Bus & Coach · UK BUS TOURS

British Bus Tours: The 15 That Earn the Fare

62 tours  ·  from $13 a head

Britain invented the double-decker sightseeing bus and still runs the best of them. These 15 cover London’s competing loops, the Edinburgh and York night rides and the studio coaches, priced and timed.

London: Warner Bros. Studio Harry Potter Tour & Branded Bus - Four hours inside the studio
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London: Warner Bros. Studio Harry Potter Tour & Branded Bus

1.Warner Bros. Studio Harry Potter Tour & Branded Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 19,194 reviews · 7h 30m · from $151Our pick

Travel from Victoria on a Warner Bros. Studio Tour branded bus, watch a Harry Potter film on the way, then spend four hours exploring the real sets, props, costumes, creatures, and special effects from all eight films. This is an unescorted visit, so you explore at your own pace. A digital guide is available to hire at the studio.

“Everything was wonderful, but for those who are fans of the Wizarding World and not solely accompanying children, the 3.5 hours allotted at the WB Studio may not be sufficient to fully explore and enjoy all the offerings. Therefore, it would be advisable to purchase admission tickets separately and arrange individual transportation, whether by car, Uber, or train to Watford Junction, followed by the shuttle bus to WB Studios.”

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London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise - The blue route reaches Hyde Park, museums, and Notting Hill
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London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

2.London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 10,803 reviews · 3 hours 35 minutes (approx.) · from $39

See London from an open-top double-decker bus across three routes covering Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, St. Paul’s, Notting Hill, and the British Museum. Choose a one-day, 24-hour, or 48-hour pass. The longer tickets add a one-way Thames cruise, while selected 48-hour options include walking tours and an evening ride.

“I chose one day because it said 1 day from when you start. This is different from 24 hours. The options should really be 12, 24, 48 hours. The wording was misleading.”

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City Sightseeing London Hop-On Hop-Off Bus & Bookable Extras - Use the Blue Route for Kensington and the museums
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City Sightseeing London Hop-On Hop-Off Bus & Bookable Extras

3.City Sightseeing London Hop-On Hop-Off Bus & Bookable Extras

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 7,374 reviews · 1 - 3 days · from $33

Use a 1, 2, or 3-day City Sightseeing London pass to explore 54 stops across three routes. Ride past Big Ben, the Tower of London, St Paul’s, Harrods, Kensington Palace, and Buckingham Palace with multilingual audio commentary. Upgrade your pass for a Thames cruise, vintage Routemaster ride, Greenwich trip, or evening tour.

“Positives: The route is well planned and the high frequency of buses Negatives: the buses had lots of rubbish”

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London: Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional River Cruise) - Starting at Coventry Street or another London stop
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London: Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional River Cruise)

4.Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional River Cruise)

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 7,045 reviews · 1 - 3 days · from $47

See London’s big sights from an open-top Tootbus, then hop off for the Tower, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s, Soho, or Borough Market. Your 24, 48, or 72-hour ticket includes multilingual audio, child-friendly commentary, live bus tracking, and four self-guided walks. Add a one-way City Cruises trip between Westminster and Tower Pier.

“The ability to go at my pace if I went at all. The routes are comprehensive of the city. Just ride and listen or go wherever. The boat ride is a highlight. The ride was informative and interesting.”

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London: London by Night Sightseeing Open-Top Bus Tour - Harrods and the Lights of Knightsbridge
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London: London by Night Sightseeing Open-Top Bus Tour

5.London by Night Sightseeing Open-Top Bus Tour

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

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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London: Christmas Lights Bus Tour With Live Guide - From London Eye or Victoria into the festive center
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London: Christmas Lights Bus Tour With Live Guide

6.Christmas Lights Bus Tour With Live Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 5,410 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $33

Take a 60 to 90-minute evening bus ride past Regent Street, Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Big Ben, and the London Eye. An English-speaking guide such as Brennan, Shaun, Emma, or Ethan adds London stories and humor. Choose an open-air upper deck for the best views or a warmer lower deck.

“Dominic was very entertaining and informative. Thoroughly enjoyed the trip.”

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London: London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour - Begin near the London Eye at Stop 12
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London: London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

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

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5,332 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $74

Pair Big Bus London’s 24 or 48-hour hop-on route with a London Eye flight and one-way Thames cruise. You can start at any stop, but Stop 12 by the Eye is a useful base. Pre-book your Eye time, use the app for bus tracking, and save the 48-hour ticket for walking tours.

“The convinience of Hop on and Hop off, once you figure it out thru the Big Bus app.”

