The best way to see the West End Christmas lights is from the open top deck of a bus, warm drink in hand, rather than craning your neck in the Oxford Street crowds below.
This is a seasonal evening tour that loops the big festive displays, from Regent Street and Oxford Street to Piccadilly and the tree in Trafalgar Square, with a live guide on board. You cover far more ground than you would on foot, and you stay a good deal warmer doing it.
This tour only runs in the run-up to Christmas. The festive loop operates for a few weeks each winter, usually from mid-November into the new year. Outside that window it is not bookable, and the ticket link shows an out-of-season message. Bookings for the next season open closer to the time, so it is worth checking back in the autumn.
London Christmas Lights Tour Tickets
One seasonal tour, and it does its job well: showing you the West End lights from a warm-wrapped top deck on a single evening loop.
🎄 London Christmas Lights Tootbus Tour
Tootbus runs the festive loop on the classic red double-decker with the top deck open to the night sky. A live guide rides along telling stories of Christmas past and present, with multilingual audio commentary on board too, taking in the illuminated West End end to end.
Good to know
- This is a seasonal tour. Tickets go on sale each winter, usually from November, and the booking page shows an out-of-season message the rest of the year. If the link is not taking bookings yet, check back closer to the season.
- It is a fixed festive evening loop, not the year-round hop-on hop-off service. You stay on board for the whole ride rather than jumping off at stops.
- Departures are in the evening once it is properly dark, which is when the displays come alive. Daytime does not do them justice.
- Popular December slots sell out, especially near Christmas and at weekends, so book ahead rather than turning up.
What Lights You’ll See
The route is a greatest-hits tour of the West End’s festive displays. You roll along Oxford Street under its canopy of lights, then turn onto Regent Street, which is the showstopper most years: those vast winged angels arching right over the road are the image people picture when they think of London at Christmas. From there the loop takes in the classic West End core.
- Bond Street, where the displays lean elegant rather than loud, in keeping with the postcodes
- Piccadilly and the buzz around Piccadilly Circus
- Mayfair, the quiet, moneyed streets that most walking visitors never reach at night
- Trafalgar Square, home to the tall Christmas tree that Norway sends to London every year as a thank-you for wartime support, a tradition going back to 1947
- Carnaby, just off the route, which does the boldest and most playful lights in town most seasons
Covent Garden and its giant baubles sit close by too, so you are seeing the heart of festive London in one sweep. Take it from someone who has walked these streets a hundred times: covering all of that on foot in one cold evening simply is not realistic. The bus does it in one go.
When It Runs
The tours run through the festive window only, roughly from mid-November through to early January, timed to the West End switch-on at one end and the point when the lights come down at the other. Departures are in the evening once it is properly dark, which is when the displays actually come alive. Daytime does not do them justice.
December is the busy month, and popular evening slots do sell out, particularly in the run-up to Christmas and on weekends. My advice is simple: if you know your dates, book ahead rather than turning up and hoping. This is not a tour you can reliably walk on to on a Saturday in mid-December. Because it is seasonal, the exact on-sale date shifts a little from year to year, usually appearing from November onwards.
Good to Know
Four things worth knowing before a December evening on an open top deck.
Dress for it, seriously
The top deck is open, you are not moving fast, and a still London evening in December is cold. Add the wind chill up high and a light coat will not cut it. Hat, gloves, a proper coat, and a blanket if you have one. The view is worth it, but only if you are warm enough to enjoy it.
Fixed departure point
The Tootbus tour leaves from around the Haymarket and Coventry Street area in the West End. Confirm your exact meeting spot on your booking and arrive about ten minutes early so you do not miss the departure.
Allow for the crawl
Plan for something in the region of an hour to an hour and a half. December traffic in the West End is heavy, and a slow crawl past the lights is rather the point, so do not expect it to be quick.
Genuinely good for kids
This is one of the easier festive outings with children. They are sitting down, warm-ish if you have wrapped them up, and there is usually a kids’ commentary channel to keep them engaged. Far less of an ask than dragging them round the shops.
If you want to see more of London lit up after dark, our night bus tours run beyond the Christmas season and take in the illuminated landmarks along the river and around Westminster. And for the full picture of what Tootbus offers across the year, see our Tootbus guide.
FAQ
When do the London Christmas lights bus tours run?
Through the festive season only, roughly mid-November to early January, timed to the West End lights switch-on and take-down. Departures are in the evening once it is dark. Exact dates shift slightly each year, so check the booking page when the season opens.
What Christmas lights will I see on the tour?
The main West End displays: Oxford Street, the angels over Regent Street, Bond Street, Piccadilly, the streets of Mayfair, and the tall Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. Carnaby’s bold display and Covent Garden’s baubles sit close to the route too.
Is the Christmas lights tour hop-on hop-off?
No. It is a fixed festive evening loop that you stay on for the whole ride, not the flexible year-round hop-on hop-off service. If you want the hop-off-anywhere format, look at the standard hop-on hop-off tours instead.
How long does the tour last?
Plan for around an hour to an hour and a half. Heavy December traffic in the West End can slow things down, but a gentle crawl past the lights is part of the appeal.
Is it good for kids?
Yes, it is one of the gentler festive outings with children. They stay seated and reasonably warm if you wrap them up, and there is usually a children’s commentary channel. Much easier than a walking tour in the cold.
Do the tickets sell out?
Popular evening slots do sell out in December, especially close to Christmas and at weekends. If you have your dates, book ahead rather than hoping to walk on.
How should I dress for an open-top bus in winter?
Warmly. The top deck is open to the night air and you are moving slowly, so it gets cold. Bring a hat, gloves, a proper coat, and a blanket if you have one.
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