Vintage London Bus Tour Including Cruise with London Eye Option

London looks best from a red bus.

This vintage Routemaster tour gives you an efficient, photo-friendly sweep of central sights, then adds a Thames River cruise so you see London from both streets and water. The vibe is old-school London, with real commentary and timed stops like Buckingham Palace and the Tower area.

I especially love two parts: the panoramic bus ride on an open-top decker (when weather cooperates) and the short, guided river cruise that frames major landmarks from the Thames. You also get the kind of guidance that helps you know where to stand for photos during the busiest moments.

One thing to consider: the schedule depends on traffic and weather. The open-top bus can switch to a closed top in rain, and a tight itinerary means you cannot be late getting back from the photo stops.

Key things I’d zero in on

• Victoria start, central loop: You begin at Victoria Coach Station and cover major sights in one afternoon run.
• Thames cruise included: The boat trip runs from Tower pier toward the London Eye area with big skyline views.
• Buckingham Palace photo stop: You get time outside the Palace, with a chance to see the Changing of the Guard.
• London Eye upgrade available: If you add it, you use a prebooked ticket for faster entry after the bus and cruise.
• Stonehenge option in the afternoon: A separate upgrade sends you from Victoria to Salisbury Plain with shuttle transport.
• Small group size: Max is 40 people, which helps keep the flow manageable.

A classic Routemaster and Thames cruise combo that actually saves time

This tour is built for people who want the London highlight reel without stress. You spend the bulk of the afternoon on a vintage double-decker Routemaster, then hop off for a guided Thames cruise, and optionally finish with the London Eye or an afternoon Stonehenge add-on.

The value comes from mixing viewpoints. From the bus, you get straight-on city landmarks as you pass them, like the Westminster area, Parliament views, and the Tower area. From the boat, you get the Thames framing, which changes how landmarks look and where the best photos happen.

If you only have one half-day or you want an easy first day, this is the kind of plan that helps you get oriented fast. It is also a good choice if you like your sightseeing with a guide doing the talking, so you can spend your brain on watching and snapping photos.

Victoria Coach Station check-in and how to avoid the stress

You start in central London at Victoria Coach Station, 164 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 9TP. The tour begins at 1:00 pm, and you end at Victoria St in the Victoria area. The exact end point can vary depending on which option you selected.

A practical tip I take from past experiences: coach stations can feel chaotic, but staff are used to guiding people to the right bus quickly. Do not assume you can stroll in late and still catch up. One customer even shared that arriving about 10 minutes late meant the group left without them. So arrive early, check the right platform area, and keep an eye on your guide.

One more logistics point: this is an open-top bus tour. You should dress for British weather. If it rains, the open top can be swapped for a closed top on rare occasions. Even if the bus is open, it is still smarter to pack a light waterproof layer so you can stay comfortable for the full route.

The bus route: Parliament, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, and St Paul’s area

After boarding in Victoria, you ride through the heart of London with regular photo and viewing moments. While the exact timing varies as the driver navigates traffic, the itinerary is designed to hit the big names without long gaps.

Here’s what you should expect from the bus itself:

• You pass major sights around Westminster, including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
• You get a clear look at Westminster Abbey as you move through the area, then later have a photo stop outside.
• You drive up Whitehall and see Downing Street and the official Prime Minister offices.
• You pass through Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column.

The route also includes a “blink-and-you-miss-it” view of the Law Courts of England and Wales, a large Victorian Gothic Revival building opened by Queen Victoria. And you’ll see the cathedral rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1666, which is the landmark most people connect with St Paul’s.

From a photo standpoint, the bus is best when you pick a seat with a clear line of sight and keep your phone or camera ready at turns. It can be a bit of a challenge to hear the guide if you are seated in a spot where sound doesn’t carry. One person specifically noted that sitting higher and toward the back helped them hear fine, so choose your deck seat with that in mind.

Buckingham Palace: your timed photo window and the guard moment

The afternoon photo stop at Buckingham Palace is one of the big reasons to do this tour. You get a 30-minute stop, and admission is not included, because this is primarily an outside viewing period.

