Buckingham Palace and Vintage Bus Tour of London

London rewards a good first look. This tour combines a 1960s Routemaster bus, a Thames cruise, and Buckingham Palace, giving you three useful views of the capital in one morning and afternoon. I like the quick sweep past Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul’s, and I like that the palace State Rooms are included during their short annual opening. The main catch is the long break between the morning sightseeing and the 2:30 p.m. palace entry.

This is a strong choice if you have only a day or two in London and want help getting your bearings fast. Guides such as Nick, Alan, Mark, and an Irish guide praised in the feedback brought humor and good local detail, though the quality can vary. You should also expect a fairly full schedule, some rushing, and an open-top bus that offers little shelter if London decides to provide its usual wet welcome.

Key points at a glance

• A true three-part London introduction: Ride a vintage red bus, cruise the Thames, and tour the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.
• The palace visit is self-guided: Your guide walks you to the entrance, then you continue inside with an audio guide.
• Early start, broad coverage: Meet at Victoria Coach Station at 7:45 a.m. and see many central sights before the crowds build.
• The three-hour gap matters: Your palace entry is booked for 2:30 p.m., so plan lunch and nearby sightseeing rather than treating the day as continuous.
• Best guide stories can make the morning: Guides including Nick and Alan earned praise for wit, timing, and clear explanations.
• Expect a group of up to 50: This is efficient sightseeing, not a quiet small-group tour.

Why this tour works for a short London visit

The appeal is simple: London is spread out, and its major sights are not all close enough for a comfortable walking circuit. A bus lets you cover ground. A boat changes the angle. Buckingham Palace gives the day a grand finale.

At $59, the package offers reasonable value if you want transport, commentary, the river cruise, and palace admission in one booking. The State Rooms ticket is the costly centerpiece, and the chance to enter the palace is limited to roughly three months each year. You are not merely seeing the palace gates from outside.

The tradeoff is control. You do not choose the route, the pace, or the length of each stop. This is a guided overview, not a series of long museum visits. If you want to spend half a day at the Tower of London or linger at Westminster Abbey, you will need separate plans.

The tour begins at Victoria Coach Station, not at your hotel. That keeps the price down, but you must make your own way to 164 Buckingham Palace Road for the 7:45 a.m. departure. Give yourself time to find the correct bay. One person had instructions pointing to Bay 0, while the actual departure was at Bay 19, creating needless early-morning stress. Confirm the exact bay before setting off.

Seeing London from a vintage Routemaster

The red double-decker bus is part of the fun. These old Routemasters are closely tied to London’s identity, and the raised seating gives you a useful view of streets, squares, monuments, and passing neighborhoods.

The tour is described as open top, so the upper deck is the obvious place for photographs. It is also the place most exposed to rain and wind. Bring a waterproof layer, even if the morning begins bright. On rare occasions, the operator may substitute a closed-top bus.

Your guide provides running commentary as the bus moves through central London. The strongest part of the morning depends on the person holding the microphone. Nick was praised for theatrical storytelling, while Alan was described as witty and well informed. Mark, a Scottish guide, also made a strong impression. Another guide, identified by a silver hairstyle and a pink duster, was remembered for humor and care.

That range matters. A lively guide can turn a traffic delay into a useful story about London. A tired or unhelpful guide can make the same route feel rushed. One poor experience included repeated complaints from the guide about working on a day off. That seems to be an exception, but it is a fair warning that the human element shapes this tour.

Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey

The bus route gives you a broad introduction to London’s central sights. Trafalgar Square is an easy first landmark to understand: Nelson’s Column rises above fountains and open paving, with the National Gallery nearby. You may not get time to enter the gallery, but the square helps you place the West End and Whitehall on the map.

Westminster is the political and royal heart of the route. You pass the Houses of Parliament and the clock tower that contains Big Ben. Strictly speaking, Big Ben is the great bell, while the tower is now called the Elizabeth Tower, but the familiar name remains part of London’s everyday vocabulary.

Westminster Abbey receives a short photo stop of about 15 minutes. Admission is not included, so you should think of this as an exterior visit only. That is enough for a quick look at the Gothic facade and a photograph, but not enough to see the coronation church inside.

The schedule can feel tight at this stage. The bus must cover many sights and reach the river on time, so you will get orientation and stories rather than long stops. I like this format for a first visit, especially if you are trying to identify places to return to later. I would not choose it if Westminster Abbey is your main goal.

The Thames cruise from the Tower of London

The boat ride lasts about 30 minutes and departs from the Tower of London area. The river gives you a welcome change from road traffic and offers views that are hard to get from street level.

You can see Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye, and the Houses of Parliament from the water. The dome of St. Paul’s is especially effective from the river, where the cathedral rises above the City of London. Tower Bridge also makes more sense from this angle, with its twin towers and span crossing the Thames.

The cruise is one of the more pleasant parts of the day, but keep your expectations in check. This is not a guided visit to the Tower of London. The itinerary references the fortress, Beefeaters, and Crown Jewels, yet your included experience is a boat trip from the Tower area, not admission to the Tower itself.

Some feedback described the cruise as scenic and surprisingly comfortable. Another account found it rushed and not very useful. Both reactions are understandable. Thirty minutes is enough to change your view of London, but not enough for an extended river journey or detailed exploration of each sight.

If the Tower of London is high on your list, plan a separate visit. The tour brings you close, but it does not give you time inside.

Buckingham Palace and the State Rooms

The palace is the reason many people book this experience. Buckingham Palace has served as the monarch’s London residence since the 19th century, and its State Rooms open to the public for only a limited period each year.

