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Tootbus (The Original Tour) hop-on hop-off bus tours

Hop-on hop-off open top double deck sightseeing bus tour of London

Tootbus (Original London Tour) Open Top Sightseeing Bus

Tootbus offers a range of tours to see London from the top deck

Tootbus (The Original Tour) - panoramic and hop-on, hop-off ticket options

In summer 2021 The Original Tour changed their name to Tootbus. The bus livery has stayed the same with the iconic Union Jack embellished across the sides of their buses, so they are still easy to spot. Tootbus offer several programmes of tourist bus services in London.

At London Toolkit we can also offer you Tootbus London Discovery tickets for an exclusive price - see banner below.

You can choose from traditional hop-on hop-off tickets for different durations (with or without a river cruise) or alternatively Tootbus also offer shorter tours such as their Express Tour or the popular Kids Tour or the ever-popular quirky Bar Bus - 'The most original rooftop terrace in town.'

You can also enjoy a Tootbus hop-on bus experience in the City of Bath.

BOOK TOOTBUS HOP-ON BUS TICKETS   What's included   Tootbus tour types   About Tootbus tickets   Tootbus routes and map   River Cruise   Tootbus compared with Golden Tours & Big Bus   Hop-on buses price comparison table  

London Tootbus

TOOTBUS HOP-ON BUS - EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS

Tootbus London

Tootbus London Discovery tickets

EXCLUSIVE PRICE

• Choose from 24, 48 or 72-hr tickets • Audio guide in 5 languages

London Tootbus

TOOTBUS HOP-ON BUS + RIVER CRUISE

Tootbus London

Tootbus Must See London, Bar Bus, Kids Tour, London by Night, Christmas Lights tickets

• Choose from 24, 48 or 72-hr tickets • Thames River Cruise • Audio guide in 5 languages • Kids' commentary


Tootbus hop-on bus London - what's included in your ticket

Tootbus (Original Tour) hop-on bus - top deck
Tootbus are the original London tour bus company

Over sixty years ago the company who ran London's red buses decided to create a special open topped conversion of some of London's famous double deck red buses and run them on a circuit of London's main attractions with the facility to hop on and hop off. This company became known as The Original London Tour.

Today the Original London Tour now operates under the new name of Tootbus. The company is still going strong in London and has been refined to a sightseeing product so very popular with first time visitors to London.

 

  • Unlimited travel for 24, 48 or 72-hrs on the Tootbus, (Original London Tour) sightseeing bus network that visits all major attractions in Central London

  • High frequency daily buses with a selection of different tours available including Express, Kids, Bar Bus and Evening tours

  • The only tour company to offer specially adapted Kids Tours

  • The only tour company to offer the phenomenally popular and quirky Bar Bus

  • A short river cruise on the River Thames to see major sights from a different perspective (on Must See London tickets only)

  • Download the Tootbus app to gain access to: routes and stops, audio commentaries (in English and French) and self-guided walking tours

  • Free Wi-Fi on all buses

Comparison table of London's hop-on bus prices 2024

What you need to know about Tootbus (The Original Tour) London tickets

Tootbus (Original Tour) hop-on bus London
Relax and let Tootbus show you the sights

You can buy tickets for the Tootbus service in 24, 48 and 72-hour durations.

So, if you buy a 48-hour ticket, the ticket is valid 48 hours from the time you activate the ticket by boarding the bus.

London Discovery

A cheaper tour from Tootbus that offers good value on 1-day tours with no river cruise.

Must See London

This tour is more expensive as you get the river cruise included. Choose from a 1-day tour or a 2-day tour.

London Express - non-stop 2-hr tour

The Express Tour showcases the very best of London in just two hours. Perfect for anyone a little short on time who just wants to be taken around the beautiful sights the capital has to offer. This is a great way to see the city in the open-air, on a non-stop tour with on-board commentary.

London tours for kids

This is a short 45 minute open-top bus tour of the city, designed specifically for kids. This tour is special in that it is one of only two tours by Tootbus to feature a live guide, which really brings the whole experience to life. Your guide will give a fun introduction to the history of London as you pass major landmarks. This is a great way to see London in the open-air setting of the top of the London bus. As you'd expect, tickets are cheaper than the traditional tickets for 1 or 2-day durations.

London by Night - or Christmas lights

Tootbus' evening tour offering, comparable with Big Bus and Golden Tours, a 90-min non-stop bus tour with pre-recorded commentary.

At Christmas another product is also on offer - the London Christmas Lights Tour, where you can enjoy the magical Christmas lights of London with a live guide (this is only one of two bus experiences Tootbus offer with a live guide - the other being the Kids Tour).

Bar Bus - the most original rooftop terrace in town

This popular non-stop 60-min tour of London offers a way to let you hair down on the top deck. See London with your friends, drinks on board, stunning views & photo opportunities, with a laid back vibe and uplifting music.

