the original tour london contact

The Original Tour is now Tootbus London

Ratp dev sightseeing activities will resume operation in london under a new brand: tootbus (the original open tour bus)..

This announcement follows the unveiling of Tootbus Bath and Tootbus Bristol, which were launched earlier in May.

… for a new City experience:   “ Let the city take you by surprise” 

Tootbus offers tourists the chance to experience the vibrant cultural life and rich historical legacy of London by taking in its most beautiful treasures. Visitors need merely step on board a Tootbus and let the city surprise them.

The Tootbus experience has been designed to offer tourists a convenient, entertaining, open-air way to discover or rediscover the city. Whether the passenger is a local or someone visiting for the first time, Tootbus London guarantees an exciting journey full of surprises, from historical landmarks to hidden gems.

After a year-long pause due to COVID-19, our teams are committed to once again providing our passengers with a safe and memorable tour of the city. Tootbus London is re-opening with some changes:

• a more digitalised service to simplify and enhance the experience for our customers: with our new website ( www.tootbus.com ), buying a sightseeing ticket has never been so easy and convenient
• a restructured offer to better match consumer demand among a more locally-based and family-oriented clientele 

On board Tootbus London open-top buses, the open-air experience is fully compliant with the public health measures and recommendations currently in effect . Tootbus London is proud to have received Visit Britain’s “We are Good to Go” accreditation.

A whole new audio-guide experience  

With this new identity comes the promise of a fun experience for international tourists and locals alike. The commentaries in the Tootbus audio guide have been wholly revised to help visitors form lasting memories and emotional bonds with the city as they travel to their next sightseeing stop, restaurant, or attraction.

Forging a closer connection with Londoners is a crucial aspect of the experience for visitors to the city. On Tootbus, that aspect is assured by our local guides; engaging characters who relish the chance to give passengers an authentic taste of their beloved city.  

For the convenience of our passengers, the exclusive Tootbus audio guide commentaries will be available in the Tootbus mobile app, so they can enjoy the experience wherever and whenever they want to.

Another new feature of Tootbus London is the audio guide specially created for children. Narrated by a local child exploring the city with his foreign friend, in a way that is fun and engaging, the kid’s audio guide is nonetheless informative and packed with history.

A singular identity for a deep-rooted company 

The Original Open Tour has been a part of London’s cityscape since 1951. It was the world’s first Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing company and has received multiple awards over the years. Now part of RATP Dev, our company continues to innovate and uphold our commitment to giving visitors an excellent service and an authentic experience of the city.

We have wholly revised our service to line up with consumer demand in today’s market: in addition to Hop-On Hop-Off tours, Tootbus offers unique experiences such as the Night Tour, the Kids’ Tour, and more recently the London Bar Bus, with live music on board.

We have long been a part of London. Over the decades, we have hosted countless tourists from all corners of the globe. Over the decades, we have worked hand in hand with our fellow Londoners and the local authorities. After the unprecedented times we have faced, we are even more committed to giving visitors a chance to marvel at the wonders of this extraordinary city. A city tour that is comfortable, convenient, memorable, responsible, and dotted with little-known gems of culture and history.

Catherine Booth, Managing Director of Tootbus London: “Over the last several months, we have been hard at work crafting novel and unique experiences for visitors to London. Today, we are delighted to be back up and running in the city under this new brand. We are proud to share our vision of getting London’s tourism and entertainment sector back on its feet. Our whole team is eager to welcome visitors on board the Tootbus experience and our new digital platform makes it easier for our customers and partners to book and buy tickets.”

About the company

We're not called The Original Tour for no reason. The Original Tour really was the original sightseeing bus tour in London. Since 1951, we have been providing sightseeing bus tours around the city. Our tour was first introduced by London Transport as Service J for the Festival of Britain, where we invited tourists to hop on board to tour ‘around the town for half a crown’.

In the early days, we operated a non-stop circular tour of London and tickets cost just 50p for adults and 30p for children. We were the first to introduce the, now popular, open-top bus tours and in 1970, we extended our service to include coach tours in the City, Windsor and Hampton Court.Showing no signs of putting the brakes on, we lead the way once again and introduced live guides on our tours in 1984. When the 90s arrived we launched audio commentary in 8 languages, our popular hop-on hop-off service and, after several name changes, we became The Original Tour in 1992.Now, over 65 years later, we are part of the RATP Group, the world’s 5th largest public transport provider. We are immensely proud of the innovative sightseeing bus services we have introduced over the years which are now common in cities all over the world. With multiple awards and a dedication to excellent service, enjoy the original way to see London with The Original Tour . 

About RATP Dev

Founded in 2002, RATP Dev operates and maintains urban public transport networks in 13 countries on four continents (Egypt, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Switzerland, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Hong Kong – S.A.R. China, the Philippines, and the United States of America). With more than 1.5 billion passengers travelling on its networks every year, RATP Dev demonstrates its extensive and renowned expertise every day through a wide range of mobility services:   rail transport, regional express rail, tramways, buses, cable cars, and sightseeing tours. The RATP Group has long operated the Paris public transport network, one of the largest such networks in the world. But beyond Paris, in France and around the world, RATP Dev brings to bear the technical expertise and experience of the RATP Group to lead the way in driverless and   tramway operations.   For more information, go to: www.ratpdev.com

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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 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.

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  

TOOTBUS HOP-ON BUS ALL OPTIONS - 15% DISCOUNT ONLINE

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

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

TOOTBUS HOP-ON BUS & GUIDED WALKING TOURS

Tootbus London Discovery tickets + Vox City guided walking tours

• Choose from 24, 48 or 72-hr tickets • Audio guide in 5 languages • 2 professionally guided walking tours: The Wizard Walk - Harry Potter Walking Guided Tour & The Royals and Landmarks - Walking Guided Tour 

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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).

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.

However, if you book Tootbus tickets using the banner on this page including Vox City guided walking tours you will get access to two professionally guided walking tours: "The Wizard Walk" and "Royals and Landmarks Tour."

