London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Discover London your way with a hop-on hop-off bus tour, plus a Thames River cruise included with selected tickets. Pass iconic sights including the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben while enjoying entertaining commentary on London’s history and culture.
Your ticket gives access to three routes. The Red Route covers major landmarks such as Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and St Paul’s Cathedral. The Blue Route travels from Kensington Palace to the Tower of London, stopping near Harrods, the Natural History Museum and Notting Hill. The Green Route connects King’s Cross and St Pancras with Covent Garden via the British Museum.
Choose a 24-hour or 48-hour ticket to enjoy the Thames River cruise. 48-hour tickets also include live guided walking tours in English: the Royal Walk, Jack the Ripper Walk and Harry Potter Walking Tour. Upgrade to include the Panoramic Evening Tour for stunning night-time views of London.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Your ticket’s validity period begins from the date and time it is activated.
Buses are all equipped with ramps for wheelchairs or strollers
Activate your mobile voucher or QR at any of the designated Big Bus stops
Infants aged 3 and under travel free of charge and do not require a ticket
1-Day Ticket does NOT include a River Cruise.
Please note that Stop 1 – Green Park is currently affected by a long-term closure of the main bus stand. While the Blue and Red Tours will continue to pass through this stop, boarding is impacted. As a result, the Red Tour now starts and ends at Stop 2 – Hard Rock. Customers are advised to board from this location.
If you purchased a 48-hour ticket, 3 walking tours are included. Meet your guide at the Big Bus Stop listed below and have your printed or digital ticket ready. Please arrive 15 minutes before departure. All tours are live guided and conducted in English only. Tours last approximately 1.5–2 hours. Royal Walk – 10:00 | Stop #8 Trafalgar Square Jack the Ripper Walk – 13:00 | Stop #19 Tower of London Harry Potter Walking Tour – 16:00 | Stop #21 Westminster Pier
Download the Big Bus Tours app to access and activate your ticket, track buses in real time, and board easily using your mobile ticket.
What To Expect
Duration:2 hours 30 minutes
Operating Schedule:Buses depart every 15-20 mins. The first bus departs from Stop 2: Hard Rock Cafe at 8:30 AM and the last bus departs at 18:00 PM.
Stop 1: Green Park Underground
Stop 2: Hard Rock Cafe
Stop 3: Queen Mother Gates
Stop 4: Marble Arch
Stop 5: Regent Street
Stop 6: Piccadilly Circus
Stop 7: Haymarket (Stop R)
Stop 8: Trafalgar Square
Stop 9: Craig's Court
Stop 10: Horseguards
Stop 11: Whitehall
Stop 12: London Eye (Eastbound)
Stop 13: Waterloo (Eastbound)
Stop 14: Covent Garden
Stop 15: St Paul's Cathedral
Stop 16: Monument (Bus stop P, stop outside Pret)
Stop 17: London Bridge
Stop 18: Southwark (Stop J, at City Hall)
Stop 19: Tower of London
Stop 20: Temple Underground Station
Stop 21: Westminster Pier
Stop 22: London Eye (Westbound)
Stop 23: Lambeth Palace
Stop 24: College Green
Stop 25: Tothill Street
Stop 26: Buckingham Palace
Stop 28: Victoria Station
Duration:3 hours 35 minutes
Operating Schedule:Buses depart every 20 mins. The first bus departs from Stop 4: Marble Arch (Westbound) at 8:31 AM and the last bus departs at 4:18 PM.
Stop 27: Victoria, Nova Complex
Stop 28: Victoria Station
Stop 29: Queen Mother Gates
Stop 30: Marble Arch (Westbound)
Stop 31: Green Park
Stop 32: Hard Rock Cafe
Stop 33: Hyde Park Corner
Stop 34: Harrods
Stop 35: Kensington Museums
Stop 36: Gloucester Road
Stop 37: Kensington Palace
Stop 38: Notting Hill
Stop 39: Kensington Gardens
Stop 40: Thistle Hotel Kensington Gardens
Stop 41: Peter Pan
Stop 42: Lancaster Gate
Stop 43: Paddington Station
Bus Stop 44: Edgware Road
Stop 45: Marble Arch (Eastbound)
Stop 46: Baker Street
Stop 47: Oxford Circus
Stop 5: Regent Street
Stop 6: Piccadilly Circus
Stop 7: Haymarket (Stop R)
Stop 8: Trafalgar Square
Stop 9: Craig's Court
Stop 10: Horseguards
Stop 11: Whitehall
Stop 12: London Eye (Eastbound)
Stop 13: Waterloo (Eastbound)
Stop 14: Covent Garden
Stop 15: St Paul's Cathedral
Stop 16: Monument (Bus stop P, stop outside Pret)v
Stop 17: London Bridge
Stop 18: Southwark (Stop J, at City Hall)
Stop 19: Tower of London
Stop 20: Temple Underground Station
Stop 22: London Eye (Westbound)
Stop 23: Lambeth Palace
Stop 24: College Green
Stop 25: Tothill Street
Stop 26: Buckingham Palace
Duration:1 hour 10 minutes
Operating Schedule:Buses depart every 45mins. The first bus departs from Stop 48: Woburn at 8:30 AM and the last bus departs at 4:30 PM.