This is your chance to line up your best photo of the Palace itself. And if timing and ceremony align, you may see the Changing of the Guard. The Guard is described as Queen’s Foot Guards in red tunics and bearskin helmets, exchanging duties in time with military music.

If the ceremony is not taking place during your visit, you still get the Palace. Either way, this stop is designed as a photo opportunity with minimal standing around.

One caution I’d keep in mind: the itinerary is tight. If your group gets delayed elsewhere, sometimes people end up missing a ceremony moment. So treat this like your main “set the alarm and be ready” stop. When the bus pulls up, do not drift. Head to the viewing area your guide suggests right away.

Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London, two outside shots that matter

You have a 15-minute photo stop outside Westminster Abbey. Since admission is not included here, the point is mainly to get the building in your photos and see the area up close without committing to an indoor visit.

Later, you get a 30-minute photo stop at the Tower of London. Admission is also not included at this stop. This is enough time to get that classic Tower look and walk a little, but not enough for a deep dive into everything inside the fortress.

If you are the type who loves detail, you may feel these stops are “just photos.” That is not a flaw, it is the trade you make for covering so much ground in one afternoon. You will leave with a strong set of exterior memories, and then you can come back later for any interior sites that grabbed you.

The Thames cruise from Tower pier to the London Eye area

Then comes the part that makes the tour feel like more than a bus loop: the Thames River cruise. The boat trip is 30 minutes, and admission is included.

The cruise runs from Tower pier toward the London Eye area. From the water, you see a different scale of the city and the landmarks that you only get partial glimpses of from roads.

The route includes views of:

• Tower Bridge
• The Shard
• St Paul’s Cathedral
• Shakespeare’s Globe
• the Houses of Parliament
• and you’ll also see the London Eye from the river

This is also a strong photo moment because reflections and angles shift fast as the boat turns. If you care about photos, plan to spend your time near the side openings or windows that give you a clean view. One past customer mentioned boat windows that were dirty and that affected visibility, so bring a “good enough” mindset and still be ready to shoot even if conditions are imperfect.

Also, note the cruise includes guidance. That matters because it helps you identify landmarks quickly instead of guessing what you are looking at.

London Eye upgrade: 360 views with faster entry after the tour

If you choose the London Eye option, the tour ends with you rejoining for the Eye experience after the Buckingham Palace stop.

Here’s the key value: you use your prebooked ticket for fast, hassle-free entry after you are dropped off. Then you board a shared glass capsule for a single rotation, getting 360-degree views of London.

This is a good add-on for first-timers because it gives you a bird’s-eye map of everything you just saw at street level. And it is a nice way to end the day without needing another long guided program.

Two practical notes from the information and real-world reports you might hear:

• London Eye entry can be affected by technical issues on rare occasions. One customer shared that the Eye was closed and a refund was handled. If the Eye matters a lot, it is still a good idea to plan a backup photo time in the area.
• Some people prefer the bus and cruise only. If you already know you hate ferris wheel style attractions, skip the upgrade and save your energy for another neighborhood walk.

Stonehenge in the afternoon: a long look at ancient England without the hassle

There is also an afternoon upgrade that sends you from Victoria to Stonehenge. After Buckingham Palace, you are dropped back at Victoria and then board a round-trip shuttle bus bound for Stonehenge.

The transport is round-trip, and the tour includes entry to Stonehenge. You can then do a self-guided audio tour around the perimeter and at the visitor center, but that audio tour is a separate expense.

This is not a short stop. It is designed as an actual afternoon outing, which means you should expect your day to feel busier than the basic bus plus Thames plan.

From a value perspective, this upgrade can make sense if:

• You want to see Stonehenge but do not want to coordinate trains and transfers.
• You are okay with a longer day that trades flexibility for guided convenience.

If your priorities are purely London city sights, keep it simple and skip Stonehenge. But if you want one “big famous day trip” outside London, this is one of the more straightforward ways to do it.