Each of these much-loved walking tours also comes with FREE access to the Vox City app where you can also discover more of London and its incredible history with your included self-guided Trafalgar Square Adventure. 

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 .

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

All the hop-on bus companies have permanently discounted online prices, (compared with walk-up prices) which are between 10 - 15% off.

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

Tootbus offer cheaper tickets, which are bus only, no river cruise. Tootbus offer this for a 24, 48 or 72-hr period and call this ticket 'London Discovery'.

Top of the page

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

The Original London Sightseeing Tour

Review Highlights

“ After that, we raced back to Tower Hill and caught the Thames River cruise that the bus ticket included as well. ” in 3 reviews

“ Some of the buses has headphones for an automated info track of the highlights and others have a live guide . ” in 9 reviews

“ The icing on the cake was the free walking Jack the Ripper tour . ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

17-19 Cockspur Street

Trafalgar Square

London SW1Y 5BL

United Kingdom

St James's

Serving London Area

About the Business

We provide more than just a great way to travel around the capital, The Original Tour is THE essential introduction to London. We invite you to experience the magical sights and sounds of London in comfort and safety aboard our hop-on hop-off bus tours. Founded over 65 years ago we are now the largest and most popular open-top sightseeing red bus operator in the world! …

Recommended Reviews

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• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

154 reviews

At first I bought a ticket from a different company and was left stranded and upset. I repeatedly saw the original buses going past me numerous times so I decided to purchase one of their tickets instead. I was instantly picked up and my spirits were lifted thanks to the Original Tour!! They took me to all the locations I wanted to go, buses were always accessible, drivers and employees were super helpful and kind and I have absolutely no complaints. If you are in London and want to hop on and off a bus, don't waste your time with anyone us, ride with the original tour!!

UPDATE (JANUARY 2024): WE'VE ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR A REFUND FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND NOT ONLY WERE THEY INCREDIBLY NONCHALANT ABOUT THE WHILE ORDEAL, BUT THEY BLAMED US, THE PAYING CUSTOMERS, FOR THEIR MISHAPS. I HAD TO EVEN GO ON LINKEDIN TO CONTACT A MANAGING DIRECTOR AND EVEN HE PUSHED US TOWARDS CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY NOT ONLY FAILED TO GET BACK TO US, BUT THEY ABSOLUTELY -WILL NOT- GIVE US OUR REFUND. THERE ARE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE BETTER THAN THIS COMPANY. PLEASE UTILIZE OTHER BUS TOURING PLACES!! THIS IS A BIG WARNING TO YOU!!! Asked for directions to get to a City Sightseeing stop from a representative near London St. Pancras train terminal and was told the wrong directions. Had to call customer service to get the correct bus stop. Waited more than 45 minutes for a bus to arrive and bus driver gave an excuse. Had tickets for Madame Toussands and specifically told drivers and workers we needed to be there by 1:30. With aggravation in their voices, they told us the bus would stop at the museum and they closed at 5pm. In other words, we were told that not only we would make it to Madame Toussands, but would also be dropped off there, so just get on the bus and do the tour. The tour itself was unbearably cold and there's absolutely no heat on the bus. If you need to use the restroom, you have to get off at a stop and then wait a very long time for another bus to arrive, which happened to us. Once back on the bus, we asked the new driver which stop is for Madame Toussands and they told us we would have to get off at stop number 17 and find our own way to the museum. We couldn't get an uber so we had to take a taxi to the museum since it's a 30 minute walk from the City Tour bus stop. Got out of the taxi at 3:45pm only to find out that Madame Toussands was CLOSED. So we had to walk 30 minutes back to the exact spot we caught a taxi. A river cruise was also included in our tickets. New driver rudely said we were not going to make the cruise because of traffic (the cruise stops at 6pm). This was our first time in London and it has been one of the WORST experiences of my life. DO NOT RECOMMEND.

This was a great excursion and a great deal for the price. We spend an entire day riding around on this bus and getting on and off at different locations. I highly recommend it to cover the most ground, especially if it's only a short trip like ours was.

Very bad experience. We booked online and apparently, the website uses a booking agent. They booked mt family on two different companies for the same tour so we couldn't use the same bus or participate in the same cruise. Also, these buses stop running way to early. And, there aren't enough buses running in each direction. Most buses don't have live tour guides. Just these awful recordings. I could not wait for my pass to expire. Customer service was also not responsive to fixing the issue.

Slow, not too many buses. Salesmen trying to sell at every stop, waiting for 10 minutes to leave, don't waist your money and time on those bus tour, tourist trap. No room on top deck because not enough buses.

This tour was a blast and I would do it again. You have a choice between an English-speaking human guide or an audio guide delivered via earbuds in many different languages. We got on the audio-guide version and then hopped off. When we hopped on, it was the human guide and what a difference! In fact, we experienced two different human guides and learned that each guide tells you the basics but each has his/her own spin on English history. The earbud version is OK but just the facts are delivered. The guide who made our trip so much fun was Tara and she was full of funny, wry and interesting facts and stories about the sites and their history. She had the whole bus engaged and smiling.

Frida Kahlo exhibit

Good way to see everything when you have a short visit. Dont forget to grab the earbuds to plug into the seat for a guided tour. But even if u do like I did, you get a map of where you are headed so you can follow along. There are 3 different tours (yellow, blue and I believe red) and you can hop on and off at each location over a period of time depending on the tour you purchased. I bought the cheapest yellow tour for 27 BPS and it was good for 24 hours I believe he said or a few days. I was not paying too much attention because I had just the day there. The top of their buses are open to the elements so it was fantastic for taking pics of everything without having to get off the bus. Stops were very frequent. Great experiences vs cabs to each place. I gave them 4 stars because my stop (Westminster Abbey) was closed after 4 and I had to hoof it back to my hotel after a long day.

