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 several useful views of the city in one long day. I like the variety, and I like that the $59 price includes the palace State Rooms, not just a drive past the gates. The main catch is the schedule: a few-hour break separates the morning sightseeing from the 2:30 pm palace entry.

The early start also has real value. You can see central London before the streets fill up, and several guides, including Alan, Nick, and an Irish guide praised for his wit, have made the sightseeing lively and memorable. Still, this is a fast-moving group tour, with up to 50 people, and the open-top bus can be cold or wet in typical London weather.

Key points to know before booking

• Three ways to see London: Ride a vintage double-decker, cruise the Thames for 30 minutes, and walk to Buckingham Palace.
• Buckingham Palace State Rooms included: You enter independently with a pre-booked ticket and use an audio guide inside.
• The 2:30 pm palace entry shapes the day: Plan for a substantial break after the morning tour.
• The early start helps with crowds: The 7:45 am meeting time can put you ahead of the heaviest sightseeing traffic.
• Changing of the Guard may fit the timing: Some departures have reached the ceremony, but it should not be your only reason for booking.
• Come ready for British weather: The bus is open top in normal conditions, though it can be changed to a closed bus in rare cases.

A fast but useful introduction to London

I see this experience as a city orientation with a royal finale. You are not getting long guided visits inside every landmark. Instead, you move through a large part of central London, hear stories along the way, collect photographs, and finish with the one interior visit that requires a timed ticket.

That makes it a good choice if you have only two full days in London or if you want someone else to handle the broad route. You will see more in five and a half hours than you could comfortably cover on foot, though the tradeoff is limited time at most stops.

The morning begins at Victoria Coach Station, at 164 Buckingham Palace Road. The meeting time is 7:45 am, so allow extra time to find the correct bay. One person arrived expecting Bay 0 and found the group at Bay 19, which caused needless early-morning stress. Check the current meeting instructions carefully, then ask station staff if anything looks unclear.

Riding the vintage Routemaster through central London

The red Routemaster is part of the appeal. Its shape and open upper deck are closely tied to London in the public imagination, and it gives you a much more atmospheric ride than a standard coach. From the top, you get broad views for photographs, though you should expect wind, rain, and the occasional awkward camera angle.

The route covers the landmark-packed center of London. You pass Trafalgar Square, with Nelson’s Column and its fountains, then continue toward Westminster. You see the Houses of Parliament, the clock tower associated with Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey from outside.

The bus is most useful for helping you understand how the city fits together. Trafalgar Square, Westminster, the Thames, and Buckingham Palace stop feeling like isolated names on a map. Your guide adds facts and stories as you move, which can help you decide where to return later for a closer visit.

The quality of the commentary matters here. Alan was praised for being witty and well informed, while Nick used theatrical storytelling to make London’s past easier to follow. Another group especially enjoyed a silver-haired guide carrying a pink duster, a memorable detail that says something about the personal style these guides can bring to the route. That experience can vary, but the best guides turn traffic delays into part of the entertainment.

The ride is not a hop-on, hop-off service in the usual sense. The vehicle may stop for photographs or sightseeing, but you should not expect to leave whenever you wish and rejoin later. The morning itinerary is timed to get you to the river and then toward the palace schedule, so keep your group in sight.

Westminster Abbey and the Big Ben photo stop

Westminster Abbey receives about 15 minutes from outside. That is enough for photographs and a quick look at the building’s setting, but not enough to tour the interior. If the abbey is high on your list, treat this as a preview and return on another visit.

You also see the Houses of Parliament and the clock tower that houses Big Ben. The tour gives you the classic Westminster view, yet it does not include entry to Parliament or the abbey. This distinction matters because the day is packed with sights, but only Buckingham Palace offers a major interior visit.

The early hour can work in your favor around Westminster. Several people found that the tour reached the Changing of the Guard at a good time, while other sightseeing groups were delayed by traffic. The ceremony is a pleasant bonus when the timing works. It is not described as a guaranteed part of the tour, so I would not book this experience only for that event.

The Thames cruise from the Tower area

After the bus portion, you board a sightseeing boat for a 30-minute Thames cruise. This is a short ride, but it changes your view of London in a useful way. From the water, you can see the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London.

St Paul’s dome is especially effective from the river, where the building’s scale is easier to appreciate. Tower Bridge also makes better sense from this angle, as you see the bridge spanning the Thames rather than simply approaching it from a street.

The cruise is included, comfortable, and one of the strongest parts of the day for many people. A few guests felt the boat segment was rushed or did not offer enough time, and one practical criticism was that the group stopped near the Tower area without adding a proper visit to London Bridge. That is fair. You see the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, but you do not tour the Tower or receive entry to its Crown Jewels.

The itinerary description refers to the Tower of London, Beefeaters, and Crown Jewels, but the included experience is a river cruise from the Tower area, not an interior Tower visit. Keep that in mind so you do not arrive expecting another admission ticket.

The gap before Buckingham Palace

The schedule has a built-in pause of several hours before the palace entry at 2:30 pm. This is the most important planning point in the entire experience.

Some people like having time to eat, rest, or explore on their own. You can use the break to find lunch, walk through nearby streets, or return to a museum or shop. The tour does not provide hotel pickup or drop-off, so you are responsible for managing your own time and getting back to the palace meeting point.

Others find the gap inconvenient, especially if they have booked another afternoon activity. One person had to cancel other plans because the palace timing split the day. I would avoid scheduling anything that requires a fixed arrival before you have finished at Buckingham Palace.

