London Pass Review & Tips 2024: Is the London Pass Worth it? (2024)

If you are planning a trip to London and want to spend some time admiring great artwork and visiting grand royal palaces, you’ll likely save money and time by purchasing the London Pass.

The London Pass not only allows for free admission to over 80 of the top-visited attractions in London (i.e., Windsor Castle, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, The Shard, London Eye), but it also allows you to skip the long entrance lines at several of these attractions and includes a 1-day free Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour ticket and a 1-day River Boat ticket.

In many cases, the London Pass is good value and will save you money; however, in some cases, the London Pass may not be a good deal for you, especially if this is not your first visit to London or you have very limited time in the city.

In this London pass review, we’ll provide all the information you need to know to decide if the London Pass is a good deal for you, decide on which pass to buy, and how to get the most value out of your pass. We’ll also share our own experiences using the London Pass and provide an honest breakdown of our own cost-savings.

Note that many of the images in this post reference a physical London Pass product and guidebook. As of 2021, the pass is only available digitally, using a special code that you can show on your phone or print out. There’s no longer a physical pass or guidebook, but the product remains the same otherwise in terms of what it does.

The London Pass includes free admission to a number of popular attractions in and around London, a sightseeing bus tour, and the possibility to add on a public transportation pass to travel throughout the city. The London Pass also comes with a free very useful smartphone app and downloadable guidebook.

Also if you have a question not answered by the guidebook or their website, you can contact the company during business hours or send them an email.

Attractions Included in the London Pass

London Pass holders are currently granted free admission to over 90 museums, monuments, palaces, castles, tours, and other attractions. These include some of the most popular London attractions such as:

• Westminster Abbey
• Tower of London
• London Eye
• Madame Tussauds
• Kensington Palace
• St. Paul’s Cathedral
• View from the Shard
• Shakespeare’s Globe
• Tower Bridge
• Hampton Court Palace
• Windsor Castle (afternoon entry only)
• The ZSL London Zoo
• Kew Gardens

Fast track options are available at several attractions, allowing one to enter a faster entrance line designed for pass and advance ticket holders. The London Pass also includes a free Thames River hop-on hop-off cruise, hop-on hop-off bus tickets, canal cruises, and guided city walking tours.

The pass also entitles the holder to a number of freebies at some museums and attractions that already have free entry such as free access to the IMAX 3D theater shows at The Science Museum. You can check out the full list of attractions here.

Note that while the pass ensures general admission, the pass may not cover admission to special exhibits, audioguides, or special events. Also reservations are necessary for some of the attractions, but these are noted on the London Pass website and in the Go City app, along with instructions on how to reserve if necessary.

Note that there are several major attractions in London that are NOT currently included with the London Pass that you should take into consideration. These include Buckingham Palace tours, London Aquarium, and tours of the Houses of Parliament.

There are also a number of excellent free museums and attractions, such as the British Museum, Museum of London, and the Victoria & Albert Museum that travelers should not forget. For planning resources, the Visit London and Visit Great Britain websites offer tons of helpful information for visitors.

Transportation Options Included with the London Pass

All London Passes come with the option to take a free all-day 1 day Hop on Hop off bus tour of London. Buses stop every 20-30 minutes at over 100 different bus stops in the city.

To get your ticket, you need to simply show your London Pass to the bus ticket seller or staff member before you board the bus at any of the posted stops. You can get on and off the bus as many times as you like in a single day.

The London Pass also includes a 1 day River Roamer pass with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. This grants the holder 1 day access to the river service, which stops at 23 piers across the city. This is an excellent way to get around parts of central London, plus you get a lovely view from the river as bonus. This ticket can be redeemed from the ticket offices found on the piers between Westminster and North Greenwich.

The London Pass does NOT include any public transportation or options to add a travel card. Until October 2023, the London Pass did include the option to add on aVisitor Oyster Card. This is a physical travel card that can be used on public transit within London. However, you can still buy this travel card separately, just be sure to buy it before your trip.

If interested in using public transport in London, check out our guide and tips for using the Oyster Card to learn more about how it works.

Other London Pass Inclusions?

The pass includes fast-track access to several attractions (e.g., Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, London Zoo) where you get to skip the ticket lines although it does not allow you to skip security lines (e.g., Tower of London).

The London Pass also enables visitors to take advantage of a number of discounts (often 10% to 20% off) on items such as food and drinks, entertainment, theater tickets, massages, walking tours, river cruises, cell phone hires, and souvenirs at specified businesses. These vary, so check the app for any discounts included.

All the London Passes cover the same attractions and are only available as digital passes. There are adult passes (anyone 16 years or age or older) and child passes (children age 5 to 15), as children under 5 get free entrance to most attractions in London.

So really the only decision you need to make is the duration of the London Pass you need for your trip.

In terms of length, the London Pass is currently sold as a 1-day, 2-day, 3-day, 4-day, 5-day, 6-day, 7-day, or 10-day pass. Passes are activated after your first usage and must be used on consecutive days. So if you purchase a 3-day pass with your first visit to an attraction on June 4^th, it will be valid from June 4^th through June 6^th.

