LONDON PASS: How to save on sightseeing in London? (2024)

London Pass includes admission to the most popular sights, museums and attractions in London. In this article, we’ll give a full review of how to save in London and whether the card is a good choice for you.

London is the most visited city in Europe and the third most visited city in the world. But it’s also so much expensive. Entrance fees to many of the sites range from £20-30. You can calculate the entrance fee from our article on what to see in London.

One way to save money in London is with a tourist card. London has several of these and today we’ll take a closer look at them.

How to save money in London: LONDON PASS

London Pass is a tourist card that has been designed in partnership with London’s sights, museums and attractions, so you can save money on admission or make it easier to discover and travel to your favourite London sites.

What are the benefits of the London Pass?

Free entry to more than 90 sights, museums and attractions. Included in the price is entry to the London Eye, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the Shard, St Paul’s Cathedral, Kew Gardens, Tower Bridge, as well as unlimited day cruises on the Thames or a sightseeing bus. It includes most of the most famous and popular places in the city.

You have 2 years to activate your card, so if you’re planning to visit London in the next few months, it’s worth getting your card as soon as possible. The price of admission to the various sights is continually increasing, and so the price of tourist cards (not just in London) must also increase.

Free cancellation within 90 days. If you change your mind within 3 months, you will be refunded without giving a reason.

Interactive guide to download as an app to the phone. The link will arrive in your email after purchase. The guide includes maps, sightseeing information and useful information for travelling around London.

Free one-day sightseeing bus tour of central London. The ride also includes an audio guide in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. You can choose between 2 carriers – Big Bus and Golden Tours. The Big Bus offers 2 routes – Red and Blue, each taking you to a different part of London. You choose where you want to board and just show your card. You can also download the Big Bus Tours app (for Apple) to see timetables, stops and other useful information.

Free one-day Uber Boat cruise on the Thames, stopping at 23 stations. You’ll not only see the historic centre of London (Tower of London, Westminster, London Eye, Tower Bridge), but you’ll also get to Greenwich with the Observatory or the O2 Arena with its famous glittering roof. You can get on and off freely throughout the day, just show your card.

The card is valid for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days, so you can buy as many days as you need depending on the length of your stay.

How does the London Pass work?

You buy a London Pass for a set number of days, so you can schedule which attractions you want to visit and when. The pass is available for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days .

Valid for calendar days, i.e. you need to think in advance whether it’s worth activating your card late in the afternoon or in the morning. Regardless of whether you activate your card at 9:00 am or 4:00 pm, it counts as 1 day.

Once you have purchased your card, you will receive an email with information, a guide and a link to download the London Pass app. Activate your card by scanning the QR code in the app when you enter the first attraction.

What is included in the London Pass?

The London Pass includes entry to over 90 venues in London including:

• Tower of London (£34.80)
• London Eye (£45)
• Sightseeing bus ride (£37)
• One-day unlimited cruise (£24.60)
• Shard (£37)
• Madame Tussauds Museum (£47)
• Westminster Abbey (£29)
• Tower Bridge (£12.30)
• St Paul’s Cathedral (£25)
• Windsor Castle (£33)
• Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Gardens (£23)
• Kensington Palace (£24)
• London Zoo (£41.80)
• Arsenal Stadium Tour (£30)
• …and many more (A complete list of attractions can be found here)

Please note: Some attractions require a reservations – London Eye, Shard or Madame Tussauds Museum. Booking is easy and you can avoid queuing on site – you’ll find detailed instructions for each attraction.

Does the card include London Eye?

The London Eye is a popular attraction, but it is not included in tourist cards. This is not the case for the London Pass – because the London Eye is now open from 15th April 2024 as part of the London Pass.

What is the price of the London Pass?

Prices for the London Pass vary depending on how many days you buy the card for – there are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 day passes available.

The prices are as follows:

There are often events where you can get a London Pass at a discount.

Tip: Children under 5 years old get free entry to the sights and attractions. When travelling around London, children under 11 years old are free on public transport when accompanied by an adult.

Are there limits on the card?

Yes, but in truth you don’t get a chance to use them all. The limits correspond to the amount of admission you would normally pay without the card. They are so high that even when running around the sights from morning to evening you can’t exceed them.

