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

London looks best from three angles. This package pairs open-top bus sightseeing with the London Eye and a Thames cruise, so you can cover a lot without building every connection yourself. I especially like the easy hop-on, hop-off format and the excellent mix of city views from land, water, and sky. The catch is London traffic: a bus ride that looks quick on the map can crawl.

The London Eye is the star for many visitors, with a broad view over Big Ben, Parliament, and the city center. I also like the practical Big Bus app, which shows stop locations and tracks approaching buses. Still, you need to reserve your London Eye time slot after booking, and the bus network takes some figuring out at first.

Key things to know before you book

• Three ways to see London: Combine an open-top double-decker bus, the Thames, and the London Eye in one ticket.
• Choose 24 or 48 hours: The longer pass gives you more time to ride different routes and includes three guided walking tours.
• Book the Eye early: Your package does not automatically settle the London Eye time. Use the booking link in your confirmation to choose a slot.
• Traffic shapes the day: The bus is good for seeing sights and resting between stops, but it is not London’s fastest transport.
• Start near the London Eye: Stop 12 on Westminster Bridge Road is a clear starting point, beside the Lion Statue outside the London Marriott County Hall.
• Use the cruise strategically: The one-way boat between Westminster Pier and Tower Pier takes about 40 minutes and gives you especially good views of Tower Bridge.

Why this three-part London tour works

At $74 per person, this is not simply a bus ticket. You are paying for a 24-hour or 48-hour Big Bus pass, admission to the London Eye, and a one-way Thames cruise. If you planned to pay separately for the Eye and cruise, the package can offer solid value, particularly for a first visit.

I would not buy it mainly as a transport pass. London’s traffic can turn a sightseeing loop into a slow ride, and one passenger reported a wait of more than an hour. The real value is the view and the narration. You can sit upstairs, get your bearings, hear about the sights, and step off when something catches your attention.

The package suits you best if this is your first London visit, your time is short, or you want a simple overview before choosing which attractions deserve a closer look. It also works well for families, older visitors, and anyone who prefers not to plan every Tube connection.

Starting at the London Eye and Westminster

Stop 12, London Eye, is the suggested place to begin. It sits on Westminster Bridge Road beside the Lion Statue, outside the London Marriott County Hall. You can also board at stops near Marble Arch, Victoria Station, or Trafalgar Square, and the ticket can be activated at any Big Bus stop.

Starting at the Eye makes sense because you can handle the most time-sensitive part early. After booking, use the Big Bus Manage My Booking portal to reserve your London Eye slot. Do not assume that buying the package alone secures your time.

The Eye is a single rotation in a glass capsule. From the top, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament sit below and across the river, while the wider city stretches in every direction. The view is the point here, not a thrill ride. It is calm, slow, and very good for photographs.

Morning is a smart choice if you want to reduce the chance of a long queue. One useful tip is to book around late afternoon if you want changing light. You can see London in daylight as the capsule rises, then catch the city lighting up as it completes the circuit.

Standard admission is included. The experience is managed in an orderly way, but busy periods can still mean a line even with a reserved slot. Give yourself room in the schedule instead of booking the Eye between two tight connections.

The open-top bus and the three routes

The Big Bus ticket gives you unlimited rides for 24 or 48 hours across three routes. You can sit upstairs for the clearest views or downstairs when the weather turns wet and cold. Free Wi-Fi is available on board, and complimentary headphones connect you to the recorded commentary.

The narration is available in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. Many people value it because it adds useful context while you pass the sights. The tone can be playful, and some of the banter may become tiring if you listen for hours. You can always remove the headphones and simply watch London go by.

The app is worth downloading before you set out. Add your Activity Provider Reference number, activate the ticket when you are ready, check stop locations, and watch the live bus position. This helps, but the route map can still feel confusing. Stop numbers are not always as obvious as you would like, so ask a Big Bus representative if you are unsure.

The buses cover a large portion of central London. Here is what each major area offers.

Westminster, Whitehall, and Buckingham Palace

The Westminster section delivers the classic London scene. You pass Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and 10 Downing Street, with Whitehall tying the sights together.

