London Passes: the passes to London

Looking for an effective London pass?
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London is one of the largest capital cities in the world, welcoming millions of tourists every year.
In addition to the much-loved British style, touristically London really does offer a lot of tourist attractions to visit: museums for every taste, Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, all the way to the iconic London Eye, London's Ferris wheel.

As is often the case, buying a London tourist pass can be a good way to save money and visit as much of the city as possible in the time we have available.
There are several London passes available, each with its own features, convenience situations or not.

The purpose of this guide on London passes is to analyze each available pass, analyzing its features and benefits, to understand when it may be worthwhile to purchase one rather than the other. 

Are you already familiar with London and its attractions? Skip right to the review of the passes

What to see in London?

London's charm lies not only in its monuments, but in its proverbial contrast between solemnity, history and modernity.
A metropolis where millennial history and British tradition coexist with unstoppable urban development.
It is a city that, to be best grasped, is not just to be visited but to be experienced through its tourist experiences.

The wealth and variety of attractions and tourist experiences found in London has few rivals: to know the city thoroughly, it is essential to experience it through its tourist symbols.

To understand why a tourist pass becomes almost an indispensable ally, let's take a look at some of the must-see stops, many of which are included in the passes we will analyze.

• Historical and royal stops: impossible not to start with the Tower of London, keeper of the Crown Jewels, and the majestic Westminster Abbey, site of royal coronations and weddings.
  These are top attractions on a trip to London, single tickets for which easily exceed £30-£35.
• Modern views and buildings: Step into the present to view the skyline from the London Eye, the famous Ferris wheel, or from the top of The Shard, the city's tallest skyscraper.
• Scenic experiences on the water and by road: a Thames River cruise is a timeless classic for seeing London from a different perspective, while a Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus tour is perfect for stress-free orientation of the main neighborhoods while your guide tells you anecdotes about what you see.
• Culture and history through many museums: in addition to the major museums (many free, but with paid exhibitions), the passes include gems such as a tour of Shakespeare's Globe, Windsor Castle (reachable in one day) and dozens of "secondary" museums, very often educational and didactic, capable of making you perceive London in a completely different key.
• Guided tours and sports symbols: to explore the city by bus or on foot with a tour guide, tours of the city's iconic stadiums (Chelsea FC, Arsenal, Tottenham), bike tours along the regal downtown streets, and many others enrich the itinerary while optimizing time
• Family and children's activities: the famous Wax Museum (Madame Tussauds), the London Zoo, and the various interactive and educational museums for youngsters and teens are treats on the richest itineraries to reserve moments of fun and entertainment for the youngest.

These are just some of the most significant attractions in a list that could go on quite a bit. Just by adding up the costs of 3 or 4 of these attractions, the expense quickly goes up.

With so much to see and major entrance fees, a London pass is not only a way to save money, but a key to unlocking a richer, more flexible, and worry-free travel experience.

Now, let's see which pass best suits your travel style.

Why is it worth buying a London pass?

As you may have guessed, visiting London through its most beautiful and well-known tourist experiences can take a big toll on your travel budget if you buy tickets individually, one by one.
Just the few most relevant attractions we mentioned in the previous paragraph alone, added together, can easily exceed £250-£300 per person.

The smartest way to cut costs and enjoy your trip more smoothly is to rely on a London tourist pass.

With a single purchase at a fixed (and often discounted) price, you will have the key to access dozens of attractions, tours and experiences in your pocket, without having to buy a different ticket each time.
The savings are substantial and, depending on the pass you choose and the itinerary, can be as much as 40-45% of the total expense. In practice, many of the attractions you see will cost you zero.

In this comprehensive and up-to-date guide, we will go through the best London passes one by one to help you choose the perfect one for you. We will discover together:

• What options are available and their differences.
• How they work and what attractions they include.
• What is the best choice for your type of vacation (and your wallet).
• How to buy them at the lowest price using available discount codes.

What are the passes to London?

There are different types of London passes available to tourists who want to visit the British capital while saving money.
Let's introduce them so that we can clear our minds:

• London Pass & London Pass Plus
• London Explorer Pass
• London City Card

Beyond the names, which all sound alike in the end, these are different products, distributed by different companies, but all with the same purpose.
That is, they allow you to see the tourist attractions included in the pass at a better price than having to buy tickets individually.