Stop 48: Woburn
Stop 49: Euston Station
Stop 50: Kings Cross Station
Stop 51: St Pancras Station
Stop 52: Euston Road
Stop 53: Woburn (Southbound)
Stop 54: British Museum (Southbound)
Stop 20: Temple Underground Station
Stop 14: Covent Garden
Stop 55: British Museum (Northbound)
Options
One day Hop-on Hop-off
Duration: 1 day: Unlimited use valid for 1 Day from time of first use. 3 Hop-on, Hop-off Routes: Unlimited Hop-on, Hop-off access for the duration of your ticket.
24-Hour Ticket & River Cruise
Duration: 1 day: Unlimited use valid for 24 hours from time of first use. 3 Hop-on, Hop-off Routes: Unlimited Hop-on, Hop-off access for the duration of your ticket. One-Way River Cruise: Starting at either Tower Pier or Westminster Pier.
48-Hour Ticket & River Cruise
Duration: 2 days: Unlimited use valid for 48 hours from time of first use. 3 Hop-on, Hop-off Routes: Unlimited Hop-on, Hop-off access for the duration of your ticket. Themed Walking Tours: Choose from 3 different themed walking tours, please speak to a member of staff on the day. One-Way River Cruise: Starting at either Tower Pier or Westminster Pier.
48-Hour Ticket & Night Tour
Themed Walking Tours: Choose from 3 different themed live guided walking tours. Speak with a member of staff on the day to arrange these tours Duration: 2 days: Unlimited use valid for 48 hours from time of first use. 3 Hop-on, Hop-off Routes: Unlimited Hop-on, Hop-off access for the duration of your ticket. 7:30 PM Panoramic Evening Tour: Departure at London Eye (Stop 11). Full tour lasts 2 hours and is non-stop. With pre-recorded commentary. One-Way River Cruise: Starting at either Tower Pier or Westminster Pier.
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)
Royal Walk, Harry Potter, and Jack the Ripper
2-Hour Non-Stop Panoramic Evening Tour (Available With Selected Ticket Option)
Headphones
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)
Food and drinks
Hotel Pick-up & Drop-off
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
11,027 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
It’s worth the money
Alice R,Jun 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Good for first time visiting London on a 2 night stay before embarking in Southampton port . Gives you an idea on the best places to go for your next visit to London
Book directly with big bus
Meg R,Jun 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00I would book directly thru big bus. I had so much trouble finding the routes and other info we never used it. Wasted $100.
Seeing London
Barbara B,Jun 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00I got a 48-hour pass but probably could have gotten it for just one day because I ended up not starting it until the second day. One reason for starting it late was having a hard time finding out at which bus stops I could find a Big Bus ticketing person because I had a hard time getting my proper voucher electronically. Not all stops have personnel there (most don’t), and I needed the proper voucher or ticket so that I could then also take advantage of the river cruise. But I did use the bus to get around. I would recommend doing any hop on-off bus on the first day one is in the new city and not wait until you’ve already been there for several days because doing it right away, if the timing works, allows you to get the city layout much better to know how far things are apart from each other. But now I understand the huge city of London a little better and appreciate the narrative (given in multiple languages) in the bus audio about the sites and history. And I really enjoyed seeing the sites along the river on the river cruise (which only goes one-way or the other and is not a round trip to/from the same dock).
Under Utilized
Melissa H,Jun 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00We did not use this as much as I expected. I wanted us to have something to do on the day we landed that was not to much work. The initial stop was close to our hotel and convenient. Waiting for a 20 mins between one stop was not in the cards. We decided to walk back to our hotel. The boat tour was quick and it was high lights of buildings on each side of the Thames. I am glad we choose to add the river cruise to see some do the sites. Although this was not marked well on where to get on we figured it out. The Thames is likely the dirtiest body of water I have seen but the historic landmarks were nice to see. The Tube was close and convenient to the beginning and ends of the boat tour.
Not a great experience
I6488SYlisar,Jun 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00Drivers and stop attendants did not convey information proactively and seemed to be in bad moods. The recorded guide was trying to be funny and cute rather than useful.
Great experience
Corina R,Jun 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Easy and pleasant way to see London main attractions from bus and boat in 24 hours. Start early to allow time for visiting sites of interest.
Great Experience
GARY R,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Very educational and fun facts. On time and easy on and off stops. Knowledgeable narrator. Professional driver.
48 hour tix
Caryn R,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00We booked 48 hr Blue Line w/River Cruise. It was supposed to make 42 stops, in 3.5 hours. Somewhere along the route the bus repeated a part of the route we’d already covered. Then the audiotape was not well synchronized with the visual of the monuments. Frustrated by this we opted to get off the bus & make our own walking tour using gps for maps & Google to gather info. The River cruise was great but only one-way. This was odd. We were given instructions on how to make our way back to our original start. Lee was excellent as our guide on the cruise! Appreciated his jokes, humor & knowledge of everything along the River Thames.
Very little narration, route changes with no info
Emaily2,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00Must download app to use as ticket. Narration was appallingly sparse. We drove by so many interesting buildings with no comments. A route change bypassed where we had planned to get off and we were driven farther and farther from our destination with no opportunity to get off until we were on the other side of the Thames. Thanks for the extra expense for the taxi home! Drivers clearly hate their jobs which given London traffic I can understand.
Unused and unavailable
Cindy J,Jun 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
1.00The time on my trip that I would have used this, the bus wad closed for the Kings parade. I will stop purchasing this type of tour in advance.
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Operated by Big Bus London