Which bus?
Hop-on hop-off buses in London compared
Routes, how often the buses come, what is included and the best ticket price from our partners.
| Big Bus Tours | Golden Tours | Tootbus | City Sightseeing London | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Routes | Red route 28 stops · Every 15–20 min · 8:30–17:00Blue route 43 stops · Every 15–30 min · 8:30–17:50Green link 10 stops · Every 45 min · 8:30–17:15 | Blue route (Classic) 20 stops · Every 20–30 min · Loops 9:00–17:00Red route (Essential) 32 stops · Every 30 min · Loops 10:00–15:30Orange route (Museums) 33 stops · Every 30 min · Loops 9:30–16:00 | Red route 22 stops · Every 16–20 min · 8:30–18:30Blue route 23 stops · Every 20–30 min · 8:30–18:00Green route 9 stops · Every 60 min · 8:30–17:30Pink route 7 stops · Every 60 min · 8:30–17:30 | Red route 27 stops · Every 20 min · 9:00–18:20Blue route 13 stops · Every 45 min · 9:30–17:00Green route (Fri–Sun) 11 stops · 7 buses a day · 9:30–17:40 |
| Commentary | Recorded audio in several languages | Recorded audio in 12 languages; live guide on some buses | Recorded audio in 10 languages | Recorded audio in 11 languages |
| Included | River cruise included, 3 guided walks on 48 h tickets, Evening tour on Explore tickets | River cruise on cruise tickets, 2 free walking tours, Free Wi-Fi | River cruise included, 6 self-guided walks in the app | River cruise on cruise tickets |
| Rating | ★ 4.1 · 4,831 reviews | ★ 4.1 · 2,323 reviews | – | ★ 4.3 · 8,142 reviews |
| Tickets | From £39 | From £30 | Official site | From £31 |
Routes, stops and hours as published by each operator, checked 2026-10-19. Routes change with roadworks and seasons: check the operator's site on the day.
On the routes
Top 10 sights from the bus
The best stops to hop off at, ranked by our score.
1
Tower of London
Trace two rings of walls and a moat around a fortress begun in 1066, then stand beneath the White Tower that gives it its name. Then see the Crown…
Castlesabout 3 hTower Hill
Tickets from £38See on map
2Tower Bridge
Stand on the bridge above the Thames and watch the river slide past the Tower of London's walls. Gothic towers and Victorian steel make every…
Bridgesabout 1 h 15Tower Hill
Tickets from £18See on map →
3Westminster Abbey
Walk the same stone floors where 40 monarchs were crowned and trace royal tombs and poets' memorials under soaring Gothic vaults. Step inside for…
Churches & cathedralsabout 2 hWestminster
Tickets from £31See on map →
4St Paul's Cathedral
Stand beneath Wren's great dome, finished in 1710, and feel the hush of a working cathedral on Ludgate Hill. Trace centuries of London history,…
Churches & cathedralsabout 2 hSt Paul's
Tickets from £27See on map →
5Royal Albert Hall
Find a seat among 5,272 others in a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington. Catch a live performance, or take the one-hour tour to…
Theatresabout 2 h 30South Kensington
See on map →
6National Gallery
Step off Trafalgar Square into rooms of paintings spanning the mid-13th century to 1900, and let the canvases hold your attention for as long as…
Art galleriesabout 2 hLeicester Square
Free entrySee on map →
7Natural History Museum
Come face to face with a vast range of natural history specimens, from towering skeletons to tiny preserved creatures. Lose yourself for hours in…
Museumsabout 2 h 30South Kensington
Free entrySee on map →
8British Museum
Step into eight million artefacts that trace human history from its earliest beginnings to today. Lose track of the hours in galleries of art and…
Museumsabout 3 hRussell Square
Free entrySee on map →
9Buckingham Palace
Step into the working headquarters of the British monarchy, where state occasions and royal hospitality unfold. Then watch scarlet-coated guards…
Palaces & royal sitesabout 2 h 15St. James's Park
Tickets from £37See on map →
10Sky Garden
Rise to three floors of planted terraces and glass walls, with London's rooftops spread out far below. Linger among the greenery and watch the…
Architectureabout 1 hMonument
Free entrySee on map →
No ticket needed
Free sights at the stops
Hop off for these without paying a penny.
Borough Market
Wander the 1850s market halls of Borough Market, where cheese wheels, fresh bread and spiced oils crowd the stalls. Taste your way along the…
Markets & food hallsabout 1 hLondon Bridge
Free entrySee on map →
Victoria and Albert Museum
Wander through a sprawling trove of fashion, furniture, jewellery and ceramics gathered from cultures around the world. With over 2.8 million…
Museumsabout 2 h 30South Kensington
Free entrySee on map →
Tate Britain
Wander through centuries of British art, then step into the rooms of J. M. W. Turner's paintings. Easy to lose a whole afternoon here while the…
Art galleriesabout 1 h 30Vauxhall
Free entrySee on map →
Science Museum
Press buttons, test hands-on experiments and watch vast steam engines loom over you in galleries packed with working machines. Step inside on a…
Museumsabout 2 hSouth Kensington
Free entrySee on map →
Diana Memorial Playground
A Peter Pan pirate galleon with crow's nests and a tunnel slide, beached in sand with a treehouse and water play all around.
Kids & familyabout 1 hQueensway
Free entrySee on map →
National Portrait Gallery
Come face to face with Britain's famous faces, from Tudor monarchs to modern icons, and see how each sitter was painted. Give yourself a whole…
Art galleriesabout 1 h 30Leicester Square
Free entrySee on map →
British Library
Wander through galleries of treasures gathered from many countries, then slip into the hush of the reading rooms. Hours slip by fast here, whether…
Libraries & bookshopsKing's Cross St Pancras
Free entrySee on map →
Savile Row
The street of bespoke tailoring since the early 1800s, home to Henry Poole at No. 15 and Gieves & Hawkes at No. 1. The Beatles played their famous…
Shoppingabout 20 minOxford Circus
Free entrySee on map →
Where to stay near the bus routes
See hotels on a map next to the stops, with live prices.
All 446 things to do in London
Museums, landmarks and hidden gems on one map, plus 17 day trips.