The logic between passes changes (including for commercial reasons), and as a result each pass is better suited to one "type of vacation" than others.
Our skill-after we have a clear understanding of what kind of vacation in London we want to take-will be to identify and choose the pass that provides us with the best savings and usability.

After a few more dutiful clarifications, we move on to analyze them individually to get to know them better, culminating in the end of the guide to compare London passes.

Do London Passes include public transportation?

No, none of the London passes include public transportation.
The public transportation pass (subway, bus and/or train) must be done separately.
I will cover the issue of London transportation passes at the end of this guide.

London pass

The London Pass, offered by Go City, is The most attraction-rich and statistically most purchased pass to London by those who decide to visit the British capital.
He really does include a lot of London's attractions in his list, from the most famous ones to more niche museums and tours that go into the lesser-known details of the city.

Its model works like this: you choose the duration of the pass-in versions of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10 days validity -and inside its validity you can see all the attractions it includes.
You can visit each attraction only once, and there is no limit on the number of attractions you can visit in a day.

The ideal tool for visiting London in depth.

The London Pass is offered in two versions:

• London Pass (which I will call "basic" from now on)
• London Pass Plus

Let us first find out how the two versions differ, before analyzing their general operation.

Difference between London Pass and London Pass Plus

This differentiation was created to provide greater adaptability of the London Pass to the traveler's tourist needs.
The difference between London Pass (basic) and London Pass Plus is exclusively in the number and nature of attractions included.
And - of course - consequently in the price. Everything else about the logic of operation (which we will see below) is identical between the two passes.

>> See the difference in the attractions included in the official website

London Pass Plus: the top choice for the first time

London Pass Plus is the most comprehensive version of the London Pass.
To the rich catalog of more than 100 attractions and tourist experiences, which it shares with the London Pass (basic) it adds 4 premium London attractions in the price:

• The Shard, with panoramic views
• London Eye, the Ferris wheel
• Madame Tussauds - Wax Museum, a must for families and kids
• Hop-On / Hop-off sightseeing bus tour (validity 1 day), for convenient sightseeing by open-top bus with audioguide in the language

They are among the most relevant attractions in the city, the ones that are usually not missing from the itinerary of those visiting London for the first time, and in any case do not want to miss the most significant sights.

In general, for a comprehensive trip to London, perhaps taken for the first time, in my opinion the London Pass Plus is worthwhile.
The top 4 attractions included in the Plus are touristically relevant, hard to assume a trip to London that excludes them en bloc.

I anticipate that it pays off economically as well, because the added price for the PLUS version abundantly justifies the 4 cartel attractions it includes in addition.

London Pass (basic): includes almost everything, with some small waivers

The basic version of the pass does not include the 4 attractions reserved for the plus variant, this is the only difference.
However, it is a pass with an already rich catalog, including more than 100 tourist attractions in London, including museums, tours, services and experiences.
Undoubtedly a product that satisfies most tourist needs.

The "basic" London Pass makes sense when, for various reasons, you do not want to see the top 4 attractions included in the Plus. Or in case you only want to see one.
In this case better to take the basic London Pass, and add that attraction while paying the regular ticket.
This scenario is typical perhaps for a return trip to London, when those top attractions have already been seen on previous trips, and you don't want to return.
Focusing perhaps on everything else London has to offer.

Direct comparison: London Pass vs London Pass Plus?

Which one is best to choose?
To answer this question we need to consider what we want to see.
The difference between the London Pass and Plus version orbits around the 4 top attractions mentioned above, found only in the Plus.

Economically speaking, the sum of admission tickets to the top 4 attractions is about £164.
The maximum price difference between classic and plus versions (the 10-day case) is £90.
If you choose the less-day versions, the difference is gradually lower and lower, further increasing the convenience of the Plus over the basic, should you want to see the 4 attractions under consideration.

So if you want to see even just three of the top four attractions, it is undoubtedly worth taking the Plus.
Even in case you want to see only two of the four it pays to take the Plus, except in the case of the 10-day version where more or less the London Pass Plus solution is roughly equivalent to taking the basic London Pass + individual tickets for the 2 top attractions you want.

