After many years organising our friends’ and relatives’ trips to London, one of the questions we have answered many times is: “which one of the different London bus tours is the best” and if they are worth the money.
First of all, I have to say that I highly recommend buying tickets for one of the London sightseeing tours, especially if it’s your first trip to the British capital. It is an easy way to get around the city; making sure you see London’s most important landmarks.
The open-top buses add something special to the experience of visiting London. You still get a feeling of the city, and it’s the best way to get pictures of London’s iconic buildings and attractions. In this article, we will show you the routes that follow all the different London sightseeing bus tours.
London Bus Tours Deals
Another good point to remember is that you can sometimes buy combined tickets for a sightseeing bus tour in London + one of London’s most important attractions, and this is one of the best ways to get more for your money. Most of the London Attraction Passes include one of the hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus tours in London.
Sightseeing Bus Tours in London Compared
There are currently 4 main bus companies that offer hop-on hop-off bus tours in London: Big Bus Tours, TOOT Bus, Golden Tours and City Sightseeing.
Sightseeing Bus Tours in London: What’s included
- FREE RIVER CRUISE: One of the things I would recommend doing when you visit London, so definitely important to keep in mind if you can get it included with your sightseeing bus tour tickets.
- GUIDED WALKING TOUR
- RECORDED / LIVE COMMENTARY (recorded commentary available in different languages)
- FREE HEADPHONES
- FREE PONCHO if it rains
The timetables are usually quite similar, normally starting between 8.00 am and 9.00 am and ending at around 5.30 pm or 6.00 pm.
PLAN TRIP TOP TIP: When buying tickets for the different sightseeing bus tours in London, keep in mind that all companies will have different prices depending on whether you buy the tickets online or if you do it on the day in the street or at one of the stops. Online tickets usually are 10 or 15% cheaper, and you don´t usually have to choose a specific day which makes it more accessible.
Sightseeing Bus Tours in London: Price Comparison
We have updated the fares below in February 2023, with the prices from each bus tour provider in London as they appear on their official websites. These prices are for ONLINE TICKETS, which are normally around 10% cheaper than on-street tickets.
| Big Bus Tours | 1 Day Classic | 2 Days Premium | 3 Days Deluxe |
| > Adult ticket | £36.90 | £53.10 | £62.10 |
| > Child ticket | £27.90 | £44.10 | £53.10 |
| > Family ticket | £101.70 | £124.60 | £177.30 |
| TOOT Bus | 1 Day | 2 Days | 3 Days |
| > Adult ticket | £26.35 | £28.90 | £31.45 |
| > Child ticket | £15.30 | £17.85 | £20.40 |
| > Family ticket | £80.00 | £89.00 | £98.00 |
| Golden Tours | 24 Hours | 48 Hours | 72 Hours |
| > Adult ticket | £35.49 | £38.60 | £50.00 |
| > Child ticket | £20.00 | £20.64 | £26.00 |
| > Family ticket | £99.19 | £110.08 | £142.00 |
| City Sightseeing | 24 Hours | 48 Hours | 72 Hours |
| > Adult ticket | £32 | Not available | Not available |
| > Child ticket | £20 | Not available | Not available |
| > Family ticket | £84 | Not available | Not available |
* Children under 5 do not need a ticket. Children aged 5 to 15 need a child ticket. A Family ticket is valid for 2 adults + 2 children (aged 5 – 15).
London bus tour deals: Remember that you can use our promo code “PLANTRIP10” to get an additional 10% discount if you buy tickets from Big Bus Official Website.
Big Bus Tours
Big Bus Tours started touring the streets of London more than 25 years ago, with only 2 buses in London. Nowadays, they are one of the biggest sightseeing bus tours companies in the world, and currently have more than 400 sightseeing buses in more than 26 cities. So, with all this experience, it’s no surprise that Big Bus Tours is one of the most important sightseeing bus tour companies in London.
Their buses are burgundy and cream and say BIG BUS LONDON on the side, so they are easily recognisable. The Big Bus Tours Sightseeing hop on hop off-bus tour is also included in the London Pass.
Their buses have free Wi-Fi on board, and most have USB chargers if you wish to charge your mobile phone during the tour.
Available routes: Big Bus Tours has three different sightseeing day bus routes and one Night Tour.
- The Classic Tour (Red Route): The classic tour is one of the main routes that will take you through London’s most important landmarks, such as Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Marble Arch, Oxford Street, and Tower of London, Tower Bridge…
- The Blue Route: The blue route is one of the main routes that will take you through London’s most important landmarks, such as Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Marble Arch, Oxford Street, Tower of London, Tower Bridge…
- The Green Link: Connects Trafalgar Square with the British Museum and King’s Cross – St Pancras
⇒ See Big Bus London Route Map
Number of stops: Big Bus Tours has more than 50 stops across their 3 different day bus routes into account. You can hop on and hop off at every one of these stops.
