Vintage London Bus Tour Including Cruise with London Eye Option

See London’s greatest hits in one afternoon. This tour pairs a 1960s red Routemaster bus with a Thames cruise, giving you two very different views of the city’s landmarks. I like the old bus for its character and open-air views, and I like the boat ride because it lets you see Tower Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Shard, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the London Eye from the water.

The main drawback is the clock. London traffic can slow the bus, and the boat transfer may take time. The tour covers a lot of ground, but you will mostly see the sights from the bus or during brief photo stops rather than going inside them.

Key points to know before booking

• A classic London ride: Travel aboard a vintage red double-decker Routemaster from the 1960s.
• Two views of the city: See central London from the road, then cruise the Thames from Tower Pier to the London Eye.
• Strong first-day introduction: The route covers Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Big Ben, Parliament, Trafalgar Square, the Tower of London, and more.
• Changing of the Guard is not guaranteed: You may watch the ceremony, but if it is not taking place, the stop becomes a Buckingham Palace photo opportunity.
• London Eye upgrade available: Add a prebooked flight in a glass capsule after the bus and boat tour.
• Arrive early: The meeting point is Victoria Coach Station, and the departure is not held for long after the scheduled 1 p.m. start.

Why this tour works well on a first day

London is spread out, and its most famous sights are not all within a comfortable walking route. This tour handles the basic geography for you. You pass Westminster, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the City of London, the Tower, and Buckingham Palace without having to work out several Underground connections.

I see this as a get your bearings fast experience. You will not master London in three and a half hours, but you will understand how the main districts fit together. You can then return to the places that interest you most.

The guide adds much of the value. Guides named in the feedback include Alan, Steve, Lisa, Eugene, Magnus, Michael, Greg, Richard, Elisa, and John. The strongest praise goes to guides who mixed history with humor and adjusted their commentary to the people on board. Alan was especially praised for explaining the sights clearly and finding a good position for the Changing of the Guard.

The bus carries a maximum of 40 people. That is not an intimate walking tour, but it is small enough to feel more personal than a giant sightseeing coach. Some people have found the guide difficult to hear from the back of the upper deck, so I would sit closer to the front if the commentary matters greatly to you.

Victoria Coach Station and the vintage Routemaster

The tour begins at Victoria Coach Station, at 164 Buckingham Palace Road. Victoria is well connected by public transportation, but the coach station can feel confusing at first. Give yourself time to find the correct departure area and check in.

The bus is part of the attraction. A vintage Routemaster has the familiar rounded shape, open upper deck, and old London character that modern sightseeing buses cannot quite copy. It also draws attention as it moves through the city, which adds a little fun to the ride.

On a dry day, the upper deck gives you broad views over traffic and buildings. You can look up at towers, rooftops, monuments, and street scenes rather than seeing London through a normal coach window. Photographers should bring a lens cloth and protect cameras and phones from rain.

The bus is normally open-top, but it can be changed to a closed-top bus on rare occasions. London weather can change quickly, so dress for rain even if the sky looks friendly when you leave Victoria. The tour requires a moderate level of physical fitness, and you should be comfortable getting on and off the bus and boat.

Westminster, Big Ben, and the royal route

The early part of the ride focuses on Westminster. You see the Houses of Parliament from the bus, including the clock tower commonly called Big Ben. The view is one of the essential London images, though the bus may not stop for a long photo session here.

The tour also pauses outside Westminster Abbey for about 15 minutes. This is enough time for exterior photographs and a quick look at the building’s setting, but admission is not included. If you want to see the coronation church’s interior, tombs, chapels, and memorials, plan a separate visit on another day.

From Westminster, the bus travels up Whitehall. You pass Downing Street, home to the official residences and offices of the British prime minister, then continue toward Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column. This section links political London with ceremonial London in a short stretch of road.

You also pass the Law Courts of England and Wales, a large Victorian Gothic Revival building opened by Queen Victoria in 1882. The route includes a view of St. Paul’s Cathedral, rebuilt under Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666. These are drive-by views, so listen closely if you want the historical context before the bus moves on.

