Buckingham Palace and Vintage Bus Tour of London

London history comes with wheels and water. I like the 1960s Routemaster bus for its old-London character, and I like the Thames cruise for giving you fresh views of St. Paul’s, Tower Bridge, and the London Eye. The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace add the real prize: a rare seasonal look inside the royal residence.

The main catch is the schedule. The morning sightseeing ends well before your 2:30 pm palace entry, leaving a gap of roughly three hours. I also like that guides such as Nick, Alan, and Mark have earned praise for humor and strong commentary, but guide quality can vary, as one poor experience with Peter shows.

Key points to know before booking

• A classic red Routemaster starts the day: You see central London from an open-top vintage bus, with views of Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey.

• The Thames cruise changes your angle: A 30-minute boat ride brings St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and the London Eye into one broad view.

• Buckingham Palace entry is timed for 2:30 pm: You enter the State Rooms independently with an audio guide after saying goodbye to your tour guide.

• The morning moves quickly: This is a sightseeing sampler, not a series of long visits. Most landmarks are viewed from the bus or during brief stops.

• The tour can help first-time visitors get oriented: You cover major sights without working out a complicated route across central London yourself.

• Rain is part of the bargain: The bus is normally open top, though it may be replaced by a closed-top bus in rare cases.

Why this five-and-a-half-hour London combination works

London can feel scattered at first. Buckingham Palace sits west of the City, the Tower of London lies east, and Westminster stretches between them. This tour links those areas by three classic forms of transport: an old double-decker bus, a sightseeing boat, and your own two feet.

That combination is the strongest reason to consider it. You are not spending the whole day inside a coach. You get road-level views, river views, and a proper indoor visit to one of London’s most famous buildings.

At $59, the price is attractive if you want a broad first look at London plus palace admission. The value is less clear if you want long visits at individual sights. You do not enter the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, or Tower Bridge as part of this experience. You mainly see them from outside, from the bus, or from the river.

For a first visit, that tradeoff can make sense. You get your bearings fast, hear stories as you go, and finish at Buckingham Palace with time to explore the State Rooms at your own pace.

The group can reach up to 50 people, so do not expect a tiny, personal outing. Still, the guide-led format gives the day structure, which matters when you have only a couple of full days in London.

Meeting the vintage bus at Victoria Coach Station

The start point is Victoria Coach Station, at 164 Buckingham Palace Road. The listed start time is 7:45 am, so plan to arrive early enough to find the correct departure bay.

This detail matters. One person found the instructions confusing because the tour was expected at Bay 0 but actually departed from Bay 19. That kind of mix-up is especially irritating before breakfast, so check the bay carefully and ask station staff if the directions are unclear.

Once aboard, the Routemaster is the star of the opening act. These red buses are tied closely to London’s public transport past, and an open-top ride gives you broad views above street level. The bus may be closed top in rare cases, usually when conditions make the open arrangement impractical.

Bring a waterproof layer even if the morning looks fine. The tour information specifically warns you to prepare for rain. A good seat can also affect the experience, since the upper deck gives the best views but leaves you more exposed to wind and weather.

The guide provides live commentary rather than leaving you alone with a recorded narration. That human touch has made a major difference on strong departures. Alan and Nick were praised for wit and clear explanations, while Mark, described as a Scottish guide, was singled out for giving the information people wanted. One Irish guide also received warm praise for being funny and well informed.

That said, this is not a guarantee of a great guide every time. One departure was badly affected by a guide who repeatedly complained about working on his day off. The bus route and sights remain the same, but the guide can shape the mood of the whole morning.

Trafalgar Square, Westminster, and the royal route

The bus takes you through the landmark-heavy center of London. Trafalgar Square is one of the main visual anchors, with Nelson’s Column, fountains, and the broad open space around it. From a moving bus, you get a quick sense of how the square connects the West End with Whitehall and Westminster.

The route also brings you past the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Big Ben is technically the famous bell inside the Elizabeth Tower, though most people use the name for the whole clock tower. You should have your camera ready, since much of this sightseeing happens while the bus is moving.

Westminster Abbey receives a 15-minute photo stop outside. That is enough for an exterior look and a few pictures, but not enough to tour the church. If the abbey is high on your list, you will need a separate visit.