Having clarified the difference of the two versions, let us now go on to analyze features and benefits of the London Pass, which are common to both versions.
Of course, I will highlight any differences between the two when necessary.

Benefits of the London Pass

In both versions, this is a pass suitable for those who want to explore London in depth on the days they have available.
Obviously it is a pass that is best exploited with at least 4-5 full days of vacation, but even on weekends of 1 or 2 days, it can be a great ally.
Accompanied by a good, well-organized itinerary, even a single day can be made the most of with an all-inclusive pass of this type.

It is currently the London pass with the most attractions included in the purchase price, making available over 100 destinations that can be visited.
It is very flexible: you decide when to visit the attractions.

>> Visit the official website for more info

What is included. Attractions included in the London Pass?

The London Pass includes more than 100 London tourist attractions, including the Tower of London, the London Eye Ferris wheel, Madame Tussauds wax museum, St Paul's and Westminster Cathedrals, Tower Bridge, The Shard, and Windsor Castle.
Let's look together at the full list of attractions.

>> For more information on individual attractions

As you have seen, the attractions that can be visited are indeed many.
The great thing is that in addition to the main attractions (those in the first group), there is a rich list of "secondary" (pass the term) attractions that are, however, often among the most curious, interesting, and satisfying.
Not only attractions, but also services. For example, bike rental is an absolutely recommended experience, also accomplice to a bike-friendly city, especially in some areas where you can safely enjoy this beautiful and rewarding experience.

Guided tours are an added bonus. Sports fans can visit the stadiums of teams such as Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, touring locker rooms, stands and green turf.
For children, on the other hand, there are themed museums and exhibitions.

Does the London Pass include the London Eye?

Admission to the London Eye is included in the London Pass Plus.
The London Eye is London's Ferris wheel, overlooking the Thames and Big Ben and Westminster.
On its own, the standard ticket to access it costs about £42!

Does the London Pass include Madame Tussauds?

Yes, Madame Tussauds is also included in the London Pass Plus version.

London's famous Wax Museum is a must-see for kids and teens, fun and curious for adults.
Although it can be found in many major metropolises, it is heavily themed. Therefore, you will see fantastic wax reproductions of the characters who have shaped-in every respect-English history.

Cost London Pass PLUS

The London Pass Plus-the richer version that also includes London's 4 TOP attractions-is valid on a daily basis, regardless of how many attractions you decide to visit.
Let's look at the cost of the London Pass Plus by days:

• 1 DAY ➜ £124 Adult (approx. £144) | £89 Child (approx. £103)
• 2 DAYS ➜ £174 Adult (approx. £202) | £114 Child (approx. £132)
• 3 DAYS ➜ £214 Adult (approx. £248 ) | £139 Child (approx. £161)
• 4 DAYS ➜ £234 Adult (approx. £271) | £154 Child (approx. £178)
• 5 DAYS ➜ £259 Adult (approx. £300) | £164 Child (approx. £190)
• 6 DAYS ➜ £279 Adult (approx. £323) | £174 Child (approx. £201)
• 7 DAYS ➜ £294 Adult (approx. £341 ) | £189 Child (approx. £219)
• 10 DAYS ➜ £309 Adult (approx. £358) | £204 Child (approx. £236)

A child is defined as 5 to 15 years old.

These are the list prices of the London Pass Plus, but they are often on offer on the official website, with attractive discounts compared to the prices listed here.

Cost London Pass (basic)

The London Pass in its basic version is also valid on a daily basis, in exactly the same way as the Plus.
Let's look at the cost of the London Pass by days:

• 1 DAY ➜ £89 Adult (approx. £103) | £44 Child (approx. £51)
• 2 DAYS ➜ £114 Adult (approx. £132) | £59 Child (approx. £68)
• 3 DAYS ➜ £144 Adult (approx. £167) | £69 Child (approx. £80)
• 4 DAYS ➜ £159 Adult (approx. £184 ) | £79 Child (approx. £92)
• 5 DAYS ➜ £169 Adult (approx. £195) | £94 Child (approx. £109)
• 6 DAYS ➜ £184 Adult (approx. £213) | £104 Child (approx. £120)
• 7 DAYS ➜ £199 Adult (approx. £231) | £109 Child (approx. £126)
• 10 DAYS ➜ £229 Adult (approx. £265) | £124 Child (approx. £144)

A child is defined as 5 to 15 years old.

