Open-top double-deckers with multilingual audio commentary, unlimited boarding for 24, 48 or 72 hours, and stops at every major landmark. Three big operators serve central London year-round.
Hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses are tourist services run by private operators — not TfL. Tickets typically cost £40–£55 for 24 hours, include audio guide (often on personal headphones), and many bundle a river cruise and walking tour.
They run circular routes through the West End, the City, South Bank and Westminster, calling at every landmark from Tower of London to Buckingham Palace. Buses come every 10–20 minutes during the day.
3 colour-coded routes (Blue, Red, Green)
12 languages on board
T1 / T2 / T3 plus night tour
10 languages
Discovery / Express / Must-See
10 languages, all-electric fleet
1 hop-on hop-off route
8 languages
Many travellers ride bus 11 or bus 15 as a £1.75 sightseeing alternative — they pass St Paul's, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and Tower Hill respectively. No audio, no top deck open to the sky, but unbeatable value.