London Bus Tours

first78

My friend is coming over from the U.S next month and we're planning to spend 2 days in London. She has mentioned that she'd like to do a London bus tour (the sort where you can hop on and off the buses seeing various tourist attractions). I've never done this before (I did my sight seeing by tube last time as it was quick and cheap!), I'd like to know if anyone can recommend particular firms, any deals or vouchers (there will be 3 adults), whether we'll be likely to spend much time stuck in traffic...any advice really.

My main concern with sightseeing this way is that it will take a lot longer than going by tube.

susancs

MY family when they have come to visit us have used The Orginal London Tour and said it was good. It is a hop on and off service and included a river boat tour. It is an open top bus, which whilst great in nice Summer weather may not be as good in October. Going on a tour bus does allow you to see a lot more of the London tourist sites than going on tubes (plus a more interesting journey) if time is limited and of course you get the added bonus of the tour guide information.

tiny_courageous

you used to be able to exchange tesco clubcard vouchers for one of the tour companies - the original tour I think

sleepyme

tiny_courageous wrote: »

you used to be able to exchange tesco clubcard vouchers for one of the tour companies - the original tour I think

Yes it was, I used some the other year. It is well worth going on the tour just a bit pricey but the vouchers made it a cheaper option for us.

bekkki1

If you do a search on here there is a code for the original london tour.

Its for Arriva staff but works for everyone.

Found it

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1624851

zagubov

first78 wrote: »

My friend is coming over from the U.S next month and we're planning to spend 2 days in London. She has mentioned that she'd like to do a London bus tour (the sort where you can hop on and off the buses seeing various tourist attractions). I've never done this before (I did my sight seeing by tube last time as it was quick and cheap!), I'd like to know if anyone can recommend particular firms, any deals or vouchers (there will be 3 adults), whether we'll be likely to spend much time stuck in traffic...any advice really.

My main concern with sightseeing this way is that it will take a lot longer than going by tube.

Absolutely get them on a bus, not the tube. i lived in London for years before I realised Waterloo had an outside!

Get themn an Oyster card and use this website to find stuff to do
http://thebigproject.co.uk/london/index.htm
and this one to find the shops
http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/

My best memories of London include looking at the view from the top deck of ordinary buses buses between Putney and Hackney, Notting Hill to the West End and many others e.g Kings Road. It will take longer but they'll get an idea of the sheer scale of the city and how bustling it is.

If they're from the US there's a former Texas Embassy you might want to show them!:cool:

ellay864

I grew up in Surrey and spent loads of time in London as a kid going there with family, then as a teenager my friends and I would just get buses and trains in for days out ourselves. As far as I was concenred I knew London, had been to most of the tourist places, happily hopped on and off buses and tubes to get around the place. As a grown up exiled up in Cheshire I went for a visit with my then-OH who didn't know London at all. He said he fancied doing one of the open top bus tours and I couldn't believe how fascinating it was. We got a great guide who told us not only the facts you pay for but loads of little trivia gossipy stuff as well, we also had a guide who told us after that it had been his first day on the job but he was still really informative. I'd definitely recommend them