Buckingham Palace and Vintage Bus Tour of London

London’s royal centerpiece is the reward here. After a red 1960s Routemaster ride and a short Thames cruise, you enter Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms, open to the public for only about three months each year. Guides such as Alan, Nick, and Mark have earned praise for mixing sharp facts with humor, though the quality depends on who leads your group.

I like two things right away: you see central London from three useful angles, and the $59 price includes both the river cruise and palace admission. The early start also helps you see major sights before the streets fill up. The main catch is the long break before your 2:30 pm palace entry, which can make the day feel split in two.

Key points to know before booking

• A vintage Routemaster begins the day: Expect a classic red double-decker bus, with the possibility of an open top and rain.
• The Thames cruise changes your view: You see St. Paul’s, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, the London Eye, and Parliament from the water.
• Buckingham Palace is the star attraction: Your guide takes you to the entrance, then you continue inside on your own with an audio guide.
• The timing requires planning: The morning portion and the 2:30 pm palace entry leave several free hours in between.
• The guide can make a big difference: Strong guides such as Nick, Alan, Mark, and several praised Irish and Scottish guides add humor and useful context.
• The tour suits first visits: It gives you a fast orientation to central London, but it does not provide long visits inside most sights.

A fast start from Victoria Coach Station

Your day begins at 7:45 am at Victoria Coach Station, a busy place with many buses and tour groups. Check the exact bay carefully. The meeting instructions have caused confusion before, with some people told to find Bay 0 and then discovering that the bus actually left from Bay 19.

That is a small detail, but it matters at this hour. Arrive early enough to ask station staff if you cannot spot the group. You need to make your own way to the meeting point, since hotel pickup is not included.

Once you find the guide, the morning moves at a good pace. The group can include up to 50 people, so stay close when you leave the bus for a photo stop or walk toward the next section. You are not signing up for a quiet private outing. This is a social, organized tour built to cover a lot of ground.

The bus is one of the fun parts. A classic Routemaster gives you the old London feel that a modern coach cannot quite match. If the top is open, you get better views and a fine perch for photographs. You also need to be ready for rain, and on rare occasions the operator may substitute a closed-top bus.

Trafalgar Square, Westminster, and Big Ben

The bus takes you through the central sights, including Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and Big Ben. The purpose is orientation rather than a long stop at each place. You hear stories as you go, then see the landmarks in quick succession.

Trafalgar Square is a useful first look at London’s ceremonial center, with Nelson’s Column, fountains, and broad views toward Whitehall. Westminster Abbey gets a photo stop outside for about 15 minutes. Admission is not included, so do not expect to tour the church during this experience.

The Parliament buildings and Big Ben provide the classic London photographs. The clock tower is officially the Elizabeth Tower, though Big Ben properly refers to the great bell inside. The tour does not give you time to visit Parliament or the abbey, but it does help you place them on the city map.

The bus portion works best if you treat it as a guided introduction. You can note which sights deserve a longer return visit later. If you have only two full days in London, this quick survey can save time and reduce the confusion of planning your first morning alone.

Catching the Thames from the Tower of London

At the river, you change from road transport to a sightseeing boat. The cruise lasts about 30 minutes and begins near the Tower of London. You pass the historic fortress, home to the Beefeaters and Crown Jewels, but the palace-and-fortress visit itself is not part of the admission included here.

From the boat, London makes more sense as a river city. You can look back toward the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, see Tower Bridge, and photograph the Tower of London from a lower and more open viewpoint. The London Eye and the Houses of Parliament appear farther west, giving you a useful connection between the major districts.

I find this short cruise valuable because it breaks up the bus ride and gives you photographs that are hard to get from street level. It is also a calmer stretch of the day. Sit outside if the weather cooperates, but have a jacket or rain layer ready.

The limitation is the duration. Thirty minutes is enough for a taste, not a full river journey. Some people find the cruise rushed, especially after the quick bus tour. You also do not get a dedicated visit to London Bridge, despite being near the Tower area. If that bridge is a priority, plan to return independently.

The changing of the guard and the morning schedule

On suitable departures, the timing may allow you to see part of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Several guides have been praised for getting their groups into position while other tour groups were delayed by traffic. The ceremony can be striking, with its military uniforms, music, and precise movements.

Do not treat the guard ceremony as guaranteed from the information provided. Traffic, the day’s schedule, and the palace timetable can affect what you see. Your main confirmed palace experience is entry to the State Rooms later in the afternoon.

The morning schedule is tight. You move from the bus to the river and then continue toward Buckingham Palace, so keep an eye on the guide and avoid wandering off for photographs. A few people have found the pace too fast, particularly when trying to reach the palace area on time.

That brisk pace is the tradeoff for covering so much. You see a broad collection of famous places without spending a full day on transport and route planning. You will not get much unplanned time at the Tower, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, or the riverfront.

The three-hour gap before Buckingham Palace

The palace entry is booked for 2:30 pm, while the morning sightseeing ends several hours earlier. The break is the tour’s biggest practical weakness. The gap can be useful if you want lunch, shopping, or a short rest, but it can also interfere with plans you had made for the afternoon.

You are free during this period, and you need to manage it yourself. The supplied details describe a few hours between the morning tour and the palace visit, so do not book another timed attraction that could conflict. Keep enough time to return to Buckingham Palace Road and find the palace entrance.

