Hop On Hop Off Buses are a great way to get acquainted with a new city! Especially London!
Designed as a clever way to take in as many sites as efficiently as possible, these buses are comfortable, run on a schedule and the people you encounter on them are generally cheerful.
Personally, I like to ride the entire loop first. It helps me get my bearings. Then second loop, I hop off the bus to see what interests me, like the Natural History Museum or Piccadilly Circus. When ready, I hop back on, at the same bus stop, and ride to where I’d like to disembark next.
Problem I found is how do you decide which bus company to use while you are touring London?
Let’s compare 3 of the best known Hop On Hop Off companies operating in London.
Hop On Hop Off Buses in London
These are the top three companies listed on Get Your Guide (my go-to travel deal app).
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Each company has open air, double decker buses. They also have multilingual commentary on the culture, history and architecture of London, and their own apps. All three lines travel essentially the same routes. The differences are in the pricing, packaging and reputation.
City Sightseeing London
CitySightseeing is a company whose tours I’ve enjoyed in Dublin, Ireland and in Barcelona and Toledo, Spain. Their commentary is informative, sometimes amusing and available in 11 languages.
They offer three routes, different pricing packages and 24- or 48-hour tickets. Premium tickets include a river cruise and admission to pre-determined sites. They have 4.3 stars, out of 5, on Get Your Guide with 2749 reviews.
The retail price for CitySightseeing’s London entry level ticket – 1-day with free self-guided tour – is $61.36 (as of January 3, 2024) on their website. However, you can save almost 25% when you purchase through Get Your Guide.
BigBus London
BigBus Tours operates Hop On Hop Off Bus tours in many of the world’s major cities. Their commentary is pre-recorded and available in 5 languages.
They offer three routes, different pricing packages and 24- or 48-hour tickets. Premium tickets include a river cruise and guided walking tours. They have 4.1 stars, out of 5, on Get Your Guide with 2556 reviews.
The retail price for an adult BigBus London‘s entry level ticket – 24-hours with a river cruise – is $49.15 (as of January 3, 2024) on their website. The price on Get Your Guide gives you an almost 20% saving.
TootBus is one of the longest running Hop On Hop Off Bus companies and operates in four cities. Their commentary is interesting and available in 10 languages.
They offer three routes, different pricing packages and 1-, 2- or 3-day tickets. The hop on hop off tickets can include a river cruise, or not. TootBus also offers themed routes for Kids and Adults that do not include stops. They have 4 stars, out of 5, on Get Your Guide with 2332 reviews.
TootBus London‘s retail price for entry level ticket – 1-day of Hop On Hop Off riding – is $38.23 (as of January 3, 2024) on their website. A 15% discount is available when you purchase through Get Your Guide.
Happy trails, y’all!
To Recap on Hop On Hop Off Bus in London
Hop On Hop Off buses are a great way to see the main sites in a city.
The accompanying live or pre-recorded audiotour provides tidbits of local history and knowledge to your travels. In addition, the buses provide a regularly scheduled form of transportation around town.
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