London Bus Tour: Open-Top City Exploration
3.7
10.8k Ratings

Experience the best of London with a Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise. Explore top attractions, enjoy panoramic views, and listen to captivating commentary.

Duration: 7 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights

Red Route (Route)

Operating Schedule: Buses run every 20-30 minutes. The first bus leaves from Stop 1: Green Park Underground at 8:30 AM, and the final bus departs at 5:10 PM.
1. The Green Park
Stop 1: Green Park Underground
2. Hard Rock Cafe
Stop 2: Hard Rock Cafe
3. Queen Elizabeth Gate
Stop 3: Queen Mother Gates…

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What's Included
  • Recorded Commentary Available in 7 Languages
  • One-day, 24- or 48-hour hop-on hop-off bus ticket (depending on option selected)
  • 2-Hour Non-Stop Panoramic Evening Tour (Available With Selected Ticket Option)
  • Free Wi-Fi On Board
  • One-Way Thames River Cruise (Included With 24- and 48-Hour Tickets Only)
  • 3 guided walking tours (with 48-hour options)
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
Additional Information

Discover London at your leisure with a hop-on hop-off bus tour, which includes a Thames River cruise with certain ticket options. Visit iconic landmarks such as the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben, all accompanied by engaging commentary that vividly narrates London’s rich history and culture.
Your ticket provides access to…

