bus tour.

We include information about tourist passes, combo packages, and more.

Tourist Attraction Passes

Most of the tourist attraction discount passes available to you in London include free tickets to at least one hop-on-hop-off bus tour, but not all of these services are the same.

Each of these tourist passes includes a variety of attractions for one flat price, allowing you to save up to 55% depending on the card that you choose.

They can also save you time by allowing you to skip the ticket queue at select tours and attractions. 

With that in mind, this section will provide a breakdown of which bus tour is offered by each tourist pass.

Big Bus Tours (24-hour ticket)

  • London City Turbo Pass
  • London Sightseeing Pass

Golden Tours (24-hour ticket)

  • London Pass
  • London Explorer Pass

Make sure to read our full post about which London City Pass is best for you for more details about how to use these services.

Combo Packages

All the 3 major hop-on-hop-off companies offer tickets that combine various durations of their bus tickets with popular attractions in London.

The TootBus Sightseeing Tour (formerly the Original London Sightseeing Tour)

This company offers a combo deal that includes both their hop-on, hop-off bus tour and a cruise on the river Thames.

If you're interested in both of these activities, this is a great way to save money on tickets by paying one flat price instead of paying for tickets individually.

Prices (with 15% discount)

  • 24 Hour Tickets: £35.70/Adults | £20.40/Children
  • 48 Hour Tickets: £41.65/Adults | £24.65/Children

This service currently offers a variety of combo packages, and they also work with Madame Tussauds to provide discounts through a special London attraction package.

The following deals are available directly from Big Bus Tours:

  • £81/Adults | £67/Kids
  • £105/Adults | £92/Kids
  • £83/Adults | £69/Kids
  • £73/Adults | £48/Kids

Purchase combo packages or learn more .

Much like its competitors, this company also offers a plethora of different combo deals which include their hop-on-hop-off bus tour and at least one additional attraction.

Here are the deals they currently have available:

  • £66/Adults | £50/Kids
  • £66/Adults | £35/Kids
  • £64/Adults | £49/Kids
  • £59/Adults | £32/Kids
  • £46/Adults | £24/Kids
  • £58/Adults | £40/Kids
  • £101/Adults | £79/Kids
  • £104/Adults | £69/Kids
  • £58/Adults | £43/Kids

While some of these combo packages are excellent deals, you may want to compare prices for a few of them to the Madame Tussauds Attraction Package and other combination discounts.

PROS AND CONS OF A LONDON HOP-ON HOP-OFF BUS TOUR

If you’re looking for a great way to see all the major sites in London, a hop-on-hop-off bus tour can be a great option.

That said, there are a few things you may want to consider before purchasing tickets.

Here are a few reasons you may want to think about taking a hop-on-hop-off bus tour in London.

Commentary in Several Languages

These bus tours typically include recorded commentary about the most historic and notable landmarks in the city.

The audio guide is often offered in at least 5-10 different languages.

Which Are the Best London Bus Tours

Jump Off and Explore

In addition to the tour itself, you’ll also have the opportunity to jump off at any stop you want and take a closer look for yourself.

You can set your own pace for exploration. Once you’re done looking around, just hop back on and resume your guided trip!

Great Overview of the City

This is a great way for visitors to become more familiar with the city and where everything is located.

Each hop-on-hop-off bus tour includes a map that can make it even easier to find your way around town.

Additional Services

Depending on which type of ticket you purchase, you could also enjoy free walking tours, cruises, night tours, and other things to do.

This is a great way to save money on activities you may already be considering.

Reasonable Prices

Considering that you’ll receive transportation, a tour, live and recorded commentary, a map, and even additional activities, the ticket prices are pretty reasonable at an average price of £35-£50 per person.

TIP : We have a section on  discounts and deals below so you don't have to pay full price!

Although a hop-on-hop-off bus tour can be very useful for most travelers, there are some reasons that you may want to consider another service.

Best London Bus Tour

Simplistic Commentary

It’s nice that these tours typically include both live and recorded commentary about the city.

But, they don’t usually go into a lot of detail about all of the landmarks and historic locations you will see.

If you want more in-depth commentary, consider complementing a bus tour with one of our walking tours.

London Walking Tours

Or, consider our public bus hop-on-hop-off route.

In addition to audio on the bus, we also have clips for walking around at select stops ( learn more here ).

Not Very Efficient

Whether you don’t have a lot of time in London or you just want to save some time, a hop-on-hop-off bus tour isn’t very efficient.

This service is more about taking your time and exploring each location of interest.

Visitors who want a quicker, more efficient experience should consider a different kind of London bus tour.

No Assigned Seat

While you can get an assigned seat on other bus tours and assure that you’ll always have a place to sit, there is no such guarantee on these hop-on-hop-off bus tours.

All seats are first-come, first-served.

If you want to make sure you’ve got a good seat with great views of the city, another type of London bus tour will probably suit you better.

Tips From Locals and Travelers

Alright, enough trying to sell you on hop-on hop-off bus tours.

Here are some of the thoughts and opinions of both locals and travelers from our London Travel Tips group on Facebook who have taken these tours in London.

london big bus tour route

Megan recommends a pretty good idea, which is to use your first circuit on the bus to note locations you'd like to visit.

Then, on your second trip around, use the hop-on hop-off bus to get to each of the attractions you want to see in closer detail!

london big bus tour route

Thomas notes that they always do the hop-on hop-off tours in every city they visit just to get an overview of the area, and that is definitely one of the better uses of these services.

london big bus tour route

Here's another excellent suggestion.

Whether or not you're trying to save money, it's worth noting that you can technically see all the major attractions included on a hop-on hop-off bus tour by using the TFL buses instead.

As a matter of fact, you can actually see a lot more this way, but it does require more effort to figure out the bus routes you'll want to take.

