Walking Tour Guide

This is a great idea. Tourist Tracks produce a number of audio guides to lead you on a tour of the City. You can either download a copy or order a CD. At the moment you can get either City of London or City of Westminster tour guides, both take around 90 minutes to complete. You'll need to work out how you all listen at the same time, although it might be fun strapping something with speakers to your back!  

The Tate Boat 

The boat runs every 40 minutes, during gallery opening hours, between Tate Britain and Tate Modern. It also stops at the BA London Eye.

Admission:   Fares – Adult:  single £4.00, River Roamer: £7.00. Kids 5-16yo Single £2.50, River Roamer £3.50, Under 5s free;  Families: Single £10, river roamer £16..£10, River Roamer £16. Travelcard discount available
Piers: Bankside, Waterloo, Millbank
Web:  www.tate.org.uk/tatetotate

For more info. about the Tate Boat check the Transport for London site, click `river’ for more information www.tfl.gov.uk

Routemaster Buses 

The old Routemaster buses are a design icon synonymous with London. Thanks to Transport for London a number of these old buses (built 1960-1964) are back on part of the central London sections of routes 9 and 15. Give them a try for a bargain tour of the sights. They have been repainted in the ‘60s style with the original 'London Transport' logo and cream stripe.

Running time: every 15 min, every day  9.30am-6.30pm
Price: std bus fares apply.
Heritage route 9: Royal Albert Hall to Aldwych
Route 15: Trafalgar Square to Tower Hill
Tel:  0845 300 7000
Web: click here

London Duck Tours 

The London Duck Tour lasts 75 min and is a bus and a boat in one! You can see all the sites of London both north and south of the river without crossing any bridges. Just hold on tight and the Duck Tour bus will enter the water and turn into a boat!

Big Bus Company 

Double-decker 2hr open-air bus tours giving the history of London on the go. You can put on headphones and hear amazing facts about England's Capital city. If you see something you want to explore, just hop off the bus at one of the stops and you can hop back on later. Departs every 10-15min from Green Park, Victoria, Marble Arch. And while your ticket is valid why not go on a free walking tour! You can choose between Royal London Walk (10.15am), the Beatles Walk (2pm), and the Ghosts by Gaslight (4.30pm). All walks begin in Trafalgar Sq and are 1.5h long.

The Original Tour 

Jump aboard a famous red open-top bus and enjoy the sights and sounds of London with informative and entertaining commentaries in a choice of seven languages! The Original Tour is not only the largest and most popular sightseeing operator in the world, but also the only tour operator to offer commentaries specially designed for children. History made fun - for kids, by kids ... plus the voice of the ghost of London! Every child also gets a 'passport' to London and a fantastic free fun pack with activity/quiz book. The 24-hour hop-on hop-off tour ticket allows full access to 3 main tour routes and a fantastic FREE Thames river cruise. Buses operate daily every 10-20 minutes from Baker Street, Embankment, Piccadilly Circus, Victoria & Grosvenor Gardens, Trafalgar Square and Marble Arch.

Fares:  Adult £19.00, kids 5-15yo £12 online saving available or pay at any of the 90 stops
Tube: Tube: Baker St, Piccadilly Circus, Marble Arch, Victoria (zone 1)
Address: Jews Row, Wandsworth, London
Tel: (020) 8877 2120
Web: www.theoriginaltour.com
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  

*STOP PRESS*: Get 15% off by using the discount code `Familyfun7' when booking online or by telephone (£16.15 adult and £10.20 child).  Tickets can either be printed at home (for online bookings), sent by post or collected once in London.

Public Transport 

Transport for London are responsible for opperating the public transport system in the capital and you can gain all the information you are likely to need from their website.

Underground - Mon-Sat 5.30am-00.30am, Sun 7.30am-11.30pm

Buses: 5am-00.30am, night buses midnight-4.30am

DLR: every 10-15mins from Mon-Sat 5.30am-00.30, Sun 7am-11.30pm.

Tubes:  Contact TFL or ask at an underground station for details.

Tube:  Tel: (020) 7222 1234 (24hr)

Buses - Tel: 0845 300 7000 (8am-8pm Mon-Fri)

DLR - Tel: (020) 7363 9700

Web: www.tfl.gov.uk

Under 5s travel free at any time and all children under the age of 16 travel free after 9.30am M-F and at any time over the weekend. Children aged 14-15 need a Child Oyster, ‘11-15’ or Child photocard.

City Cruises 

Operates frequent sightseeing cruises every day, Greenwich to Westminster/Waterloo Pier (longest journey). Check site or call for detailed information.
Open:
Admission:   
Fares: Adult rtn £8.60, Child rtn £4.30. Combo & Family deals available
Tube:    
Address:    
Piers: Westminster Pier, Waterloo Millennium (London Eye) Pier, Tower Pier and Greenwich Pier
Tel: (020) 7740 0400
Web: www.citycruises.com
Email:    
Facilities: Tip box, Nearby Attractions

London River Services 

There are various commuter and leisure services and fares will vary. For fare information check web site or call.

Fares: single fares start at £2.50 (adult) and £1.25 for kids, family tickets are available too
Address:    
Tel: (020) 7222 1234
Web: www.tfl.gov.uk/river
Facilities:   Tip box, Nearby Attractions

Catamaran 

With 6 vessels it offers circular and point-to-point sightseeing cruises. For more information call or check website.

Address: Address:Embankment Pier, Victoria Embankment, London, WC2N 6NU
Tel: (020) 7987 1185
Web: www.catamarancruisers.co.uk
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Facilities: Tip box, Nearby Attractions