Having lived in/near London all my life, but never actually getting a chance to explore the city in the eyes of a tourist I thought a open top bus tour would be ideal to see the sights of this amazing historical city. Savings/££: I would highly recommend booking online prior to save 10% off your ticket price (you can print out the ticket or have it on your phone). The ticket includes 3 walking tours (approx 2 hours) and a river boat cruise along the Thames from Westminster Pier to Tower Pier and vice versa. Tour Guides: Maps and earphones are provided just by the bus driver when you get on for recorded audio tours which cover a range of languages. If possible try to go on the T1 buses which have a live guided tour in English (this makes a massive difference to the experience and probably would not have recommended otherwise). I didn't get a chance to do the walking tours due to the times. Hop-On Hop-Off?: Not so much...being a unusual hot sunny day in London the top deck was normally full on most of the buses I saw and the downstairs with people having to stand up. The main yellow route is meant to have a bus frequency of every 5-12 minutes, but this was more like 25-35 minutes due to the lack of buses and local traffic. I wouldn't recommend using the bus as a typical hop-on hop-off service; getting off at stops to take a walk around taking pictures and then get back on as you could be waiting for quite a while and then maybe not getting a good seat! Best Bits: By far the best part of the day had to be the river boat cruise. Not having to wait in the ticket line to purchase as the original ticket has this included on it. The boat has 2 decks which offer stunning views of Big Ben, London Eye, The Shard, Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Live guided tour on both boat and bus was really informative giving me some facts I would never have ever thought of or missed. Not so best bits: Frequency of buses. Which led to top deck always being full. Recorded audio commentary is dull, lack of info compared to live version. Bad view for some sights on the bus e.g. Buckingham Palace - quickly drove past and just saw the side of the palace. Some of the connector routes finish early at 5-6pm (in-case you need to be back somewhere). Overall: If you are looking for a bus tour where you can stay on, but don't mind if you might not get a photo opportunity on the bus to take pics then this is ideal. If I was to do it again: I would buy a day travel card/oyster card and buy the river boat cruise ticket separate. By using the underground tubes and buses which are very frequent 2-3 minutes you can get to see the main attractions you want. Especially along the embankment the main sights are close together and walking distance from each other. This way you save some money, save time not waiting around and have the chance to take some stunning pictures!

See all photos from Jag D. for The Original London Sightseeing Tour

This tour company left us waiting or stranded so many times, just on the first day, that on the second day, when it happened again, we headed for the The Underground. The ticket lady was lovely, then we waited over 20 minutes a couple of steps away at the bus stop, should have known to turn around and get refund right there. At every stop, there was a 5-20 minute wait, and half an hour before The Original Tour says its service ends you can expect the actual end of the night for the drivers. The Tickets to London Tower were one of the highlights of the trip, but we easily could have acquired these ourselves. The boat ride was nice, but the speakers on the boat were not loud, so we basically had to stand next to it to hear anything. SKIP IT!!! USE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT!

A well spent few hours seeing the different hot spots in the city from a perspective that can't be seen from a car. Between the different routes and a cruise on the Thames, this is a great way to see the buildings and areas that make London so fascinating. We had a very entertaining and informed guide who knew the history of seemingly every block of the city. An especially productive way to spend a rainy day. Enough stops in key areas to hop off and explore what interests you. I'd suggest going on the entire yellow route on the upper level in the back (for photography) or move to the front where it's enclosed if the weather is wet or cold when people get off. Then get on and off on the second circuit where it interests you most. The other routes are shorter and ideal if you want to get off at a particular destination.

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The Original London Sightseeing Tour

Tour Routes

See the Original Tour routes map

The Yellow Route

The yellow route is the ‘Original Tour’ with live commentary from an English speaking guide. If you stay on the bus the tour lasts 2 hours 15 minutes.

The Red Route

The red route follows most of the same route as the yellow route, but also goes via Madame Tussauds. This route has recorded commentary. If you stay on the bus the tour lasts 2 hours 15 minutes.

The Blue Route: The Museum Tour

This route connects the museums in Bloomsbury including the British Museum with the South Kensington museums (V&A, Science Museum & Natural History Museum) and goes via some of London’s major shopping streets. It has recorded commentary. Tour lasts 2 hours 15 minutes.

Tour departure times

Tours depart every 5-15 minutes from 8.30am to 8pm daily. The final Yellow Route bus departs from Coventry St, near Piccadilly Circus at 8pm. Timetables are available on their website.

Pick-up points

You can join the tour at any of the 80 stops along the route. However, the Original Tour recommend you start the tour at one of their main departure points: Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Russell Square, Victoria, Marble Arch.

Original London Tour ticket prices

Tickets are cheaper if you book online.

Tickets booked online can be used on any day up to 6 months from the date of booking. They can be printed at home or you can collect them from the Original London Visitor Centre on Cockspur St near Trafalgar Square. Tickets can be sent to your home address for an additional fee.

Tour languages

Tours are available with live commentary from an English speaking guide (yellow route). Recorded commentary (red & blue routes) is available in:

• Brazilian Portuguese

Tour ticket extras

The following extras are included in the ticket price. The walking tours and the river boat trip must be taken during the validity of the ticket

• Thames river cruise with City Cruises
• Changing the Guard walk (starts 10am)
• Rock’n’Roll walk (starts 1pm)
• Jack the Ripper walk (starts 3.30pm. 4pm from Monday 6 November)
• Free children’s activity pack
• Commentary for children on the red & blue routes

*Changing the guard walking tour

From Monday 16th January, Changing the Guard takes place at Buckingham Palace on Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday.

On Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday you see Changing the Guard at Horse Guards parade and then visit Buckingham Palace.

Walking tour departure points

Changing the Guard and the Rock’n’Roll walk depart from The Original London Visitor Centre at 17-19 Cockspur St, just off Trafalgar Square.

The Jack the Ripper walks starts from The Original Tour stop at the Tower of London on Tower Hill. Walks last approximately 90 minutes.

Original London Sightseeing Tour website

Last updated: 6 January 2021

• Sightseeing bus tours
• Sightseeing by local bus
• Walking tours
• Jubilee Walkway
• Thames river boat trips
• Sightseeing by taxi

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The Original Tour London – Our review of the hop on, hop off sightseeing bus (Now Tootbus!)

