The London Pass®: 100+ Things To Do – Includes Tower Bridge

The London Pass turns London into one large menu of castles, cathedrals, museums, viewpoints, stadiums, boats, and odd little museums. The best value comes when you plan each day around several costly sights, such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Tower Bridge.

I like two things right away: the pass includes a two-day Big Bus tour and a day of unlimited Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, so you get useful transport as well as admissions. I also like the mix of famous sights and smaller places, from the Golden Hinde to the Fan Museum and Benjamin Franklin House.

The catch is that this is not a magic skip-the-line card. Several major attractions require reservations, operating hours change, and the pass runs on consecutive calendar days, not 24-hour periods. A little planning is essential.

Key points to know before buying

• One pass covers more than 100 attractions, from royal palaces and world-class museums to football stadiums and miniature golf.
• The Tower of London and Tower Bridge make a strong sightseeing pair, and both fit naturally into one Thames-side day.
• The London Eye and The View from The Shard are listed as included, but both require careful checking and reservations through the Go City app or digital guide.
• The Big Bus tour lasts two days, while the Thames Clippers benefit is a one-day River Roamer pass with unlimited use.
• The pass activates at your first attraction, then runs for the number of consecutive days you selected.
• Value depends on pace. You need several paid visits per day to beat the cost of individual tickets.

How the London Pass works in real life

You choose a duration of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or ten days. The listed price is $135.75 per person, though the exact cost can vary by duration and booking date. Your pass is available after confirmation and can be loaded into the Go City app, with a PDF guide also available.

Your pass remains unused for up to one year from purchase. It starts only when you scan it at your first included attraction. From then on, the clock follows consecutive calendar days. Activate it at 4 p.m. and that first day still counts, so start early whenever possible.

Each attraction can be visited once. The pass carries a maximum credit value based on the duration you buy, so it is designed for active sightseeing rather than a casual visit to one or two places.

The app matters. Use it to check opening hours, current attraction rules, reservation instructions, and the latest list of included places. Several frustrations come from treating the pass like a single ticket that works everywhere without preparation. Save the pass on your phone, and keep the PDF or confirmation details available as backup.

The strongest sightseeing day: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and the Thames

The Tower of London is one of the pass’s best inclusions. Give it about two hours, though history fans can easily spend longer. You get a fortress, royal palace, former prison, armoury, and former zoo in one visit, with the Crown Jewels as the major draw.

From here, Tower Bridge is an easy companion stop. Its elevated walkways offer views along the Thames, and the glass floor sections give you a look down toward the road and river below. The visit takes about an hour and adds a good architectural counterpoint to the medieval Tower.

The Tower Bridge queue can become unpleasant in bad weather because shelter is limited. If rain is forecast, check conditions and consider visiting early rather than assuming the pass will whisk you straight inside.

The included Thames Clippers benefit is useful, but think of it as public transport on the river, not a narrated sightseeing cruise. The River Roamer pass allows unlimited use for one day, and the boats connect central London with places such as Greenwich. That makes it handy after Tower Bridge, especially if you want to reach Greenwich without crossing the city by Tube.

The tradeoff is simple: the boat is a practical river bus. You may get fine views, but commentary and sightseeing narration are not its main purpose.

London’s big-name sights and the reservation problem

The London Eye is one of the listed highlights. Its 135-metre height and 32 glass pods give you a broad view across central London. Plan about 30 minutes for the attraction itself, but allow extra time for entry and scheduling.

Reservations are required. Check available times in the Go City app before building your day around it. Availability can be tight, and the pass does not help if all suitable time slots are gone.

The View from The Shard gives you London from a much higher point. The pass includes the indoor viewing gallery, the open-air Skydeck on floor 72, a panoramic guide, and four digital photos. Plan about two hours.

The important limitation is that pass holders can book daytime visits only, with the last available slot listed as 5:15 p.m. If you want a sunset or evening view, this pass may not fit your plan. Reserve well ahead, then organize nearby stops around that appointment.

Westminster Abbey takes about an hour and is one of the most rewarding historic buildings in the city. St. Paul’s Cathedral also takes about an hour, with Christopher Wren’s great dome and the story of London’s rebuilding after the 1666 fire.

These four attractions can easily justify a large part of the pass price, but not in a single rushed day. The Eye and Shard require reservations, and Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s have their own schedules and service-related closures. Check before setting out.

