open top bus tour
 

hey, i 'm thinking during my London trip to have two days with open top tour bus, there is a lot of package and promotion... ( from http://www.theoriginaltour.com ) i might buy certain entry ticket from this company also ( if compare with other, i think this one is consider cheaper price right ?) , any comment??

THANK YOU.

Big fat waste of time and you are likely to get rained on.

Simply go and see what you want using your feet or tube for longer distances. Buying entry tickets from a reseller is likely to cost more.

With 2 1/2 days in London, we chose to take the Big Bus tour in order to see a few things we wouldn't have gone past otherwise. If I remember correctly, you have four or five days in London, right? If that's the case, I would save my money and walk or take the regular city buses.

Lee Ann

Hi

We chose the Big Bus tour. The main advantages of the tour is audio commentary and the free tours included. We chose the Rock n Roll excursion. It was awesome. Without a guide or a book you would never pick for eg. the building where the Beatles performed "Get Back" on it's roof.

Honestly -- the Big Bus or Original (They are basically identical in cost and quality) is a good idea for a lot of first time visitors.

Expensive? Yes - relatively. But they are a good way to see all the major sites and get ones bearings. Many people say "oh, just take the bus and see the same sites." But there is no commentary and countless times I've overheard tourists on regular buses pointing to such and such all excited >>OOH - there is 'whatever'!<< -- and it is something entirely different. Once I heard a Mom telling her kids to look at Buckingham Palace where the Queen lives. Unfortunately it was Apsley House :)

Plus the views from the closed in buses is not nearly a good as from the open top tour buses.

For a first timer-- there are many worse ways to spend some money . . .

After you've figured out the lay of the land on the bus tour -- then you can conquer the regular buses/tube.

Danielle,
I agree with Janisj (London expert) that taking one of these tours is worth the money for London newbies. You will get the “lay of the land” sort to speak. For example, you will see the TOWER OF LONDON from the outside – grounds are extensive. With only a few days, you might not want to spend the time to visit that site, but you get a feel for the place. Personally, I have avoided the Tower on my trips to London because I do not want to invest that much time in one place – yet, I would love to see the jewels. London is a huge city and one has to make choices.

Also, a ticket for the Big Bus is good for 24 hours and includes a walking tour (I didn’t take that) and a cruise on the Thames which is definitely worthwhile. My suggestion would be to study the route which your tour takes and decide where you want to “hop off and on.” The bus stops are clearly marked and buses run frequently. Another thing – the tickets are a bit flimsy, small and like tissue paper, so don’t lose it!

Enjoy London….