These are the list prices of the basic London Pass, but they are often on offer on the official website, with attractive discounts from the prices given here.

London Pass: Is it worth it?

From an economic point of view, yes, it pays off.
Both in the classic version and-perhaps even more so-in the Plus variant.

By taking the 3-day one, for example, you can save up to 50% compared to buying individual attractions separately.
It should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, especially based on the admissions it includes.

As explained at the beginning of the chapter, in my opinion it is suitable for those who are visiting the City for the first time and want to see as much as possible.
The London Pass grants great flexibility: you decide when to visit and what to see.

Let's take a simple numerical example to see if the London Pass pays off, considering the 3-day option (a long weekend) and the main attractions.

London Pass Plus 3 days ➜ £214 (about €248), includes over 100 attractions.
We likely choose a few main attractions, quietly visitable in 3 days(it can be done much better, but let's make a typical case of a vacation with a leisurely pace anyway):

• Tower of London (individually would cost £36)
• Westminster Abbey (individually would cost £30)
• Admission and panoramic view at The Shard (individually would cost £38)
• Thames River Cruise (individually would cost £25)
• London Eye (individually would cost £42)
• Madame Tussaud's (individually would cost £45)
• Hop-on / Hop-off bus to admire the city (individually would cost £39)

Selecting only these 7 attractions/activities already would come for an adult to a TOTAL of about £255, compared to £214 for the pass (which is the list price, on the site it is always discounted by at least £15-20, further increasing the convenience).

You can redo these calculations for both the London Pass Plus and the basic London Pass, based on what you want to see.
The convenience will always be there and the more pronounced the more things you have on your itinerary.

The math confirms how the London Pass is a good choice for saving money, right from the easiest and few-day cases.

Consider that vacations of a few more days, a somewhat crisper pace and a well-organized itinerary, you are able to see a lot more things, resulting in very considerable savings.
Most importantly, you get a rich vacation, which otherwise-without passes-you would struggle to achieve.

Where to buy the London Pass?

The London Pass, in both versions, can be purchased online at the official website, and with this mode of purchase you can normally get a small discount.
You can find it already applied in the prices you find on the site, as you will see.

When you get to the official website, you will see the two versions (basic and plus) side by side, and go to choose the one that best suits your trip.

Discount code London Pass

There is currently an opportunity to save an additional 5% off the already discounted London Pass / London Pass Plus prices.
You can use the discount codePTCODE5 to be entered at the time of purchase, in the "Enter promo code" field provided.

However, consider that the London Pass is always discounted if you buy it online, on the official website.
At certain times of the year, even cheaper discount codes may be active.
Also on the official site look carefully at the top, usually when there are particular discount codes they are always highlighted already on the site itself.

With the London Pass, do I skip the queues?

It depends. Some attractions have lanes at the checkouts reserved for pass holders, so in those cases it also saves time at the checkouts.
There is to consider that not all attractions have these "fast tracks," and-even if there were-where there are security checks, queues and waits are generated that we cannot avoid.

So yes, with the London Pass I save money and time, although the deciding factor is the financial savings.
To maximize your time, you need to arrange an itinerary that takes you to the busiest attractions at times and times of minimum attendance.

Booking attractions London Pass

For most attractions you do not need to reserve admission.
However, in some cases you need to reserve admission in advance, even if you have purchased the London Pass. These are the most popular tourist attractions, such as London Eye, Madame Tussauds, The View from The Strand, and generally all guided tours.
Go City has provided a dedicated page (very neat) to book your admission without too much effort.

>> Book admission to attractions with the London Pass

Validity and refunds London Pass

The London Pass, in both versions, you can use within 1 year from the time of purchase. It is officially activated from the moment you visit the first attraction.
The London Pass, once activated, is valid for one day, not 24h. I recommend that you activate it in the morning so that you can take advantage of the entire day.

Any refund of the cost of the London Pass can be obtained up to 30 days after purchase.