Buckingham Palace and the 30-minute photo stop

Buckingham Palace gets the longest stop, about 30 minutes. You leave the bus for photographs outside the palace, with more room to stretch your legs and take in the setting.

The afternoon timing can help. The area is often less crowded than during the busiest parts of the day, although crowd levels and ceremony schedules vary. This is one reason the stop works well for a first visit. You can get a clear palace photograph without giving up an entire morning.

The Changing of the Guard is a possible highlight, not a fixed promise. If the ceremony is scheduled during your visit, the guide takes you to a suitable viewing area and explains what is happening. Military music, red tunics, and bearskin hats make it an unmistakably British spectacle.

If the guard change is not taking place, the stop remains a palace photo opportunity. I would book this tour for the overall route, not solely for the ceremony. Schedules, official events, and operating conditions can change.

The Tower of London and the Thames cruise

The bus continues east to the Tower of London, where you have another photo stop of about 30 minutes. The Tower is one of London’s most important historic buildings, but admission is not included in this tour. You will see it from outside and hear about it from the guide rather than visit the Crown Jewels or interior rooms.

The change from bus to boat is the tour’s best idea. At Tower Pier, you board a sightseeing boat for a roughly 30-minute cruise to the London Eye. The river gives you a clean view of landmarks that can be difficult to understand from street level.

From the Thames, you can see the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, The Shard, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the London Eye, and the Houses of Parliament. The boat also gives you a short rest after sitting on the bus.

The river portion is included in the base price. It is not a dinner cruise, and food and drinks are not included, but you get a useful change of scenery and excellent photo angles. Boat conditions can vary. One poor experience described dirty windows and an unhelpful wait, while many other accounts praised the cruise as relaxing and scenic.

Allow for some uncertainty in the transfer. Traffic and boat schedules can affect the pace, and one person missed the Changing of the Guard after spending too long waiting for the boat. The tour covers a tight schedule, so it is not ideal if you want long, unhurried visits at every sight.

Adding the London Eye after the tour

You can select the London Eye option when booking. After the bus and cruise, you are dropped at the London Eye and use a prebooked ticket for entry. You then ride in a shared glass capsule for one full rotation, with 360-degree views across London.

The Eye is a good add-on if you want a broad final look at the city. From above, the landmarks you saw from the road and river become easier to place. It also saves you from arranging a separate ticket and queue on another day.

Still, keep your expectations realistic. The London Eye is a major observation wheel, not a historic attraction, and the ride mainly provides views. One person felt that the views repeated what the tour had already shown, while many others considered the ride worth adding.

Pay close attention to the end arrangements. The standard tour returns toward Victoria, but the London Eye option ends at the Eye rather than bringing you back to your hotel or necessarily to the original station. You are responsible for continuing from there. A taxi or public transportation may be needed, and the area has many places to eat if you want to make an evening of it.

The London Eye can also close for technical reasons. If that happens, a refund may be available through the booking provider, as shown by one account in which the refund was handled the following day.

The Stonehenge afternoon option

A separate upgrade continues to Stonehenge after the London sightseeing portion. After Buckingham Palace, you return to Victoria and board a round-trip shuttle bus to the prehistoric stone circle on Salisbury Plain.

The Stonehenge option includes entry to the site. You follow a self-guided audio tour around the monument perimeter and visit the visitor center. The supplied details identify the audio tour and visitor center as a separate expense, so check exactly what your selected package includes before paying.

This is a long afternoon add-on, not a small extra stop. You trade more time in central London for a visit to one of Britain’s best-known prehistoric monuments. If this is your only day in London, I would usually choose the London Eye instead unless Stonehenge is a personal priority.

The tour returns to Victoria after Stonehenge. That makes the option useful for people who want one organized day covering both London and the monument, but it leaves little spare time for independent sightseeing.

What the $85.01 price really gives you

At $85.01 per person, the basic package includes the vintage bus tour, local guide, and Thames cruise. The price is fair if you want transport, narration, and a broad route through central London in one booking.

