"We discovered a small shopping street while passing through and decided to explore it. Having the freedom to change plans made the day feel personal and unhurried."
Gray Line: London Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Tower of London
Overview
See the best of London and step into centuries of British history with the Gray Line London Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Tower of London. Enjoy panoramic views from an open-top sightseeing bus as you travel past iconic landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge. With the freedom to hop off and explore along the way, you can discover London at your own pace before visiting the historic Tower of London. This experience combines convenient London sightseeing with an unforgettable visit to one of the city’s most famous landmarks.
Tour's Features
Free Cancellation
Mobile Voucher
Paper Voucher
Wheelchair Access
Wi-Fi Onboard
Audio Guide
English
French
German
Italian
Spanish
Portuguese
Russian
Japanese
Chinese
Hindi
Arabic
Brazilian
Highlights
- Explore London’s most famous landmarks from the comfort of an open-top hop-on hop-off bus.
- Discover historic attractions including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London.
- Enjoy the flexibility to hop off and explore London’s neighbourhoods, attractions and landmarks at your own pace.
- Visit the historic Tower of London and uncover centuries of royal and British history.
- Admire panoramic views of the River Thames, Tower Bridge and London’s iconic skyline.
- Combine flexible city sightseeing with one of London’s most fascinating historic attractions.
Itinerary
London Landmarks and the Tower of London
Begin your London adventure by boarding the open-top sightseeing bus and settling in for a panoramic journey through the heart of the capital. As the bus moves through the city, enjoy excellent views of London’s historic streets, grand architecture and famous landmarks while listening to informative commentary about the capital’s fascinating past.
Travel through the Westminster area and take in views of some of London’s best-known sights. See Buckingham Palace, the traditional London residence associated with the British monarchy, and continue towards Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. The surrounding area offers an impressive combination of royal, political and religious history.
Continue through central London towards the City, where the character of the capital changes from royal avenues to historic financial streets. Along the route, look out for St Paul’s Cathedral, one of London’s most recognisable architectural landmarks. You can hop off at selected stops to explore nearby attractions, enjoy a meal or take photographs before continuing your journey.
Make your way towards the River Thames and the historic Tower district. Here, your sightseeing experience continues with entry to the Tower of London, one of Britain’s most fascinating historic fortresses.
Step inside the Tower and explore its remarkable history, from royal residence and fortress to prison and place of execution. Discover stories connected with famous prisoners, medieval monarchs and dramatic events that shaped England’s past. Take time to explore the historic buildings and grounds and learn about the Tower’s changing role over the centuries.
The Tower also provides an excellent opportunity to admire views of Tower Bridge and the River Thames. Take photographs from the riverside before continuing your London sightseeing adventure.
After exploring the Tower of London, return to the hop-on hop-off route and continue discovering the capital. Use the flexibility of the sightseeing bus to visit more attractions, explore shopping districts or simply remain onboard for a relaxing panoramic tour.
From royal landmarks and historic streets to the Tower of London and Thames views, this experience provides an enjoyable introduction to the many sides of the British capital.
What's Included
What's Included
- Hop on Hop off Ticket - 1 Day, 24 hrs, 48 hrs and 72 hrs
- Free Wi-Fi on all Open Top buses
- Admission to Tower of London
- Audio guides available on the bus in 12 languages + kids commentary in English
- River Thames one-way boat ride applicable with the 24, 48 or 72 hour bus ticket*
Schedule
The Classic Tour (Blue Route):
- First Bus: 09:00am, Last Bus: 05:00pm
- Frequency: Every 20-30 Minutes
- Full Loop: Approx. 120 minutes
- First Stop: London Eye, Belvedere Road, Tourist Bus Stop, London, SE1 7NA. (Nearest tube and train station: Waterloo, approximately a 2-minute walk)
The Essential Tour (Red Route):
- First Bus: 10:00am, Last Bus: 07:00pm
- Frequency: Every 30 Minutes
- Full Loop: Approx. 180 minutes
- First Stop: Lambeth Palace Road, outside Lambeth Palace, Tour Bus Stand. (BP5844)
The Museum Tour (Orange Route):
- First Bus: 09:30am, Last Bus: 04:00pm
- Frequency: Every 30 Minutes
- Full Loop: Approx. 50 minutes
- First Stop: Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly, Opposite Hard Rock Café, Tour Bus Stand. (BP4661). Depart.
Boat Ride (Operated by City Cruises)
- Operating Hours: 10:00am to 06:00pm
- Duration : 30 minutes approx.
- Frequency: Boats leave every 30 minutes from:
- Meeting Location: Westminster Pier, Victoria Embankment, London SW1A 2JH || Tower Millennium Pier, Lower Thames St, London EC3N 4DT
Tower of London Tour:
- Opening Times: 10:00am to 04:30pm (Last admission at 03:30pm)
- Meeting Point: Tower of London, London, EC3N 4AB.