Big Bus: useful overview, imperfect transport

The two-day classic Big Bus tour is a major part of the pass’s value. For a first visit, I like using it early to connect the major areas and get a basic sense of the city. Some services include onboard commentary, and the hop-on, hop-off format lets you stop near major sights.

Do not build a tight itinerary around bus arrival times. Construction detours can remove stops without much warning, and buses may arrive less often than expected at busy points. Service problems can also cost you sightseeing time.

Use the bus for orientation and broad sightseeing, not as your only transport plan. If you have a timed entry at the London Eye, Shard, or another reserved attraction, leave plenty of room. The Tube, walking, or a taxi may be more reliable when a schedule matters.

The two-day duration is generous, but the bus itself is not a guarantee of a smooth day. Check the current route and stop information before leaving your hotel, then keep the nearest Tube station in mind.

Royal London beyond Buckingham Palace

Kensington Palace is included and takes about two hours. It offers royal rooms and exhibitions in a more manageable setting than some of London’s biggest attractions. Advanced reservations are required.

Hampton Court Palace makes a strong half-day trip. Allow about three hours for the former home of Henry VIII, including the palace interiors and grounds. It is outside central London, so do not pair it with a long list of central attractions.

Windsor Castle also needs a separate block of time. The journey outside London is worthwhile for its royal setting and Norman-era origins, but the pass does not include your transport there. Allow at least two hours at the castle itself, plus travel time.

The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace focuses on changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection. It takes about an hour and works well with Apsley House and Wellington Arch, both near Hyde Park and the ceremonial heart of London.

Apsley House, once the Duke of Wellington’s home, takes about an hour. Wellington Arch adds views over the surrounding parks and city. Both require reservations according to the pass information, so check before walking over.

Greenwich, Kew, and other full-day detours

Greenwich rewards a full day. Combine the Royal Observatory with the National Maritime Museum and Cutty Sark, then use the Thames Clippers to return toward central London.

The Royal Observatory takes about 90 minutes and covers Greenwich Mean Time, the Prime Meridian, Flamsteed House, and the story of British astronomy. The National Maritime Museum takes about two hours and covers Britain’s seafaring past. Cutty Sark takes roughly 90 minutes and lets you explore the surviving tea clipper from below and inside.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew needs more than the listed one-hour estimate if you want the gardens and glasshouses to feel worthwhile. It is a large place, and reservations are required.

Eltham Palace and Gardens offers another two-hour outing, mixing medieval royal connections with a later palace setting. It requires advance booking.

These attractions are excellent for a longer pass. They are less useful if you buy a one-day pass and expect to squeeze in several central London sights as well.

Museums for rainy afternoons and curious minds

London’s free national museums are not usually the reason to buy this pass, but the included extras can fill a wet afternoon or add variety to a busy schedule.

The London Transport Museum takes about an hour and explains how transport shaped the modern city. The Charles Dickens Museum offers his former home, manuscripts, personal belongings, and more than 100,000 items, with last admission at 4 p.m.

The Postal Museum covers communication, the Mail Rail, and the Great Train Robbery. It requires a reservation. The Foundling Museum tells the difficult story of the Foundling Hospital and the children it cared for.

The Freud Museum includes Freud’s study, his original psychoanalytic couch, and a collection of more than 2,000 antiquities. Keats House presents the poet’s home, artifacts, gardens, and literary displays.

The Cartoon Museum, Museum of Brands, Fan Museum, Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, Garden Museum, Guildhall Art Gallery, and Chelsea Physic Garden are smaller stops. They are not essential for every first visit, but they are exactly the sort of places that can make a longer London stay feel personal rather than routine.

Frameless and Moco Museum London offer more modern, visual experiences. Frameless uses four themed galleries to project famous works with sound and movement. Moco focuses on contemporary artists including Banksy, Andy Warhol, Yayoi Kusama, Keith Haring, and Damien Hirst, and includes a gift bag for pass holders.

Sports, theatre, film, and family choices

The pass is unusually useful if your interests go beyond monuments. You can tour Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, Chelsea’s home ground, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Twickenham, with the World Rugby Museum included at Twickenham.

The Kia Oval offers cricket history and a stadium visit. Reservations are required. London Zoo provides a three-hour family outing in Regent’s Park, while Chessington World of Adventures offers a much larger theme park day outside central London. Chessington requires reservations.