I’ve been travelling to London a lot these past couple of months and you’d think that I could manage to fit in all the sites with the amounts of times I’ve been there.  Not so!  London is really spread out so getting to all the tourist sites that might be on your list can be really tricky.  To me, that’s where the sightseeing tour buses come in.  Yes they are touristy but they can be just what you need – here’s our Original Tour London review and we’ll look at what’s included and if they could be a good option for your trip.

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In 2023 Original Tour London is now called TootBus! You can pick up tickets for Tootbus in advance here – I recommend this way as it means one less thing to buy on the day!

Tootbus London Tour bus – our review

There are a number of sightseeing tour buses in London but we decided to go with the Original Tour (Tootbus) – why?  Well it’s the original and you do know that I love my history!  The tours from the company actually started in 1951 and have been going ever since, improving and adding aspects as they went along.  I actually remember doing a tour when I was a child – perhaps it was even with this company?  I’ll have to dig out my childhood photos and see if there’s any evidence!

Sightseeing buses are common all over the world now and not just in the big cities – many travellers turn their noses up at them because by their nature they ARE touristy, but I really love them.  The reason I love them is that it allows you to get a really good snapshot of a city in an easy way.  Yes public transport is what the locals do, but I’ve had enough bad experiences on the London Underground that when given a choice to get around without them I was so happy about it!

Buy Tickets in Advance here –   London Tootbus Bus Tour Tickets

Where does it cover?

The Original Bus Tour has different routes that take in different parts of the city and which cover different kinds of tourist attractions.

• Yellow – this is the original route and it covers a lot of the main sights.  If you can only do one route, choose this one!  It goes along the Thames, past the Tower and Tower Bridge, along the Embankment and up to Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament.  It takes you to Leicester Square, past Buckingham Palace (you can’t see Buckingham Palace from the bus – no buses go past and get a good view so aim to hop off there) and to Trafalgar Square.  A lot of people will be happy to just do this one.
• Blue – this is the Royal route and it takes you to the boroughs of Chelsea and Kensington with the palaces, elite shopping areas and museums.  It also covers Buckingham Palace and goes down to the River and by Westminster.
• Orange – this covers some of the great museums in London like the British Museum and it’s also good if you’re arriving in London at Euston or Kings Cross St Pancras
• Red Shuttle – this connects Hyde Park and Regents Park, perfect if you want to get some fresh air
• Purple Shuttle – connects some popular hotel areas to get you into the centre
• Grey Morning shuttle – only running in the morning this will get you in to the centre nice and early for a good days sightseeing!  Again it covers some of the popular hotel areas.

You can get 24, 48 and 72 hour tickets.  Your tickets come with some extras (see below) plus some discounts on some of the big attractions in London too.

The Original Bus Tour company also does some special themed tours which are separate to the Hop On Hop Off tour I did here – you can do night time tours, plus some seasonal tours too like Christmas lights and Halloween spooky tours.

How does it work?

Buying your ticket in advance is probably worth doing if you know you’re definitely going to partake in a tour.   You can get tickets online here .

If you don’t buy in advance, you can buy tickets from either the specialist visitors centre or from the bus itself.  If from the bus driver it needs to be using cash.  Some stops will have a specialist seller (you’ll see them with a special jacket with Original Tour on it) and you can buy tickets using a card or cash from them.

Simply show the driver your ticket when you first get on the bus.  He’ll give you another bus ticket which will show the exact time you started your journey and will show when your tickets run out too.  This will have any extras on it like your sightseeing cruise and changing of the guard tour.  He’ll also give you some earphones if you need them for the online prerecorded tour and kids version.

Once you’re on the bus, take your seat and relax and take in the sights.  Not everything can be seen from the bus though – none of the buses can go past Buckingham Palace (a rule instigated by Queen Victoria our tour guide told us) – but you’ll see lots even if all you did was sit and watch.  I recommend sitting on the top deck of the open top buses for the best uninterrupted views.

As it’s a hop on hop off bus make sure you do just that.  If you want to explore an area that looks interesting you can get off the bus and then get on another one when you’re ready.  The buses come pretty frequently and you just then show your ticket again to the driver on the next one.

Each seat has access to an audio guide which is in 11 different languages – English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, Mandarin, Arabic and Brazilian Portuguese.  You can use your own earphones or the ones you can get from the driver.

(If you do take the earphones please take them home and reuse – when stopped at one of the stops we saw a horrid site of a whole load of earphones having been thrown over the bus on to the top of a bus stop.  We thought they were berries at first (it was dark!) but then realised it was just a pile of earphones.  Yuk!   If you can bring your own you’ll help the Original Tour reduce waste)

Is the cost worth it?

Honestly, for what you get I think it’s excellent value for money.  BUT if you don’t make the most of it you could be left feeling like it wasn’t.  You get a lot included like the river cruise and also the vast number of tour routes – while keeping flexible is my favourite way to be, having a vague idea of what you want to see and include will make this feel like you’re getting your money’s worth.

What else is included?

Also included with the tour is a sightseeing cruise on the River Thames.  On the 24 hour ticket you can travel between Westminster and the Tower of London but on the longer tickets you can head to Greenwich too (which I highly recommend – it’s one of my favourite spots in London!).  A river cruise is a nice and different way to see the city and we always try and do one if we can.

Also included with your ticket is a Changing of the Guard Walking tour which is worth £10.  We didn’t manage to get chance to partake in this which I was a bit sad about, but if you can please do.  It departs from the Original Tour Visitor Centre (which is on Cockspur Street, near to Trafalgar Square) every day at 10am.

Going to Greenwich? –  It’s one of my favourite London spots and you can read our  guide of things to do here

Did we enjoy it?

We did really enjoy it, which doesn’t surprise me because anything that makes my life easier generally features highly on my recommendations!

One of the favourite parts for me was the tour commentary as we went round.  The tour guide on our second bus was really funny, had really interesting anecdotes and snippets of history to tell us all and it was good to have that extra bit.  The guides aren’t on all the buses though – their website states they are on the yellow route but even then we sometimes got on a bus that didn’t have one which is a shame.

