We compare the 3 best London sightseeing bus tours to see which one would be best for your visit to Lonodon with kids to make it easier for you.
Bus tours allow you to take in some of the most noteworthy sights of London quickly. Most people can’t afford to spend a month or longer touring every attraction by foot, so getting a glimpse from the window of a bus is the next best thing. That quick overview of the city can help you decide what attractions and neighborhoods are worth a closer look.
The question isn’t whether you need to take a London sightseeing bus tour but which one is really the best for your family. There are three that we highly recommend to families traveling London with kids, and we’re excited to introduce them to you right here.
Best London Sightseeing Bus Tour #1
Name: Hop On Hop Off Plus
Cost: From £24 – £45 per ticket
Duration: Self-guided with access for up to 48 hours
Hop on, hop off buses travel set routes around the city and allow you to hop on and off at any of their stopping points. You can cruise past some attractions while getting off the bus to explore others up close. That’s a great option for families traveling London with kids because there’s so much flexibility.
These tours are conducted in open-top double decker buses, so there’s plenty room even for larger families. There are multiple routes, and you can select between daytime and nighttime London tours.
Pros:
- Day and night tours available
- 1-day and 2-day tickets available
- Affordable prices
- Most major London attractions included
- Multiple routes
- Discounted tickets when you buy online
Cons:
- Free river cruise isn’t offered with all tickets
- Prices are higher if you pay when boarding
Best London Sightseeing Bus Tour #2
Name: The Original Kid’s Tour
Cost: From £15.00 per ticket
Duration: 45 minutes
Get your family on an open-top bus and explore London with a live guide. You’ll pass many of the top attractions while cruising through central London in under one hour. While that isn’t enough time to cover all of the city’s most noteworthy attractions, the duration is suitable for families with younger children.
If you’re worried a bus tour won’t hold your little one’s attention, this is a good option. It’s also a great choice if you’re traveling London on a budget or just don’t want to spend much of your budget on a bus tour.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Short duration
- Designed to entertain kids
- Live guide
Cons:
- Not the most comprehensive tour
Best London Sightseeing Bus Tour #3
Name: Big Bus London Family Tours
Cost: £107 – £227 per family of 4
Duration: Self-guided with access for up to 48 hours
We like the family tours offered by Big Bus because they give you one child’s ticket free. You pay for two adult tickets and one child ticket and receive admission for two adults and two children. That small discount is helpful when you’re traveling London on a budget, but it may not work for families with more than two children. You can add adult or child tickets when you book your tour.
These tours are hop-on, hop-off style, so you can get on and off buses as they travel through a predetermined route. The difference in ticket prices comes down to how long you can access the buses. The choices are 24 hours or 48 hours, so you could use this tour as a means of transportation around central London for a couple days.
The more expensive Big Bus tour tickets include fast-track passes to the London Eye. If you don’t have an alternate way to secure discount tickets to this event, you might as well bundle them in with your open-top family sightseeing tour of London.
Pros:
- BOGO child’s ticket deal
- 24- 48-hour tickets available
- Family ticket pricing available
- Convenient hop-on, hop-off touring style
- Comfortable open-roof buses
- Live guides can answer questions
- Free Wi-Fi onboard
- Option to add fat-track tickets to London Eye
Cons:
- Family tickets limited to 2 adults, 2 children
- Pre-recorded commentary
- It’s not exactly the cheapest option
Picking the Best London Sightseeing Bus Tour
When selecting the best London sightseeing bus tour, consider the following factors:
- Personal interests
- Cost
- Availability
- Meeting location
- Area covered
If you find a tour that isn’t conveniently located or that doesn’t include attractions you would like to see, then you know it’s not the right tour for your family. Look for one that appeals to your family members’ personal interests and needs, and that includes open availability that allows you to easily get the number of tickets you need.
If you’re stuck between two sightseeing tours of London, consider doing them both. You’ll see the city from different views and may even see some new attractions on the second tour. The goal is to have fun, and most tours are a blast.