London Explorer Pass

A good alternative to the London Pass, offered by Go City, is the London Explorer Pass.
His goal is the same: save you money in the cost of tickets to visit museums and attractions, and in some cases even the queue at the ticket counters.

It is a London Pass with a different model than the previous one: in this case you have to decide how many attractions to visit.
So unlike the London Pass, it does not work based on how many days you select. The London Explorer Pass is based on choosing the amount of attractions you want to see: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7.

By its nature, this pass is ideal for those with a moderate itinerary in mind (2 to 7 attractions). It is a suitable choice in cases of shorter trips, for a second trip to London, or simply for those who prefer to spend more time exploring the city on foot, concentrating paid visits at a few selected stops

What does Explorer Pass include?

It includes a list of about 100 experiences, almost the same extensive catalog as the London Pass. The only notable absence is the London Eye: if it's a must-see on your trip, you'll have to buy the ticket separately. Other than that, you'll find all the major attractions, museums and guided tours from which to choose your favorites.

You can check out the extensive list of museums and attractions included in the London Explorer pass.

You will only have to choose what to see, in a range of 2 to 7 attractions, and plan your itinerary.

How does it work?

The operation is very simple. You actually purchase a package that includes a specific number of attractions.
For example, if you purchase the 3-attraction pass, you can visit 3 attractions of your choice, choosing from the following list.

Once you purchase the London Explorer Pass, you have 30 days to take advantage of the scheduled visits. It is activated as soon as you visit the first one - from then on you have 30 days to visit the remaining ones.

1. Choose which pass to purchase (2,3, 5, 6 or 7 attractions)
2. You will receive the necessary supplies via email
3. Once you get the QR code, you can download it via the Go City app on your smartphone or print it on paper
4. At the entrance of your chosen attractions, simply show the QR (from smartphone or printed)

NB. It is not necessary to choose in advance which attractions to see. When you purchase the pass you ONLY select the number of attractions. Which attractions to visit you decide once you are in town, even a few minutes in advance based on tastes, needs, queues, weather conditions, etc.

London Explorer Pass Prices

Prices currently in effect for the London Explorer Pass are as follows:

• 2 attractions ➜ £59 Adult (approx. £71) | £44 Child 5-15 years old (approx. £53)
• 3 attractions ➜ £89 Adult (approx. £106 ) | £59 Child 5-15 years old (approx. £71)
• 4 attractions ➜ £109 Adult (approx. £130) | £74 Child 5-15 years old (approx. £89)
• 5 rides ➜ £124 Adult (approx. £148 ) | £89 Child 5-15 years old (approx. £106)
• 6 attractions ➜ £144 Adult (approx. £172 ) | £99 Child 5-15 years old (approx. £118)
• 7 rides ➜ £154 Adult (approx. £184 ) | £109 Child 5-15 years old (approx. £130)

Again, these are list prices, practically always discounted on the official pass site.
Check for yourself by clicking on the button below.

Discount codes for London Explorer Pass

You can also currently enjoy an additional 5% discount on your purchase.
You will just need to use the discount codePTCODE5 to apply during purchase in the "Enter promo code" field.
Or, in case the discount code no longer works, you can sign up for the newsletter before your purchase, you will receive a 5% discount code in return (once you have made your purchase you can unsubscribe if you find it troublesome).

When is the London Explorer Pass worthwhile?

Economically it already pays off from the visit of the second attraction.
Let's do a quick simulation, in the case of a 5-attraction Explorer Pass.
Considering that the average price of an attraction in London is about £35 (£40 if we aim for the top attractions), with 5 attractions you get to pay on average £175, against about £110 for the 5-attractions pass, calculated considering the discounts on the site + the application of the -5% discount code mentioned above.
An important saving of £65 per person, bound to increase in the 7-attractions version.

You save less compared to the London Pass, but that is normal because we see fewer attractions. The golden rule in passes is: the more you visit, the more you save.
But saving £65 on 5 attractions means seeing 2 attractions for free.

