Hop-On Hop-Off Tours in London: The 15 Worth a Whole Day

1.London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 10,803 reviews · 3 hours 35 minutes (approx.) · from $39Our pick

See London from an open-top double-decker on three routes covering Buckingham Palace, the Tower, St. Paul’s, Kensington, and the British Museum. Your pass includes recorded commentary in seven languages and free Wi-Fi. Choose 24 or 48 hours, with a one-way Thames cruise included on those options. The 48-hour ticket adds walking tours and a selected evening tour.

“Worst experience we had in London!! Do NOT do one of these tours. This company left a family of 5 stranded in the London freezing weather as we waited for 45 minutes for the bus to come pick us up at their required spot (#13) near the London Eye. Noone showed up so we were forced to spend more money for a cab to get us home. I placed a formal request for a refund and it was denied. Unbelievably poor customer service. Do NOT waste your money!!!”

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2.City Sights Hop-On Hop-Off Bus & Bookable Extras

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 6,579 reviews · from $56

Use a City Sightseeing London pass for 1, 24, 48, or 72 hours. Ride three routes past Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Hyde Park, Kensington, and Buckingham Palace, with multilingual audio. Longer passes add Thames cruises, walking tours, a Routemaster ride, and, with 72 hours, a night tour.

“I must say gentlemen from Ecuador that helped me find where I have to go because I already had. My ticket was amazing. I think it was Eduardo. I cant remember that he was wonderful and very helpful”

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3.London by Night Sightseeing Open-Top Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,516 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $29Best value

From Green Park, you’ll ride past Harrods, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus. An English-speaking guide such as Michael or Shannon brings the route to life with history, jokes, and photo cues. Bring warm layers, since the upper deck can be cold and windy.

“All in all, I really enjoyed the tour. It was great fun and the guides, Matt and Ness, were very friendly. They told us lots of historical facts and had a really funny British sense of humour! The only downside was that I would have liked some blankets for the journey. I wouldn't have minded paying a deposit for them. It was very cold and windy, especially near the Thames. All in all, I would still do the tour again anytime (in warmer temperatures) and recommend it to others. Many thanks to Matt and Ness and best regards from Berlin! 17 February 2026”

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4.London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5,332 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $74

See London from three useful angles: an open-top Big Bus, a 40-minute Thames cruise, and the London Eye. You can board at stops near Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, and St Paul’s, then hop off when a sight catches your eye. The 48-hour ticket adds Royal, Jack the Ripper, and Harry Potter walking tours.

“The buses always come. You don’t have to wait for long to take them. Thank you for your service”

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5.Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off with optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 4,327 reviews · from $41

See London’s main sights by open-top bus with a 24, 48, or 72-hour ticket. Use live tracking, audio commentary in 10 languages, child-friendly guides, and four self-guided walks. Add the one-way City Cruises trip between Westminster and Tower Pier for a fine river-level view of London.

“Everyone was exceptionally helpful and friendly. London was so cold and rainy that day and it was a perfect option to warm up between sights.”

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6.London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,834 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $53

See London from an open-top double-decker bus across three routes covering Buckingham Palace, the Tower, St Paul’s, museums, Notting Hill, and more. Your pass also includes a Thames sightseeing cruise, adult and children’s audio commentary, and app-based bus tracking. Choose a one, two, or three-day pass.

“It was not a “live” tour. We had difficulty connecting to the description and it didn’t seem like the tour description was customized. It became a way to get around versus a tour.”

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7.Tootbus Must-See Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,653 reviews · 1 - 3 days · from $52

Use a 24, 48, or 72-hour Tootbus pass to see London by open-top bus and Thames boat. Hop off for the Tower, Westminster, St. Paul’s, Soho, or Borough Market, then track the next bus in the app. Commentary comes in 10 languages, with child-friendly English and French options.

“It was a fantastic experience. All the staff were so helpful and supportive. Especially Christina, one of the HOP-ON HOP-OFF BUS drivers was just outstanding. A big shout out for you Christina”

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8.River Thames Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,112 reviews · 1 day · from $33

Use a 24-hour City Cruises ticket to ride between Westminster, the London Eye, Tower Pier, and Greenwich. Expect all-weather boats, open-deck photo views, a bar serving drinks and snacks, and live commentary with history and humor. You can hop off for the Tower of London or Greenwich, then reboard later.

