London Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Reviews: Which One is Best?
Planning a trip to London? A hop-on hop-off bus tour can be a fantastic way to explore the city, covering iconic sights like Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and Big Ben, all without the hassle of navigating public transport. But with five different operators competing, how do you choose the best one?
I have been interacting directly with all the tours for over 10 years. Here’s my honest comparison to help you pick the right one for your trip.
DoubleDeckerLondon is reader supported. If you make a purchase through some of the links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support and happy sightseeing!
Here are my top picks for those who prefer not to scroll through the entire post.
1. Big Bus 2. Citysightseeing 3.Toot Bus 4. Golden Tours 5. TopView
Not sure which hop-on hop-off bus to choose? Take my quick quiz to find the best one for you!
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus London Comparison
Bus Operator | Price | Route Coverage | Frequency | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Bus | £39-68 | 10/10 | Every 10-15 mins | Bus tracking app |
Tootbus | £33-48 | 9/10 | Every 15-30 mins | Kid-friendly commentary |
City Sightseeing | £39-55 | 7/10 | Every 10-20 mins | 10% Off Worldwide |
Golden Tours | £32-43 | 8/10 | Every 15-30 mins | Affordable option |
TopView London | £32-55 | 7/10 | Every 20-30 mins | Live guides available |
Compare London Bus Tours: Detailed Reviews
1. Big Bus – Best for Comprehensive Coverage
Big Bus stands out as my top choice in the best hop-on hop-off bus in London battle for several reasons:
Frequent Service: If you ask anyone about bus tours in London, the first thing that usually comes to their mind is Big Bus. Their buses are everywhere.
Extensive Network: Over the years, they've carefully designed their route to ensure they don't miss any important attractions. Other than Golden Tours, they are the only ones that go to Madame Tussauds and Oxford Street.
Clear Route and Map: The route is easy to follow, and the map provided is great.
Friendly and Knowledgeable Staff: The Big Bus staff are some of the most experienced in the field.
Smart Route Design: Their carefully designed route ensures that you can take buses in both directions.
Partnership with Merlin Attractions: Big Bus's collaboration with Merlin Attractions can end up as a huge advantage if you're planning to visit any of them.
Electric buses fleet: They've recently swapped most of their fleet for electric buses.
Things to consider:
❌A higher number of passengers compared to other hop-on-hop-off companies. To overcome this, make sure you start earlier/later than the crowds and avoid school holidays as much as possible.
❌Their tickets can be a bit pricey, especially if you're traveling with family or a larger group.
❌Now, even though you pay more for Big Bus, there's still a chance you might get stuck in traffic, just like with any other tour. While they're pretty good at dealing with it, sometimes it's just out of their hands. The only way to stay prepared is by checking for service updates on their website.
Is Big Bus the best hop-on hop-off tour in London? If you're looking for the most well-rounded experience with great coverage and added perks like a river cruise, Big Bus is hard to beat. The slightly higher price is justified by its extensive routes and reliability.
2. Toot Bus - Best for Families & Eco-Friendly Travel
Here are some reasons why I've chosen TootBus as my second choice:
Eco-Friendly Buses: TootBus is the only sightseeing company beside Big Bus that swapped their entire fleet for eco-friendly buses.
Set Timetable: TootBus follows a set timetable for its buses which can sometimes work in your favor.
Affordability: They offer a more budget-friendly option compared to some other tour providers.
Kids Commentary: Toot Bus stands apart from its competitors by offering a fantastic Kids audio guide. This feature is available in both English and French.
Extensive Routes: Their route closely mirrors that of Big Bus, the main difference lies in the starting point and the direction of the buses.
Free Self-Guided Walking Tours: In the TootBus app you can find a bunch of complimentary self-guided walking tours.
Digital Tickets: TootBus makes things easy by using digital tickets on their app. Just download the app, and you're good to go!
Things to consider:
❌Commentary on TootBus can be hit or miss. For a better experience, use your own headphones with the app on your phone.
❌The bus tracking app isn't always super accurate. It's best not to rely on it entirely.