Having the open top part of the bus means you get a really great view and some of my favourite pictures of the day came from there – especially going over Tower Bridge!

Honestly the best part for me is not having to navigate public transport.  When it’s getting busy in London the tube can be awful and I try and avoid it if I can – having the hop on hop off bus tickets mean you don’t even need to give it a second thought.

Should you go for it?

These tour buses aren’t for everyone that’s for sure.  Some people will balk at the price and some will balk at the complete touristy nature of it.  Here are some reasons why I think you should consider getting tickets:

• lack of time – if you’re in London for a short period of time, especially if you’re not sure when you’ll be back, it can be a great option to see as much as possible.
• worry about public transport – unless your hotel is on the tour bus route you might need to do some public transport anyway, but if you want to get around easily AND see the sights at the same time without needing to worry about tube maps, getting in and out of stations or figuring out the buses it could be worth it
• If you’re planning a sightseeing cruise or walking tour – they are included!
• If you have a lot of sightseeing planned – the buses cover almost every part of London that is likely on your list.  London is so spread out that walking and doing it all at a leisurely pace is difficult.

Anything to bear in mind?

• consider how much time you do have.  We could have done with a lot more time if I’m honest (as always I try and fit too much in!).  Each hop off to do something takes up time and you need to make sure that you’ll be able to continue the day and have enough time before the last buses to fit in your schedule.
• In winter it’s dark when the last buses are going and it can be cold on the top deck (there is a covered section and downstairs but we were stubborn!)
• Keep note of where the buses depart from and drop off – pick up a map or check the site in advance to plan your day.  Alternatively go along to the Visitor Centre and ask them for help in planning your day
• Remember the tickets run for 24 hours, not just for a calendar day.  So if you start at 2pm one day your ticket will be valid until 2pm the day after.
• Get a longer ticket if possible – it will make the sightseeing much more chilled!
• Check the first and last bus times

This tour was gifted to us by The Original Bus Tour in return for an honest review of the service.  

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Kirsty Bartholomew

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London › Attraction

The original tour london sightseeing.

Tours, conducted on open-top coaches, are covered for 24 hr. with a ticket, so you can go around five times if your feet hurt. You can catch the bus (three interconnecting circuits that supply solid coverage of the main sights) at any of the 80-odd stops on the routes, but most people begin at Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Embankment Station, near Victoria Station, or outside Madame Tussauds. Live narrators appear, without much vigor or inspiration, on the Yellow Line, which covers the broadest swath of town, while other lines are likely to have digital spiels, sometimes too quiet to hear. Two of its routes come with audio/booklet packs for kids, but you have to pick them up at its office.

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The Original London Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour

• Choice of 24 or 48-hour bus pass for tour around London.
• Travel on London's famous bright red open-topped buses.
• Free Thames river sightseeing cruise all the way to Greenwich.
• Immerse yourself with three complimentary walking tours.
• Commentary available in 11 languages.

Immerse yourself in London with the Original London bus tour

The hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour is one of London’s oldest tourist experiences, dating back to as early as the 1900s. Step aboard a vintage red bus and embark on a journey that covers all the city has to offer. The tour has provided thousands of curious visitors with the true essence of London for years. Take the original London bus tour to discover all the great sights of England’s capital.

London is the largest city in the United Kingdom and one of the most toured cities in the world, attracting millions of visitors every year. One of the biggest reasons attracting such a massive number of travellers is London’s rich reserve of famous monuments and landmarks. Visit some of the world’s most popular attractions with the hop-on hop-off bus pass during your time in the city. Choose between the 24 or 48-hour pass to travel around London with ease.

Travel aboard an iconic open-topped London bus

The bright red open-topped buses offer a unique touring experience during the London bus tour. You can enjoy panoramic views without any obstruction. Simply take your seat, get comfortable and see the various attractions spread across the city. Commentary is available in eleven languages – English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Russian, Italian, German, as well as Arabic and Mandarin. The explanations are in-depth, so you can be sure to acquire every fascinating detail about each attraction you pass.

Tour 80 locations around the city

Yes, it’s true! With over eighty stops located throughout the capital, the tour is vast! Some of the sites include the Tower of London , Kew Gardens , Westminster Abbey , the Palace of Westminster , St Paul’s Cathedral , Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus, Tower Bridge , Trafalgar Square and The Shard . By using the hop-on hop-off facility, you can stop at any of these landmarks and explore them at your own pace.

Your pass also includes something special; access to the River Thames sightseeing cruise, providing a rare view of central London from the water. If you opt for the 48-hour pass, it will take you up to the historic Greenwich. The best part about cruising through River Thames is the get-away from the typical touring routes.

Hold on, there’s more! Your pass also includes three popular walking tour experiences – the Jack the Ripper Walking Tour, the Rock n Roll London Tour, and the Changing of the Guard Walking Tour. The tours are set at different times of the day, allowing you to complete all of them in 24 hours.

The hop-on hop-off London bus tour is an entertaining and educational experience for all age groups. You can see a wide range of contemporary and historical monuments and enjoy the ride at the same time. So, grab your bus tour passes and head out with your friends and family to explore London today.

• Three Complimentary Walking Tours.
• Pass for Thames River Cruise.
• Exclusive Kids' Club with children's commentary.
• Admission to attractions or museums

Blue Line – Every 15 to 30 minutes from 8:15 AM (Nov – March) and every 15 to 20 minutes from 8:15 AM (April – Oct)

Yellow Line – Every 15 to 30 minutes from 8:30 AM (Nov – March) and every 15 to 20 minutes from 8:30 AM (April – Oct)

Boarding the Tour

You may board the bus at any stop within all routes. Present a printout of your ticket voucher to the driver to redeem your bus pass.

Getting your tickets

You will receive an e-voucher via email upon booking. Bring a printout of your voucher and present it to the driver on the bus.

Your e-voucher is valid for one year from the date of purchase. The day on which you exchange your voucher counts as the first day of your pass. Please note: A 1-day pass does not mean 24-hours. For example, if you redeem your voucher at noon, your service will end at the end of that day’s service, not at noon the next day.