The morning itself can also feel rushed because the group must keep moving toward the afternoon ticket. You get a broad survey rather than leisurely visits. If you prefer slow museum time, quiet streets, or long stops for food, this will feel compressed.

Entering Buckingham Palace at 2:30 pm

The palace is the reason this tour costs more than a simple city sightseeing ride. Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of Britain’s royals since the 19th century, and its State Rooms open to the public only for a limited three-month period each year.

Your guide walks you to the entrance, then says goodbye. Guides are not allowed to accompany you inside, so the palace portion is self-guided with an audio guide. You show your pre-booked ticket and then move through the rooms at your own pace.

Allow about two hours for this stop. Inside, you can expect glittering chandeliers, formal furnishings, and objects from the Royal Collection. The contrast with the open-top bus is part of the fun: you move from noisy city streets into carefully arranged royal rooms.

The palace visit received the strongest praise in several accounts. The State Rooms were described as stunning, and the Changing of the Guard added ceremony for those who caught it earlier. There is also a Buckingham Palace café where you can buy tea and dessert, plus a shop with royal souvenirs such as a Welsh corgi keyring.

There are firm rules inside. You cannot eat or drink in the State Rooms. Photography, video recording, filming, and wearable-device recording for non-commercial use are not allowed. If you enjoy taking photographs of every room, this restriction may disappoint you, but it also keeps the visit focused on the objects and architecture rather than constant phone use.

What $59 gets you

At $59, the value depends on how much you want the palace admission and how useful a broad first look at London will be. The price includes the vintage bus, local guide, Thames cruise, and Buckingham Palace State Rooms ticket. That is a substantial bundle for someone with limited time.

You are also paying for the route and timing. A local guide can point out details you might miss from a self-guided bus ride, and the river gives you a different view without requiring you to plan transport between distant sights.

The value is weaker if you want deep visits to the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, or Parliament. Those are viewed from outside or from the vehicle, and the Tower cruise is only 30 minutes. You should think of this as a sampler with one major interior attraction, not a collection of full museum tours.

For a first day in London, I think the price is reasonable, especially if the palace State Rooms are on your must-see list. For repeat visitors who already know central London, the fast pace and limited stop time may feel less worthwhile.

Comfort, weather, and group size

The group can reach 50 people, so this is not an intimate walk with a guide who can tailor every stop to your interests. You need moderate physical fitness for boarding the bus and boat, walking between parts of the itinerary, and remaining on your feet around the palace.

The open-top bus is weather dependent. Bring a raincoat and dress in layers. On rare occasions, the operator may replace it with a closed-top bus. That protects the schedule, but you will lose some of the upper-deck views that make the Routemaster special.

The experience uses mobile tickets, and confirmation arrives at booking. Keep your phone charged and make sure you can display the ticket when required. Since there is no hotel transfer, you also need to reach Victoria Coach Station independently and leave Buckingham Palace on your own after the visit.

The strongest guide experiences came from people who added humor and personality. Kevin, the driver, was praised for handling the large bus through London traffic, while Mark, a Scottish guide, supplied the commentary. A good guide can make the same route feel lively; a poor one can make the hurried schedule feel worse. One unpleasant account described a guide repeatedly complaining about working on his day off, which is a reminder that guide quality is not perfectly predictable.

Who should book this London tour?

I would choose this tour if you are visiting London for the first time, have only a short stay, or want a simple way to connect major sights. It is especially useful for couples and families who would rather see the city from several angles than spend the whole day inside one museum.

It also suits you if Buckingham Palace is a priority. The State Rooms are the one major interior visit, and the included ticket removes one piece of planning during a busy London day.

I would be more cautious if you have a full list of afternoon appointments, dislike early starts, or want plenty of unstructured time. The 7:45 am meeting and 2:30 pm palace entry control your day. You will need to accept the gap and plan around it.

The experience ends after you leave Buckingham Palace. From there, you can continue exploring independently or return to your hotel. Cancellation is free if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Within 24 hours, no refund is provided.

Final verdict: a strong first look with a royal finish

Book this tour if you want a high-value overview of London and a proper visit to Buckingham Palace in the same outing. The Routemaster adds character, the Thames cruise gives you excellent city views, and the palace State Rooms provide the memorable centerpiece.

Skip it if you need a relaxed pace or cannot spare the afternoon break. For most first-time visitors with limited time, though, the combination is practical and enjoyable. Just arrive early at the correct coach-station bay, bring rain protection, and treat the morning as a fast introduction rather than a series of full-length museum visits.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

It starts at Victoria Coach Station, 164 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TP. The meeting time is 7:45 am.

Where does the tour finish?

The experience finishes at Buckingham Palace Road after you exit Buckingham Palace. You make your own way onward or back to your hotel.

How long does the tour last?

The stated duration is approximately five hours and 30 minutes. The day includes a few-hour break before the 2:30 pm Buckingham Palace entry.

What is included in the price?

The price includes the 1960s vintage bus tour, a Thames River cruise, admission to the Buckingham Palace State Rooms, and a local guide.

Does the guide enter Buckingham Palace with me?

No. The guide walks you to the palace entrance, then you enter independently with your pre-booked ticket and use an audio guide.

Can I take photographs inside the State Rooms?

No. Photography, video recording, filming, and wearable-device recording for non-commercial purposes are not permitted inside the State Rooms. Eating and drinking are also not permitted there.

What happens if I need to cancel?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted and are not refunded.