Redemption Info
- You can redeem your mobile or printed voucher for Hop on Hop off Bus at any of the stops. However we recommend boarding from London Eye, Belvedere Road, Tourist Bus Stop, London, SE1 7NA.
- Both mobile and printed vouchers are accepted
- Upon exchanging your voucher, you will receive a ticket which should be kept until the tour's expiry date
- Please take note of the expiry date on your ticket. Once your voucher has been exchanged for a ticket, the voucher will no longer be valid.
- Please be aware that in the event of losing your voucher or ticket, the company will not be liable for any refunds.
- Bus Service Disruption Information
Know Before You Go
Tour Validity :
- Remember that your vouchers will remain valid for the specific date and time that you selected during the booking process.
Important Info:
- There may be disruptions due to weather, traffic, and events. Refunds due to weather will not be issued unless the service is suspended due to weather.
- Infants will continue to travel free of charge and without a ticket while placed on the lap of a paying adult (up to two infants per adult). If the infant needs a separate individual seat, a kid category ticket must be ordered.
- Multiday tickets may only be used on consecutive days.
- Complimentary ear phones are provided, or you may use your own wired earbuds with a jack plug.
- Road closures and heavy traffic can result in delays, reduced trips, and route modifications. We'll make every effort to deliver a seamless and regular service! Under these circumstances, there will be no refund.
- River Cruise: Seats are allocated on a first-come first-served basis, we highly recommend customers to arrive to the meeting point at least 15 minutes before the tour departure.
- River Thames one-way boat ride applicable with the 24, 48 or 72 hour bus ticket*
- Guests can visit the Abbey at any time. Please see the schedule for opening hours.
- St Pauls Cathedral: Monday to Saturday - The Cathedral is open 8:30am to 4:30pm (last admission 4:00pm). On Wednesdays, the cathedral opens at 10am.
The galleries are open 9:30am (10:00am on Wednesdays) to 4:15pm. (The Whispering Gallery will remain temporarily closed.)
Jack the Ripper Walking Tour:
- Start time: 3:30pm daily (Please arrive 15 minutes prior to departure time)
- Finish time: 5pm
- Departure Point and Directions: Golden Tours Tourist Bus Stop 8 (Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour). Opposite Tower Hill Station.
- Return Location: Near Liverpool Street Underground Station
Royal Walking Tour:
- Start time: 10am daily (Please arrive 15 minutes prior to departure time)
- Finish: 12pm
- Departure Point: Tourist Bus Stop outside The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, Buckingham Gate, SW1A 1AA (Nearest underground station: Victoria and Green Park)
- Return Point: Westminster Abbey (Nearest underground station: Westminster Station)
Cancellation Policy
- To get the full refund, you must cancel your booking at least 24 hours before the activity/tour start time.
- If you cancel your booking less than 24 hours before the activity/ tour start time, you will not get any refund.
- Modifications/ changes are allowed at least 24 hours before the activity/ tour start time. You must contact us through email.
- The activity/tour's local start time determines the cut-off times.
Disclaimer
- There may be unexpected changes in the route or timetable due to traffic, public holidays, weather conditions, cruise ship arrivals, or other unanticipated situations. During major events, summer vacations, and weekends, the city will be quite busy. We will do everything we can to provide a smooth and consistent service! In such cases, no reimbursement is allowed.
- Tours run regardless of the weather. Weather-related refunds will not be issued unless the service is discontinued due to inclement weather.
- The service provider preserves the right to amend or cancel the itinerary due to city events or force majeure.
Group Booking
For groups of 8 or more, please submit a group inquiry at booking@activity-crest.com. While discounted rates are not available for all tours, selected tours may qualify for special group pricing. Standard tours & activities are eligible for group discounts; however, attractions, passes, combo tickets, and related products are excluded.
Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours:
Due to the operational nature of hop-on hop-off bus tours and fluctuating daily demand, we cannot guarantee that all members of a group will be accommodated on the same bus at the same time. Seat availability varies by stop and service demand, and groups may be required to split across multiple buses and/or wait for subsequent departures.
All group members must redeem their vouchers together initially. Once redeemed, individual tickets will be issued, allowing travellers the flexibility to explore independently thereafter. The requirement to remain together applies only during the voucher redemption process when tickets are booked under a single reservation.
As we are unable to guarantee that larger groups can travel together as one unit, bookings will be divided into smaller groups of approximately 5-7 passengers per ticket allocation, depending on the overall group size.
Customer Reviews
4.6
based on 2,515 reviews
Rating Distribution
"I booked the bus mainly to save time, but the experience offered more than convenience. Seeing the city's character change from one neighbourhood to another was fascinating."
"Usually, travelling between attractions feels like wasted time. Here, the views along the way were interesting enough that we enjoyed the journey as much as the destinations."
"Travelling with family was easier when we had a straightforward way to move between areas. Everyone enjoyed the scenery, and we could choose stops together as we went."
"We completed the route without getting off initially and enjoyed seeing the city from beginning to end. It helped us choose which places deserved a closer visit."
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