Tower of London with London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise

The best part of this package is the combination of the Tower of London and the Thames. You get entry to one of London’s essential sights, a full day of hop-on hop-off bus access, and a one-way river cruise for $106.96 per person. It is a handy way to cover a lot of ground when your London time is short.

I like the freedom of the 24-hour bus ticket, especially for linking far-apart areas such as Kensington, Westminster, St. Paul’s, and the Tower. I also like that the Crown Jewels are built into the plan instead of being left as an optional extra. The catch is traffic: a bus ride that looks short on the map can take much longer, so a tightly timed Tower visit or river cruise may be hard to protect.

Key points to know before booking

• The Tower is the anchor attraction: You receive entry to the Tower of London, including access to its celebrated Crown Jewels display.
• The bus ticket lasts 24 hours: Redeem the voucher on your chosen date, then use the Big Bus network throughout that period.
• The route covers central London well: Stops include Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, St. Paul’s, London Bridge, and the Tower.
• The Thames cruise is one-way: It is useful as transport and sightseeing, but it does not provide a round-trip boat ride.
• Traffic is the main risk: Long waits and slow cross-town journeys can eat into your Tower or cruise time.
• Audio commentary and WiFi are included: The supplied details list audio in seven languages, while the highlights mention five, so confirm the current language lineup when redeeming.

What the $106.96 package actually gives you

At first glance, $106.96 is not a bargain bus ticket. The value comes from bundling three separate elements: Tower of London admission, 24-hour bus access, and a one-way Thames cruise.

The Tower gives the package a clear purpose. If you already plan to visit the fortress and Crown Jewels, adding transportation and a boat ride can make sense. If you only want a quick panoramic bus loop, buying a smaller bus ticket may be better value.

I would judge the price by how much of the package you use. Ride the bus several times, visit the Tower properly, and take the river cruise, and the price becomes easier to defend. Use the bus only two or three times and skip the boat, and you may feel you paid for features you could not fit into your day.

The package is listed as approximately 3 hours and 35 minutes, but that figure should not be treated as a complete day plan. The bus ticket itself is valid for 24 hours from first redemption. In practice, the Tower visit, waiting time, traffic, and boat schedule all affect how much you can accomplish.

Starting at the Tower of London

The Tower is the part of the experience that deserves your firmest time commitment. It is not a quick photo stop. You have entry to the historic fortress and the Crown Jewels, the dazzling collection that most people associate with the visit.

The Tower bus stop sits near the eastern end of the main sightseeing route. That makes it easy to reach from London Bridge, Southwark, Monument, St. Paul’s, or central Westminster. It also means the Tower can be paired with a river ride without crossing the city again.

I suggest making the Tower your first major stop if it is the reason you booked. A long bus ride from the western side of London can be risky. Traffic delays have caused some visitors to spend close to an hour on a single road and arrive late for their planned Tower visit. The operator recommends its live-tracking app, and that is especially useful here.

Once inside, give yourself enough time to see the Crown Jewels without rushing. The attraction is the fixed part of your day. Bus sightseeing can be moved around, but a missed admission window or lost cruise connection can be much harder to repair.

The central London bus route

The main route is a useful overview of central London, with stops placed near major sights. You can board at Green Park, close to the Underground station and Buckingham Palace area, or at the Hard Rock Cafe. From there, the route runs through Queen Mother Gates, Marble Arch, Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Haymarket.

This first section is good for getting your bearings. Marble Arch leads toward Hyde Park, while Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus put you near major shopping streets and theaters. Trafalgar Square follows, then Craig’s Court, Horse Guards Parade, and Whitehall.

The Westminster stretch is particularly practical. Stops at Whitehall, Westminster Pier, the London Eye, and Waterloo let you connect government buildings, the river, and the South Bank. You can use the bus as a sightseeing ride, but I would not assume it will move quickly at busy times.

Covent Garden and St. Paul’s are two of the strongest central stops. Covent Garden is useful for restaurants, shops, and street activity, while St. Paul’s places you near one of London’s defining buildings. From St. Paul’s, the route continues toward the Monument to the Great Fire of London, London Bridge, Southwark, and the Tower.

The eastern section makes the package more useful than a simple west-end loop. You can see how London’s old commercial center connects with the river and the City. The stop at Monument is outside Pret, which gives you a clear practical landmark when locating the bus.

Buckingham Palace, parks, and the west side

The second route reaches Buckingham Palace, Victoria, Hyde Park Corner, Harrods, South Kensington, Kensington Palace, Notting Hill, and Paddington. This is the side of the network to use if you want a broad look at London beyond Westminster and the City.

Buckingham Palace is the obvious highlight. The stop lets you combine a bus ride with the palace exterior and nearby Green Park. Victoria Station and the Nova Complex are also useful transport points, though they can feel less scenic than the formal palace area.

Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, and Harrods give you a quick view of London’s polished west end. South Kensington is the stop for the museums, while Gloucester Road provides another useful Underground connection. The route then reaches Kensington Palace and Kensington Gardens.

Notting Hill and Paddington make this route appealing if you want to see a different side of the city. The itinerary also includes several Kensington Gardens and Lancaster Gate stops, plus Peter Pan and Paddington Station. These stops are helpful for orientation, but you should check the exact stop name and direction on the day, since the list contains repeated names and some route labels vary.

Baker Street and Oxford Circus bring you back toward central London. From there, the bus rejoins Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Westminster, the London Eye, St. Paul’s, London Bridge, and the Tower.

The one-way Thames river cruise

The Thames cruise is the package’s change of pace. After hours of road traffic and bus seats, moving along the river gives you a different view of London’s bridges, waterfront buildings, and major landmarks.