“My family really enjoyed seeing Greater London from the view point of the river. We learnt so much from the commentary and it was delivered in an amusing and easy way to learn about the various iconic buildings. The ferry was roomy and the staff were very helpful. The facilities were clean as well.”

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9.Guided Sightseeing Tour on a Vintage Open-Top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,890 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $40

Ride a 1960s open-top Routemaster from Embankment past St. Paul’s, the Tower of London, Westminster, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus. An English-speaking guide such as Johnny, Paul, or Will adds history, jokes, and local color while you enjoy a fast, useful introduction to London.

“Our guide was excellent and very professional, we are really enjoyed this tour and is the best way to meet the most amazing sites in short time.”

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10.Gray Line London Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Optional Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 2,064 reviews · 1 day (approx.) · from $32

You’ll ride Golden Tours Gray Line buses past the London Eye, Tower of London, Westminster, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s, Notting Hill, and more. Choose a 4-hour, one-day, or 24-hour ticket, with a one-way Thames cruise included only with the 24-hour option. Audio is offered in 12 languages, plus a children’s channel.

“Be aware that road closures and protests will delay the expected time of spots. Due to time we were to board which wax after 4, we only were able to use the bus two hours. We paid with expectation of 4 hours without anyone letting us know in advance it would not be possible to have a round trip back to our first stop. We enjoyed the 1 hr 45 min and hope to get out there again tomorrow”

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11.Nighttime Open-Top Bus Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 1,362 reviews · from $39

Ride through London after dark on a 90-minute open-top bus tour from the London Eye. A live English-speaking guide points out Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and lively central streets, while audio commentary is available in 12 languages. Arrive early for the best upper-deck seats.

“Tim (?) our guide, and Osama (?) sorry, terrible with names...were both excellent. We absolutely recommend this tour, either upon first arriving in London, or *(as we did) several days into our trip when we just couldn't walk anymore! It's an intensively walkable city, but it's great to see all the main sights condensed into 75 or so minutes. Especially with all the little secrets and silly puns!”

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12.Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing River Cruise on the Thames

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,256 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $33

Use a 24-hour City Cruises pass to ride the Thames between Westminster, Waterloo, Tower, and Greenwich piers. Choose indoor or open-air seating, hear live commentary, and hop off near major sights. The service is flexible, but boat times, limited stops, and occasional cancellations make planning essential.

“Great weather London was meant to be seen from the Themes. Great photos short lines. The food on board is s but expensive”

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13.City Sightseeing London Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour & Bookable Extras

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,224 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $37

See London from an open-top double-decker bus on red, blue, and green routes. Choose a date-based, 24-hour, 48-hour, or 72-hour ticket, then hop off at Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Harrods, the British Museum, and more. Longer tickets add a Thames cruise, Greenwich, a Routemaster ride, or a night tour.

“Great service, very helpful. Excellent information about the areas of interest. Our lady driver radioed ahead and got us on the blue route bus so we could transfer. Awesome service with a smile. Thank you for helping us getting where we wanted to go.”

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14.Golden Tours Gray Line Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 1,112 reviews · from $52

Use a 1 to 3-day Golden Tours pass to explore London across three routes and more than 70 stops. Ride past Big Ben, the Tower, Buckingham Palace, museums, and Hyde Park, with a one-way Thames cruise and walking tour included on 24, 48, and 72-hour passes. Audio commentary comes in 12 languages, and selected Blue Route departures have a live guide.

“The two of us had a great day seeing the sights and managed to do all 3 tours. Slight hiccup on the second tour as we had no sound, but once we transferred to a bus with sound it was fine. Did not know that the buses were not allowed to drive in certain areas, so it was disappointing that we didn't get a good view of Buckingham Palace. I thought more could have been said about Westminster Abbey but as so much happens in a small area there perhaps there wasn't enough time in the commentary to say more. Top marks to the friendly tour bus controller who comes…”

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15.London by Night Sightseeing Tour – Open Top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,060 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $40

Ride from Green Park through Piccadilly, Westminster, the Thames, St Paul’s, Tower Bridge, and Kensington on a 90-minute evening tour. An English-speaking guide provides live commentary, with Michael among the guides praised for humor and insight. Choose the upper deck for the best views, but dress warmly and arrive early for a seat.

“It can get very cold , wrap up well. The tour guide was funny & kept us entertained, when traffic was heavy, the congestion is a downside but seeing Big Ben at night & London eye, London Bridge was great , we enjoyed it .”

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