This is the place to hop off if you want the most famous photographs. Big Ben is the clock tower attached to the Palace of Westminster, while Westminster Abbey is the historic church used for royal ceremonies and coronations. The bus gives you a useful first look, but seeing the interiors requires separate admission and time.

Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard are another major stop. The bus is helpful for reaching the palace area, though special events, protests, and parades can cause diversions. A Pride parade and other public gatherings have forced passengers to walk to alternate stops, so keep the app open and allow flexibility.

Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, and Mayfair add a quieter side of central London. Harrods and the South Kensington museums are also on the route. You can use this section to connect royal sights with shopping and museums without changing between several local buses.

Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, and the West End

Trafalgar Square is one of the best places to pause. It puts you near the National Gallery, Whitehall, Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, and Oxford Street.

The bus ride helps you understand how these districts fit together. Piccadilly Circus is a quick photo stop, while Covent Garden rewards a slower walk. Oxford Street and Regent Street are useful if shopping is part of your plan, though the bus may move slowly through this central section.

The British Museum is another route highlight. The bus can bring you close, but the museum itself is not included, and you should not try to fit a full museum visit into a tight hop-on, hop-off schedule. I would use the bus to identify the area, then return on foot or by the Tube if you decide to spend several hours inside.

Madame Tussauds, Kensington Palace, the London Dungeon, and Sea Life London Aquarium also appear along the wider network. These are nearby attractions, not admissions included in this package. The useful thing is having a clear sightseeing link between them.

St Paul’s, the Tower, and the Thames

The eastern part of the route shifts the mood from royal London to the City. You pass the Bank of England, Monument, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, City Hall, and The Shard.

St Paul’s is one of the most important stops for architecture and city history. The Tower of London is another major attraction, but again, entry is not part of this ticket. If you plan to go inside either, treat the bus as your transportation and orientation, not as the whole visit.

Tower Bridge is especially photogenic from the road, but the best view often comes from the river. That makes the cruise a natural partner to this route. You can ride toward the Tower, walk to Tower Pier, and take the boat west to Westminster.

Traffic is the main weakness in the central and eastern routes. The bus is a pleasant alternative to the Tube when you have energy to spare, but it may take much longer from point to point. I would never use it for a must-not-miss timed reservation unless I had plenty of spare time.

The Thames cruise from Tower Pier to Westminster

The included cruise runs one way between Westminster Pier and Tower Pier, in either direction. The ride takes about 40 minutes, with departures roughly every 15 to 40 minutes in summer and every 30 to 40 minutes in winter.

Show your printed or digital City Cruises ticket to staff at the pier. You do not need to begin the whole day at the boat terminal. This flexibility lets you use the cruise as a scenic connection after visiting the Tower of London, or as a relaxing break in the middle of a long sightseeing day.

From the water, London’s scale makes more sense. You get fresh views of the bridges, riverside buildings, the Tower, and the Houses of Parliament. Tower Bridge is the photographic prize, while the approach to Westminster brings you back into the city’s grand political center.

The live commentary is a strong part of the ride. Guides Bill and Pasquale were singled out for lively, entertaining narration, and that personal touch can make the boat feel less like a transfer. The commentary is not just background noise. It helps you notice buildings and river landmarks you might miss from the street.

There are a few practical limits. The cruise is one way, not an all-day boat pass, and service can be cancelled. One passenger could not take the ferry because of a cancellation. Engine oil smells also bothered one person, so anyone sensitive to boat fumes may want to sit where there is better airflow.

The 48-hour ticket and walking tours

The 48-hour option costs more than the 24-hour version, but it gives you time to split the experience across two days. That matters in London, where traffic, queues, and spontaneous stops can quickly consume a schedule.

The longer ticket also includes three guided walks:

• Royal Walk: Departs from Stop 8 at 10:00.
• Jack the Ripper Walk: Departs from Stop 19 at 13:00.
• Harry Potter Walk: Departs from Stop 21 at 16:00.