Included with your ticket: Every ticket includes a free river cruise, except the Night Tour Ticket. The Classic ticket includes a one way ticket for the river cruise. Premium and Deluxe tickets include a hop-on hop-off river cruise, from Westminster to Greenwich, which is perfect for exploring Greenwich. The classic, premium and deluxe tickets also include a free walking tour.
Types of tickets: There are tickets for adults, children (5 – 15 years old) and family tickets (2 adults + 2 children). Children under 5 free. And there are 3 types of tickets:
- Classic: 1 day (this ticket is valid for one calendar day, not 24 hours). This ticket includes a one-way river cruise along the Thames from Westminster Pier (near Big Ben) to the Tower of London, or vice versa. This ticket also includes a free guided walking tour.
- Premium: 2 days (this ticket is valid for two calendar days, not 48 hours). This ticket includes a hop-on hop-off river cruise along the Thames, with stops at Westminster Pier, the Tower of London and Greenwich. This ticket also includes a free guided walking tour and the Night Tour.
- Deluxe: 3 days (this ticket is valid for three calendar days, not 72 hours). This ticket includes a hop-on hop-off river cruise along the Thames, with stops at Westminster Pier, the Tower of London and Greenwich. This ticket also includes a free guided walking tour and the Night Tour.
- Night tour only: This ticket is valid for one-night tour only, which isn’t a hop on hop off bus tour. This ticket does not include the river cruise or the free guided walking tour. This night tour is available during the summer months only.
Validity of tickets: Tickets online are 10% cheaper than buying them on the street. When you buy tickets online they will be valid for 6 months, so you don’t need to choose a specific day for your tour.
Combo tickets: You can also buy combined tickets for the Big Bus Tours HO-HO Sightseeing Bus Tour in London with tickets to one of London’s Top Attractions. This is a great way of saving money. You can find out more about this here: Big Bus Tours London Detailed Information.
Promo Code: Use our exclusive promo code “PLANTRIP10” when you buy your tickets online to get an extra 10% discount, so this is a 20% discount when compared to on-street prices.
TOOT Bus
TOOT Bus (Previously known as “Original Tour”) is also one of the best-known and 
long-standing companies that offer sightseeing bus tours in London. We recommend getting tickets for Toot Bus here: Toot Bus.
It will be easy for you to recognize their buses in London, as they usually have a UK flag on the side of the bus.
Available routes: The Original Tour has five different bus routes in London:
- Original Tour (Yellow Route): This is the main route which will take you through London´s most important landmarks, including Hyde Park, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, etc.
- Royal Borough Tour (Blue Route): The blue route covers the district of Kensington, where you’ll find some of London’s most famous museums as well as the well-known department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols.
- British Museum Tour (Orange Route): This route will take you through London’s famous West End, including Chinatown all the way to the British Museum and King’s Cross.
- Capital Connector (Black Route): From Marble Arch to Madame Tussauds and Regent’s Park.
- Capital Connector (Purple Route): From Marble Arch to Notting Hill and Bayswater. Useful if your hotel is in this area of London.
⇒ See The TOOT Bus London Route Map
Number of stops:The Original Tour has more than 70 stops when you take their different bus routes into account. You can hop on and hop off at every one of these stops.
Included with your ticket: Tickets include a free river cruise + 3 walking tours (including a Changing of the Guard walking tour) except the City Sampler Ticket.
Available tickets: There are tickets for adults, children (5 – 15 years old) and family tickets (2 adults + 2 children). Children under 5 free. And there are 3 types of tickets:
- City Sampler: This ticket is valid for the hop-on hop-off bus tour for one day, not 24 hours, and it doesn’t include the free river cruise or the free guided walks.
- 24 hours: This ticket is valid for 24 hours and includes a free hop-on hop off river cruise between Westminster Pier (near Big Ben) and Tower Pier (near the Tower of London) and free guided walks.
- 48 hours: This ticket is valid for 48 hours and it includes a free hop-on hop off river cruise between Westminster Pier (near Big Ben), and Tower Pier (near the Tower of London), plus an extension to Greenwich and free guided walks.
- 72 hours: This ticket is valid for 72 hours, including a hop on hop off free river cruise between Westminster Pier (near Big Ben), and Tower Pier (near the Tower of London), plus an extension to Greenwich, valid for 72 hours and free guided walks.
Golden Tours
Golden Tours has not been offering sightseeing bus tours
in London as long as the previous two companies have, but it is currently one of the biggest companies in London that offer sightseeing tours. Their buses are blue and also offer a hop-on hop-off service. Their sightseeing bus tour is also included in the London Pass.
Available routes: There are three different sightseeing bus routes in London:
- The Essential Tour (Blue route): This route covers all the main sights in central London and it includes live commentary in English.
- The Classic Tour (Red route): This route covers all the main sights in central London and London’s Museum Quarter in Kensington.