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Edinburgh: Comedy Horror Ghost Bus Tour - What the guide adds to the ride
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Edinburgh: Comedy Horror Ghost Bus Tour

8.Comedy Horror Ghost Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,932 reviews · 1h 15m · from $28

Join a costumed guide such as Tommy Terror or Eerie Ian aboard Edinburgh’s midnight-black vintage double-decker. In 75 minutes, you’ll hear tales of Burke and Hare, executions, witches, plague victims, and hauntings while passing Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Grassmarket, and Holyrood Palace. Expect jokes, theatrical scares, and a short graveyard stop.

“I loved this tour!! The guide, Tommy Terror was amazing- very knowledgeable and funny. The bus was comfortable and cozy. I only wish the tour was longer! Highly recommend”

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London: Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise - Blue Route: Kensington, Harrods, and the Tower of London
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London: Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise

9.Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 3,875 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $35

Use a 24 or 48-hour Big Bus ticket to see London from an open-top deck, with routes linking Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, St Paul’s, the Tower, Kensington, and more. Add a 40-minute Thames cruise, guided walks, or a 2-hour evening tour. Audio commentary, WiFi, headphones, and wheelchair access are included.

“Love big red bus tours, essential for orienting yourself .”

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London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise - Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, and Kensington
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London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise

10.London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,834 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $53

See London by open-top double-decker bus on three routes linking Buckingham Palace, Westminster, the Tower, St Paul’s, museums, and Notting Hill. Use the pass for one, two, or three days, then add a Thames cruise during the same validity period. Audio commentary, children’s narration, and an app with live bus locations are included.

“This was our first time visiting London and this was a great way to see all the sites. There were plenty of busses so we didn’t have to wait long for another one when we got off to wander around”

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London: Tootbus Must-See Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Cruise - The Yellow Route, your best overview of central London
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London: Tootbus Must-See Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Cruise

11.Tootbus Must-See Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,653 reviews · 1 - 3 days · from $52

Use Tootbus to see London’s main sights without mastering the Underground on day one. Ride open-top routes past Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s, and Tower Bridge, then add a City Cruises Thames trip. The app tracks buses, stores your ticket, and guides four self-led walks. Audio is available in 10 languages, with child-friendly English and French options.

“I recommend to do a tour like this on the first day of your vacation in a big city to give you an idea of what to visit.”

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Glasgow: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour - Starting at George Square and the cathedral
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Glasgow: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

12.Glasgow: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,095 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $26

Use a one or two-day ticket to tour Glasgow by open-top double-decker bus. The 90-minute Red Route links George Square, Glasgow Cathedral, Kelvingrove, Riverside Museum, the university, and the Clyde. Expect live guides in the main season, multilingual audio at other times, and easy hop-on, hop-off access.

“Good thing we booked the bus tour because the weather was gloomy and it rained half way the tour. Glasgow’s weather is around 13-14 degrees that day Aug 8 2025 so make sure to bring jacket or check the weather first. We are a family of four with two children and we had one big twin stroller. We were accommodated properly and they were very helpful and professional. We booked both the city tours and we just hopped on and finished each bus routes without hopping off during the tour as you can also take good shots from your seat. We have started 9am as we know it will become…”

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Comedy Horror Show: York Ghost Bus Tour - From York Station to the city’s haunted sights
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Comedy Horror Show: York Ghost Bus Tour

13.Comedy Horror Show: York Ghost Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,032 reviews · 1h 15m · from $26

Ride York’s black 1960s Routemaster Necrobus for a 75-minute comedy horror show in English. A live conductor, with performers such as Frank Stein, John Doe, Edgar, or Phil, tells grim tales linked to Clifford’s Tower, York Minster, Dick Turpin’s grave, and other haunted places. Expect jokes, audience participation, light scares, and an atmospheric bus ride.

“what a great tour and something different to do, done as part of a birthday night. so much fun, great night, guide was amazing 100% recommend”

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London: Guided Sightseeing Tour on a Vintage Open-Top Bus - Starting at Embankment Stop 40B
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London: Guided Sightseeing Tour on a Vintage Open-Top Bus

14.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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Ghost Bus Tour of Edinburgh - Burke, Hare, and Edinburgh’s trade in bodies
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Ghost Bus Tour of Edinburgh

15.Ghost Bus Tour of Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,761 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Board a vintage Routemaster at 7-9 George IV Bridge for an English-language evening ride through Edinburgh’s darker past. Your guide covers Burke and Hare, witch hunts, executions, Greyfriars, Grassmarket, and Maggie Dickson, with theatrical effects and stops near major Old Town sights. Guides may include Tommy Terror or Sinead O’Horror.

“It gives a bus journey around Edinburgh city with good knowledge of the history. 1hr long, easy to find the pick up point.”

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