London: London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

See London from three angles. This package combines an open-top bus, the London Eye, and a Thames cruise, making it an easy first look at the capital. I like the freedom to hop off at Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, or Buckingham Palace, then rejoin the route later. I also like that the Eye and river cruise add two views the bus cannot provide.

The main drawback is London traffic. A bus ride that looks quick on the map can crawl, especially near Westminster and the Tower of London. You also need to reserve a time for the Eye after booking, and the 24-hour option can feel tight if you try to fit in every stop.

Key points to know before you book

• Three views of London: See the city by open-top bus, from above on the London Eye, and from the River Thames.
• The best value comes with the 48-hour ticket: You have more time for stops, repeated bus rides, and three guided walks.
• Book the London Eye time early: Your bus ticket does not automatically give you a flexible Eye entry time.
• Traffic shapes the day: The bus is excellent for sightseeing but not always a fast way to cross London.
• Use the Big Bus app: Live bus tracking and route information make the system much easier to manage.
• Start early when possible: Morning Eye appointments can have shorter waits, while late afternoon may give you changing daylight and evening views.

What this London sightseeing package includes

The experience costs about $74 per person and lasts one or two days, depending on whether you choose the 24-hour or 48-hour bus ticket. The price includes three separate pieces:

• Big Bus hop-on, hop-off access on three routes
• Entry to the London Eye
• A one-way Thames cruise between Westminster Pier and Tower Pier

The 48-hour ticket also includes three guided walking tours: the Royal Walk, Jack the Ripper walk, and Harry Potter walk. The 24-hour ticket does not include these walks.

I see the package as an orientation tool rather than a full London sightseeing pass. It does not include entry to Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Madame Tussauds, or the other sights you pass. You use the bus to reach those places, then pay separately if you want to go inside.

That distinction matters. The package works best if you want to see the outside of many famous sights, take photographs, and get your bearings before deciding where to spend more time.

Start with the bus, but do not stay on all day

You can begin at any Big Bus stop. Useful starting points include the London Eye, Marble Arch, Victoria Station, and Trafalgar Square. Stop 12 at the London Eye, beside the Lion Statue outside the London Marriott County Hall, is a practical choice because it places you near both the bus route and the Eye.

The bus has open-top upper seating, which gives you a clear view of monuments, rooftops, statues, and street life. On a dry day, it is an enjoyable way to see London without constantly checking a map. Free Wi-Fi, complimentary headphones, and audio commentary in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish are included.

I would not plan to ride the entire network without getting off. London traffic can turn a sightseeing loop into a long, slow sitting session. One complete route may be useful at the start, but the smarter plan is to ride between a few areas, get off for a walk or meal, and use the bus again when you want a rest.

The audio is informative and generally clear. Some of the commentary includes light banter, which one person may enjoy and another may find repetitive after several hours. You can use your own headphones if the supplied ones do not fit comfortably.

Westminster, Big Ben, and the London Eye

The Westminster area gives you the strongest concentration of famous London sights. From the bus or nearby stops, you can see the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, and 10 Downing Street.

This is a good place to get off and walk. The views along Westminster Bridge are particularly useful for photos of Parliament and the London Eye. The area can be crowded, and road diversions or public events may move bus stops, so allow extra time if you have a fixed Eye appointment.

The London Eye is the package’s main timed activity. It is a large observation wheel with enclosed glass capsules and a broad view across central London. On a clear day, you can pick out Big Ben, Parliament, the Thames, and much of the central city from above.

The ride lasts one rotation. That may sound brief, but the slow movement gives you time for photographs and for watching London change as the capsule rises. The best moments often come during the transition from daylight to evening. You can see the city in ordinary daylight on the way up, then watch lights appear as the wheel turns.

Your Eye admission requires a pre-booked time slot. The instructions arrive with your confirmation, and you manage the reservation through the Big Bus booking portal. Do not treat this as a walk-up attraction if your schedule is tight.

A morning slot can be a wise choice if you want to avoid the heaviest queues. Another good option is a late afternoon appointment, but leave plenty of time for traffic and walking from the bus stop. Even with a reserved time, the area may be busy.

