Many major European cities offer passes for a fee that give travelers certain perks, including discounts on tickets to attractions, transportation, food, and more. The London Pass is one of these — it’s a digital sightseeing credits package that can be purchased for various durations.
But a lot of people want to know: Is buying the London Pass worth it?
If you read this blog or have worked with me, you know: I’m all about maximizing enjoyment and minimizing all those avoidable traveling hassles that can really drain your time and energy.
Sometimes options like these can be a great value. And other times, they aren’t the best match for your needs. (One of the many reasons to love custom-designed itineraries is that we do all the work on the front end to determine which types of travel passes are a good fit — no stress, no guesswork, and I can build those experiences right into your itinerary.)
Read on to find out if purchasing a London Pass makes sense for you and your travel plans!
What is the London Pass & how does it work?
The London Pass is a digital pass that offers entry to over 80 attractions in London, like Windsor Castle, the Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, and more.
Based on your itinerary and how many days you’d like to explore around London, you pick the pass duration that’s right for you, download the Go City app, enter your order confirmation number in the app, and you’re ready to go.
Tickets can be purchased for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 consecutive days. Prices range from £34 to £169, depending on the ages of the ticket holders and the number of days you want.
At selected sites, the London Pass can also include other benefits, like free audio guides, gift shop or food discounts, and skip-the-line perks.
Cassie’s Tip: Your pass won’t activate until you check in at the first of your London Pass attractions, so you can purchase ahead of time if you like. Also, the number of days refers to consecutive days, not 24-hour periods — so to make the most of your pass, start earlier in the day.
Does a London Pass cover transportation?
Well… yes and no.
Included with the Pass are two major transport options.
There’s a hop-on-hop-off bus tour, which includes unlimited rides to and from over 100 stops around the city on the same days that your pass covers (so if, for example, you purchase a 3-day pass, you can access the bus tour on those days). Buses stop every 20-30 minutes, so you’ll never be waiting long.
In addition, you can get a one-day River Roamer pass that runs with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. The boats stop at 23 piers in central London, and they can offer a great way to get around that’s relaxing and also offers lovely views.
Cassie’s Tip: If you know you’re going to want to use public transportation (like the London Underground/Tube, Buses, Docklands Light Rail, Overground Trains, River Boat, the Elizabeth Line), then getting a Visitor Oyster Card is a good idea. You can purchase an Oyster Card by itself. Or, if you determine that a London Pass makes sense for you, you can get additional travel discounts if you purchase both the London Pass and the Oyster Card.
Is a London Pass right for you?
Like any offer for travelers, the London Pass is really well suited for some types of travelers and might not be for other types. I’ll go into more detail below, but at a glance, here’s how to know if this pass is or isn’t right for you.
Who the London Pass isn’t good for
You might want to take a pass on this Pass if:
- You prefer to do your sightseeing at a relaxed pace
- You want guaranteed entry at a certain time (skip-the-line access is subject to availability)
- Most of your sightseeing is comprised of free-entry museums (more on this, below)
Who the London Pass is good for
On the other hand, if you meet these baseline criteria, the London Pass might be just what you’re looking for:
- You’re an ambitious sightseer who wants to see as much as possible at a fast pace
- You plan to visit most of the included London Pass attractions
- You prefer not to have timed-entry ticket constraints (though, some attractions require a reservation, including most tours and Kensington Palace)
Top London Pass attractions & experiences (and notable exceptions)
Here are the most popular attractions and experiences you can enjoy with a London Pass. If all or even most of these are on your must-see list, then purchasing a London Pass can be a great value.
Attractions
- Tower of London
- Westminster Abbey
- St. Paul’s Cathedral
- Windsor Palace
- Kensington Palace
- Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
- London Transport Museum
- London Zoo
- Kew Gardens
Experiences
- London Top Sights Walking Tour
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
- London Bike Tour
- The View from The Shard
- Changing of the Guard Tour
- Historic Pub Tour
- Wembley Stadium Tour
- Royal Albert Hall Tour
- Movie and Music-themed Tours
Cassie’s Tip: There are a few ticketed major attractions that aren’t included with the London Pass, such as the London Eye, View from the Shard, Buckingham Palace tours, London Dungeon, London Aquarium, and tours of the Houses of Parliament — so be sure to double-check!
In addition, quite a few popular sights like the British Museum and the National Gallery have free admission — so if you don’t see your go-to places on the included-attractions list, it could just be because there’s no fee associated.
Which Museums have Free Entry in London?
Quite a few popular sights like the British Museum and the National Gallery have free admission — so if you don’t see your go-to places on the included-attractions list, it could just be because there’s no fee associated.
Here are some of the most popular free museums in London:
- British Museum
- National Gallery
- Natural History Museum
- Imperial War Museum
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Tate Modern
- Tate Britain
- British Library
- Museum of London
- Royal Air Force Museum
Cassie’s Tip: Most of the free museums still required a timed-entry ticket or reservation. Be sure to make one online well in advance of your trip.
Find out if the London Pass offers you value!
If you want to dig a little deeper and determine if the London Pass is the right choice for you, here’s what I recommend. With a custom-designed itinerary, I can walk through these steps with you, or you can do them on your own and bring them to me to help you create your perfect London getaway.
Sketch out your itinerary first. Determine which museums, attractions, and activities are at the top of your “must-do” list.
See how many days you need in London and organize attractions by area. This will help you get a bird’ s-eye view of your trip and prevent you from wasting time crisscrossing the city.
If you’re traveling with kids, check to see if they get free or discounted admission at the places you want to visit.
Once you have your number of days and ticket costs, check the London Pass options to see if they could save you money compared to a la carte tickets.
Lastly, be super honest about not just where you want to go, but how you want to go. Maximize for fun, ease, and joy. Evaluate if the travel pace is ideal for you or if you would be rushing just for the sake of getting your money’s worth because rushing through your trip will come at the cost of your enjoyment.
Don’t forget to allow time to:
- Take in an afternoon tea
- Stroll the neighborhoods – Westminster, SoHo, Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, “The City,” and along the River Thames
- Take a Thames River Cruise
- See a show on the West End
- Visit London’s Markets
- Shop (Harrod’s, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason…)
Whether you decide to go with a Pass or not, there are many ways to enjoy London — and I can’t wait to help you discover the charm of this incredible city!
Cassie Tetro
Itinerary Designer
& Certified Travel Expert
(Paris, London & Rome)
WHO AM I?
I’m Cassie Tetro, an Itinerary Designer and Certified Travel Expert for Paris, London, and Rome — my three favorite cities!
I help independent travelers like you save time and eliminate confusion with customized point-to-point itineraries crafted to your interests, preferences, travel pace, and style.
I take care of every aspect of your trip before you walk out your front door — tickets, reservations, tours, maps, transportation — so you can relax, soak in the magic, and enjoy a frustration-free vacation with a travel plan that’s as unique as you are.
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