The 11 Open-Top Bus Tours in the UK That Earn the Fare

1.London by Night Sightseeing Open-Top Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,516 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $29Our pick

Ride a yellow See London by Night bus from Green Park for 90 minutes of live English commentary and city views. You pass Wellington Arch, Harrods, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus. Guides such as Michael and Shannon add jokes, facts, and photo cues. Bring warm layers for the open top.

“Was amazing, unfortunately we cannot see the Buckingham Palace during the tour but the guide was so funny, worth the money!”

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2.Guided Sightseeing Tour on a Vintage Open-Top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,890 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $40

Ride a 1960s open-top Red Routemaster from Embankment while an English-speaking guide points out St. Paul’s, the Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus. Guides such as Johnny, Paul, and Will are known for lively stories and humor. Bring a warm scarf, since the upper deck can be chilly.

“fantastic tour through London with Johnny and Bob. Make sure to wear a warm scarf on the upper level of the bus”

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3.Afternoon Tea Bus Tour – 1960s Routemaster Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,032 reviews · 1 hour 25 minutes (approx.) · from $87

Ride a vintage 1960s Routemaster from Victoria Coach Station through central London with afternoon tea, sandwiches, pastries, and recorded commentary. You may sit upstairs or below, with seating assigned by staff. The 85-minute route passes Harrods, Knightsbridge, Hyde Park, and Mayfair.

“I had the most wonderful experience on the Tea Party Bus Tour for my birthday! The food was absolutely delicious. The service was exceptional, with the staff going above and beyond to make the experience special. The bus was spotlessly clean and adorned with beautiful decorations that created a charming and cozy atmosphere. It truly felt like a one-of-a-kind celebration. I can’t recommend it enough for anyone looking for a unique and memorable outing!”

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4.Nighttime Open-Top Sightseeing Tour with Live Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 1,558 reviews · 1h 30m · from $39

Take a 90-minute open-top evening bus ride past Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the London Eye. An English-speaking guide adds jokes, stories, and photo warnings, while audio commentary is available in 12 languages. Bring a warm coat and arrive early for the best upper-deck seats.

“Nice tour to see the city late evening. A little confusing about bus location and mention of picking up ticket. Just use your phone at the bus parked on street in front of London Eye area. Family of 4 - 2 teens and parents.”

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5.Belfast: Hop-On Hop-Off Belfast Open Top Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,539 reviews · 2 days · from $13Best value

Use a 48-hour ticket to tour Belfast by open-top bus, with stops at Titanic Belfast, St. George’s Market, Queen’s University, the murals, peace walls, and Crumlin Road Gaol. English audio commentary is included, and drivers such as Stevie often add personal stories and humor. The bus is wheelchair accessible, with live guides available in six languages.

“The service, banter, updates and easy Apple wallet tickets and use for 2 days hop on hop off was great!! Will use again when in Belfast.”

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6.Liverpool: Open-Top Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,224 reviews · 1 day · from $18

Start at Royal Albert Dock for a 50-minute circuit of Liverpool’s waterfront, cathedrals, museums, Chinatown, and Cavern Club area. English guides such as Jimmy, Julie, Kim, and Damien add local humor, while audio commentary is available in eight languages. A one-day ticket lets you hop on and off, with a free glass of bubbly at the Philharmonic Dining Rooms.

“Loved the fact it’s hop on and off making the fare excellent value for money. Bus was clean and comfortable and the route was very interesting seeing all the major attractions of Liverpool. Commentary was very good and funny. All in all well worth doing.”

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7.London Christmas Lights Tour by Vintage Bus Open Top

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,132 reviews · 1h 15m · from $37

Ride a genuine 1960s Routemaster through London’s Christmas-lit streets for 75 minutes. Your English-speaking guide adds jokes, music, history, and local color as you pass Oxford Street, Regent Street, Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland, Harrods, and major landmarks. Top-deck seating is guaranteed, but seats are first come, first served, so arrive early and dress warmly.

“It was wonderful except the one 25 minutes before was late arriving and guests became quite agitated and angry, believing they should go first. I felt bad for the representative who seemed at a loss, despite calling head office who would not allow him to accommodate the earlier guests. Recommend that a back up plan should be in place for such occurrences, if possible. Otherwise well done. Many thanks.”

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8.Big Bus Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour by Open-Top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,079 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $24

Start at Waterloo Place and use a 24 or 48-hour Big Bus ticket to reach Edinburgh’s main sights. The City Tour covers the Old Town and Holyroodhouse, while the Britannia route reaches the Royal Yacht, Botanic Garden, and Leith. Expect recorded commentary in nine languages, open-top views, helpful staff, and some walking between stops.

“Very convenient, excellent way for those with mobility issues especially to see the sights”

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9.London by Night Sightseeing Tour – Open Top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,060 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $40

This 90-minute evening ride begins beside the Ritz at Green Park and passes Piccadilly, St Paul’s, Tower Bridge, Westminster, the London Eye, Kensington, and Harrods. An English-speaking guide provides live commentary, with seasonal departure times and limited upper-deck seating. Sit upstairs for the best views, but dress warmly and expect traffic.

“This is a perfect nighttime activity. All of the guides are personable and you get to see all of London in its evening splendor. Met a very good friend who was also traveling solo. We still keep in touch. Our tour was in September!”

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10.London by Night Sightseeing Open Top Bus Tour with Live Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 977 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $40

Ride through London after dark with a live English-speaking guide, passing Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and the London Eye. The 90-minute route is a quick city overview, with audio guides in 12 languages. Dress warmly and arrive early for top-deck seats.

“Went on a 9pm tour which was perfect because there were no crazy crowds. This was our first night in London and glad we did it because we got so much information! Really good preview of London in under 1.5 hours, I would highly reccomend to do this tour before starting your trip and the city is pretty at night. Also, Dominic is the best tour guide in London, he deserves triple his wages.”

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11.Belfast: Giant’s Causeway Tour and 2-Day Open Top-Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 86 reviews · 1 day · from $55

Spend day one with guides such as Dave, Stuart, or Louis along Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast, from Carrickfergus Castle to Giant’s Causeway. Then use a two-day Belfast bus pass for Titanic Belfast, murals, Queen’s University, and more. Rope Bridge access is not included.

“We really enjoyed our day. Thankfully the rain went off which allowed us to spend more time walking when at the Giant 's Causeway. Bus driver and guide were extremely informative with a great sense of humour thrown in. I would highly recommend the tour.”

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