Buckingham Palace and the Royal Walk

The bus route passes Buckingham Palace, Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, and nearby central London streets. Buckingham Palace is best treated as a short stop for the exterior, the gates, and the surrounding parkland. The package does not include admission inside the palace.

If you choose the 48-hour ticket, the Royal Walk begins at Stop 8 at 10:00. This adds context on foot and gives you a break from traffic. It is also a better way to absorb the ceremonial parts of London than watching them slide past from the upper deck.

The bus also passes Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, Oxford Street, Mayfair, and Trafalgar Square. These stops show a different side of London from Westminster. You get grand shopping streets, theatres, traffic circles, and public squares rather than one famous monument after another.

Trafalgar Square is a useful place to pause. From here, you can continue toward Covent Garden or the British Museum, depending on your plan. Remember that the bus ticket takes you near these locations, but admission to museums and attractions is not included.

St Paul’s, the Monument, and Tower Bridge

The route toward the City of London brings you to St Paul’s Cathedral, the Bank of England, and the Monument. This section feels more financial and historic than the royal core around Buckingham Palace.

St Paul’s deserves more than a passing photograph if you have time. The ticket only provides transport to the area, but even a short stop around the cathedral gives you a sense of London’s changing scale, from old stone landmarks to modern office towers.

The Tower of London and Tower Bridge are among the strongest reasons to use the bus. Tower Bridge is especially impressive from the Thames, so plan your day to pair the bus with the cruise rather than seeing these sights only from the road.

The Tower of London is another paid attraction, not part of this package. If you want to enter, allow a good portion of your day and do not expect to combine it casually with every other stop. If you only want exterior views, the bus and boat provide plenty of photo opportunities.

Several people have found the Tower of London stop slower in the late afternoon. That makes sense: this is a major interchange, and traffic near the river can build. The Big Bus app helps you see how long you may wait, but it cannot make congested streets move faster.

The Thames cruise between Westminster and Tower Pier

The cruise is a one-way ride between Westminster Pier and Tower Pier, taking about 40 minutes. You can board in either direction, so it fits naturally into a day that moves from the Eye toward the Tower of London, or from the Tower back toward Westminster.

This is the most relaxing part of the package. From the water, you get a clean view of riverfront buildings, bridges, the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, and Tower Bridge. It also gives your feet a break after walking and standing at bus stops.

Live commentary is provided on the boat. The quality can depend on the individual guide. Bill has been praised for making the ride informative and entertaining, while Pasquale has offered a lively commentary that turned the cruise into more than simple transport.

The boat is not only a sightseeing extra. It is also a practical link between two important parts of London. If the bus is crawling, the river can be a calmer and more scenic alternative for this stretch.

Cruises generally leave every 15 to 40 minutes in summer and every 30 to 40 minutes in winter. Check the current departure information on the day. The cruise has occasionally been cancelled, so do not build a tightly timed itinerary around the final departure.

Go directly to Westminster Pier or Tower Pier and show the digital City Cruises ticket to staff. You do not need to exchange it for another ticket if the booking instructions have been followed.

The 48-hour ticket earns its keep

The 24-hour version suits a focused day. You could ride a main route, visit the London Eye, take the river cruise, and get off at a few central sights. It is a good fit if you have only one full day and want a simple overview.

The 48-hour version gives you breathing room. You can spread the Eye, boat ride, and bus sightseeing across two days instead of racing between them. You can also repeat sections of the route at a slower pace, stop for lunch, and return to places that caught your attention.

The three included walking tours make the longer ticket more useful:

• The Royal Walk starts at Stop 8 at 10:00.
• The Jack the Ripper walk starts at Stop 19 at 13:00.
• The Harry Potter walk starts at Stop 21 at 16:00.

The Harry Potter walk has been especially well received by families, and guide Lea has been praised for making it engaging for children. It also helps you see parts of central London that are easy to miss from a bus window.

These walks are scheduled activities, not private tours. Check the departure point and time before arranging the rest of your day. If you miss one, you may not have another departure that day.