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Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.7
(10757 Ratings)
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Ameliarh8358rp
Dec 23, 2023
In conclusion, the Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise is a must-do for anyone eager to absorb the magic - My experience with the Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise was nothing short of phenomenal—a quintessential way to explore the beauty and history of this iconic city. The flexibility of the hop-on hop-off concept allowed me to tailor my itinerary to my interests, ensuring that I didn't miss any of London's renowned landmarks. The buses' well-planned routes covered all the major attractions, and the informative audio commentary provided fascinating insights into the city's rich history. The convenience of being able to disembark at any stop and explore at my own pace was a game-changer. Whether it was the historic Tower of London, the vibrant Covent Garden, or the regal Buckingham Palace, I had the freedom to immerse myself in each location and then easily hop back on the bus when ready to move on. The River Cruise was a delightful addition to the experience. Gliding along the Thames, I enjoyed panoramic views of London's skyline, including iconic landmarks such as the Shard, the London Eye, and the Tower Bridge. The live commentary during the cruise added a layer of storytelling that brought the city to life. The staff on both the buses and the river cruise were friendly and helpful, enhancing the overall experience. The buses were comfortable, and the strategic stops made navigating London's vast attractions effortless. In conclusion, the Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise is a must-do for anyone eager to absorb the magic of London. The combination of flexibility, comprehensive coverage, and the scenic river cruise makes it a five-star adventure. Highly recommended for both first-time visitors and seasoned explorers alike.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C8462esmarys
Nov 15, 2023
Disruption surprise - I’d like to comment on the handling of the protest weekend. Your team handled it brilliantly amiss the disruptions, and changes to the routes. Things that were not expected causing your drivers and crew much anguish. Through all that they treated me personally with much care and never faltered on delivering a remarkable experience. One driver personally dropped me off at Harrods at the end of his daily route and I appreciate the extra customer service provided on such a hectic weekend. I did have a 2 day pass and used the 1st day to complete the red route and got some of the blue route done on Saturday. Thank you guys for the extra care.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jenna_v
Mar 20, 2023
Limited hours - Was disappointed with the bus times/availability. Waited 1 hour for the Green Line. Discovered the buses end at 5pm by getting stranded, would have loved for them to go into the evening hours. We enjoyed the included river cruise and commentary. Next time we will just use the city buses and tube.
Review provided by Viator
B55ebjasonh
Jul 17, 2025
- We saw a lot of London, but had to wait for an average 30-40 minutes for a Big bus, while all the other bus tours had 2-3 busses go by. Got left in the middle of London the first day because the last bus supposedly left station 1 at 6pm and we were at station 7 at 6:30. No bus ever showed. A City sightseeing bus was nice enough to give us a ride at 8pm most of the way back to the Tower bridge. We only had to walk a mile and a half to catch our train. STAY AWAY FROM THE BIG BUS. THEY ARE EXPENSIVE AND NEVER AROUND. THEY STOP WAY BEFORE ALL THE OTHER TOURS!!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kbeckley
Nov 14, 2023
Sit in Traffic Simulator - This hop on hop off bus tour is very expensive but we figured the price was worth it as it hit most major attractions we would want to see. That couldnt be further from the truth. In reality you are paying to sit in traffic and listen to the same music repeat it self over and over. Going by the average time given on the website we thought we could do both the Red and Blue routes in a day without much problem. So to start we got on the Red Line at around 9 am, the first bus to come by the stop closest to our hotel that morning. By 1 pm we had only made it just over half way around the Red Loop. 4 hours to do only half the loop they quote 2.5 hours to complete the whole thing. We had to bail on the rest of the loop and didnt even think about trying the Blue Loop.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Raul_t
May 7, 2024
BAD SERVICE. IRRESPONSIBLE AND LACK OF ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FOR THE CUSTOMERS. - Very bad service. I purchased 48 hours ticket and Cruise for me and my wife. I paid $136.22 in total. First day was ok. But on the second day (Tuesday May 7th) we took the bus in Victoria Station ( stop #25) at 5pm. Later about 5:45pm the driver stopped the bus in Praed Street ( stop #40) and told everybody that was the last stop and another bus was coming for us behind him. About 7pm another bus showed up and the driver said he cannot continue the route only to stop # 41 near Marble Arch. Everybody complained but the driver said he was following " instructions" from his boss. My question is: if we were aboard in one bus at 5pm why one of your employees asked to disembark the bus and left in the middle of nowhere in Praed Street? I am asking for a compensation and my money back because that was very sad and lack of responsibility with me and the other customers. I want a refund of my money because I had to pay somebody else to take me to Waterloo and that is a stop the Big Bus should have done. This is not good to drop tourists ( your customers) in the middle of nowhere in London without any assistance or support. I WILL NEVER EVER USE VIATOR AND BIG BUS ANYMORE IN ANY CITY. THEY ARE THE WORST.
Review provided by Viator
Mthurmond
Jan 21, 2024
Very disappointing - I was very disappointed in this tour. I have been on several hop on hop off tours, which were all absolutely wonderful, but this one was not. We had only several hours of daylight to see as much as possible on the day we scheduled, and the bus spent almost a third of that time parked on the sidewalk for the driver to take a break and for a change of driver and then to wait for another bus to come and transfer passengers to ours. A number of the plugs did not transmit sound to the headphones. Finally, we ended up on a blue bus, rather than the red we had thought we were on and thus ended up having to take a taxi far across town to get home when it became too dark and cold to continue on, whereas the red bus would have brought us right around to our hotel. This may have been our fault, but it would have been nice had there been some reminders or more obvious signage.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robert_b
Aug 13, 2023
Physical threat by sales associate - Horrible, 30 minute wait no seats available. Went back to the Picadilly Circle retail store. The sales rep was obnoxious said they were not responsible. Went to shop walked by the store an hour later. The guy started swearing at me folloing me down the street threatened to have someone come to my home to rob and kill me. My 8 year old was hysterical. Walked into the viator retail store told manager he did basically nothing.
Review provided by Viator
Gregory_f
Apr 7, 2023
Not a very good experience - Couldn’t stand the tour guide Nick He is not a tour guide, he is an entertainer. We were expecting more from the tour
Review provided by Viator
Opinions-mattr
Mar 13, 2023
Avoid like the plague - Tourist Trap - The recording promises Rich history and amazing stories. It had none of that. Instead it had countless poor attempts at humour and general comments about being close to “lovely restaurants”. The tour covers a lot of London, it simply fails to tell you what’s there and misses key landmarks. It also waits at stops for unnecessarily long periods for no known reason other than to give you the chance to get off. Every stop you hear that “you’ve arrived at a big bus bus stop remember to take your headphones with you” and in between stops, rather than hearing about rich history and amazing stories you’re listening to 1990s music. If songs were credited for every play the park life by Blur would be number 1 every week as they seemed to play it every day 20 minutes. The app is rubbish too and does not tell you accurately where buses are. Honestly I feel robbed, my son was bored senseless whilst I just felt robbed after paying £72 for the both of us. The commentators are horrendous and the most information they give about anything is a Plug for Hard Rock Cafe which they’re clearly sponsored to do. Seriously, avoid at all costs. You will only be disappointed. Absolutely no one of the bus was smiling.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
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Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).
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