Most locals recommend lines 9 and 15 if you want to follow basically the same route as hop-on hop-off tours.

london big bus tour route

Richard here actually used to work on the hop-on hop-off buses, so he's got a lot of experience with the services.

He advises to avoid Golden Tours, and from other comments we have seen, it seems that this company does have issues providing these tours.

He also notes that you can easily find which route a bus offers by looking at the colour coded signs on the windows.

london big bus tour route

If you're wondering whether or not you need to purchase tickets in advance, it'll be nice to know that you can just walk right up to the bus and purchase tickets directly from the driver/guide.

The only real reason to buy tickets ahead of time is to save money, and that's why we offer so many discount opportunities in this post!

For more helpful advice, make sure to check our London Travel Tips group on Facebook.

RELATED POSTS: 

  • Where to Store Your Luggage
  • London Bus Tours
  • London Walking Tours
  • Tourist Attraction Discount Passes
  • What to Do in London

And much, much more

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With the London City Tour by Julià you will experience the city from a new perspective. The Hop Hop Hop Off tourist bus will give you wonderful panoramic views of the most important sights of London.

Its 2 routes cover the main tourist attractions that you must not miss during your visit.

Our Hop on – Hop off service allows you to get on and off at any of our stops as many times as you want. Explore our interactive map to check all our routes and find more than 30 stops in London!

Traveling to London has never been this easy!

Buy your tickets

icon map

The Red Official Route presents the key sights and top attractions of London including the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s Cathedral, London Eye, The Shard, Tower Bridge and Leicester Square.

icon time

This route will cover all prominent museums located in the heart of West London such as Victoria & Albert , Natural History and the Science museum as well as Kensington Palace, Royal Albert Hall and Harrods

Green Route (Shuttle)

The Green Route complements the main Red Route and is ideal if you want to visit the British Museum. It will also be of great use to those staying at many hotels within the Bloomsbury area.

map icon

Belvedere Road, behind the London Eye The York Road (Southbank) stop is next to Waterloo Station, and just a few meters from Westminster Bridge. If you decide to Hop On Hop Off at this stop, from this side of the River Thames you can enjoy one of the best views of the city towards the gigantic Ferris wheel of The London Eye. Take the opportunity to enjoy this place and get back on board the bus to continue the panoramic tourist route through the main points of interest in London. Remember that you can get on and off our red double-decker buses as many times as you want.

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With the stop Aldwych (One Aldwych Hotel) you will cross the River Thames via Waterloo Bridge and then you can visit one of the most popular places in London: Covent Gargen. A place where you can feel the true pulse of the city and lose yourself among its wide commercial, artistic and entertainment offer. Here you can visit a wide range of places of interest, from the Royal Opera House to the Roman baths, passing through the London transport museum, the Temple church or the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. With the Hop On Hop Off service of our bus tour you can get off at this stop and enjoy Covent Gargen and its surroundings at your own pace.

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At a height of 110 m, the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral in London is the second highest in the world, just behind St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The current cathedral was built between 1676 and 1710 after the Great Fire in 1666 destroyed the original. Sir Christopher Wren was the architect entrusted with rebuilding the cathedral, and it is considered today to be his greatest work. St Paul’s Cathedral’s greatest attraction is its great dome which you can climb up to enjoy some amazing views of London.

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If you want to cross the famous Millennium Bridge, remember to get off the bus at the Queen Victoria Street stop. It is located just a few meters away. The Millennium Bridge walkway connects the Tate Modern Gallery and The Globe Theater to the iconic St. Paul's Cathedral, located across the River Thames. The 8 cables that keep the bridge in suspension are tensioned to support 2000 tons of weight, enough to support 5000 people on the bridge at the same time. It is the newest bridge built in London and it has already become one of the iconic places in the city. Remember that you can Hop On Hop Off at any of our stops and take advantage of the different points that we have selected on this tour.

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If you decide to get off at the London Bridge stop, you will be just a few steps from the River Thames. Cross the London Bridge that connects the City of London with Southwark and enjoy the views of the next bridge: the iconic Tower Bridge. Check our mobile application to see the location and frequency of the bus in real time and get back on board to continue the panoramic tourist route through the main points of interest in London.

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The Tooley Street - Tower Bridge stop will allow you to get off next to Potters Field Park, from where you can enjoy the best views of the south bank of the river towards Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Do not forget that from this place you can also visit the modern glassed building of the London City Hall, designed by Norman Foster, and visit its exhibition halls. If you continue the tour on board the bus until the next stop, you will cross the bridge and enjoy the magnificent views of the arches of the tower from the perspective of the open top floor of our double-decker bus. Let the adventure begin!

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Tower Hill is an elevated spot northwest of the Tower of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London, just outside the City of London boundary.Built during the reign of William the Conqueror, throughout history the enormous fortification that is the Tower of London has served as the Royal residence, an arsenal, a fort and a prison.

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Get off the bus at the Victoria Embankment stop on the Red Route and gaze out over the River Thames from its north bank. Cross Waterloo Bridge to visit the National Theater, or stay in the City of London to visit the Royal Opera House. You are also close to the popular Covent Garden area, where the commercial, entertainment and shopping offerings suit all tastes. If you prefer to take advantage of your Hop On Hop Off stop to visit historical and artistic points of interest, don't forget the Temple Church, the Roman Baths on Strand Lane or the statue of Michael Faraday. Get on and off the bus as many times as you want and design your own itinerary. Customize your experience and enjoy the tour!

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Westminster Bridge (Big Ben side), in front of Westminster Pier. Get off at this sightseeing bus stop and access your Thames cruise included with your 24 and 48-hour ticket. Over the last decade, the London Eye has become one of the most famous postcard images of the city. Towering over the bank of the Thames, this huge observation wheel offers you unbeatable views of London. The London Dungeon, a real house of terror, and the SEA LIFE London Aquarium, where you can see a large collection of the fauna to be found under the sea, are located at the feet of the London Eye. Crossing the Westminster Bridge, which is located right next to the London Eye, will bring you to Parliament Square in less than 5 minutes. This busy square is where you’ll find the best views of Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.

