What Can I Expect

See the changing of the guards, the Houses of Parliament, the bustling West End and a whole lot more, all from the elevated vantage point of a vintage London open top bus! As well as your bus tour you also get a Thames cruise choose either an afternoon tea at Harrods or a fish and chips meal in traditional London pub!

You'll be riding on a genuine, fully restored Routemaster double decker open top bus for your tour. These iconic red buses pounded the streets of London for years and have been phased out and replaced, but the original Routemaster, without doubt, holds a big place in the heart of Londoners and tourists alike.

All our open top bus packages start with a comprehensive tour of the capital on the double decker bus, departing from Victoria Coach Station. Your onboard guide will give a running commentary, filled with facts and anecdotes about what you can see, as you head past the likes of Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and St Paul's Cathedral. On an open top bus tour you get to see so much more than if you were walking around - and you avoid those tired aching feet too!

Once you reach the famous Tower of London, your open top bus will stop and your tour continues on another mode of transport - a boat! Setting sail from the pier right outside the Tower, you will have the pleasure of seeing the sights from the water as you head on a short cruise up stream.

Alighting at Westminster, your distinctive open top bus will be waiting to whisk you off to Buckingham Palace. If it's a morning tour, you may well see the changing of the guards ceremony. This is an amazing sight to behold, complete with soldiers dressed in bright red tunics, busbies and shoes so shiny you could see your face in them.

When Is It Available

Vintage Bus Tour & Afternoon Tea

• Afternoon Tea Tours usually depart 13.00 from Victoria (boarding at 12:45)
• November, December - Monday and Fridays with a few Saturday dates
• January & February - Fridays
• March - Monday, Friday and Saturdays
• 1st April - 31st October 2025 - Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday
• November, December 25 & March 26 - Monday, Friday & Saturday
• January & February 2026 - Friday

Vintage Bus Tour & Fish & Chips

• Bus and Cruise Tours and Fish and Chip Tours generally depart at 07:45 or 13:00 from Victoria
• 1st April - 31st October 2025 - Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday
• November, December 25 & March 26 - Monday, Friday & Saturday
• January & February 2026 - Fridays
• Pub Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday : 12pm - 4pm & 5pm - 9pm (Closed between 4 – 5pm)  Sunday : 12pm - 7pm

Suitable For

• Under 18s must be accompanied by a participating adult

Anything Else

• If there is no changing of the guards scheduled, you will stop to take photos in front of Buckingham Palace
• Dress code for The Harrods Tea Rooms: Smart casual
• Dietary requirements for Cream Tea: The restaurant can prepare a gluten-free and/or nut-free meal but this must be requested at least 72 hours before travel. (Please note that due to the overall menu prepared in the kitchen and while every effort is made, nut traces could still be present.) The restaurant is unable to accommodate any other dietary requirements unless sufficient prior notice is given