- The Grand Tour (Orange route): This route will mainly take you to Madame Tussauds and King’s Cross.
- The Pick-Up/Drop-Off Route (Yellow route): This route travels from the popular hotel districts to Central London in the mornings.
Number of stops: Over 60 stops on 3 different bus routes. You can hop on and hop off at every one of these stops.
Available tickets: There are tickets for adults, children (5 – 15 years old) and family tickets (2 adults + 2 children). Children under 5 free. And there are 3 types of tickets:
- London Introduction: 3-hour open-top sightseeing bus tour of London’s most remarkable landmarks. This is not a hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour, and it does not include the free river cruise or free guided walking tours.
- One Day: Ticket valid for one calendar day to use the Hop on Hop off sightseeing bus tour. This ticket does not include a free river cruise or guided walking tours.
- 24 hours: Ticket valid for 24 hours. This ticket includes a free hop-on hop-off river cruise, from Westminster pier (near Big Ben) to St Katharine’s pier (near the Tower of London) and a free walking tour.
- 48 hours: Ticket valid for 48 hours. This ticket includes a free hop-on hop-off river cruise, from Westminster pier (near Big Ben) to St Katharine’s pier (near the Tower of London) and free walking tours.
What else is included with the tickets: Free Hop on hop off River Cruise + voucher valid for two days for one of their guided walking tours. The walking tours available are The Beatles walking tour or Royal Walking tour.
City Sightseeing London
City Sightseeing has also been operating in London for years, but their service is now supplied by TOOT Bus, so their routes are the same.
Their buses are very colourful, but they are mainly red with colourful pictures of London landmarks, making them very easy to identify.
One of the main differences when we compare City Sightseeing to other sightseeing bus tours in London, is that some of their buses have a removable cover for their upper deck, which can be put on to cover the bus if it´s raining.
Available routes: City Sightseeing buses follow the same routes as TOOT Bus.
- Yellow Route: This is the main route which will take you through London´s most important landmarks, including Hyde Park, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, etc.
- Royal Borough Tour (Blue Route): The blue route covers the district of Kensington, where you’ll find some of London’s most famous museums as well as the well-known department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols.
- British Museum Tour (Orange Route): This route will take you through London’s famous West End, including Chinatown all the way to the British Museum and King’s Cross.
- Capital Connector (Black Route): From Marble Arch to Madame Tussauds and Regent’s Park.
- Capital Connector (Purple Route): From Marble Arch to Notting Hill and Bayswater. Useful if your hotel is in this area of London.
⇒ See City Sightseeing London Route Map
Number of stops: City Sightseeing has more than 70 stops when you take their 3 different bus routes into account. You can hop on and hop off at every one of these stops.
Available tickets: There are tickets for adults, children (5 – 15 years old) and family tickets (2 adults + 2 children). Children under 5 free. And there are 2 types of tickets:
- 24 hours: This ticket gives you 24 hour access to any of the hop on hop off sightseeing routes in London + a 24 hour access the the free hop on hop off river cruise.
- 48 hours: This ticket gives you 48 hour access to any of the hop on hop off sightseeing routes in London + 48 hour access the the free hop on hop off river cruise.
What else is included with the tickets: Free River Cruise + 3 free walking guided tours (changing of the guard; Jack the ripper; rock ‘n’ roll walking tour)
Comparison Sightseeing Bus Tours in London: Summary
| Number of routes | Number of stops | Duration of tickets | River cruise (Free) | Guided walking tour (Free) | Wi-fi (Free) | |
| Big Bus Tours | 3 daytime hop on hop off routes + 1 night tour (including hotel return service) | +50 | 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, night tour | Yes (except night tour ticket) | One available (except night tour ticket) | Yes |
| The Original Tour | 5 hop on hop off routes | +70 | City sampler, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours | Yes (except city sampler ticket) | Three available (except city sampler ticket) | Yes |
| Golden Tours | 3 sightseeing routes + hotel pick up service in the mornings | +60 | One Day, 24 hours, 48 hours. | Yes (except one day ticket) | Two available (except one day ticket) | Yes |
| City Sightseeing | 5 hop on hop off routes | +70 | 24 hours and 48 hours | Yes | Three available | Yes |
Are Sightseeing Bus Tours in London worth it?
If it´s your first time in London I personally think that it´s definitely worth thinking about going on one of the sightseeing bus tours available. It´s definitely the easy way to see London´s most important attractions and you also have the opportunity of hopping on and off at different stops during the day.
As there are different companies that offer this service, we have done all the hard work for you here. Here you will find a brief explanation of what each one of the different companies that offer hop on hop off sightseeing bus tours in London includes in their ticket and we have also compared their fares for you.
There are 4 main companies that operate open top hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tours in London, and we are going to compare what they each offer as well as their prices in this article, hopefully allowing you to make an informed decision if you decide to buy tickets for one of the sightseeing bus tours in London.