This split schedule is easier to handle if you plan a simple nearby activity rather than crossing London. You might eat, browse in the surrounding area, or sit down for a while. I would not use the break for a distant museum unless you are certain you can return on time.

The upside is that the palace visit does not feel crammed into the same short morning block. You receive a proper two-hour admission window for the State Rooms, and you can enter at the reserved time without carrying the guide through the palace.

Inside Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms

Buckingham Palace is the strongest part of the experience. The palace has served as the London home of Britain’s monarchs since the 19th century, and its State Rooms give you a look at the formal rooms used for official events and receptions.

Your guide walks you to the entrance, then says goodbye. Guides are not permitted to accompany you inside, so this is an independent palace visit rather than a narrated group tour. You show your pre-booked ticket and follow the audio-guided route through the rooms.

Expect glittering chandeliers, grand furnishings, and objects from the Royal Collection. The appeal is not only the decoration. You also get a sense of how the monarchy presents itself through rooms built for ceremony, reception, and display.

The two-hour palace portion gives you more breathing room than the earlier sightseeing. Take time with the audio commentary rather than rushing from room to room. This is the part of the day where the tour shifts from broad city orientation to a focused cultural visit.

There are firm rules inside. Eating and drinking are not permitted in the State Rooms. Photography, video recording, and filming are also prohibited, including use of wearable devices for non-commercial purposes. Plan to enjoy this section without taking pictures.

When you exit, the tour is finished. You can continue around London on your own or return to your hotel. The final location is on Buckingham Palace Road, which is convenient for carrying on with your day, but no hotel transfer is included.

The guides can shape the whole experience

The strongest element beyond the sights is the live guide. Nick has been praised for theatrical storytelling, while Alan has been noted for wit and clear explanations. Mark, a Scottish guide, and an Irish guide whose name was not recalled, also received warm praise for keeping the information lively.

One memorable guide was described as an older gentleman with silver hair and a pink duster. The detail says something useful: the best guides do more than recite dates. They help a large group stay together, point out details from a moving bus, and add personality to places you may already recognize from photographs.

The experience is not perfectly consistent. At least one guide was criticized for seeming unhappy and repeatedly talking about being on a day off. That can affect the mood, especially during a tightly timed morning. The tour operator cannot make every departure feel identical when so much depends on the individual leading it.

I would book this for the structure and included admissions, not because a particular guide is guaranteed. If you get one of the lively guides, the bus ride becomes far more memorable. If your guide is less engaged, the palace and river still provide the main value.

Is $59 a good value?

At $59, the package is reasonably priced for London if you want Buckingham Palace, the Thames cruise, and a guided city introduction in one booking. Palace admission alone is the central cost driver, and the tour also includes the vintage bus and boat fare.

The value is strongest for a first visit or a short stay. You can see the city’s main ceremonial center, get river views, and enter the State Rooms without arranging several separate reservations. You also avoid spending your first morning figuring out transport between distant sights.

The price is less attractive if you prefer slow exploration. You do not receive extended visits at the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, or St. Paul’s Cathedral. You also spend part of the day waiting for the palace slot, and the guide does not enter the State Rooms with you.

Still, the combination is hard to reproduce as neatly on your own, especially if you want the classic bus and a palace booking. I see it as a good orientation tour with one major included admission, not as a full historical tour of every sight named along the route.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors, people with only a couple of days in London, and anyone who wants a simple way to connect the city’s major landmarks. It is also a good match if Buckingham Palace is high on your list and you are visiting during the limited annual opening of the State Rooms.

You should be comfortable with a moderate amount of walking, stairs or bus boarding, and a quick pace. The open-top bus can be exposed to rain, and the group size may reach 50 people. Bring a weather layer, wear sensible shoes, and keep your camera ready during the outdoor sections.

I would choose another plan if you want deep visits to the Tower, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, or St. Paul’s. You would also want a different arrangement if the three-hour gap creates a problem for your other London bookings.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded, so check your schedule before committing to the 7:45 am departure.

Should you book the vintage bus and palace tour?

Book it if you want a broad first look at London plus Buckingham Palace admission at a sensible $59 price. The vintage Routemaster, river cruise, and State Rooms create a varied day, and a strong guide can add plenty of humor and useful local context.

Skip it if you dislike fixed schedules or need every hour to be flexible. The morning is rushed, the river visit is short, and the 2:30 pm palace entry leaves a long break. For the right visitor, though, this is an efficient introduction to London with a genuinely special finish inside the palace.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at Victoria Coach Station, 164 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TP. The scheduled start time is 7:45 am, and hotel pickup is not included.

How long does the experience last?

The stated duration is approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes. The day includes a morning sightseeing section, several free hours, and a Buckingham Palace entry booked for 2:30 pm.

What transportation is included?

The tour includes a 1960s vintage bus and a 30-minute Thames River cruise. The bus may be open top, but on rare occasions a closed-top bus may be used instead.

Is Buckingham Palace admission included?

Yes. Admission to Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms is included. You enter independently after your guide takes you to the entrance, and an audio-guided visit is provided inside.

Can the guide enter Buckingham Palace with me?

No. Guides are not permitted to accompany groups inside the State Rooms. Your guide says goodbye at the entrance, and you continue with your pre-booked ticket and audio guide.

Is Westminster Abbey included?

The tour provides a 15-minute photo stop outside Westminster Abbey. Admission to the abbey is not included.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience begins for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.