Tootbus (The Original Tour) tickets - how it works

St Paul's from top deck Tootbus tours London
See the majesty of St Paul's

Tickets can be purchased on the day from staff at the bus stops, Tootbus sellers on the street or online in advance from various suppliers (see banner links above.)

You can purchase London Discovery (hop-on bus only, no river cruise) at a cheaper price than going direct if you use our banner above.

Prices are seasonal and variable and prices above are based on low season prices. During school holidays prices are typically higher.

If purchasing online, the payment is by credit/debit card at the time of purchase.

Tickets are e-tickets and you receive a booking confirmation email, including a pass with a reservation number and a QR code. The QR code on the ticket is scannable on board the bus.

The validity of your ticket starts at the time of redemption, the first time your ticket will be scanned. While using the hop-on hop-off facility, your pass will be scanned every time you get on the bus. 

It is recommended you use the Tootbus app to upload your ticket into it so it is all handy in one place. This is very easy to do, just a matter of filling in the reservation number and the name displayed on your ticket.

Tickets are flexible and are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. You can amend or cancel your tickets free of charge any time during the ticket validity period.

You can begin your Tootbus tour at any of the bus stops in London.

Tootbus (The Original Tour) routes and buses

Tootbus route map 2024
Get the map downloaded directly onto your phone with the Tootbus app

With your Tootbus ticket, you have access to 2 bus tour routes (depending on season) around London. The Yellow Route is the main tourist route, and as such offers the most frequent service, running every 5-20 minutes.

Summer and winter schedules

Schedules change seasonally.

The winter schedule runs until 1st April with both the Yellow and Blue tours starting from 9am.

Yellow Tour

The Yellow tour runs every 30 minutes from Coventry Street, Piccadilly, until the last tour departs at 4.20pm and 5pm Friday to Sunday.

Blue Tour

The Blue tour runs every 40 minutes from Grosvenor Gardens, Victoria until the last tour at 4pm and 5pm Friday to Sunday.

Tootbus map of routes 2024

Free City Cruises river cruise with selected Tootbus tickets

City Cruises leisure cruise with Tootbus hop-on bus tour London
Free Thames cruise included with many Tootbus tickets

Free Thames river cruise with City Cruises

Complete your visit to London with a cruise along the river Thames. Hop off at Westminster, take the river cruise to Tower Pier and board the Yellow Route again at the Tower of London.

City Cruises is the leading Thames river cruise company in London.

River cruises continue to be very popular with tourists and visitors to London as they allow you to experience the city from the river in ways you could never experience it from land.

Only the Must See London tickets include the river cruise; the cheaper tickets do not.

Tootbus v Golden Tours v Big Bus

In terms of London coverage all three Ho Ho sightseeing bus operations visit the same areas and all the main London attractions.

Live guides

This is one area that has changed in recent years. Traditionally all three companies offered live guides on at least one of their hop-on tours.

Today you will find this is no longer the case. If having a live guide is important to you there are a couple of options, but none of them are hop-on, hop-off but rather 60 or 90-minute continuous sightseeing tours.

Golden Tours have a live guide on their 90 min non-stop tour.

Tootbus have a live guide on their London Kids Tour and London Christmas Tour.

Big Bus no longer offer a live guide service on any of their tours.

Otherwise all three companies use pre-recorded commentaries for their hop-on bus services (they vary on the number of languages offered).

Durations

All operators offer tickets with 24 and 48-hr validity periods; Tootbus and Golden Tours also offer 72-hr tickets.

In addition Tootbus offer a 60-min Bar Bus ticket, while Golden Tours offer a fully guided 1.5-hr Express ticket (see above).

Evening Tours

All three operators offer evening tours. Big Bus also include a separate evening tour with their Premium and Deluxe tickets.

See websites for more details.

Walking Tours

Both Golden Tours and Big Bus offer highly regarded professionally guided walking tours included with your ticket (selected tickets only).

With Golden Tours you can choose from a Jack The Ripper Walking Tour or Coronation Walking Tour.

Big Bus offer THREE FREE TOURS with their Essential and Explore tickets: Changing of the Guard Walking Tour, City of London Walking Tour and a Jack the Ripper Walking Tour. Each tour is 1.5 hours long.

In addition Big Bus are currently offering a Royal themed hop on bus tour - 'A Big Royal Adventure'' together with a 45-min Royal Walking Tour.

Tootbus do not offer guided walking tours but instead give you the chance to download "Tootwalk" to your phone: a choice of three self-guided walks.

River cruises

Two different river cruise operators are used, City Cruises and Thames River Sightseeing.

Golden Tours and Tootbus both offer tickets which are cheaper because they do not offer the river cruise. River cruises come standard with all Big Bus tickets.

All river cruises are for one-way only.