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The Horseferry Road stop will allow you to visit places on foot such as the Victoria Tower Gardens, with its privileged views of the Houses of Parliament and the River Thames, or Lambeth Bridge, with its elegant 1930s design. Cross it to visit The Garden Museum and Lambeth Palace, or stay on the same riverbank and enjoy a pleasant stroll through Westminster. You can visit both the abbey and the cathedral. Plan your visit and enjoy the experience with the geolocation functionalities that you will find in our mobile application. You will be able to locate the closest points of interest or know when the bus passes by the Horseferry Road stop before continuing your tour with us. Enjoy London in a fun and comfortable way!

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Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of the British monarch in London since 1837. The Palace is currently home to Queen Elizabeth II. Built in 1703 by the Duke of Buckingham, the building was acquired by King George III in 1762 to be used as a private residence. The Changing of the Guard takes place at the main entrance to Buckingham Palace throughout the whole year. The ceremony involves the changeover of the Guards, who are in charge of security at the Palace, and is accompanied by a military band.

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The Buckingham Palace Road stop will take you to one of the most iconic places in London: the official residence of the British royal family. Throughout the year the popular changing of the guard is held at the main entrance of the palace. Take advantage of our Hop On Hop Off service to enjoy the essential activities of your visit to London. You can visit Buckingham and its surroundings at your own pace and resume the tour to continue enjoying a panoramic tour of the essential places of your visit to the city.

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Buckingham Palace Road, Stop Z12 Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of the British monarch in London since 1837. The Palace is currently home to Queen Elizabeth II. Built in 1703 by the Duke of Buckingham, the building was acquired by King George III in 1762 to be used as a private residence. The Changing of the Guard takes place at the main entrance to Buckingham Palace throughout the whole year. The ceremony involves the changeover of the Guards, who are in charge of security at the Palace, and is accompanied by a military band.

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Grosvenor Gardens, STA Travel, Stop 10A Grosvenor Gardens is the name given to two triangular parks in Belgravia, London, faced on their western and eastern sides by streets of the same name. Both roads run roughly north to south from Hobart Place and Grosvenor Place to Buckingham Palace Road.

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The Hyde Park - Queen Elizabeth Gate stop is located to the right of the Achilles statue and is the perfect place to visit Buckingham Palace and its gardens, as well as to enter the immense and the popular Hyde Park. The Queen Elizabeth Gate will welcome you to the park. Hyde Park is one of the green lungs of the city, and has different must-see spots. The Princess Diana memorial, or the statue of Peter Pan are some of them. The Serpentine lake, with its waterfall and its pleasure boats, will accompany you during the journey.

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Marble Arch is a 19th-century white marble faced triumphal arch in London, England. The structure was designed by John Nash in 1827 to be the state entrance to the cour d'honneur of Buckingham Palace; it stood near the site of what is today the three-bayed, central projection of the palace containing the well known balcony.[1] In 1851 it was relocated and following the widening of Park Lane in the early 1960s is now sited, incongruently isolated, on a large traffic island at the junction of Oxford Street, Park Lane and Edgware Road. Admiralty Arch, Holyhead is a similar arch, even more so cut off from public access, at the other end of the A5.

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Doing Hop On Hop Off at the Marble Arch - Park Lane stop of our sightseeing bus you can enjoy one of the most popular places in the city: Hyde Park, with its access from Speakers Corner. The stop is located just a few meters from Marble Arch, at the west end of Oxford Street. Only members of the Royal Family and the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery had the privilege of passing under the arch. Now, with our open top bus, you can too. Remember that you can get on and off at any of our stops and customize your own tour of the city.

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Haymarket, outside Tiger Tiger bar restaurant Piccadilly Circus is one of London’s busiest and lively squares and never seems to be anything but full. It appears in numerous postcards thanks to its immediately recognisable neon signs and is the best place for entertainment thanks to all the theatres, shops and restaurants concentrated in the surrounding area. Follow Coventry Street for 5 minutes up to Leicester Square where you can see all the latest cinema releases.

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Trafalgar Square is one of London’s busiest and lively squares. Part of its charms are its huge outdoor space open to the public and the famous Nelson’s column and National Gallery. This art gallery is the city’s most famous, housing works by Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Tiziano, Velázquez and Michelangelo. Behind the National Gallery lies the National Portrait Gallery with a collection made up exclusively of portraits of important people from British history.

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Over the last decade, the London Eye has become one of the most famous postcard images of the city. Towering over the bank of the Thames, this huge observation wheel offers you unbeatable views of London. The London Dungeon, a real house of terror, and the SEA LIFE London Aquarium, where you can see a large collection of the fauna to be found under the sea, are located at the feet of the London Eye. Crossing the Westminster Bridge, which is located right next to the London Eye, will bring you to Parliament Square in less than 5 minutes. This busy square is where you’ll find the best views of Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.

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Knightsbridge is an upscale residential and commercial district located in central London, in the Westminster borough. It is known for its high-end shops, elegant restaurants, and luxury hotels, as well as for being home to some of London's wealthiest residents. The heart of Knightsbridge is the famous department store Harrods, which is a major tourist destination and a symbol of the neighborhood's elegance and luxury. There are also many other high-end shops in the area, such as Harvey Nichols, Gucci, Prada, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. In addition to shopping, Knightsbridge is also known for its proximity to some of London's major tourist attractions, such as Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, and the Natural History Museum. In terms of architecture, Knightsbridge boasts many historic buildings and beautiful Georgian and Victorian mansions that have been carefully preserved and restored. Overall, Knightsbridge is a high-end neighborhood that offers a unique shopping and tourism experience in London. It is a popular destination for visitors looking for a combination of luxury and sophistication in an urban setting.

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The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall located in London, England. It is situated in the South Kensington area and is one of the most famous and prestigious music venues in the world. The hall was opened in 1871 and was named after Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. The Royal Albert Hall has a seating capacity of approximately 5,200 people and is known for its distinctive circular shape and dome-like roof. It is used for a wide range of events, including classical music concerts, rock and pop concerts, ballet performances, opera, and other cultural events. In addition to its use as a performance venue, the Royal Albert Hall is also a popular tourist attraction. Visitors can take guided tours of the hall, which includes a behind-the-scenes look at the venue, and its history. The hall also has several bars and restaurants, including the Verdi Italian Kitchen, which serves Italian cuisine. Overall, the Royal Albert Hall is an iconic cultural landmark in London, and a must-visit destination for anyone interested in music, architecture, and history.

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Kensington Road is a street located in the Kensington neighborhood of West London. It is an upscale and luxurious street with a wide range of shops, restaurants, and tourist attractions. One of the most popular attractions on Kensington Road is the Natural History Museum of London, which houses an impressive collection of animal, plant, fossil, and mineral specimens from around the world. Also on this street is the Victoria and Albert Museum, one of the largest art and design museums in the world. Other notable attractions on Kensington Road include the Royal Albert Hall, an iconic London venue that hosts concerts and other events, as well as the Albert Memorial, a statue dedicated to Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. In terms of shops and restaurants, Kensington Road offers a wide variety of options, from high-end fashion shops to small independent boutiques and Michelin-starred restaurants. The street is also known for its beautiful Victorian-style buildings and its beautiful green spaces, such as Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. In summary, Kensington Road is an iconic London street that offers a wide range of tourist attractions, shops, and restaurants for visitors to enjoy.

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Gloucester Road is a major street located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. The road runs from Kensington Gardens in the north to the Cromwell Road in the south, and is lined with a variety of shops, restaurants, and hotels. One of the most notable landmarks on Gloucester Road is the Natural History Museum, which is located near the intersection of Cromwell Road. The museum is one of the largest and most important natural history museums in the world, and features a vast collection of specimens from the plant and animal kingdoms. Gloucester Road is also home to several other notable cultural institutions, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum, and the Royal College of Music. These institutions attract thousands of visitors each year and contribute to the rich cultural fabric of the area. In addition to its cultural attractions, Gloucester Road is also a popular residential area, with many high-end apartments and townhouses. The road is well-connected to the rest of London, with several Underground stations, including Gloucester Road station, providing easy access to other parts of the city.

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The Victoria and Albert Museum, also known as the V&A, is an art and design museum located in London, England. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert. The museum houses an impressive and diverse collection of over 2.3 million objects spanning over 5,000 years of human history, from art and fashion to ceramics and architecture. Some of the standout objects include the world's largest collection of Medieval art and design, the largest collection of glass objects in the world, and the national collection of contemporary art. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, the V&A also features temporary exhibitions and educational programs for all ages. The museum also has a gift shop, restaurants and cafes, and offers guided tours for those who want to learn more about the museum's history and collection. In summary, the Victoria and Albert Museum is one of London's largest and most prestigious museums and is a must-visit destination for art and design lovers.

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Harrods is a famous department store located in the exclusive neighborhood of Knightsbridge in central London, UK. The store occupies an impressive seven-story building and is known for its wide range of high-end and luxury products. The area surrounding Harrods is very popular among tourists and locals alike for its sophisticated and vibrant atmosphere. The vicinity of the store is filled with upscale shops, restaurants, and cafes, as well as luxury hotels and high-end apartments. Just a few minutes' walk from Harrods is the famous Hyde Park, a vast park that offers an oasis of tranquility amidst the bustle of the city. The park features beautiful gardens, lakes, walking and cycling paths, and is a popular spot for picnicking and outdoor sports. Another nearby attraction to Harrods is the Natural History Museum in London, which is located about a 10-minute walk away. This museum is one of the largest and most prestigious of its kind in the world, featuring an impressive collection of animal, plant, and mineral specimens from around the globe.

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Southampton Row, stop B, for the City Sightseeing shop and information centre. The Southampton Row stop is located within walking distance of the British Museum. Nearby you can find a variety of restaurants to complete your visit!

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Woburn Place, stop H, outside the Royal National Hotel

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Southampton Row, stop Y, for the British Museum. The Southampton Row stop is located within walking distance of the British Museum. Nearby you will find several restaurants to complete your visit!

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Lancaster Place, Somerset House, Stop B Lancaster Place is located within walking distance of a number of attractions such as Waterloo Bridge, Covent Garden and Cleopatra's Needles. Also, if you get off at this stop and cross the famous Waterloo Bridge, you will have the London Eye in front of you!

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PlanTripLondon – Things to do in London

Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour in London + River Cruise

sightseeing bus tour in London

Jumping on a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus tour in London is definitely one of the best ways to explore such a big city like London. These sightseeing bus tours are suitable for all the family, and you can just sit back and relax and let it take you to London’s most important landmarks.

One of London´s most important sightseeing bus tour is the one offered by Big Bus Tours. You can hop-on and hop-off any of their three fascinating routes, and with more than 30 stops, you won´t miss any of London´s most important must-sees.

Hop on and hop off all the times you want and wherever you want during the day and see London in one of the most effective ways, on the topless upper deck of a double decker sightseeing bus. But don’t worry if the weather isn’t great as you’ll be able to avoid the cold or rain at the front of the upper deck which is covered, just in case!

Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour in London: Advantages

There are a few reasons why we recommend a Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus tour in London:

  • Discover all of London´s must sees:  The streets, the famous squares, the monuments and the important attractions and the best thing is that you don´t have to worry about looking at a map and getting lost. Just enjoy the ride.
  • You can hop on and off as many times as you want during the day on all the different routes, so you will spend less time on public transport during your trip. Let´s be honest, you get to see much more on the top deck of a bus than on the London Underground!
  • The ticket includes a River Cruise on the Thames.
  • The ticket also includes a free guided walking tour  in London (See more details below).
  • Enjoy the live commentary or listen to the recorded commentary (multi-lingual if English is not your preferred choice!) and discover all the interesting things you didn´t know about London.
  • You also get a free discount book  which includes discounts to other attractions and restaurants in London such as the Hard Rock Café.
  • They have the largest fleet of open top buses in London , so they run a lot more frequently than other sightseeing tour buses.
  • Sightseeing bus tour tickets are valid for 6 months from the date of purchase, so you do not have to redeem them on a particular day. This is great because you can do the tour any day that suits you.

Big Bus London Hop-on Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour Prices

There are 3 different ticket types for the hop-on hop-off sightseeing Bus Tour in London: Classic , Premium and Deluxe .

Each one of these tickets has 3 different prices: Adults, Children (5 – 15) and Family (2 adults + 2 children under 15).

These are the different tickets available and their respective prices:

Classic: 1 Day Ticket

With this ticket you will be able to hop-on and hop-off Big Bus sightseeing bus tour as many times as you like during one day. It also includes a one way Thames River Cruise ticket (London Eye – Tower of London) and the Guided Walking Tour .

Classic Ticket Prices: Adults: £35 Children (5 – 15): £26 Family ticket (2 adults + 2 Children): £106.60

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tours Classic Ticket

Premium: 2 Day Ticket

The Premium ticket is valid for two consecutive days . You can hop on and hop off as many times as you like on any of the big bus routes for two days. This ticket also includes a round trip ticket on a Thames River Cruise and a free Guided Walking Tour , as well as the Night Tour during the summer months.

Premium Ticket Prices: Adult ticket: £40.40 Child ticket (5 – 15): £31.40 Family ticket (2 adults + 2 Children): £124.60

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tours Premium Ticket

Deluxe: 3 Day Ticket

The Deluxe ticket is valid for three consecutive days . You can hop on and hop off as many times as you like on any of the bug bus routes for three days. This ticket also includes a round trip ticket on a Thames River Cruise and the free Guided Walking Tour , as well as the Night Tour during the summer months.

Deluxe Ticket Prices: Adult ticket: £44.90 Child ticket (5 – 15): £35.90 Family ticket (2 adults + 2 Children): £139.60

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tours Deluxe Ticket

Night Tour and Hotel Return Service

During the summer months there is also the possibility of hopping on a sightseeing bus tour to see London at night. This night tour runs until the end of September. This night tour is also included when you buy deluxe (2 day) and premium (3 day) tickets, but you can also buy tickets for the night tour only.

There are three night tours per evening that depart from the London Eye, Victoria Station and Marble Arch. The pick-up times are:

  • London Eye (stop 7) at 19:30, 20:00 & 20:30
  • Victoria (stop 29) at 19:45, 20:15 & 20:45
  • Marble Arch (stop 4) at 20:00, 20:30 & 21:00.  From Marble Arch, which is the last stop of the tour, there is a free hotel return service that goes to Paddington, Bayswater, Notting Hill & Kensington at the end of the tour.
Night Tour only Prices: Adult ticket: £24.90 Child ticket (5 – 15): £15.00 Family ticket (2 adults + 2 Children): £64.80

Combined tickets: Big Bus Sightseeing Tour + Attraction

There is also the possibility of buying combined tickets   for Big Bus HO-HO sightseeing bus tour in London with tickets to one of London’s Top Attractions , resulting in great savings.

Once you have bought tickets, the driver or a member of staff from Big Bus Tours (at any Big Bus Tours stop) will exchange your tickets, giving you the tickets for the sightseeing bus tour as well as the tickets to your chosen attraction.

Combo tickets:  > Big Bus Tours + London Eye > Big Bus Tour + Madame Tussauds > Big Bus Tour + Tower of London > Big Bus Tour + St Paul’s Cathedral

Big Bus Tour + London Eye

This ticket includes a 1 day ticket for the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour (classic ticket) and entry to the London Eye . This ticket also includes a free river cruise and a free guided walking tour . Online tickets can be redeemed at any Big Bus Stop. You will need to use your tickets for the sightseeing bus tour and the river cruise that same day, and you will have 90 days to use your London Eye tickets.

You can buy normal entry tickets to the London Eye or fast track tickets. With fast track tickets you won’t have to queue at all.

Prices with Normal London Eye entry: Adult ticket: £64.80 Child ticket: £47.90 Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children): £227.30

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tour + London Eye Tickets

Prices with Fast Track London Eye entry: Adult ticket: £67.80 Child ticket: £58.80 Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children): £189.00

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tour + London Eye Fast-Track Tickets

Big Bus Tour + Madame Tussauds

This ticket includes a 1 day ticket for the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour (classic ticket) and entry to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum . This ticket also includes a free river cruise and a free guided walking tour .

You can redeem your tickets at any Big Bus Stop. Online tickets can be redeemed at any Big Bus Stop. You will need to use your tickets for the sightseeing bus tour and the river cruise that same day, and you will have 90 days to use your Madame Tussauds tickets.

Prices for 1 day bus tour + Madame Tussauds Adult ticket:  £65.80 Child ticket: £52.80 Family ticket: £211.40

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tour + Madame Tussauds Tickets

Big Bus Tour + Tower of London

You can choose a 1, 2 or 3 day ticket for the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour (classic, premium or deluxe ticket) and entry to the Tower of London. These tickets also includes a free river cruise and a free guided walking tour .

You can redeem your tickets at any Big Bus Stop. Online tickets can be redeemed at any Big Bus Stop. You will need to use your tickets for the sightseeing bus tour and the river cruise that same day, and you will have 3 days to use your Tower of London tickets.

Prices for 1 day bus tour (Classic ticket) + Tower of London Adult ticket: £61.80 Child ticket (5 – 15): £38.90

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tour Classic + Tower of London

Prices for 2 day bus tour (Premium ticket) + Tower of London Adult ticket: £67.80 Child ticket (5 – 15): £43.90

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tour Premium + Tower of London

Prices for 3 day bus tour (Deluxe ticket) + Tower of London Adult ticket: £71.80 Child ticket (5 – 15): £48.90

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tour Deluxe + Tower of London

Big Bus Tour + St. Paul’s Cathedral

You can choose a 1, 2 or 3 day ticket for the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour (classic, premium or deluxe ticket) and entry to St Paul’s Cathedral. These tickets also includes a free river cruise and a free guided walking tour .

Online tickets can be redeemed at any Big Bus Stop. You will need to use your tickets for the sightseeing bus tour and the river cruise that same day, and you will have 90 days to use your St Paul’s Cathedral tickets.

Prices for 1 day bus tour (Classic ticket) + St Paul’s Cathedral Adult ticket: £61.80 Child ticket (5 – 15): £38.90

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tour Classic + St Paul’s Cathedral

Prices for 2 day bus tour (Premium ticket) + St Paul’s Cathedral Adult ticket: £67.80 Child ticket (5 – 15): £43.90

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tour Premium + St Paul’s Cathedral

Prices for 3 day bus tour (Deluxe ticket) + St Paul’s Cathedral Adult ticket: £71.80 Child ticket (5 – 15): £48.90

⇒ Find out more: Big Bus Tour Deluxe + St Paul’s Cathedral

Routes and Timetable for London’s Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour

There are 4 different routes which will take you to see London’s top landmarks. You can hop-on and hop-off of any of the routes as many times as  you like, and change routes whenever you want. This just makes sightseeing in London very easy, and it saves you having to use public transport in London to get from one place to another.

It’s also good to know that you can start your journey on the sightseeing bus tour at any bus stop, on any route, so you can start your journey at the bus stop that suits you best.

⇒ Here you will find a map with the routes and timetables: London Sightseeing Bus Tour Map .

1. Classic Red Tour

The first bus of this route departs at 8.10 am from the stop located just in front of Green Park underground station, on Piccadilly Street and there are buses approximately every 5 minutes. This route is the Classic Tour, a route that passes through 15 of the most important tourist places in London, including Westminster Abbey, London Eye, Big Ben, Covent Garden, the Tower of London and St. Paul’s Cathedral among others. The red route has a live commentary in English, and there are also recorded commentaries in several languages.

The red route takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes, and has several stops in common with the blue route: stops from 2 to 5, from 7 to 11 and stop 15. It also coincides with the green route at stop 9.

2. Big Blue Tour

The first bus of the blue route departs at 8.36 am from stop number 2, which is located at Hyde Park Corner, and there are buses approximately every 5 or 10 minutes. The nearest underground stop is Green Park. The blue route is a slightly longer route, and coincides in almost all the stops with the red route, but also goes round Hyde Park, passing through the South Kensington area, where the natural history museum, the science museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum are located. It also goes past Harrods and towards Regent’s Park stopping at Baker Street, where the Sherlock Holmes museum and Madame Tussauds wax museum are located. The blue route has recorded commentaries.

The blue route takes almost 3 hours and coincides with the red route at stops 2 to 5, from 7 to 11 and stop 15. It also connects with the green route at stop 9 .

3. Green Link

The green link is very short and connects the famous Trafalgar Square with King’s Cross and St Pancras underground and train stations, going past the British museum. If you are going to spend a day in London and arrive at the King’s Cross – St Pancras station, we recommend that you use the tourist bus, since you can start the route here, change at Trafalgar Square to another route and see London easily before returning to King’s Cross with the green link again if you need to.

The first bus on the green route leaves from Covent Garden at 8.20 am, where it also links to the blue and red routes.

4. Night tour: Hotel Return Service 

The purple route is the hotel return service. It covers the areas from Marble Arch to Gloucester Road, so it’s ideal if your hotel is anywhere in between – such as Paddington, Bayswater, Notting Hill or Kensington. It runs up to 2 hours later than the other routes mentioned above.

Bus stops and timetables

Here you can find a list of the bus stops from the RED and BLUE routes, and the time of departure of the first bus at each one of them. After that, buses run every 5 – 10 minutes. Guide: Red Route ( RR ), Blue Route ( BR ) and Green Link ( GL ).