Shakespeare’s Globe takes about two hours and presents a reconstructed open-air playhouse. The Royal Albert Hall tour takes about an hour, but book ahead.

Brit Icon Tours offer themed walking tours connected with Doctor Who, Harry Potter, James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, Paddington Bear, The Crown, Bridget Jones, and Downton Abbey. These require reservations and can be a fun choice if you would rather follow London through film and television than through royal history.

The pass also includes cinema options at Curzon Mayfair, Soho, and Bloomsbury. Each can take about two hours, but their value depends on the scheduled film or event during your dates.

For lighter entertainment, you can choose nine-hole crazy golf at Swingers City or Swingers West End. These are available on the pass Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays before 5 p.m. QUEENS adds ice skating, bowling, arcade games, food, and drinks, with advance booking required.

How to make the pass pay for itself

At $135.75 per person, the pass rewards concentration. A two-day pass can work well if you start early, use the bus or boat efficiently, and visit several paid attractions each day.

I would first list the attractions you would pay for anyway. Add the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s, Tower Bridge, a stadium tour, or a palace. Then check the current individual prices and reservation availability.

Do not count every attraction simply because it appears in the app. Some museums may be inexpensive, some free alternatives may satisfy the same interest, and transport time can make a distant stop poor value.

The pass works best for:

• First-time visitors with a short, busy stay
• Families who want several paid attractions
• History fans planning the Tower, Abbey, palace, and cathedral
• Sports fans who want a stadium tour
• Visitors staying long enough to use Kew, Greenwich, Windsor, or Hampton Court
• People who appreciate having a ready-made sightseeing framework

It is a weaker choice if you prefer slow mornings, free museums, neighborhood walks, markets, and long pub lunches. It is also risky if you buy a short pass without checking reservations first.

Practical tips that will save your day

Open the Go City app before your trip and mark every attraction that needs a reservation. Pay special attention to the London Eye, The View from The Shard, Madame Tussauds, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace, Kew, Science Museum activities, and themed tours.

Plan by area. Put Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and the Thames together. Group Greenwich attractions. Pair the King’s Gallery with Apsley House and Wellington Arch. Save smaller museums for gaps caused by weather or changing schedules.

Start the first pass day early. Since the pass runs by calendar day, an afternoon activation gives you poor value unless you only want one late attraction.

Keep your phone charged. Pass access is digital, and technical trouble can waste precious sightseeing time. A PDF guide or paper backup can help, but do not assume a screenshot will replace the official pass display.

Allow slack around the Big Bus. If a stop is closed or buses are delayed, switch to the Tube or walk rather than losing an hour waiting.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the experience start time. Inside that window, the booking is nonrefundable, so make your decision before the deadline.

Should you buy The London Pass?

I would buy it for a tightly planned London visit built around expensive sights. The combination of the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s, Tower Bridge, the Thames boat, and the two-day bus can deliver strong value.

I would not buy it blindly. Confirm the current attraction list, reserve the popular time slots, and calculate your likely admissions before paying. If the London Eye or Shard is central to your plan, check actual availability first.

For a fast first visit, the pass can save money and reduce decision-making. For a relaxed trip, individual tickets and London’s free museums may suit you better.

FAQ

How many attractions are included with The London Pass?

The pass includes access to more than 100 attractions, though the exact list can change. Use the Go City app or digital guide for the current selection.

How long can I use the pass?

You can choose one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or ten days. The pass is valid for consecutive calendar days after activation.

When does the pass activate?

It activates when you first visit an included attraction. It is not activated simply by purchasing it.

How long is the pass valid after purchase?

Your unused pass is valid for up to one year from the purchase date.

Is the London Eye included?

The London Eye is listed as an included attraction, but reservations are required. Check the Go City app for operating times and booking instructions.

Is The View from The Shard included?

The View from The Shard is listed as included. Advanced reservations are required, and pass holders can book daytime visits, with the last listed slot at 5:15 p.m.

Does the pass include public transportation?

It includes a one-day River Roamer pass for unlimited use of Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. Transportation to and from other attractions is not included unless specifically stated.

How long is the Big Bus ticket valid?

The pass includes a two-day classic London Hop-on Hop-off Big Bus tour.

Can I visit an attraction more than once?

No. Each included attraction can be visited once with the pass.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund.