If you only book one open-top bus in London, Big Bus is the one I point people towards.
It is the premium all-rounder of the London hop-on hop-off scene: the most frequent buses, the clearest network of routes, and a genuinely useful app that tells you where the next one is. What tips it over the line for me is that the ticket does more than just drive you round in a circle. A one-way Thames river cruise is baked in, and on the longer tickets you also get live, guide-led walking tours.
Big Bus London Tickets
Big Bus tickets are sold by duration, and every one of them uses the same open-top buses and the same network. The difference is how many days you get and what extras come bundled in.
🎟️ Hop-on Hop-off with River Cruise and Walking Tours
The all-rounder, and the pick for most first-time visitors. Unlimited hop-on hop-off across all the routes, a one-way Thames river cruise, and the live guided walking tours included on the longer ticket. Choose your duration (24, 48 or 72 hours) at checkout.
Good to know
- Booking online in advance is almost always cheaper than paying on the bus.
- Multi-day tickets run on consecutive days, so start the clock on a day you can commit to.
- The river cruise is one-way, between Westminster and Tower Pier.
- The live walking tours (Royal, Jack the Ripper, Harry Potter) run to a set daily timetable from specific stops, and come with the longer tickets.
- Children’s tickets are available and under-fives generally travel free. Check the current rate on the ticket page.
What Makes Big Bus Different
Take it from someone who has stood at these stops in every weather: the thing that separates the operators is not the buses, it is the waiting. Big Bus runs the most frequent service of the London operators, which means shorter gaps between buses and less standing on a kerb watching the traffic. That alone is worth a lot on a cold Tuesday.
The app is the other quiet advantage. It shows live bus tracking and the full route maps, so instead of guessing when the next one is due, you can see it coming. And then there is the bundle: most operators sell you a bus and stop there, while Big Bus folds in the river cruise and, on the longer tickets, the live walking tours, so a single booking covers the city from the road, the water and on foot.
Routes and Stops
Big Bus runs three routes across central London, and they interlock rather than compete. Between them they cover close to fifty stops, which is why the network reaches most of the places a first-time visitor actually wants to go.
The Red Route is the classic loop and the one most people ride first, running through the historic core: Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s Cathedral and the South Bank. The Blue Route is the wider one, stretching from Kensington and the South Kensington museums in the west out to the Tower of London in the east, by way of Notting Hill. This is the route to prioritise if you want the museums or the west end of town. The short Green Link connects King’s Cross and St Pancras to Covent Garden, passing the British Museum, and is often where you will pick up the network if you arrive by train.
Buses run frequently, roughly every 10 to 20 minutes in the busier summer months and a bit less often through winter, so you rarely wait long. For a full breakdown of every stop and how the routes overlap, see our routes and map guide.
What’s Included
- Unlimited hop-on hop-off across all three routes for the duration of your ticket, on the open-top double-deckers.
- A one-way Thames river cruise between Westminster and the Tower of London, a genuinely different view of Tower Bridge and the South Bank.
- Live guided walking tours on the longer tickets: the Royal Walk, the Jack the Ripper Walk and the Harry Potter Walk, each led by a real guide from a set stop at a set time.
- Audio commentary through free earphones, in a range of languages.
- The free mobile app, with live bus tracking and route maps.
One thing worth being clear on: the ticket does not include admission to the attractions themselves. The bus drops you at the door of the Tower of London or St Paul’s, but you buy entry to those separately.
Who It’s Best For
Big Bus is the premium option, and it suits some travellers better than others. It is a strong choice if you are a first-timer with limited time, a family who wants a low-effort way to cover the city, or anyone who values frequency and a reliable app over saving a few pounds. The bundled cruise and walking tours also make it good value for people who would otherwise book those separately.
It is less essential if you already know London well, or if you are a confident walker who would rather use the Tube and stroll between sights. On price, Big Bus sits at the premium end, so if your priority is the lowest fare it is worth weighing against the alternatives. For a proper side-by-side on frequency, routes, inclusions and value, read our Big Bus vs Tootbus comparison, or see the full hop-on hop-off guide.
Good to Know and How to Book
Booking online in advance is almost always cheaper than buying on the bus, and it locks in your ticket before you arrive. You can start your tour from any stop on the network, so there is no single ticket office to find: download the app, pick up the route near wherever you are staying, and go.
A few practical notes. The walking tours run to a fixed daily schedule from set stops, so if one is on your list, build your morning around its start time. The river cruise is one-way, so decide early whether you want to sail east to the Tower or west to Westminster. And bring a layer: the best seats are up top and open to the sky, which is wonderful in sunshine and less so when the wind picks up over the river.
FAQ
Is Big Bus London worth it?
For first-time visitors with a day or two to cover a lot of ground, yes. The frequency, the app, and the bundled river cruise and walking tours give you more than a plain bus loop, and booking online keeps the cost sensible. If you already know the city or prefer to walk, you will get less out of it.
How many stops does Big Bus have in London?
Close to fifty across the three routes combined. The Red Route is the central loop, the Blue Route is the wider western and eastern route, and the Green Link connects the two and reaches the King’s Cross and St Pancras area.
How often do the buses come?
Frequently. Roughly every 10 to 20 minutes during the busier summer months, and a little less often through winter. The app shows live tracking so you can see the next one approaching.
Is a river cruise included with Big Bus?
Yes. A one-way Thames cruise between Westminster and the Tower of London is included with the standard tickets. It is a nice halfway break in a day of bus-hopping.
Are the walking tours included?
The live guided walking tours, the Royal Walk, the Jack the Ripper Walk and the Harry Potter Walk, are included on the longer, multi-day tickets. They run from set stops at set times each day.
Can I use my Oyster card on Big Bus?
No. Big Bus is a private sightseeing operator, separate from Transport for London. Your Oyster or contactless card works on the red London buses and the Tube, but not on the open-top tour buses. You need a Big Bus ticket.
Is admission to the attractions included?
No. The ticket covers the buses, the river cruise and the walking tours, but entry to places like the Tower of London or St Paul’s is bought separately.
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