Cancellation Policy

These tickets cannot be cancelled, amended or refunded.

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The Original Tour London Guided Tour of London by Panoramic Bus

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What to expect

Simply passing through or a new resident in London? Do you love adventures? Explore this British capital with The Original Tour London. Without getting bored, you'll have a unique opportunity to discover all the wonders of England's largest city.

The Original Tour London offers several tourist bus routes. With open roofs, they'll take you on an outstanding cruise to all of London's iconic sites. With a reasonable price, come and discover all the treasures hidden there. You'll appreciate their comfort, and your day will unfold in the greatest harmony.

For such exploration, there's nothing better than a well-organized guided tour. Both entertaining and exciting, this experience allows you to spend a pleasant time with your friends or loved ones. With over 80 stops, you won't miss most of the best tourist attractions in London. Hop on and off, the bus will follow your own pace so you can make the most of it. Whether for a few hours or a few days, The Original Tour London invites you to experience magical moments. The London Eye, the Tower of London, and the Tower Bridge await your visit, so don't delay!

Your number will not be used for promotional purposes. It will be used to contact you for any clarification regarding your request.

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The Original Tour London Sightseeing Bus Tours

Last Updated on April 19, 2024 by Suzy McCullough

A hop-on hop-off bus tour is a great way of seeing London and learning more about England’s capital city. Tickets are available for 24 hours, 48 hours or 72 hours, your ticket also includes a river tour boat, within the time period of your bus tickets. There are also discounted options that include visits to certain attractions, which is well worth looking into.

Their website has up-to-date route maps plus you can prebook your tickets online. Booking online also saves you money compared to on-the-day tickets. You can pre-plan your route using their colour-coded guide or just go with the flow and see where your bus takes you. The Original Tour has 6 different colour-coded routes and over 80 different stops. Central London is actually a lot more compact than it looks and there will be, more often than not, a bus stop just a short walk away.

Highlights of a tour of London include stops near or next to Big Ben and the houses of parliament, the main London museums, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London and many more. You can sit out on top where there is no roof or if the weather is bad there is the option to sit downstairs. All of their buses are wheelchair-accessible. There is also free, Wi-Fi available on their buses.

The buses have a live English commentary which is excellent and usually amusing. If there is no live commentary you are given a pair of headphones so you can listen to their prerecorded audio which is available in 11 different languages, including English. They are a great way of finding out more about what you are looking at along the routes.

Important Information The Original Tour London

What are the main things to do.

Hop on Hop off bus tours of London, audio in 11 different languages, live commentary in English. 6 different routes with 80 stops.

What are the ticket prices?

An adult 24-hour hop on, hop off ticket is £30 and £20 for a child aged 5-15. Family tickets and tickets for extra days are available. Prices are subject to change and/or discounts online.

When are they open?

The Original Bus Tours run almost all year round. For up-to-date opening times and dates please visit their website

Dog friendly?

Guide dogs and service dogs are more than welcome on our buses. Any other, well-behaved, pets may be allowed onboard at the driver’s discretion if there is enough space available.

Are they accessible?

Please contact the venue

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The Original Tour

In a nutshell

Hop on board The Original Tour & enjoy a live-guided tour of 4 of London's most popular streets. Featuring a fun & educational Kids Club commentary!

17-19 Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square, London

Contact details

Tel: 0208 8771722

Activity type

Historical Sites, Outdoor Activities, Trips and Transport

Suitable for

Ages 5 - 12, All ages, Schools and Groups, Teenagers, Under 5s

Price guide

£63.00.

(based on family of 4)

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The Original Tour details...

A great day out with the kids in London should always include a bus tour! London’s The Original Tour offers an iconic double-decker bus tour with tickets valid for one day, 24 or 48 hours. Featuring a fun & educational Kids Club commentary with magical stories about London designed specifically for children. Make sure you check out the special online deals to combine your trip with other top London Attraction tickets.

New for December 2017: A magical tour under London’s top Christmas lights! Finish your festive trip to London with a live-guided tour of Regents Street, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly & Trafalgar Square. Discover tales of Christmas past & present as you gaze up in awe at the beautiful bright lights. Free Santa hat included with every ticket!

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You are here: Home » News » The Original Tour rebrands to Tootbus London

The Original Tour rebrands to Tootbus London

Publish date: 3rd Jun 21 7th Jun 21

The Original Tour has rebranded to Tootbus London , offering tourists the chance to experience the vibrant cultural life and rich historical legacy of London by stepping on board and letting the city surprise them.

The Tootbus experience has been designed to offer tourists a convenient, entertaining, open-air way to discover or rediscover the city. Whether the passenger is a local or someone visiting for the first time, Tootbus London guarantees an exciting journey of historical landmarks and hidden gems.

After a year-long pause due to Covid-19, the team at Tootbus are committed to providing its passengers with a safe and memorable tour of the city. Tootbus London is re-opening with some changes, including:

• a more digitalised service to simplify and enhance the experience for its customers including a new website
• a restructured offer to better match consumer demand among a more locally-based and family-oriented clientele

Tootbus London’s open-top bus experience is fully compliant with public health measures and recommendations. In addition, Tootbus London has also received VisitBritain’s “We are Good to Go” accreditation.

A whole new audio-guide experience 

With this new identity comes the promise of a fun experience for international tourists and locals alike. The commentaries in the Tootbus audio guide have been revised to help visitors form lasting memories and emotional bonds with the city as they travel to their next sightseeing stop, restaurant, or attraction. Forging a closer connection with Londoners is a crucial aspect of the experience for visitors to the city. On Tootbus, that aspect is assured by local guides; engaging characters who relish the chance to give passengers an authentic taste of their beloved city.

For the convenience of passengers, the exclusive Tootbus audio guide commentaries will be available in the Tootbus mobile app, so they can enjoy the experience wherever and whenever they want to.

Another new feature of Tootbus London is the audio guide specially created for children. Narrated by a local child exploring the city with his foreign friends, in a way that is fun and engaging, the kids’ audio guide is nonetheless informative and packed with history.