This short stop illustrates the tour’s basic rhythm: see a lot, pause briefly, then move on. Some people love this approach because it covers a wide area before the crowds grow. Others find the morning rushed, especially with the need to reach Buckingham Palace on time.

Timing can be particularly useful on days when the Changing of the Guard is taking place. Several strong experiences included a view of the ceremony, and one guide was praised for getting the group there while other tour groups were delayed by traffic. The schedule may line up well with the procession, but you should not treat the ceremony as the main guaranteed feature unless your booking details specifically confirm it.

The 30-minute Thames cruise from the Tower

After the bus portion, you switch to a sightseeing boat on the Thames. The cruise lasts about 30 minutes and offers a welcome change from traffic, pavement, and quick turns through central London.

From the water, you can see the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and the London Eye. You also get views toward the Houses of Parliament and the modern skyline along the river.

I consider this one of the tour’s best ideas. London’s famous buildings make more sense when seen in relation to the Thames. The river explains the city’s shape, trade, bridges, and east-west spread better than a series of isolated street views.

The cruise itself has received mixed reactions. Some people found the boat comfortable and the views scenic. Others felt the ride was too brief or rushed, and one person called it a weak part of the day. That is fair. Thirty minutes is enough for a taste, not a full river expedition.

You should also note what the boat ride does not include. There is no Tower of London visit, no Crown Jewels admission, and no long stop at Tower Bridge. The schedule brings these sights into view, but the only included admission during this part is the cruise.

A suggestion often made by visitors is to add more time around London Bridge or the Tower area. That would make the eastern end of the route more satisfying, but it would also make the already tight schedule harder to manage.

The long break before Buckingham Palace

The biggest planning issue is the gap between the morning sightseeing and the palace visit. Buckingham Palace entry is booked for 2:30 pm, and the morning tour ends several hours earlier. The overall experience is advertised at about five and a half hours, but the day does not feel like one continuous block because of this break.

You should plan to use the time in central London. The tour does not provide hotel pickup or drop-off, so you are responsible for arranging your own plans between the morning finish and the palace entrance.

This gap can work well if you want lunch, a coffee, or a short independent visit nearby. It can be awkward if you have booked another afternoon activity. One person had to cancel other plans because the break did not fit the rest of the day.

The schedule also explains why the morning can feel hurried. The bus, photo stop, river cruise, and palace transfer all have to fit before the fixed palace admission time. If you prefer a relaxed pace, this is the main weakness to weigh before paying.

On the other hand, the timed entry gives you a firm afternoon anchor. You do not have to queue for a palace ticket on the day, and the guide walks you to the entrance before leaving you to continue alone.

Entering Buckingham Palace at 2:30 pm

Buckingham Palace is the centerpiece of the experience. It has served as the official London residence of Britain’s monarchs since the 19th century, and the State Rooms open to the public for only about three months each year.

That seasonal access makes the palace portion more valuable than a standard exterior photo stop. You walk through rooms used for official functions and see the grand public face of the monarchy, including glittering chandeliers, elaborate furnishings, and objects from the Royal Collection.

The palace visit lasts about two hours. Your admission is included, but your tour guide cannot accompany you inside. After the guide leads you to the entrance, you show your pre-booked ticket and follow the audio-guided route independently.

I like this arrangement more than a guide trying to hurry a group through every room. You can set your own pace, listen to the audio material, and spend extra time looking at the rooms that interest you most.

The palace has firm rules. You cannot eat or drink inside the State Rooms. Photography, video recording, filming, and wearable-device recording are also prohibited for non-commercial purposes. Leave your camera ready for the exterior, but expect to experience the interior without taking pictures.

The palace café offers a practical place for tea and dessert after the visit, according to one particularly enthusiastic account. The shop also has royal souvenirs, including a Welsh corgi keyring that proved a popular small purchase. These extras are not included in the $59 price, so budget separately if they appeal to you.

What the guide adds, and where the experience can slip

The guide is not just directing you from bus to boat. The strongest departures use humor, local stories, and small facts to make the buildings easier to understand. One guide was described as an older man with silver hair carrying a pink duster, a memorable detail that suggests a lively presentation rather than a dry lecture.

The best comments repeatedly praised guides who mixed history with theatrical delivery. Nick, Alan, Mark, and the unnamed Irish guide each received specific praise for wit, warmth, and clear explanations. That is important because much of the tour consists of passing sights rather than entering them.