❌Even with a super strict schedule, sometimes the buses do not arrive, or they are less frequent compared to its competition. The best idea is to check the app for service updates and communicate with members of staff.
Reasons for choosing City Sightseeing:
Affordability: The price of the tickets is relatively fair for what they offer, and they also provide a more affordable one-day ticket option without the inclusion of a boat tour.
Frequent Service: Even though they are relatively new to the London market, they've made a huge effort to match the service frequency to that of their competitors.
Multilingual Commentary: City Sightseeing London offers a wider range of languages in their commentary options compared to Big Bus and Toot (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Arabic)
Route Design: The route is well-designed to cover key attractions.
Friendly Staff: I have nothing but positive feedback for their staff members; each one I interacted with was exceptionally friendly.
Things to consider :
❌Shorter buses than those of Big Bus and Toot Bus, which means they can get overcrowded during peak tourist season.
❌City Sightseeing's blue route doesn't cover areas like Notting Hill or Paddington, like its competitors.
4. Golden Tours - Best for Quick Sightseeing
While Golden Tours may be 4th on our list, don't dismiss it just yet! Golden Tours has some pleasant surprises up its sleeve.
Reasons for choosing Golden Tours:
Affordability: They have plenty of budget-friendly options.
Multilingual Commentary: Compared to Big Bus and Toot they have 6 additional languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Arabic).
Route Design: Golden Tours has a uniquely designed route that might suit some better than the more popular tours.
Upper Deck Seating: They tend to have more available seats on the upper deck during busy times.
Live guides: Some of their buses feature live guides, a huge advantage over the other companies.
Things to consider:
❌Reliability of its service. In comparison to its competitors, their service frequency falls short, resulting in longer waiting times.
❌Figuring out Golden Tours' map may be a bit challenging at first, and their routes can seem a bit confusing.
❌Keep in mind that they typically wrap up their service earlier than some other companies, and as the day goes on, you might observe fewer buses on the road.
5. TopView - Best for Budget Sightseeing with Live Guides
TopView secures the last spot in this ranking, mainly because it's a newcomer to London, having been around for less than a year. Predicting how they handle more challenging situations is a bit trickier.
Reasons for choosing TopView:
Competitive Prices: TopView stands out for offering the lowest prices on the market. It can be a great choice for those who are short on time and on a budget
Live Guides: While they no longer offer live guides on all their buses, they still have certain departures with live guides
Digital Tickets: You no longer need to carry printed tickets with you. With TopView, you can use the app to board the buses.
Things to consider:
❌With any new company, things can be a bit unpredictable. This could lead to occasional delays in their service.
What’s Included in a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket?
Unlimited travel for 24, 48, or 72 hours (depending on the operator)
Multiple routes covering London’s top attractions
Live guides or audio commentary (varies by company)
Extras like walking tours or river cruises (varies by ticket type)
How often do the buses run?The higher-rated companies often have buses running as frequently as every 10 minutes, while less popular ones might have waiting times of 20-30 minutes. Keep in mind that this applies to the main routes; for secondary routes, the waiting times could be even longer.
Final Thoughts: Which Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Should You Choose?
Best Overall: Big Bus (Most comprehensive experience + river cruise)
Best for Families: Tootbus (Kid-friendly audio, eco-friendly buses)
Best for brand: City Sightseeing (Worldwide brand)
Best for Budget Travelers: Golden Tours (Compact route, cheaper option)
Best for Live Guides: TopView (Budget-friendly + live guides)
Still unsure? Take my quiz to find your perfect tour!
Regardless of which tour you choose, as long as you follow some simple rules, you're guaranteed to have a good time.
check for any events happening in London.
make sure there are no diversions.
start early or later in the evening, especially during weekends and school holidays.
always ask the staff when the last departure is so you don't end up stranded.
It’s advisable to book your tickets in advance to take advantage of special deals and make a more informed choice. Bus stops can be chaotic, with numerous sellers trying to promote their tours, which could lead to confusion and the possibility of boarding the wrong bus.