Price and what you get for $85.01 in real sightseeing time

At $85.01 per person, this is priced like a mid-range London attraction bundle. The reason it can feel like good value is that it combines three distinct experiences:

1) a guided vintage bus loop of central sights (open-top when possible),

2) a guided Thames cruise with included boat time,

3) optional add-ons that can extend your trip with London Eye or Stonehenge.

The tour lasts about 3 hours 30 minutes. For a single afternoon, that is a solid chunk of time to cover big landmarks, take photos at set stops, and still end at a convenient area.

Group size is also capped at 40, which helps with pacing. You are not herded like cattle in an enormous crowd. That often means fewer problems at photo stops and smoother transitions between bus and boat.

If you are doing London solo and trying to recreate this with multiple taxis and separate tickets, this kind of bundled plan usually costs more once you add up transport time, entry tickets, and booking effort.

Who should book this and who should skip it

This tour is a great fit if you:

• are on a first visit and want a quick orientation,
• want the city highlights plus the Thames viewpoint,
• enjoy guides who tell stories and keep your attention through the long ride,
• are traveling with mixed ages who might like the comfort of stepping on and off without committing to lots of indoor tickets.

It might be less ideal if you:

• want heavy time inside major sites, like Westminster Abbey or the Tower itself,
• are extremely weather-sensitive (open-top is part of the appeal, rain can change the experience),
• hate structured schedules and prefer wandering at your own pace.

Also, listen to your own comfort level with a photo-stop style itinerary. You will see a lot. You will not linger like you would on a slower walking day.

Tips that make the ride, the boat, and the photos easier

Here are the practical things I would do to get the best version of this day:

• Pick your sound spot on the bus. Some people found the guide easier to hear from higher up. If you are sensitive to audio, start by choosing where the guide’s voice carries best.
• Bring a rain layer even in sunny weather. Open-top days can change quickly.
• Ask questions at the stops. Multiple guide names mentioned in past comments, like Lisa and Eugene, Alan, Steve, Elisa, John, Magnus, Richard, and Michael, all point to the same theme: the guide can turn a photo stop into a mini lesson if you ask.
• Take Changing of the Guard seriously. When you arrive at Buckingham Palace, be ready fast and follow the guide’s suggested viewing area.
• Plan your Eye timing in your head. If you add the London Eye, understand that your day ends around Victoria and your transfer continues from there.

Should you book the Vintage London Bus and Thames Cruise (with optional London Eye)?

Book it if you want a high-efficiency sightseeing day with a vintage bus, a guided Thames perspective, and photo stops at landmarks you will want to recognize later when you start exploring on your own.

Skip it if your idea of a great London day is slow, detailed museum time and lots of long interior visits. This is about seeing, photographing, and orienting.

If you book, do the one thing that makes the biggest difference: arrive early to the meeting area so you never have to gamble with tight departures. Then lean into the format, ask your guide questions, and enjoy that rare London combo, old buses plus river views.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour runs about 3 hours 30 minutes, approximately.

Where does the tour start and where do you end?

It starts at Victoria Coach Station, 164 Buckingham Palace Rd, London SW1W 9TP. It ends at Victoria St, London SW1E 5ND, though the exact end point can change depending on your option.

What time does the tour depart?

The start time listed is 1:00 pm.

Is the Thames cruise included?

Yes. The guided boat trip on the River Thames is included and takes about 30 minutes, with admission included.

What does the Thames cruise include seeing?

From the cruise, you are guided past or over views of landmarks including Tower Bridge, The Shard, St Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Houses of Parliament, and you can see the London Eye from the river.

Is the London Eye included in every booking?

No. The London Eye is included only if you select the London Eye option during booking.

How long is the stop at Buckingham Palace?

You get about 30 minutes outside Buckingham Palace for photos. Admission is not included.

What should I do about rain since this is an open-top bus?

Dress for the weather. This is an open-top bus tour, so rain is possible, and on rare occasions the open-top bus may be changed to a closed top bus.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and cancellations within 24 hours do not get refunded.