The listed cruise is one-way, not a return trip. That matters when planning. It works best as a link between central river piers, rather than as a separate round-trip sightseeing outing. The itinerary includes Westminster Pier and the London Eye area, both of which connect neatly with the bus stops.

You can use the cruise around the Westminster and Tower sections of your day, but leave enough flexibility for boarding times and traffic before the pier. One point worth checking is the commentary. Audio commentary is included with the bus package, but the boat portion may not have the same eGuide arrangement. Confirm what is available at the pier if spoken commentary matters to you.

The cruise is valuable because it reduces backtracking. It can also be the most relaxing part of the day. Still, it is the easiest feature to lose if the bus is delayed or the Tower takes longer than planned. Treat it as a priority, not an automatic bonus you can squeeze in at the end.

Audio, headphones, and practical bus details

Audio commentary is included, and the package information gives two different language counts: the highlights say five languages, while the inclusions list says seven. The safest approach is to confirm the current choices when you redeem your voucher.

Bring or request the complimentary headphones. One serious problem reported with this experience came from not realizing that headphones were available, followed by a ride with little spoken information from the driver. The operator has said staff training was refreshed so passengers are told to ask for them.

The audio matters because the bus is not necessarily a guided walking tour. You may get useful context through the recorded commentary, but you should not count on the driver narrating every landmark or explaining service changes. Free WiFi is included, which is helpful for route checks and the operator’s live-tracking feature.

The bus network is near public transportation, and the experience is open to most participants. Service animals are allowed. There is no hotel pickup, so you need to reach a designated Big Bus stop yourself.

Why traffic can change the whole day

London traffic is the central weakness of this package. The route covers a lot, but coverage is not the same as speed. A cross-town bus ride can be slow, especially when you are trying to reach the Tower or a river departure at a particular time.

One account describes spending three hours on the bus while trying to reach the Tower, including an hour on the same road. Another describes waiting 35 minutes for a bus, then taking more than an hour to cross town. Those are not minor delays when your day includes a fixed attraction and a one-way cruise.

Service interruptions can also affect the plan. During a major city demonstration, some routes were closed and passengers had to walk to different stops. The practical lesson is simple: check current service notices before redeeming your ticket, and do not build a packed schedule around three exact connections.

I would use the bus for sightseeing and broad connections, but use the Underground or a taxi if arriving at the Tower on time is crucial. The package does not promise hotel pickup or a private transfer, so you are responsible for managing the gaps.

How I would plan the day

Start by redeeming the voucher at a designated Big Bus stop. You receive the bus tour ticket and Tower entrance ticket there. Since the ticket becomes valid from the first date of redemption, choose that date carefully.

If the Tower is your priority, begin near the Tower route or reach the area by public transport rather than spending the morning crossing London on the bus. Visit the Tower and Crown Jewels first, then use the nearby route toward London Bridge, Monument, St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, and Westminster.

Take the river cruise only after confirming its departure point and current schedule. Since it is one-way, plan where you want to finish. You can then use the bus for the west side, including Buckingham Palace, Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Harrods, Kensington, or Notting Hill.

If you have only one day, pick two or three areas instead of trying to leave the bus at every stop. The package rewards a flexible plan. It is less suitable for a schedule that demands exact arrival times at several distant sights.

Who will get the most from this experience

This package suits a first-time London visitor who wants an overview and has the Tower high on the wish list. It is also useful for families or mixed-age groups who prefer sightseeing without constant Underground transfers.

You will get the best value if you plan to ride the bus on both the west and east sides, take the Thames cruise, and spend real time inside the Tower. The included audio and WiFi make the sightseeing simpler, even if you need to request headphones.

It is a weaker choice for someone who already knows London’s transport system and wants efficient point-to-point travel. It may also frustrate anyone who dislikes waiting or has a rigid schedule. In that case, separate Tower admission plus public transport can offer more control.

The overall rating is 3.4 from 112 reviews, which fits the trade-off: the attraction mix is appealing, but operations and traffic can determine the day. The strongest positive account describes the combined bus and Tower visit as good, with the only complaint being the lack of an eGuide on the boat. The harshest complaints center on late buses, poor communication, route closures, and lost cruise time.

Should you book the Tower, bus, and cruise package?

Book it if you want a broad London introduction and will protect your Tower visit with a flexible schedule. The Crown Jewels, 24-hour bus access, and one-way Thames cruise create a useful three-part day, especially for a first visit.

Skip it if the $106.96 price feels high for a bus ride, or if you need guaranteed timing. The smartest compromise is to book only when you are willing to use the bus as a flexible sightseeing tool, not as a punctual transfer service. Cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund if your plans change.

FAQ

What is included in the Tower of London and Big Bus package?

It includes entry to the Tower of London, a 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus ticket, a one-way Thames River cruise, audio commentary, and free WiFi.

How much does the experience cost?

The listed price is $106.96 per person.

How long does the experience take?

The stated duration is approximately 3 hours and 35 minutes. The bus ticket itself is valid for 24 hours from the first date of redemption.

Does the tour include the Crown Jewels?

Yes. Entry to the Tower of London is included, and the Crown Jewels are one of the main highlights of the visit.

Is the Thames cruise round-trip?

No. The included river cruise is one-way.

Where can I board the Big Bus?

Designated stops include Green Park, Hard Rock Cafe, Marble Arch, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Pier, the London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London Bridge, Southwark, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Victoria, Kensington, Notting Hill, Paddington, Baker Street, and other central London locations.

Is audio commentary included?

Yes. Audio commentary is included. The supplied details list seven languages in the inclusions and five languages in the highlights, so confirm the current language options when redeeming.

Is hotel pickup provided?

No. Hotel pickup is not included. You need to reach one of the designated Big Bus stops.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours in advance are not accepted for a refund.