Hop-on-hop-off bus tours are a popular way to see London's sights, with the full loop taking approximately two and a half hours, depending on traffic. The tours are a quick and easy way to see many of London's top spots without the hassle of public transport, with the added benefit of informative commentary. There are multiple routes to choose from, with some tour companies offering additional extras such as river cruises and walking tours.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Tour duration without hopping off | 1.5-2 hours |
Tour duration with hopping off | Whole day |
Number of routes | 4 |
Route duration | Red Route: 2 hours, 30 minutes |
Blue Route: 3 hours, 30 minutes | |
Green Link: 1 hour | |
Popular stops | St Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London, Madame Tussauds, London Eye |
Walking tours | Changing of the Guard, City of London, Jack the Ripper |
River cruise | Thames river cruise |
Ticket price | £39 per adult |
What You'll Learn
The full tour takes 2.5 hours without hopping off
If you're short on time and want to see as much of London as possible, you can take a bus tour without hopping off. The full tour takes 2.5 hours, depending on traffic, and covers all the main sights in Central London. This is a great way to get an overview of the city and see its iconic landmarks and attractions.
The Red Route, which takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, is the Central London route. It will take you past famous landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Tower of London. This route also includes a live tour guide, providing informative commentary on the history and architecture of the city.
If you have a bit more time, the Blue Route takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes and covers even more of the city. This route includes recorded commentary, available in multiple languages, so you can learn about the sights as you go.
Both routes offer a flexible way to see London, as you can hop on and off at any designated stop. This means you can explore specific attractions in more detail if you wish. Popular stops include St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, Madame Tussauds, and the London Eye.
Taking a bus tour is an excellent option if you want a quick and easy way to see many of London's top spots without worrying about public transport. You can sit back, relax, and take in the views as you tick off the city's top attractions.
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There are 40+ stops across 4 routes
The Big Bus Tour of London offers a flexible way to see the city's top sights, with 40+ stops across 4 routes. The 4 routes are colour-coded: Red, Blue, Orange, and Green. The Red Route takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, while the Blue Route takes approximately 3 hours and 25 minutes. The Green Link is a shorter route, taking around 1 hour to complete.
The Red Route is the Central London route, passing by famous landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Tower of London. This route also includes a live tour guide, making it a great choice for first-time visitors to the city.
The Blue Route offers a recorded commentary and covers a wider area, taking in many of the same sights as the Red Route, as well as additional locations. This route takes longer and is ideal for those who want a more comprehensive tour of the city.
The Orange Route details are not provided, however, it is likely to cover areas that are not included in the Red and Blue routes.
The Green Route is a shorter loop covering the eastern part of London and linking easily with the other routes. This route is perfect for those who want to explore a specific area of the city in more depth or are based in that region.
With so many stops across these 4 routes, visitors can customise their tour to suit their interests and create their own unique itinerary. They can hop off at any of the stops to explore specific attractions and then hop back on to continue their tour. This flexibility allows visitors to make a whole day of it, creating a personalised sightseeing experience of London.
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The Red Route takes 2 hours, 30 minutes
The Red Route takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete without hopping off. This route is best if it is your first trip to London and you only have one day to ride the Big Bus.
The Red Route is the Central London route, which takes you past London's most famous landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Tower of London. This route also includes a live tour guide, which is unique to the Red Route.
If you plan to hop on and off at any of the stops along the way, you should allow for more time. The Red Route has 40+ stops, and you can hop on and off as many times as you wish during your tour. This route is also a great option if you want to make the most of your time in London, as you can see many of the city's top spots without worrying about public transport.
The Red Route is just one of four routes offered by the Big Bus tour company. The other routes are the Blue Route, which takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, the Orange Route, and the Green Link, which takes approximately 1 hour. You can switch between any route at any time, and back again, at no extra cost.
The Big Bus tour is a fun and low-stress way to see London, offering both entertainment and informative recorded commentary, available in multiple languages.
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The Blue Route takes 3 hours, 30 minutes
The Blue Route takes 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete without hopping off. It covers pretty much the entire city and is well worth the time. The route includes a recorded commentary available in 5 languages.
The Blue Route is one of four routes offered by Big Bus Tours, the others being the Red, Orange, and Green routes. The Blue Route is the only route without a live tour guide. The Red Route, which is the Central London route, will take you past London's most famous landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and Trafalgar Square. The Red Route with stops takes the whole day, and without stops, it takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Big Bus Tours operates as a hop-on, hop-off service, so you are free to explore London's landmarks and attractions at your own pace. The buses have an open-top upper deck, which offers the best unobstructed views. The Blue Route is a great way to become more familiar with the city, as you can sit back, relax, and take in the views.
If you plan to hop on and off at any of the stops, be sure to allow for more time. The Blue Route is a great option if you want to see as much of London as possible in one go and make the most of the informative recorded commentary.
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The Green Link takes 1 hour
The Green Link route is one of four routes offered by Big Bus Tours in London. This route takes approximately one hour to complete without hopping off. The Green Link route covers the eastern area of London, making it easier to connect to the Red and Blue routes, which cover central and western London, as well as areas north and south of the Thames.
The Red Route, also known as the Central London route, takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes to complete without hopping off. It includes popular landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Tower of London. This route offers a live tour guide.
The Blue Route, on the other hand, covers a wider area and takes approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes to complete without any stops. It includes many of the same landmarks as the Red Route, as well as additional sites such as Kensington Palace and the London Eye. The Blue Route features a recorded commentary.
Big Bus Tours also offers a separate evening tour, which is a non-stop tour lasting around 1.5 hours. This tour is a great way to see London's landmarks illuminated at night.
When planning your bus tour, it is important to keep in mind that the buses start their routes around 8:30 am and begin to wind down their service around 5 pm. The last departures for the day are usually at 6 pm. Additionally, you should allow for more time if you plan to hop on and off at various stops to explore specific attractions.
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Frequently asked questions
The full loop takes approximately two and a half hours, depending on traffic.
The Red Route takes 2 hours, 20 minutes, the Blue Route takes 3 hours, 30 minutes, and the Green Link takes 1 hour.
The river cruise lasts approximately 40 minutes in either direction.
You can hop on and off at any designated stop throughout the day.