London tours from Westminster
Westminster is a handy starting point. Big Ben, Parliament Square, Whitehall and Westminster Abbey lie within a short walk of each other, and Westminster Pier is a few minutes away on the river. Most tours here are one of three things: a walk, a boat ride or a pass tour. Each does something different, and none of them takes you up the tower unless the listing says so.
A walk past Big Ben is an outside view. The tower climb is a separate ticket, explained on the tower tour page. Prices below are for 2026 and are examples, not a market range. A listed price is not a free seat on your date.
Tour types compared
Adult prices in 2026. Each row is one product type.
| Type | Good for | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking tour of Westminster | Outside views of Big Ben, Parliament Square and Whitehall | – | – |
| River bus, single trip | Getting between piers on a normal fare | Boarding at least 5 minutes before | £9.90 to £16.40 in the Central zone |
| River bus, one-day hop-on ticket | Using the boat as transport all day | 1 day | £29.30 online, £32.60 at the pier |
| Sightseeing cruise | Commentary on the sights, with Westminster, London Eye, Tower and Greenwich piers | 40 minutes to the Tower, 70 minutes to Greenwich, one way | From £14.50 |
| Guided tour or bus in a pass | Many sights with one pass | Depends on the listing | London Pass from £105 |
The pay-as-you-go fares are valid until 31 October 2026, so check the new fares after that date. Prices differ by how you pay: contactless or Oyster, online or at the pier. An online fare is not always the cheapest one.
Our picks: London tours
Walking tours of Westminster, a river cruise and a day ticket with the London Eye.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in British pounds (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Westminster walk with Churchill War Rooms
A small-group walk past more than 20 sights, with War Rooms entry included. Big Ben and Buckingham Palace are seen from outside; food, drinks and hotel transfer are extra.
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Hop-on hop-off bus, river cruise and London Eye
A 24 or 48-hour bus ticket on three routes, London Eye entry and a single river cruise. Audio commentary and headphones are included, hotel transfer is not.
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Westminster walking tour with Abbey option
A Blue Badge guide on a walk around Westminster, seeing Big Ben from outside. The four-hour option adds a guided visit inside the Abbey with a fast-track ticket.
Check availability →Westminster tours and day trips
Walking tours, Thames cruises and sightseeing tickets, with live prices and availability.
Westminster walking tour: what to check
No single price or format covers walking tours here.
Meeting point and route
Look for the exact meeting point and the stops. A route that passes Parliament Square, Whitehall and Horse Guards is an outside walk.
What the price includes
Do not assume Big Ben is inside the price. If a listing does not name tower entry or an entry to a building, it is not included.
Length and language
Check the language of the guide, the length and the group size in the listing before you pay.
Free-tour tips
If a tour is listed as free, ask how the guide is paid before you join.
Boats from Westminster Pier
Two kinds of boat leave from the same pier.
Westminster Pier is on Victoria Embankment, SW1A 2JH, in the Central zone, and has a ramp for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The river bus is a transport service with commuter fares. A sightseeing cruise adds commentary and runs on a timetable. Children aged 5 to 15 pay 50 percent on the river bus, with exceptions, and up to two children aged 4 and under travel free per ticket holder. On the sightseeing cruise, adults are 16 and over, children 5 to 15, and ages 0 to 4 are free.
Timetables change by season: the low-season timetable runs from 7 September to 25 October 2026 and the winter timetable from 26 October 2026 to 22 March 2027. The first Westminster departure is at 10:00, with boarding 10 minutes before. Gaps between departures run from about 30 to 40 minutes, so check the timetable for your day. Normal sightseeing tickets are not refundable. Read the Thames cruise page for routes and more detail.
Pass tours
A pass can bundle a tour and a boat.
The London Pass lists a guided tour called See Over 30 Top London Sights with a local guide, which needs a reservation, and a 2-day Big Bus hop-on hop-off tour. Those listings do not mean that Big Ben tower entry is included, and they do not name a Westminster meeting point. The pass also lists a 24-hour Thames river pass from City Cruises, but it does not give you a free ride on the Thames Clippers river bus. Read the London Pass page for the full list and for how to decide if it pays off.
For sights you can reach on foot, see things to do in Westminster.
London tours from Westminster: frequently asked questions
Does a walking tour include Big Ben?
Only as an outside view, unless the listing names tower entry. The tower climb is a separate ticket, described on the tower tour page.
What is the cheapest way to get on the river?
In 2026 the lowest single fare listed in the Central zone is £9.90 off-peak, paid with contactless or Oyster. Online and pier fares are higher. The pay-as-you-go fares are valid until 31 October 2026.
Can I take a boat all the way to Greenwich?
Yes, a sightseeing cruise calls at Greenwich. One way takes about 70 minutes from the Westminster side, and a round trip is about 180 minutes.
Are sightseeing tickets refundable?
Normal unused sightseeing tickets are not refundable. An optional extra can have its own terms, so read them before you add it.
Is a tour with a guide better than a pass?
It depends on what you want to see. A pass is useful if you plan several sights, a guided walk is useful if you want stories. Add up the actual tickets before you decide.