After the river cruise, you continue by bus to the palace. Your guide walks you to the entrance, helps the group reach the right place, and then leaves you. Guides are not permitted to accompany you inside, so the palace portion is independent.

You enter with your pre-booked ticket and follow an audio-guided route through the State Rooms. Expect grand interiors, chandeliers, fine furnishings, and objects from the Royal Collection. The palace visit gives the day a different character. The bus and boat show London as a working city. The State Rooms show the formal world of the monarchy.

Allow about two hours for this part of the experience. The visit is not a quick photo stop, and the time is useful because you can move at your own pace inside. You may also find the Buckingham Palace café useful for tea or dessert after the tour, and the palace shop offers souvenirs such as a Welsh corgi keyring.

Photography, video recording, and filming are not permitted inside the State Rooms, including use of wearable devices for non-commercial purposes. Eating and drinking are also prohibited in the rooms. Put away the camera and pay attention to the details. The audio guide is the main source of explanation once you leave your tour guide.

The timing deserves careful thought. Palace entry is booked for 2:30 p.m., and there can be several hours between the morning tour and the palace visit. Some feedback described a three-hour gap, while other comments suggest that the morning schedule can feel rushed when trying to reach the palace portion. The exact flow may depend on the day, traffic, and palace arrangements.

Use the break well. Have lunch, return to a nearby sight, or simply rest. Do not book another fixed activity that overlaps the palace entry. The gap is a weakness if you want a compact half-day. It becomes useful free time if you are willing to build your own afternoon around it.

Changing of the Guard and the timing question

The tour may give you a chance to see the Changing of the Guard, and this was one of the most praised moments in the feedback. One guide managed to reach the ceremony while many other groups were delayed by traffic. The military precision and pageantry can be fun to watch, especially on a first London visit.

Do not treat it as guaranteed from the basic description. The tour schedule centers on the palace entry, and ceremony arrangements can affect what you see. If the Changing of the Guard is your main reason for booking, confirm the day’s plan before you pay.

The early start helps. The group gets onto the central streets before the largest daytime crowds gather. One useful advantage is that you see key sights early, then have more freedom later. The price for that advantage is a 7:45 a.m. meeting time.

Comfort, pace, and group size

The experience lasts about five and a half hours, but the split schedule means it does not feel like one uninterrupted block. You need a moderate level of fitness for getting on and off transport, walking to entrances, standing during busy sightseeing moments, and handling the palace visit.

The group can include up to 50 people. That is a sizable crowd, so stay close to your guide when leaving the bus or boat. The benefit is a lower price and a clearly organized route. The cost is less personal attention and a greater chance of waiting for the group.

The vintage bus may be charming, but it is not a modern coach designed around maximum comfort. Seating and weather conditions can vary, particularly on the open top. If rain arrives, the operator may use a closed-top bus, but you should still dress for changing conditions.

This tour does not include hotel pickup or drop-off. Public transport is available near the start point, but the morning meeting is your responsibility. The mobile ticket is convenient once you are at the station, but it does not remove the need to check the departure bay.

Who will get the most from the $59 price

I see the best value here for a first-time London visitor with limited time. You get a broad introduction, a river view, and entry to one of the city’s most restricted attractions. Booking each part separately could take more planning, and the guide adds context while you move between sights.

It also suits you if you enjoy classic transport and want more than a standard sightseeing coach. The Routemaster gives the morning personality, while the boat prevents the day from becoming one long road journey.

The value is weaker if you already know central London well, dislike fixed group schedules, or want serious time inside each landmark. You may prefer to book Buckingham Palace alone and use London’s public transport for the rest.

The rating of 4.1 from 41 reviews suggests a solid but not flawless experience. The most consistent praise goes to the bus, the palace interiors, the scenic cruise, and guides who combine humor with useful facts. The repeated concerns are the early meeting point, rushed timing, the long gap before the palace, and uneven guiding.

Should you book this London combination tour?

Book it if you want a practical first look at London and the State Rooms are open during your visit. The combination of Routemaster, Thames boat, and palace admission gives you a lot for $59, especially with only two full days in town.

Skip it if you want a slow, flexible day or if the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey are your priorities. Neither is included as a full interior visit. Also skip it if the three-hour break would disrupt other plans.

Before booking, confirm the palace entry time, check the meeting bay at Victoria Coach Station, and keep the afternoon open around 2:30 p.m. Bring rain protection, wear comfortable shoes, and treat the morning as an overview. If that sounds like your kind of London day, this is a sensible and entertaining way to begin.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

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

What time should I arrive?

The scheduled start time is 7:45 a.m.

Where does the experience end?

It ends at Buckingham Palace Road after you leave the palace, and you make your own way onward.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. You must travel independently to the meeting point, and hotel drop-off is not included.

Is the vintage bus open top?

Yes, the tour is described as an open-top bus tour. On rare occasions, a closed-top bus may be used instead.

Is the Thames cruise included?

Yes. A 30-minute Thames River cruise is included.

Is Buckingham Palace admission included?

Yes. Admission to the State Rooms is included, with entry booked for 2:30 p.m.

Does the guide enter Buckingham Palace with the group?

No. The guide walks you to the entrance, then you enter independently because guides cannot accompany you inside.

Is Westminster Abbey admission included?

No. The Westminster Abbey stop is an exterior photo stop of about 15 minutes.

Can I take photographs inside the State Rooms?

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

How far in advance can I cancel?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience starts. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted and are not refunded.