There are also signs of uneven delivery. One account described the first part as poorly handled before the day improved, and another criticized the guide for seeming rushed. A group also did not realize they needed to tell the guide they planned to visit Buckingham Palace, which suggests you should confirm your palace arrangements early in the morning.

The driver deserves credit too. One account singled out Kevin for handling the large bus with great skill in difficult city traffic. London streets can be slow and crowded, so a capable driver helps the group keep its palace appointment.

Still, no driver can control every delay. This is a shared group tour, with a possible maximum of 50 people. Keep listening for instructions, stay close during transfers, and do not wander off during short stops.

Who gets the best value from the $59 price

I see this as a good-value orientation day for a first-time visitor, especially if you have only two full days in London. You get transport, a live guide, the river cruise, and Buckingham Palace State Rooms admission in one booking.

The price is strongest when you value convenience and coverage. Recreating the same route independently would require planning the bus route, finding a suitable river boat, coordinating transport across town, and securing palace entry during the limited annual opening.

The value drops if you want in-depth museum time. You will not tour the Tower of London, enter Westminster Abbey, visit St. Paul’s, or walk across Tower Bridge as part of the included program. You see these places, but you do not explore them in detail.

This tour suits you best if:

• You are visiting London for the first time.
• You want a fast introduction to the city’s central sights.
• You enjoy live commentary and historic transport.
• You want Buckingham Palace admission without arranging it separately.
• You have a free afternoon around the fixed 2:30 pm palace entry.
• You have moderate physical fitness and can manage bus transfers, walking, and boarding a boat.

It is less suitable if you dislike early starts, fixed schedules, open-top buses in poor weather, or long gaps between activities.

Practical details that can save your morning

Your confirmation arrives at booking, and the experience uses a mobile ticket. Bring the ticket in a form you can access easily, since you will need the pre-booked palace admission when entering independently.

The tour begins at Victoria Coach Station and ends on Buckingham Palace Road after you leave the palace. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you must make your own way to the start and arrange your return.

Wear shoes suitable for moderate walking. The information provided does not promise extensive walking tours, but you will move between the bus, river boat, and palace entrance, with a brief Westminster stop along the way.

Allow for London weather. The normal bus is open top, and rain can change the comfort level quickly. A closed-top bus may be used on rare occasions, but you should prepare as if you will be outside.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the local start time. Cancel inside that window and you will not receive a refund, and changes made within 24 hours are not accepted.

Should you book this London tour?

Book it if you want a broad London introduction plus Buckingham Palace and can live with the long break before the 2:30 pm entry. The vintage bus and river cruise give you two memorable ways to see the city, while the State Rooms provide the one major interior visit.

Think twice if you want a slow day or plan to visit several attractions in depth. The morning is tightly timed, the cruise is short, and the guide quality may vary.

For a first London visit with limited time, I think $59 is a fair price. Just check the meeting bay at Victoria Coach Station, prepare for rain, confirm the palace portion with your guide, and keep your afternoon free.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Victoria Coach Station, 164 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TP.

What time does the tour begin?

The listed start time is 7:45 am.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately five hours and 30 minutes, though there is a several-hour break before the Buckingham Palace entry.

Is Buckingham Palace admission included?

Yes. Admission to the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace is included, with entry booked for 2:30 pm.

Does the guide enter Buckingham Palace with the group?

No. The guide walks you to the palace entrance, then leaves. You enter independently with your pre-booked ticket and use an audio guide.

What sights can I see from the bus?

The route includes views of Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and other central London landmarks.

Is Westminster Abbey admission included?

No. The tour includes a 15-minute photo stop outside Westminster Abbey, but admission is not included.

What is included in the Thames cruise?

The 30-minute sightseeing cruise includes views of London’s riverside sights, including St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and the London Eye.

Is the bus open top?

Yes, the tour normally uses an open-top vintage bus. In rare cases, it may be replaced by a closed-top bus, so prepare for possible rain.

Can I take photos inside the State Rooms?

No. Photography, video recording, filming, and recording with wearable devices for non-commercial purposes are not permitted inside the State Rooms.

Is hotel transportation included?

No. You must travel independently to the start point, and hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted and are not refunded.