⇒ See Sightseeing Bus Tour Route Map Here

1. GREEN PARK ( RR ) – Green Park Underground Station, next to the Ritz Hotel 2. HYDE PARK CORNER ( RR , BR )  – Opposite Hard Rock Cafe 3. QUEEN MOTHER GATES ( RR , BR ) – Opposite Hilton Hotel 4. MARBLE ARCH ( RR , BR ) – Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park 5. MAYFAIR ( RR , BR ) – Park Lane Big Bus Stop 6. ROYAL MEWS ( RR ) – 31 Buckingham Palace Road Bus Stop 7. LONDON EYE ( RR , BR ) – Westminster Bridge Road Bus Stop 8. WATERLOO ( RR , BR ) – York Road Bus Stop 9. COVENT GARDEN ( RR , BR , RV) – Big Bus Stop at No.1 Aldwych 10. ST PAUL´S CATHEDRAL ( RR , BR ) – 26 Ludgate Hill Bus Stop 11. TOWER OF LONDON ( RR , BR ) – 362 Tower Hill Bus Stop 12. YORK ROAD ( RR )– Westminster Bridge Road Bus Stop 14. WHITEHALL ( RR ) – Big Bus Stop opposite Horse Guards 15. TRAFALGAR SQUARE   ( RR , BR ) –  Pall Mall East Bus Stop Z 16. BAKER STREET ( RR ) – Big Bus Stop at 9 Marylebone Road 17. OXFORD STREET ( BR ) – Bus Stop RF on Regent Street 18. REGENT STREET ( BR )– Bus Stop V on Regent Street 19. PICCADILLY CIRCUS ( BR )– Bus Stop G on Regent Street 20. HAYMARKET ( BR )– Big Bus Stop at No.11 Haymarket  **The blue route after stopping at stop number 20 stops at stop 15 at Trafalgar Square, where it coincides with the red route** 21. CRAIG´S COURT ( BR ) – Bus Stop at Craig’s Court and Whitehall Corner 22. WHITEHALL ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No.61 Whitehall **The blue route after stopping at stop number 22 stops at stops number 7, 8, 9, 10 and  11 coinciding with the red route** 23. WESTMINSTER PIER ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No.30-35 Victoria Embankment 24. LAMBETH PLACE ( BR ) – Lambeth Palace Road Bus Stop 25. COLLEGE GREEN ( BR ) – Abingdon Street Bus Stop 26. TOTHILL STREET ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No. 43-45 Tothill Street 27. BUCKINGHAM PALACE ( BR ) – Bus Stop  at No.1 Buckingham Gate 28. RUBEN´S HOTEL ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No. 39 Buckingham Palace Road 29. VICTORIA ( BR ) – Bus Stop opposite The Bag of Nails Pub 30. VICTORIA STATION  ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No. 111 Buckingham Palace Road **The blue route after stopping at stop number 30 stops at stops number 3, 4 and 5 coinciding with the red route ** 31. GREEN PARK ( BR ) – Green Park Underground Station Bus Stop **The blue route after stopping at stop number 31 stops at stop number 2 coinciding with the red route** 32. HYDE PARK CORNER ( BR ) –  Bus Stop at No. 1 Knightsbridge 33. HARRODS ( BR ) – Bus Stop at Harrods, No. 87-135 Brompton Road 34. SOUTH KENSIGNTON MUSEUMS  ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No. 6 Thurloe Place 35. GLOUCESTER ROAD  ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No. 128 Gloucester Road 36. KENSINGTON PALACE  ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No. 5 Kensington High Street 37. NOTTING HILL GATE  ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No. 14 Notting Hill Gate 38. KENSINGTON GARDENS  ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No. 150 Bayswater Road 39. THISTLE HOTEL  ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No. 104 Bayswater Road 40. BAYSWATER ( BR ) – Bayswater Road Bus Stop 41. PADDINGTON STATION  ( BR ) – Bus Stop at No. 25 London St 42. WOBURN ( GL ) – Bus Stop opposite Royal National Hotel 43. EUSTON STATION  ( GL ) – Bus Stop L, Upper Woburn Place 44. KING´S CROSS STATION  ( GL ) – Pancras Way Bus Stop 45. ST. PANCRAS STATION  ( GL ) – Midland Road Bus Stop 46. EUSTON ROAD ( GL ) – Bus Stop M, Upper Woburn Place 47. WOBURN (SOUTHBOUND) ( GL ) – Bus Stop J, in front of Russel Court 48. BRITISH MUSEUM (SOUTHBOUND) ( GL ) – Bus Stop X, Southampton Row 49. DUNCANNON STREET ( GL ) – Bus Stop G, Duncannon Street.

FREE River Cruise when you buy Hop-On, Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour tickets

A Thames River Cruise is honestly one of the best things you can  do when visiting London, this is something that I always recommend friends and family do when they come to visit us. If it’s your first time in London I can guarantee that a cruise on the Thames will leave you speechless, as you can see many famous landmarks from the river. And the best thing is: You get a free river cruise with the London hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus tour tickets. Boom!

The river cruise included is a one way ticket if you’re buying a one day sightseeing bus tour ticket, or a return ticket if you’re buying a 2 or 3 day bus tour ticket. The cruise runs from Westminster Pier to Tower of London. If you have a one day bus tour ticket you need to do the river cruise on that same day, but don’t worry as there is plenty of time do both, you would even have time to go on the London Eye on the same day.

Free Guided Walking Tour

You will also be able to make the most of your sightseeing bus tour tickets by joining the free walking tour that’s included in your ticket. The tour starts at the Big Bus Tours Bus Stop in Trafalgar Square at 10.20 am, and you will be able to enjoy the Changing of the Guard at 11.00 am at Buckingham Palace and learn all about St James’ Palace.

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  1. Tour Big Bus Londres

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  2. Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus Tour durch London

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  3. The Original Tour London: Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Ticket, Cruise & Walks

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  4. Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tours (Open-Top)

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  5. Map of London tourist attractions, sightseeing & tourist tour

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  6. London Bus Tours, Reviews, Combo Deals 2019

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COMMENTS

  1. London Hop On Hop Off Bus Routes Map

    London Tour Route Map. Find your nearest bus stop: Use Current Location. or. Our hop-on, hop-off London bus tour gets you closer to the city's best landmarks and attractions. Discover London's rich 2000-year history on our carefully designed sightseeing route. 3 Routes.

  2. London Hop on Hop off Bus Tours

    48h hop-on, hop-off ticket. 4 Guided walking tours: - The Royal Walk. - Hidden Gems of the City of London. - Hidden Gems of Westminster. - Jack the Ripper. River Cruise - one way. Fully Flexible Bus Ticket (free date change) London Evening Tour.