Add-on attractions or alternative tours

Golden Tours offer a range of attractions as add-on to the basic 4-hr hop-on bus ticket.

You can buy discounted bundles of Big Bus and top London attraction through Discount London.

In addition, through the Big Bus official website you can also add on tickets to: Madame Tussauds, Tower of London and London Eye Fast Track.

Tootbus don't currently offer any add-on attractions but they do offer alternative tours such as an Evening Tour, Bar Bus and a very popular Kids tour.

Click through on the banner for a thorough discussion on the differences between companies.

London's hop-on buses - discussion comparison

London Tootbus

TOOTBUS HOP-ON BUS - EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS

Tootbus London

Tootbus London Discovery tickets

EXCLUSIVE PRICE

• Choose from 24, 48 or 72-hr tickets • Audio guide in 5 languages

London Tootbus

TOOTBUS HOP-ON BUS + RIVER CRUISE

Tootbus London

Tootbus Must See London, Bar Bus, Kids Tour, London by Night, Christmas Lights tickets

• Choose from 24, 48 or 72-hr tickets • Thames River Cruise • Audio guide in 5 languages • Kids' commentary


LONDON'S OPEN TOP HOP-ON, HOP-OFF SIGHTSEEING TOUR PRICING 2024

 

Online advance ticket price adult/child/family from...

Tour

*24 hrs or 1-day no cruise

**24-hrs or 1 day with cruise

*48-hrs or 2 days no cruise

**48-hrs or 2 days with cruise

*72-hrs or 2 days no cruise

**72-hrs or 3 days with cruise

London Evening tour

Tootbus (Original Tour) Adult
Child
Family
£26.00
£15.00
£90.00
£42.00
£24.00
£108.00
£28.00
£17.00
£89.00
£49.00
£29.00
£127.00
£31.00
£19.00
£98.00
£56.00
£34.00
£146.00
£29.00
£18.00
£76.00
Big Bus Adult
Child
Family
N/A £38.00
£30.00
£128.25
N/A £45.00
£37.00
£159.75
N/A N/A £31.50
£22.50
£96.75
Golden Tours Adult
Child
Family
£33.00
£19.00
£81.41
£40.00
£25.00
£100.10
N/A £46.00
£28.00
£120.25
N/A £53.00
£33.00
£148.00
£27.00
£15.00
£74.00
London's hop-on buses - 3 hop on buses compared

All prices (except family prices) are those offered through Travel Compendium unless otherwise stated, using banners on this page. Travel Compendium aim to be price-competitive, offering you the best value price (against the hop-on bus company's own permanently discounted online prices, which are between 10 - 15% off their walk-up prices).

Prices are seasonal and variable and prices above are based on low season prices. During school holidays prices are typically higher.

To be sure you are getting the best possible price it is advisable to check our prices above against the hop-on bus companies' websites as they occasionally run sales throughout the year:

Tootbus official website

Big Bus official website

Golden Tours official website

 

* Golden Tours and Tootbus offer cheaper tickets, which are bus only, no river cruise. Tootbus offer this for a 24, 48 & 72-hr ticket and call theirs 'London Discovery'. Golden Tours offer the bus only option for either 24 hours or a 1-day period only.

All other Tootbus and Golden Tours tickets are for 24/48/72-hour periods, unless stated otherwise.

** Prices for Tootbus here use official Tootbus link, Big Bus and Golden Tours prices use our links.

Family hop on bus tickets and other tour options

Family prices for all companies can be found through the operator's own websites (above).

For a big range of Golden Tours hop on plus attraction tickets see: Golden Tours hop-on bus plus attractions


POPULAR LONDON ATTRACTIONS - ADVANCE PURCHASE AND/OR FAST TRACK TICKETS

London Eye Amazing panoramic flight on the world's highest observation wheel. » Fast track tickets available.
The Shard Tallest building in Western Europe with viewing of London from the top. » Fast track tickets available.
St Paul's Cathedral Cathedral of the Diocese of London, venue for royal weddings. » Pre-book to guarantee entry.
Westminster Abbey Along with St Paul's, England's main religious building.» Pre-book to guarantee entry.
Tower of London Home of the Crown Jewels and a rich thousand year history. » Fast track tickets available.
Madame Tussauds See wax statues of the most famous people in the world. » Fast track tickets available.
London Dungeon The creepiest attraction in town, the London Dungeon. » Fast track tickets available.
Hampton Court Palace Henry VIII Medieval Palace set in vast grounds. » Pre-book to save money.
The London Zoo World class zoo in the centre of London. » Flexi tickets available.

Every effort is made to keep all our information correct and the advertised prices up to date. We endeavour to be as accurate a source of information as possible but Travellers Toolkits cannot be held responsible for any price differential between our stated prices and those of the companies supplying the product or accuracy of information provided on our sites.