Is the hop-on hop-off bus worth it in London?
A hop-on hop-off ticket for 24 hours in London costs from £25.20 per adult right now. The public transport day ticket (TfL Zones 1-2 daily cap) costs £8.90. The bus costs about 2.8 times as much. The bus is worth it if the ride itself is part of the plan: an open top deck, an audio guide and stops right at the sights. If you only need to get from A to B, public transport or walking is cheaper.
Worth it for
- A first visit with one or two days: one loop takes you past the main sights, with 60+ stops on the largest network (Golden Tours).
- Families with small children: with The Original Tour, children under 5 ride free.
- Anyone who finds long walks hard: you ride from sight to sight and sit on the way.
- Anyone who wants commentary: an audio guide in up to 12 languages is included.
Skip it if
- You are on a tight budget: the public transport day ticket costs £8.90.
- You will spend most of the day inside one museum or site: the ticket runs while you are indoors.
- You need to cross the city fast: in traffic the bus can be slower than the metro or walking.
One day compared
| Option | Price per adult | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Hop-on hop-off bus | £25.20 (24 hours) | Sightseeing loop, open top deck, audio guide |
| TfL Zones 1-2 daily cap | £8.90 | All city transport for the day, no commentary |
| Walking | free | Fine in the centre, tiring over long distances |
Public transport fare: TfL Zones 1-2 daily cap, source tfl.gov.uk, checked 13 November 2026. Bus price live for one adult.
Prices
| Operator | 24 hours | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| The Original Tour | £34.00at GetYourGuide | 4.1 / 560 reviews |
| City Sightseeing | £30.00at Tiqets | 4.3 / 58,981 reviews |
| Golden Tours | £25.20at Headout | 4.4 / 52,102 reviews |
| Big Bus | £28.88at Headout | 4.2 / 55,206 reviews |
Lowest price for one adult across all sellers, as of November 2026, live from GetYourGuide, Headout and Tiqets. The cheapest operator for each ticket is in bold.