The limits are as follows:

• 1-Day London Pass: adult 235 max credit / child 200 max credit
• 2-Day London Pass Credit Package: adult 395 max credit / child 330 max credit
• 3-Day London Pass Credit Package: adult 505 max credit / child 415 max credit
• 4-Day London Pass Credit Package: adult 635 max credit / child 500 max credit
• 5-day London Pass credit package: adult 750 max credit / child 570 max credit
• 6-day London Pass credit package: adult 860 max credit / child 630 max credit
• 7-day London Pass Credit Package: adult 960 max credit / child 685 max credit
• 10-Day London Pass Credit Package: adult 1055 max credit / child 730 max credit

Let’s use an example to show how credits work. Buy a London Pass for £114/1 day and plan to visit several attractions: the Westminster Abbey £29, St Paul’s Cathedral £25, Tower of London £34.80 and the London Eye £45.

You have used up your limits for a total of 133.80 and can still visit the sights for 101.20 credits. Plus, you’ve already saved £19.80 on 4 entries.

How and where to buy the card?

Simply buy a London Pass online and then download the app. All information will be sent to your email.

The procedure is as follows:

• Buy your London Pass online official website.
• You choose the type of card according to the number of days, the number of cards for adults and children and whether you want an Oyster card (blue button).
• Add to cart and confirm “Checkout”.
• A new page will appear where you can enter your expected arrival date. If it ends up not matching the actual date, nothing happens. This is just an approximate date of card activation.
• You fill in your personal and payment details.
• After payment, you will receive a confirmation email with the necessary instructions.
• Download the app and you’re off to London.

How much will you save with  the London Pass?

We’ll use a real-life example to show you if the London Pass is worth it. At least 3 days are ideal to better explore London. The itinerary could look something like this:

• Day 1 in London: Tower of London (£34.80), Tower Bridge (£12.30), Madame Tussauds Museum (£47)
• Day 2 in London: Thames cruise (£24.60), Westminster Abbey (£29), St Paul’s Cathedral (£25), London Eye (£45)
• Day 3 in London: sightseeing bus ride (£37), Kensington Palace (£24), London Zoo (£41.80)

For 3 days you would pay a total of £275.50 without a card. The London Pass costs £179 for 3 days, i.e. in this case you will save £96.50.

When is the London Pass worth it?

You are neither a student nor a senior citizen – many of the sights are covered by reduced admission for students and seniors over 60. The card can be purchased in two variants – the full variant for adults without discounts and a reduced rate for children. It’s better to calculate in advance whether it’s worth it to go on a student card only (or a senior citizen card) or whether you should get a tourist card.

Planning to visit more sights and attractions – if your goal is to soak up the London atmosphere or perhaps go shopping and only visit 2-3 sights in total, a card won’t be your answer to saving money in London. How to get the most out of the London Card?

• Visit at least 2-3 attractions per day.
• Choose the most expensive sights/attractions.
• Activate the card early in the morning.
• Make a travel itinerary and plan your sightseeing near you – see our London sightseeing map.

Alternatives

Another tourist card is London Explorer Pass where you choose how many attractions you want to visit – 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 attractions from the most popular places in London.

You can choose from the London Eye, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, The Shard, Westminster Abbey, Kensington Palace, London Zoo, Thames cruise, sightseeing bus ride and many other places (some places require reservations whether you have a card or not). A complete list of attractions can be found at here.

You have 60 days from activation to visit the selected sites, so you are not limited by time.

The prices for the London Explorer Pass are as follows:

If you’re planning to visit more expensive sights and attractions, the card is worth it. Examples include the London Eye (£45), Tower of London (£34.80), Westminster Abbey (£29) and The Shard (£37). In total, you would pay £145.80 for these attractions, so you will save £16.80 with the card.

You can buy the card online on the retailer’s official website and then download the Go City app. The card is activated by entering the first attraction, where you just scan the QR code from your mobile phone.

If you prefer to hold a printed version, you can simply print the card via a link that will arrive in your email after purchase, along with other information.

More information about London

WHAT TO SEE IN LONDON: Get inspired by things to do in London. Here’s an 5 days London itinerary. Do you have less time? We also created an itinerary for 3 days in London or London for 1 day.

London is a great place for the whole family. Read our tips on things do in London with kids (+ more practical information).

LONDON TRAVEL GUIDE: In the article you can find out all about transport in London (airport, public transport, underground, bicycle). Read about accommodation, prices, food and safety in our London travel guide. Tips on the best hotels in London will help you make your accommodation choices easier.

Here are 7 tips on how to save in London.

London Pass: FAQ