One useful feature is that the 48-hour period begins when you first use the bus, not necessarily when you buy the ticket. That gives you some flexibility if you book in advance.

Using the app without getting lost

The Big Bus app shows route information, stop locations, and real-time bus positions. I strongly recommend downloading it before you begin. It can tell you how many minutes remain until a bus reaches your stop, which is far more useful than standing beside a busy street and guessing.

The map can take a little practice. Some stops are not as obvious as you might expect, and large crowds or road closures can make the correct boarding point hard to spot. Big Bus staff are often present at stops and can point you in the right direction.

Look carefully for the Big Bus vehicles, since London has several sightseeing bus companies. The supplied voucher works on a mobile phone or in printed form. You can also add the booking to the app using the Activity Provider Reference number and activate it when you are ready.

Public events can change the day. Parades, protests, and road closures have forced buses to stop short or send passengers on longer walks. This is one reason not to schedule the London Eye immediately after a bus ride from the other side of town.

Accessibility, comfort, and practical limits

All buses have ramps for wheelchair users, and the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. Infants under two travel free. The open upper deck is exposed to London weather, while the lower deck offers shelter when rain or wind arrives.

The bus is not always the quickest transport choice. If your only goal is to get from one neighborhood to another, London’s regular public transport may be faster. Here, you are paying for the sightseeing commentary and the chance to look around, not for a guaranteed quick journey.

Service hours can also feel short if you want to stay out late. The exact operating times vary, and some people have wished the buses ran later. Plan the final ride with care so you are not left far from your accommodation after the last bus.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You make your own way to a Big Bus stop, a pier, and the London Eye. That is normal for a city sightseeing pass, but it means you should understand the map before the day begins.

Is $74 good value?

At $74, the package can be good value if you use all three parts. The London Eye alone is a major paid attraction, and the bus offers transport, commentary, and access across three routes. The cruise adds a different view of London without requiring another ticket.

The value drops if you only ride one short bus section or miss the boat. It also drops if you assume the bus includes entry to every museum and historic site along the route. Think of this as a sightseeing framework, not an all-inclusive attraction pass.

For a first visit, I like the combination. You can use the bus to learn the city’s layout, the Eye to see its scale, and the Thames cruise to connect major landmarks. Families and older visitors may appreciate the reduced need to walk long distances, while people with several days in London may prefer buying individual admissions and using regular transport.

Should you book this London package?

Book it if you are visiting London for the first time, want the famous sights explained as you go, and value seeing the city from land, water, and above. The 48-hour ticket is the better choice for most people because it reduces pressure and includes the three walking tours.

Choose the 24-hour ticket if you have one packed day and will stay mostly in central London. Start early, reserve the Eye before arrival, use the app, and save the cruise for a sensible point between Westminster and Tower Bridge.

Skip it if you need fast transport, dislike fixed attraction times, or plan to spend most of your visit inside museums and monuments. For everyone else, this is a practical introduction to London, with enough flexibility to feel like your own day rather than a guided march.

FAQ

How long is the London Eye ride?

The London Eye makes one rotation. The slow ride gives you time to see London from above and take photographs.

Is a London Eye time slot required?

Yes. You must pre-book a time slot after booking the package. Instructions are provided in your confirmation.

How long is the Thames cruise?

The cruise between Westminster Pier and Tower Pier takes about 40 minutes.

Can I take the Thames cruise in either direction?

Yes. The included one-way cruise operates between Westminster and Tower Pier, and you can travel in either direction.

How often do the river cruises depart?

In summer, departures are generally every 15 to 40 minutes. In winter, they are generally every 30 to 40 minutes.

Are the walking tours included with every ticket?

No. The Royal Walk, Jack the Ripper walk, and Harry Potter walk are included only with the 48-hour ticket.

What languages are available for the bus audio guide?

The audio guide is available in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Can wheelchair users use the buses?

Yes. All buses have ramps for wheelchair users, and the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

Where can I start the bus tour?

You can board at any Big Bus stop. Popular starting points include the London Eye, Marble Arch, Victoria Station, and Trafalgar Square. Stop 12 at the London Eye is a recommended starting point.