A singular identity for a deep-rooted company

The Orginal Tour has been a part of London’s cityscape since 1951. It was the world’s first Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing company and has received multiple awards over the years. Now part of RATP Dev, the company continues to innovate and uphold its commitment to giving visitors an excellent service and an authentic experience of the city.

Tootbus London has wholly revised its service to line up with consumer demand in today’s market: in addition to Hop-On Hop-Off tours, Tootbus offers unique experiences such as the Night Tour, the Kids’ Tour, and more recently the London Bar Bus, with live music on board.

Over the decades, the Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing bus have hosted countless tourists from all corners of the globe, working hand in hand with its fellow Londoners and the local authorities to produce a city tour that is comfortable, convenient, memorable, responsible, and dotted with little-known gems of culture and history.

Catherine Booth, Managing Director of Tootbus London said, “Over the last several months, we have been hard at work crafting novel and unique experiences for visitors to London. Today, we are delighted to be back up and running in the city under this new brand. We are proud to share our vision of getting London’s tourism and entertainment sector back on its feet. Our whole team is eager to welcome visitors on board the Tootbus experience and our digital platform makes it easier for our customers and partners to book and buy tickets.”

Find out more about Tootbus London.

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Original Tours London bus

by Donna Vallance 8 Comments

The Original Tours Open Top Tour Bus is great to hop-on and hop-off day out in London

The Original Tours London bus is a great way to plan a day out with kids in London. explore the city or the west end and all of Londons iconic sites from the comfort of an open top bus!

AD | I have been compensated, or could be compensated, if you click on a link in this post via a cash payment, gift or something else of value for writing this post. See our full disclosure policy and privacy policy for more details.

Original Tours London bus which is electric!

Original Tours Open Top Tour Bus have launched their first 100% Electric Bus in London.   This great hop on hop off bus is the next best thing for open top tours in London. The Original Tours London bus many years ago quoted themselves as ” around the town for half a crown”. They have since come a long way  winning the  Travelist choice award from Trip advisor.

Showcasing London’s   iconic sights to tourists and residents of London whilst at the same time being committed to becoming a sustainable brand by reducing its CO2 emissions. The electric battery on the bus takes around 4.5 hours to charge overnight and can travel all day with a range of 150 to 200 kmph .

This new electric bus represents the future for The Original Tour brand, London and the rest of the world.

Where does The Original Tours London bus go?

The Original Tours London has six different  routes to choose from with the first electric bus scheduled from Victoria.  Whether you choose to go on the Electric Open Top Tour Bus in London or one of the other fleet you will see some of Londons best  attractions.

Explore the sights of London from the iconic Houses of Parliament to Buckingham palace with panoramic views either side of the bus. Skirt around Trafalgar and the outskirts of Soho London too! you really will go anywhere!

Take the Orange route which is the British museum tour around Shaftesbury Avenue and Covent Garden or maybe the pink West End tour past the V and A or shopping at Harrods

Whichever you choose to visit in London you can do it so easily on  hop-on and off at your own leisure if use an Original Tours Tour Bus.

Why book a London Original Tour bus?

Part of the fun of doing an Original Tour bus trip is the flexibility. There are buses between 5 to 30 minutes apart depending on which route you choose. The Original Tours London also operate 354 days of the year.

The commentary onboard the bus is a fantastic way to learn about London, from history to nature and unusual facts. Did you know there are 125 species of fish in the Thames? Or that the bell Big Ben in the Elizabethan Tower still has a crack in it? You may be surprised by how much you didn’t know about London Town.

Want to make it into a breakaway? Check out these amazing places to stay in London .

How much is an original London bus tour?

Original London bus tour tickets come in 4 forms a day, 24 hour, 48 hour and 72 hour tickets. This gives you great flexibility and plenty of time to get off and visit the sights of London during your tour.

The City Sampler ticket offers unlimited hop-on hop-off access to all of The Original Tour’s bus routes. The City sampler one day ticket costs from £24 and adult. You can also upgrade for just £4 to include another full day making it 24 hours. This includes a hop -on hop- off river cruise pass with free walking tours throw in.

You can also find The Original tours operating in 19 cities worldwide with them leading the way .

The Original Tours First 100% Electric Open Top Tour Bus in London was a great experience. It is the perfect choice for your visit to London. Why not give it a try?

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About Like Love London! Welcome to Donna Vallance’s London Uncovered, where we explore the city of London and encounter the charm of its hidden gems! I’m Donna, your guide to the secret corners, untold stories, and delightful discoveries that make London truly extraordinary

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A very good and informative post.

I love several things about this – 1) it’s electric, which is awesome 2) you can get on and off 3) it includes the river and walking tours. Sounds like a great idea for tourists wanting to see London!

We need one of these in Leeds! Can’t believe they dropped the Tourist bus years ago and have never replaced it!

I love that electric buses are starting to become a bigger thing, it’s about time! Sounds like this is a great way to see the London sights, especially since you can jump on and off if something catches your attention.

When friends and family come to visit us here I always suggest they go on one of these.

I saw these buses the other week when I was in London, didn’t realise there was electric, how very cool. I will use them next time am in London.

This looks like a lot of fun. Love a good bus tour, as it is an easy way to zip around the city and see the sights xx

oh i love hop on hop off buses and going electric has to be the way ahead!

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Read about the latest events and London life by real Londoners.

The Original Tour: London Bar Bus Review

The OnIn.London team were invited along on Friday night to spend the evening sipping Prosecco while taking in the panoramic views of London. Luckily the weather was pretty decent Friday night so we were able to enjoy the London Bar Bus in all its glory. 

The London Bar Bus will be operating daily until the end of September, with daily departure times available online. Adult tickets are priced at £25 and can be purchased at: https://www.theoriginaltour.com/en/special-tour/london-bar-bus

Drink packages are pretty decent prices, as you can see below – so they won’t break the bank.

We thoroughly enjoyed our hour and a half aboard The London Bar Bus and can’t thank them enough for having us.

So what are you waiting for? Book your tickets now!

Written by Tegan LeBon

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Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.

Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster.