As a type of pass, however, it has characteristics that make it attractive in the following cases:

• you have visited London before, so you have fewer things you miss to see to focus on (unless you want to revisit everything)
• even long vacations, but with in fact less or little time to devote to tourist exploration
• stay a few hours or days in the city, and you would not physically have time to see more than 7 attractions
• you are clear in advance about which attractions to visit, and you know that you can save money by doing so
• You are not a museum lover, but still want to visit the main attractions
• In general, if you want to devote space in your itinerary to a maximum of 7 must-see attractions, in addition to sightseeing

However, if it is your first time in London and you plan to stay at least 3-4 days, the London Pass remains the choice with the best savings/experience ratio.

Where to buy it

The London Explorer Pass is purchased online, from home.
Once purchased, everything you need to visit the attractions will come to youvia email and via the Go City app.

Validity and refunds for London Explorer Pass

The London Explorer Pass is valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. So, once purchased, you can activate it within a year.
Once activated (by entering the first attraction you choose), you have 30 days to complete other visits, then it expires.

The London Explorer Pass is refundable only if not activated, and within 30 days of purchase.
Exceeding 30 days it is not refundable, but you always have the 12 months (11 remaining) to use / surrender it.

A clarification on Go City's "All-Inclusive Pass"

If you browse the official Go City website, perhaps while purchasing the Explorer Pass, you will notice that an "All Inclusive Pass," basic and plus version, is also offered.
It might be confusing, but the explanation is simple: it is for all intents and purposes a clone of the London Pass / Plus.

It is an identical product in every way: same day operation, same attractions (in the basic and Plus version), same prices, and same conditions.

The reason for this "duplication" is not officially stated, but is related to a Go City business strategy. The most likely hypothesis is that they are gradually flanking, and perhaps in the future replacing, the historic and famous "London Pass" brand with their more generic "All-Inclusive Pass" brand, which they use in a standardized way in all the cities around the world where they operate.

From a practical point of view, absolutely nothing changes for you.
Whether you buy one or the other, you will have the exact same product in your hand, with the same enormous benefits.

As a matter of historical recognition and dissemination, in this guide I refer primarily to the London Pass, which remains the most well-known and sought-after name among travelers.
However, since they are perfectly interchangeable, I leave you the link to this version as well so that you can check for yourself and choose freely.

London City Card

La London City Card It is a London pass that is suitable for short trips (the classic weekend, max long weekend), where you want to get a taste of London through some of its top attractions.

The technical name on the provider's portal is London Digital Pass, but it is the same pass.

Unlike other more extensive tourist passes analyzed above, this package includes only four experiences, chosen specifically for an overview of London.
It is therefore not the ideal pass for those who want to explore London far and wide, but it is an excellent solution for those who want to see the included attractions in a focused way.

It is suitable for both short stays , where time is limited and you prefer to focus on a few targeted activities, and longer holidays, when you don't want to base the entire trip on visiting the tourist attractions, but without giving up some of the must-sees of the British capital.

London City Card is a multi-attraction pass that includes the following attractions:

• Entrance to the London Eye
• Hop-on / Hop-off bus tour (validity 24 hours)
• Tourist cruise on the River Thames
• Tower of London with Crown Jewels Exhibition Access

These are some of the city's top tourist experiences.
Plus, the London City Card offers:

• A digital audio guide of London (in English)
• A 10% discount on any other attractions purchased through Tiqets
• Benefit from being able to book all the included attractions , already at the time of purchase.

How does the London City Card work?

Buying and using the London City Card is very simple, everything happens online in just a few steps:

• Go to this site and proceed with your reservation
• Select the dates on which to visit the attractions through the guided steps. Make sure the dates are right, because then they are no longer editable
• After making the payment, you will be emailed the pass in digital format, with all the necessary directions

Once your purchase is complete, you will receive your London City Card via email in digital format.
You can simply show it from your smartphone at the entrance to the attractions on the days and times booked. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can print the pass and present it in paper version.

How much does the London City Card cost?

The London City Card is available in a single purchase option with the following prices:

• Adult (16+) ➜ £94 (about €112)
• Senior (65+) ➜ £88 (approximately €105)
• Youth (4-15) ➜ £71 (about €85)

* these are list prices, which you can sometimes find discounted on the site, even by 10-15%.

When does it pay off?

London City Card may be more affordable if you are interested in just these 4 attractions and if you take advantage of the 10% discount to add more.

It might seem comparable as a formula to that of the Explorer Pass in the 4-attraction version. However, the Explorer Pass does not include the London Eye, which is one of the top London attractions included in the City Card. Therefore, it is not a direct alternative.

