After many years helping friends and relatives plan London visits, we know the hardest part of choosing a sightseeing bus is deciding what you will actually use. An open-top bus is an enjoyable introduction to the landmarks, but a ticket with more routes, days or add-ons is not automatically the better buy. Compare the routes near your hotel, the cruise you want and the day’s realistic pace.
London hop-on hop-off buses: what to compare
| Operator | What to check before booking | Live information |
|---|---|---|
| Big Bus | Routes, 24- or 48-hour tickets, one-way cruise and attraction bundles. | Tickets and routes |
| Tootbus | Bus-only versus bus-and-cruise packages, walking audio tours and route choice. | Tours and map |
| Golden Tours | Calendar-day versus hourly tickets and whether your option includes a cruise. | Current tickets |
| City Sightseeing | Bus-only versus bus-and-river bundles, available ticket durations and stops. | London products |
The simplest comparison starts with what you want to see and how long the ticket lasts. A one-day ticket may end at the end of that calendar day, while a 24-hour ticket can run into the next morning. Check the cruise and walking tour on the exact ticket you select: neither is automatically included with every bus ticket. Routes can change around roadworks or major events, so use the current operator map to choose your boarding stop.
How we would choose
- One first day in London: choose a central route that goes past Westminster, Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s and the Tower; get off for one or two substantial visits. A single loop is sightseeing in its own right and can take two hours or longer in traffic.
- Staying near Kensington or South Kensington: look for a route that actually serves the museums and your hotel, not only a central Westminster circuit.
- Arriving at King’s Cross or Euston: a connecting route may save a separate journey to a central starting stop, but check its operating hours and frequency.
- Wanting a river cruise: compare the combined bus-and-boat price with separate tickets. Check the pier, direction, sailing time and whether the cruise is a single journey or a longer-validity ticket.
- Travelling with children: look at the child age band and family ticket conditions for your party. A shorter loop plus one attraction and a proper break may be more enjoyable than buying the longest duration.
Big Bus London
Big Bus has central sightseeing routes and connecting services. Its current range includes bus-only options, tickets with a one-way river cruise and some attraction bundles. The exact inclusions depend on the ticket. If you have limited time, choose the route that passes your priority sights and allow for traffic when getting off to visit one.
Routes: the Red Route gives a broad central sightseeing circuit around Westminster and the City; the Blue Route reaches farther west towards Kensington; the Green Link connects King’s Cross and St Pancras with the main routes. For a first ride, start on Red if the Tower and central landmarks are your priorities. Start on Blue if your plan includes Kensington Palace or the museums. Use Green as a link, not as a substitute for the main sightseeing circuit.
Tickets: The One Day Ticket is for same-day bus rides; Discover gives 24 hours and a one-way Thames cruise; Essential gives 48 hours, a one-way cruise and walking tours; Explore adds an evening tour to its 48-hour bus, cruise and walking tours. Some other current products bundle attraction entry, so compare them with the price of the bus and attraction bought separately. Our Big Bus guide explains how to build a day around it. Check its service information for current stops.
Tootbus London
Tootbus offers hop-on hop-off routes plus other products, including bus-and-cruise combinations and shorter themed rides. Compare the current tour range and live map. A shorter single ride is a different product from an all-day hop-on hop-off ticket, so read the validity line before paying.
Which Tootbus route? The Red Route passes central sights including Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, the London Eye, St Paul’s, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. The Blue Route also reaches South Kensington and its museums. The Green Route links Covent Garden and Bloomsbury with Euston, King’s Cross and St Pancras. Discovery is primarily the bus with walking tours; Must See London adds a City Cruises river journey. The Tootbus London map page says its app is currently unavailable for London, so open the web map before leaving and take a screenshot of your boarding stop.
Golden Tours
Golden Tours offers several ticket durations and central routes; select products include a Thames cruise. Its ticket list distinguishes a one-calendar-day ticket from tickets measured in hours. Check the service updates on your visit day, particularly around Buckingham Palace when ceremonial events affect stops.
Check the duration carefully: Golden Tours currently sells a calendar-day option as well as 24-, 48- and 72-hour options. The calendar-day option can be good when you start in the morning and want one continuous loop; a 24-hour option may suit an afternoon arrival and another ride the following morning. A Thames cruise is included with specified hourly tickets and packages, so check the ticket details when comparing a one-day fare. Golden Tours also offers separate attraction combinations, including the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and London Eye.
City Sightseeing London
City Sightseeing lists London bus tours with optional river or attraction combinations. Compare a bus ticket with the bus-and-cruise option if you want both. Check the latest route map and start points in its app before setting out.
Bus or bus-and-cruise? The operator currently sells both. If the boat is central to your day, the Thames option gives you a different perspective on Westminster and the Tower; if you plan to spend most of the day inside attractions, a bus-only ticket can be enough. Check the start point and latest service information before choosing a river departure.
Putting a bus day together
Here is a manageable example: board near your hotel in the morning and stay on for part of a central loop; get off at Westminster for the Abbey or Parliament Square, stop for lunch, then rejoin the bus towards the Tower. If your ticket includes a river cruise, take the boat from the Tower area back towards Westminster when the sailing time works. If you want a full Tower of London visit, allow at least two or three hours and accept that you may only make one other stop.
For a Kensington day, use a western route to reach South Kensington and spend the afternoon in one of the free museums. You are paying for the sightseeing ride, not for museum admission. If you mainly need transport between a few nearby sights, London’s public buses or the Tube may be more economical; hop-on hop-off buses earn their place when you enjoy the commentary and the views from the upper deck.
Is a sightseeing bus worth it?
We like the idea of using the first ride to get a feel for London, then choosing a couple of stops to explore on foot. If you are travelling with children, a slower day with a proper meal break is usually easier to enjoy than trying to cover every route. If the attractions you want are all close together, an on-foot itinerary and ordinary public transport may suit you better.
Before booking, compare the final price for your party, the stop nearest your accommodation, ticket start time, cruise direction, and whether a walking or night tour is genuinely included. For any sightseeing pass that advertises a bus tour, check which operator and ticket it gives you. A bus ticket is not a substitute for timed entry to attractions.
Hi, we are Alberto and Amy, the London locals behind PlanTrip London. We’ve lived in London since 2010 and have spent every year since exploring the city, from its famous landmarks to the markets, pubs, parks and hidden corners most visitors never find. Over the years we became the go-to trip planners for friends and family visiting London, so we created this site to share the same first-hand, tried-and-tested advice with you. Every itinerary, tip and recommendation here comes from our own experience with our two children, so you can plan a London trip that’s easier, better value and far more memorable.