  3. Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

    Adult ticket. From £39.00 per ticket. -. Inspiring 26 million people each year. Promoting London's best since 2011. Book easily via our trusted partners. Big Bus Tours, rated one on TripAdvisor, takes you to all the must-see London landmarks with English speaking guides and recorded commentary in 5 languages.

  4. Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise

    Your hop-on hop-off pass also includes a cruise along the River Thames or a night tour as a bonus. Green Route. 10 Stops. 4 Points of Interest. Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes. Operating Schedule: Buses depart every 30 - 60 mins. First Departure at 08:30 from Stop 44 - Woburn (Northbound) and the last bus departs at 17:45.

  5. What to Know About Big Bus London: Price, Map, & Reviews

    The second ticket option for Big Bus London is actually the most popular choice. It comes with a full 48-hour access to the hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus, river cruise experience, and a nice walking tour! PRICE: Book here for only $62 (vs. regular price of $69) WHAT YOU'LL GET: Access to Big Bus London for 48 hours (all 3 routes included)

  6. London: Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour and River Cruise

    24-Hour Bus with River Cruise. Open-Top Panoramic Night Tour. From $44.25 per person. Check availability. Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today. Give this as a gift. Afifa - United Kingdom March 2, 2024 - Verified booking. The Hop-on-Hop-off activity adds more thrill to your trip.

  7. Big Bus Tours

    3-4 hours. Discover London aboard an open-top, double-decker Big Bus on this hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour and enjoy a trip on the…. Free cancellation. from. $79. per adult. Reserve. The London Pass®: Access 90+ Attractions and Tours. 624.

  8. London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tours (Open-Top)

    Take the blue route for amazing view. The Big Bus app works very well. 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ Klook User 8 Apr It's very lovely riding on the open top bus seeing the city of London. ... Discover the best of London with Big Bus sightseeing tours. Choose from three packages: Discover (24-hour bus and river cruise), "Essential" (48-hour bus, river cruise ...

  9. PDF Sightseeing Bus Tour Map

    Route are to MAP KEY RED TOUR BLUE TOUR GREEN LINK HOME JAMES SERVICE VAUXHALL 'LEE KENSENGTON 'ING-ION SOUTH First Bus 08:27 08:40 08:43 08:48 08:53 08:58 09:03 09:08 ... LONDON EYE - Big Bus stop, Road. & WESTBOUND Blue WATERLOO COVENT ST PAULS CATHEDRAL TOWER LONDON - Big Bus stop, Tower Hill YORK ROAD -

  10. Big Bus London: Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour

    Duration. 24 or 48 hours (take your pick!) Evening tour: 2 hours. Walking tours: 1.5 hours. Start time. Hop-on, Hop-off: 8:30am to 5pm, every 20-60 min (depending on the routes) Panoramic evening tour: 7:30pm. River cruise: 10am to 5:50pm, every 15 minutes in summertime, and every 30-40 minutes in winter. Walking tours:

  11. Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise

    Your hop-on hop-off pass also includes a cruise along the River Thames or a night tour as a bonus. Green Route. 10 Stops. 4 Points of Interest. Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes. Operating Schedule: Buses depart every 30 - 60 mins. First Departure at 08:30 from Stop 44 - Woburn (Northbound) and the last bus departs at 17:45.

  12. London Bus Tour Tickets & Tour Packages

    London VIP Tour: - 90min panoramic tour of Central London ... routes and times in your pocket. Very Good 4.0. Based on 6041 reviews. Big Bus Tours is the largest operator of open-top bus sightseeing tours in the world, providing sightseeing tours in 22 cities across four continents. Download the FREE Big Bus Tours Mobile App

  13. London's Best Bus Routes for Sightseeing

    London is covered by more than 700 bus routes, and many travel past some of the city's iconic sights. ... your best bet is the classic Big Bus Tours circular route. 01 of 08. No. 11 Route. Laura Porter. This bus route is a perfect one to take if it is your first trip to London. The key section of the No. 11 route starts at Liverpool Street ...

  14. Big Bus London Tours: Hop on Hop off Stops to Make

    Big Bus London starting points for each tour are as follows: Blue Route: Stop #1: Baker Street. Red Route: Stop #26: Green Park Underground Station. Green Link: Stop #49: Woburn (Northbound) Night Tour: Stop #9/15: London Eye.

  15. Tips for Taking a Big Bus Tour in London

    The Red Tour is the Central London route, which will take you past London's most famous landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London and more. This is the only route with a live tour guide. Big Bus has four routes to choose from - red, blue, orange and green.

  16. Which Hop on Hop off London Bus Tour is Best?

    There are a total of 25 stops spread across two routes. The red route will take you to some of the most notable sites in London, Here are the prices you can expect to pay for each ticket: 24-Hour Ticket. £37/Adults | £22/Children. £96/Family (2 Adults, 2 Children) 24-Hour Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour.

  17. London Hop On Hop Off Bus Routes & Map

    With the London City Tour by Julià you will experience the city from a new perspective. The Hop Hop Hop Off tourist bus will give you wonderful panoramic views of the most important sights of London.. Its 2 routes cover the main tourist attractions that you must not miss during your visit.. Our Hop on - Hop off service allows you to get on and off at any of our stops as many times as you want.

  18. Best Bus Tours in London

    3.2 Big Bus Tour + Madame Tussauds. 3.3 Big Bus Tour + Tower of London. 3.4 Big Bus Tour + St. Paul's Cathedral. 4 Routes and Timetable for London's Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour. 5 Bus stops and timetables. 6 FREE River Cruise when you buy Hop-On, Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour tickets. 7 Free Guided Walking Tour.

  19. 10 best London bus tours

    Explore London at your own pace with the Golden Tours hop-on hop-off bus tour. Choose between four routes and hop off at more than 60 stops, including Shakespeare's Globe and Westminster Abbey.As well as having your transport covered, you can enjoy added extras including a 24-hour Thames river pass.