These walks add something the bus cannot. A guide can point out details at street level and lead you through areas that make more sense on foot. The Harry Potter walk was especially popular with children, and guide Lea provided informative commentary during one outing.

Check the departure times before building your day. The walking tours are included only with the 48-hour ticket, and missing a fixed departure could mean losing that part of the package.

Making the best use of one or two days

For a one-day visit, I would reserve the London Eye first thing in the morning, then take the bus through Westminster and central London. Use the afternoon for the Tower area and finish with the Thames cruise back toward Westminster if the boat schedule suits you.

Do not try to enter every attraction listed. The ticket covers transport and the three headline experiences, not the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s, Madame Tussauds, or the museums. Pick one or two interiors and let the bus handle the broad overview.

For two days, use the first day to ride the main routes and mark places you want to revisit. Use the second day for the London Eye, walking tours, and one or two longer stops. This is also the better choice if you want meals, photographs, shopping, and unscheduled wandering.

The bus ticket begins when you first use it, not necessarily when you book it. That gives you useful control, especially if you arrive in London late in the day.

Price, comfort, and practical value

At $74 per person, the package earns its keep when you use all three parts. The Eye provides the big panorama, the cruise gives you a calm river crossing, and the bus covers a wide area while supplying commentary.

I would be less enthusiastic if you already know London well or plan to use the Underground for every journey. The bus cannot beat the Tube for speed, and its service may finish earlier than you expect. Several passengers wished the buses ran later, so check the operating schedule when planning an evening.

The package is wheelchair accessible, with ramps on all buses. Infants under two ride free. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you must reach a bus stop or pier on your own.

Staff support is another plus. Big Bus representatives are placed at stops and can help with directions, route changes, and boarding. That is useful when public events close roads or send buses on diversions.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend it most strongly for a first London visit, especially if you have one or two days and want to see the major sights without constant planning. Families may like the variety: a high view from the Eye, a boat ride, and an open-top bus are three different experiences in one ticket.

It is also a good fit if you prefer a slower, more scenic way to move around town. You can ride above street level, listen to the commentary, and hop off for a pint, fish and chips, a museum, or a palace view.

I would hesitate if your main goal is efficient transport. Traffic delays are real, waits can vary, and diversions can create long walks. You should also avoid packing the day with fixed reservations, since the bus cannot promise a quick arrival.

Should you book the London Eye, cruise, and Big Bus package?

Book it if you want an easy first look at London and value seeing the city from land, water, and sky. Reserve the Eye early, download the app, start in the morning, and use the cruise as a scenic link between Westminster and the Tower.

Choose the 48-hour option if you want walking tours or prefer a relaxed pace. Choose the 24-hour ticket if your schedule is tight and you mainly want the three headline experiences.

Skip it if you need fast point-to-point transport or already have a detailed attraction plan. For everyone else, the package is a well-rounded introduction to London, with the London Eye and Thames cruise doing the heavy lifting when city traffic slows the bus.

FAQ

How long is the tour valid?

You can choose a 24-hour or 48-hour Big Bus ticket. The selected ticket is valid for one or two days, and the bus period begins when you first use the ticket.

Is the London Eye included?

Yes. Entry to the London Eye Ferris wheel is included, but you must reserve a time slot after booking.

How do I reserve my London Eye time?

Use the Big Bus Manage My Booking portal. A link to the portal is included in your confirmation email.

Is the Thames River cruise included?

Yes. All ticket types include one one-way cruise between Westminster Pier and Tower Pier, in either direction.

How long does the river cruise take?

The cruise takes approximately 40 minutes.

How often do the river cruises depart?

Cruises depart every 15 to 40 minutes in summer and every 30 to 40 minutes in winter.

Where can I board the bus?

You can board at any Big Bus stop during operating hours. A suggested starting point is Stop 12, London Eye, beside the Lion Statue on Westminster Bridge Road.

Are walking tours included?

The three guided walking tours are included only with the 48-hour ticket. They are the Royal Walk, Jack the Ripper Walk, and Harry Potter Walk.

What languages are available for the audio guide?

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

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

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