The possibility of reserving a day and time for all the attractions included can be a very important plus for many.

This card is often offered on sale , with a saving of around €20 compared to the official cost.
Again, it makes sense to consider it, as it could save you a little compared to other passes that allow you to see the same things.

Where to buy it

The London City Card can be purchased exclusively online , at the following address.

London City Card Validity and Refunds

The London City Card, once purchased, is non-refundable.
Unlike other passes, at the time of purchase you must select the date and time slot for each of the included attractions. The dates you select cannot be changed later.

To avoid problems related to unforeseen travel contingencies (delays, cancellations, schedule changes), it is advisable to purchase the pass just before visiting the first attraction, when you are already in London or close to departure.

In this way, you will reduce the risk of losing the pass due to unforeseen events that could make it unusable.

I will also show you a couple of alternatives to the London City Card , also offered by the Tiqets portal (they are their products): London Family Pass and London Royal Pass .
The operating logic is completely similar to that of the City Card: a few attractions, all bookable.
The focus of the attractions included and the prices change , while the convenience reasons remain similar.

Alternative: London Family Pass

If you are traveling to London with children or teens, the London Family Pass might be an interesting option to consider.

Unlike other more extensive tourist passes analyzed above, this package includes only three attractions, chosen specifically for families. It is therefore not the ideal pass for those who want to explore London far and wide, but it is an excellent option for those who want to save money on experiences designed for younger children.

It is suitable both for short stays, where time is limited and you prefer to focus on a few focused activities, and for longer vacations, when you do not want to set the entire trip on visiting classic tourist attractions, but want to include some child-friendly experiences.

This is a package that includes the following attractions:

• Thames River Cruise (40-minute cruise departing near the London Eye, and multilingual tourist commentary)
• London Transport Museum, an interactive experience that fascinates young and old alike
• London Zoo, a destination always appreciated by children

The attractions were chosen precisely because of their high popularity among younger people.

🚢 The Thames River Cruise offers a unique perspective on the city, perfect for a relaxing and fun time.
🚇 The Transport Museum is an immersive experience, with exhibits that intrigue and entertain kids.
🦁 The London Zoo is a timeless classic that captivates visitors of all ages, but has a particular appeal to children.

If your goal is to experience London with your children without having to purchase more expensive passes packed with attractions that may not appeal to younger children, the London Family Pass is an option to consider.

Alternative 2: London Royal Pass

With the same principle as the previous one, there is also another similar thematic pass, the London Royal Pass (or even London Coronation Pass).
Its thematic address in this case is not the family, but rather London attractions relevant to the “Royal Family” theme.

This pass includes Westminster Abbey, the site of royal coronations; the Royal Mews, where the royal family's historic carriages are kept at Buckingham Palace, the symbol of the British monarchy.
It also offers a guided walking tour to witness the Changing of the Guard, a must-see experience for those visiting London.

Always cheap and convenient, the same arguments made for the Family Pass apply to this pass, only the nature of the attractions included changes.

Sightseeing London Day and Flex Pass

Travelers who have planned a trip to London in the past may remember Sightseeing passes (Day and Flex versions) among the most popular alternatives.

Please be advised that as of June 2025, the entire range of Sightseeing Passes have ended. As a result, these passes are no longer for sale and, most critically, are no longer valid for access to attractions, even if previously purchased.

For this reason they are not included in this comparative analysis. This notice serves to properly orient anyone looking for a product that, in fact, no longer exists.

Is it worth buying a pass for young children?

Yes, in most cases it is worthwhile to purchase a pass for children as well, because many paid attractions in London have significant costs even for young children-though reduced from the adult price.
The important thing is to follow the age ranges offered by the individual pass providers.

• For Go City provider passes (London Pass, London Pass Plus, Explorer Pass), the child age always starts at 5 years old.
  👉 If your child is under 5, you don't need to buy the pass: most attractions let them in for free or for a nominal fee, which is cheaper than the pass in any case.
• For Tiqets' passes (London City Card, London Royal Pass and London Family Pass), there are different age ranges for children (with different prices), depending on the pass.
  They are different because they follow the entry rules of the attractions included in them.
  👉 If your child is younger than the lowest age range available, it means that the card is not needed for him/her; he/she will enter the attractions for free or at a price that is otherwise lower than the price required to purchase the pass in question.