You are paying for convenience as much as admission. The bus connects distant areas, the boat adds a second sightseeing format, and the guide keeps the history moving as you ride. If you tried to reproduce the route independently, you would still need to pay for public transportation and arrange the river trip separately.

The value is weaker if you prefer to enter major attractions. Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London are photo stops only, with admission not included. You will need separate time and tickets to explore them properly.

The London Eye and Stonehenge cost extra. Compare the add-ons with your plans before booking. The Eye fits naturally after the city tour, while Stonehenge turns the outing into a much longer day.

Timing, traffic, and comfort

The advertised duration is approximately three hours and 30 minutes, with a 1 p.m. start. London traffic is a real factor. One particularly negative account described long delays and a disorganized day, while other people found the driver safe, efficient, and able to adjust the route to road conditions.

That range of experiences is worth taking seriously. This is a sightseeing tour in a working capital, not a closed park ride. Buses can stop in traffic, weather can affect the open deck, and boat timing can alter the order of events.

Arrive at least 15 minutes before departure. The operator asks people to be present early for check-in, and the bus generally leaves no more than five minutes after the scheduled departure. Missing it can mean losing the full fare.

Wear comfortable shoes, even though most of the tour is seated. You have photo stops at Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the Tower of London, plus the transfer between bus and boat. Carry rain protection and keep your phone secure on the upper deck.

Who should book this London tour

I would recommend it most strongly to:

• First-time visitors with one day or less in London
• People who want a guided overview before exploring independently
• Photographers who value open-top views and river angles
• Families or couples who prefer organized transport between major sights
• People who enjoy history explained with humor and stories
• Anyone who wants the London Eye handled as part of the same afternoon

I would be more cautious if you want long visits inside the Tower of London or Westminster Abbey. Independent sightseeing will give you more control and more time at each place.

The tour also may not suit you if you dislike fixed schedules or traffic delays. A few people found the commentary hard to hear from the back, and the open-top format is less pleasant in heavy rain. Sitting near the guide can help, but weather remains outside anyone’s control.

Should you book the vintage bus, cruise, and Eye?

Book it if you want a lively highlight reel of London rather than a deep visit to individual attractions. The vintage Routemaster, strong guides, Buckingham Palace stop, and Thames cruise give you a memorable first look at the city for a reasonable price.

Choose the base bus and boat package if you want the best balance of cost and sightseeing. Add the London Eye if you like city views and are comfortable ending at the Eye. Choose Stonehenge only if the monument matters enough to justify a much longer day.

My practical advice is simple: arrive early at Victoria, sit where you can hear the guide, dress for rain, and treat the Changing of the Guard as a bonus rather than a guarantee. With those expectations, this tour is a useful and enjoyable way to get your London bearings.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at Victoria Coach Station, 164 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TP.

What time does the tour start?

The scheduled start time is 1 p.m.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately three hours and 30 minutes.

What is included in the basic tour?

The basic tour includes a panoramic London tour by vintage 1960s bus, a Thames River cruise, and a local guide.

Is the Thames cruise included?

Yes. The sightseeing boat trip from Tower Pier to the London Eye is included.

Is admission to Westminster Abbey included?

No. Westminster Abbey is a photo stop, and admission is not included.

Is admission to the Tower of London included?

No. The Tower of London is also a photo stop, and admission is not included.

Will I definitely see the Changing of the Guard?

No. If the ceremony is not taking place, the tour stops outside Buckingham Palace for photographs instead.

Can I add the London Eye?

Yes. You can select the London Eye upgrade when booking. It includes a prebooked ticket and one rotation in a shared glass capsule.

What happens if I choose the London Eye option?

After the sightseeing portion, you are dropped at the London Eye for your prebooked visit. The end point may differ from Victoria, and you should arrange your onward journey from the Eye.

Is the bus open-top?

Yes, the tour normally uses an open-top bus. On rare occasions, it may be replaced by a closed-top bus.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If the operator cancels because of poor weather, you can be offered another date or a full refund.

Can I cancel for a refund?

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