The Shard, also referred to as the Shard of Glass, Shard London Bridge and formerly London Bridge Tower, is a 95-storey skyscraper in Southwark, London, that forms part of the London Bridge Quarter development. Standing 309.7 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom, the fourth-tallest building in Europe and the 111th-tallest building in the world.

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Take That latest act to pull out of Co-op Live gigs due to problems at venue

Boy band cites ‘technical issues’ at new Manchester site, where Olivia Rodrigo, Keane and Peter Kay had also been due to perform

Take That have announced they will not be performing at the new Co-op Live Arena due to “ongoing technical issues” with the venue in Manchester .

The boyband had been due to perform from Tuesday but will instead switch their shows to the rival AO Arena.

The UK’s biggest indoor arena, which cost £365m and has postponed its opening numerous times , said it will be taking “a short pause to events” before welcoming members of the public from 14 May.

A statement from Co-op Live said this was to “fully ensure the safety and security of fans and artists” and allow for an “independent inspection of all elements of the arena ceiling” following an issue with the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

On Instagram, Take That wrote: “Given the ongoing technical issues around the opening of Co-op Live we have taken the difficult decision to move our May shows to the AO Arena where we have enjoyed many great nights over the years.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we wanted to give our fans as much notice as possible.

“We’re mindful many of you will already have travel and accommodation plans in place, so we have chosen this option to minimise inconvenience to as many people as possible.

“Our dates in June in Manchester remain unaffected.”

All of Take That’s shows have been transferred and are the same dates as before except for 8 May, which has been changed to 9 May.

Earlier, Keane, who have been celebrating 20 years of their debut album Hopes And Fears, said they were “really disappointed” as they revealed the postponement of a gig on Sunday. The group said it was “entirely beyond our control”.

In a statement on X, Co-op Live said: “Following the events that led to the cancelled A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie show on 1 May, we have decided to take a short pause to events at Co-op Live to fully ensure the safety and security of fans and artists visiting the venue. This time will allow for an independent inspection of all elements of the arena ceiling.”

It added: “At this time, we do not expect further impact on our opening season. We are aware our actions have frustrated and angered ticket holders. We know you’ve incurred significant disruption, and are finding a way to help make it right.”

Tim Leiweke, chair and chief executive of US-based venue operator Oak View Group, apologised for the delays and to “all those that have been affected”.

On Wednesday night the venue postponed its opening show for the third time, just over an hour before rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie was due to perform, because of a problem during the sound check. The US musician’s gig is now scheduled to take place on Saturday at the AO Arena.

Olivia Rodrigo had been due to perform at the Co-op Live Arena on Friday and Saturday as part of her Guts world tour but her shows have also been postponed.

The standup comedian Peter Kay was scheduled to be the first performer at the arena but his show had to be postponed with less than 48 hours’ notice after a test event.

A Co-op Group spokesperson said: “As naming rights sponsor for Co-op Live we are disappointed with these further schedule changes.

“We fully appreciate and understand the impact and upset the delays have caused to ticket holders and our Co-op members.

“Co-op is a sponsor and does not own or run the venue, and we have made it clear to Oak View Group, who are responsible for the building, that the impact on ticketholders must be addressed as a priority.

“We are pleased that they will shortly be putting plans in place to do so.

“We also understand that the necessary safety checks following yesterday’s incident are being completed and independently verified so that Co-op members and other ticket holders can be reassured that the venue has the very highest levels of security and safety measures.”

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Anissa Tinnin was watching the movie version of Taylor's tour with her granddaughter. They were having a great time, singing, dancing, popping M&M's ... when a guy named Joseph Rivera came charging through her front door. Turns out Rivera had allegedly stolen a car and cops were on to him.

Tinnin says she was manhandled, threatened and ordered to turn over her car keys, which she did. She says, "I told him not to hurt us ... I would do whatever he wanted."

She says when Rivera walked outside, she called 911 and beelined it for her gun case, where she removed a weapon.

For some reason, Rivera came back inside the house. By this time she had put her granddaughter in a bedroom for safety, but the guy came charging at her.

She screamed, "Get back. I will f***ing shoot you! " ... and she did. He asked why she did it, and Tinnin responded, "Because you're in my f***ing house!"

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Dude has 5 prior felony convictions for burglaries and theft, the stakes were high for Tinnin, and she rose to the occasion.

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London Drugs closes stores until further notice due to cyberattack

Retailer operates nearly 80 stores across b.c., alberta, saskatchewan and manitoba.

Cyberattack closes all London Drugs stores

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UPDATE — April 30, 2024:  All London Drugs stores remain closed after 'cybersecurity incident'

Retail and pharmacy chain London Drugs says it was the "victim of a cybersecurity incident" Sunday and has shuttered its stores across Western Canada until further notice.

The retailer, which is headquartered in B.C., says the closure is out of "an abundance of caution" and that it immediately took measures to counter the attack once it was discovered.

"At this time, we have no reason to believe that customer or employee data has been impacted," the company said in a statement emailed to CBC News around 5:30 p.m. PT on Sunday.

While an initial social media post stated that customers were encouraged to call their pharmacists if they had urgent needs, a statement on Monday afternoon said the retailer had de-activated their phone lines as they continued to investigate the cyberattack.

"Pharmacy staff are on-site at all London Drugs locations to support customers with urgent pharmacy needs," the Monday statement read.

London Drugs initially confirmed the closure of its stores in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. In a post on Facebook, the company said the closure would not be permanent.

London Drugs shutdown shows companies need to take cybersecurity seriously: Technologist

In a previous statement to CBC News Sunday afternoon, the retailer had said the closures were caused by an "operational issue."

CBC News spoke to staff at a location in Kamloops, B.C. earlier in the day, who said they were experiencing a "computer issue," which meant the store could not assist customers.

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London Drugs said it has retained third-party experts to help contain, fix and forensically investigate the incident.

"We want to assure you that this incident is of the utmost priority for us," the company said in its statement, thanking customers for their patience and promising to update them as it progressed in resolving the issue.

The retailer operates nearly 80 stores across B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with more than 50 of them in B.C.

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