In summary: If your child's age is below the minimum age indicated by the pass, you almost certainly don't want to buy it.
Free or reduced-rate admission on site will be more beneficial.

Comparison of passes for London

We quickly compare the 3 passes to London in the following table, by way of summarizing the analysis just seen.

Pass comparison for LONDON

	Operating logic	Number of attractions included	Does it pay off?	Preference for typical vacation	Direct link for purchase
LONDON PASS / PLUS	I choose the validity days, I see everything I want	More than 100, including museums, attractions, tours, services	Yes, pretty much all the time Suitable for medium to long vacations Where you want to see lots of things/experiences	★★★★★	Buy the London Pass now
LONDON EXPLORER PASS	I choose the number of attractions first (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7) During the vacation I choose which	About 60, mainly museums, attractions, tours	Yes, from the second attraction seen Suitable for short/medium vacations, with clear ideas of what to see or conversely leaving us freedom of choice on site	★★★★☆	Buy the London Explorer Pass now
LONDON CITY CARD	Fixed package of defined attractions	Four, two attractions, a Thames sightseeing cruise, a 24-hour hop-on/hop-off bus. + audio guide and 10% discount on additional attractions	Yes, the cost of the pass is slightly less than that of individual attractions. You can book all attractions included. Suitable for hit-and-run vacations, from 1 max 2 days.	★★★☆☆	Buy London City Card now

* The GoCity All-Inclusive Pass is not included in this table, as it is a replica of the more historic and popular London Pass / Plus, which I consider the priority choice.
** Tiqets' alternative cards, while not listed, follow the same principle as the London City Card, but cater to different interests based on the attractions offered.

Which pass to choose to visit London?

All 3 passes are in their own way useful where they fit best.
The fairest way to choose a pass is to first figure out the type of vacation you have available (days, things you want to do and see), and to define an outline itinerary, not very precise but letting you know how many things fit in, and roughly which ones.
At that point, it will be very easy to figure out which pass best fits your trip to London, to ensure that you save as much money and travel comfort as possible.

• Average vacation (5-10 days), maybe first vacation and desire to see London satisfactorily? -> London Pass / London Pass Plus
• Shorter vacation (2-7 days), with fewer things to want to see (max 7 attractions), or targeted attractions, or no ideas/ itinerary? -> London Explorer Pass
  
• “bite and run” holiday (1-3 days) and desire to have just a taste of London, through the most famous and frequented attractions of London -> London City Card

This is a concise but factual read on choosing the best pass for London, according to your type of vacation.
To understand the details, just read this guide to London passes thoroughly, understanding the mechanics of each individual pass.

Do the passes to London include public transportation?

No, no public transportation is included in any London Pass.

Public transportation must be purchased separately, through the Oyster Travel Card, the London transport card.

You can do it once you arrive in London, at a subway or train station, choosing the duration and transit zones (do the math first based on where you have lodging and where the farthest attraction you put on your itinerary is located).

Only with the London Pass is there an option to purchase together-at the time of purchase-the Oyster Travel Card, but it doesn't always pay off (in fact, if you're staying downtown almost never).

Let's see how it works.

London Pass + Oyster Travel Card

When purchasing the London Pass online, you will be asked if you want to add the Oyster Travel Card.
The Oyster Travel Card is London's transportation card, giving you access to the Metro (the Tube), buses, surface trains and public transport by boat.

If you decide to purchase it together with the London Pass, be aware that the Oyster Travel Card will be in a "zones 1-9" version, covering virtually the entire urban area of London .
This might be advantageous only if you need to visit the entire City, otherwise you are better off buying it separately, choosing both the length of the pass (1, 2, 3 days, etc.) and the zones covered (zone 1-2, zone 1-3, etc.).

My advice is to buy it together with the London Pass only if you plan to move a lot by public transport from one part of the city to another, otherwise it is better to buy it separately as needed.
NB. Children under 11 years old travel for free.

To better orient you, I leave here a map of the Metro and London areas .

>>Purchase the Oyster Travel Card separately.