You should check here for the latest prices, but as of April 2024 here are the London Pass prices:

Adults (anyone 16 years of age or older):

• £114 for a 1-day pass,
• £159 for a 2-day pass
• £179 for a 3-day pass
• £204 for a 4-day pass
• £219 for a 5-day pass
• £229 for a 6-day pass
• £244 for a 7-day pass
• £269 for a 10-day pass

Children (any child age 5 to 15 years of age):

• £74 for a 1-day pass,
• £99 for a 2-day pass
• £114 for a 3-day pass
• £119 for a 4-day pass
• £124 for a 5-day pass
• £129 for a 6-day pass
• £139 for a 7-day pass
• £144 for a 10-day pass
  

It’s also always worth comparing prices between the official site here and GetYourGuide here as sometimes one will be better value than the other. They also might have different cancellation or refund policies.

We have an exclusive discount code that will save you 10% on the London Pass. The code is LOZULALP10 and it will save you 10% on the price of the pass.

This code is only valid from May 20th 2024 through to June 3rd 2024.

First, you should make a list of all the attractions you want to visit during your time in London. Try to come up with a realistic list based on the amount of time you’ll be in London as you don’t want to spend your entire trip going from attraction to attraction.

Next, check the entrance fee cost for each online or using a recent guidebook. Add up the costs to come up with a total.

Note the example below was calculated using April 2024 prices. Prices can vary.

Example: Let’s say I have 6 nights in London and I want to visit the Tower of London (£34.80), Westminster Abbey (£29), Tower Bridge Exhibition (£12.3), Charles Dickens Museum (£12.5), View from the Shard (£37) take a Thames River Cruise (£24.6), Windsor Castle (£33), Kensington Palace (£24), the London Zoo (£41.8), Shakespeare’s Globe (£27) and St Paul’s Cathedral (£25).

I also want to take advantage of the Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour (£37) to connect some of these sights on one of my days of sightseeing. The grand total of normal adult entry fees for all these attractions would be £338

Next, you’ll need to decide how many days it will likely take you to visit all the attractions you want to visit. Remember it can be easy to be too ambitious and think you’ll take in twoart museums, a palace, and two churches in one day, but that will simply leave you exhausted and overwhelmed. Try to be realistic.

Example: I want to do a Thames River Cruise and then travel to Windsor Castle for the afternoon. I think I can combine the Tower of London, View from the Shard, Westminster Abbey, and The Tower Bridge Exhibition in one day. I’ll need another day to visit Kensington Palace and the London Zoo and will also use the Hop-on Hop-Off bus on this day. Leaving another day to visit the Charles Dickens Museum, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Shakespeare’s Globe. This means I would need 4 days.

Now, compare the price of the needed pass (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 days) with your entrance fee total.

Typically, you’ll find that you’ll save money if you plan to visit more than four or five attractions with the pass and the longer the pass duration, the better the cost savings. However, it depends on which attractions you want to visit so use the tips above to figure out if it is worth it for you.

Example: OK, so it would cost me £338 as an adult to visit all the places on my list and I think I need 4 full days. A 4-day London Pass is currently £204.

If I visit all the listed attractions in the 4-day period, I’ll have a cost savings of £134 and it should also keep me from waiting in ticket lines at some attractions.

I could also opt to spend a little bit more on a 5 day or 6 day pass and give myself more time and flexibility to visit these attractions at any time during my visit without trying to squash them into 4 days which may end up being too rushed.

The London Pass can only be purchased online as a digital ticket, which you can do here from their official website. The London Pass is only available as a digital pass, which can be shown on your smartphone via the London Pass app or printed out.

Where can I buy the London Pass online?

The official website to purchase the London Pass is from the Go City official website for the pass. This is normally the best place to purchase it.

However, you can also check reputable third-party sellers like GetYourGuide online here to compare prices in case one is having a sale. Just be careful that you are buying the official London Pass.

Can I buy the London Pass in person?

No, the London Pass is only available via an online purchase and is a digital pass. You can no longer purchase the London Pass in person. You can purchase it online here.

Can I buy the London Pass as a physical card?

No, the London Pass used to be available for purchase as a physical pass but the physical cards were phased out in 2021. The London Pass is now a digital pass only.

However, after purchasing the digital pass online, you will receive a link where you have the option to print off a physical copy of the London Pass with the pass number and QR code that you can use as a physical pass. We recommend doing this even if you plan to use the mobile version as it gives you a backup in case something happens to your phone.

Can I purchase the London Pass with the Oyster TravelCard?

For many years, the London Pass came with the option to add the Travel Option where a Visitor Oyster Card was included. Unfortunately, Go City decided to stop offering this option at the end of 2023 and the London Pass does not come with any included public transportation options.

You can still purchase the Visitor Oyster Card but you need to do so separately before your trip. You can purchase it online here from the Visit Britain online shop. You’ll want to purchase it at least a week before your trip starts. You can read our guide to using the Oyster Card in London here.

Note that if you have already purchased a Visitor Oyster Card with the London Pass, your card will still work as described and the credit will still be valid. The credit does not expire and you can add more credit to your card if you run out.

How far in advance should I purchase my London Pass?

The London Pass is valid for 2 years so you can purchase it well ahead of your trip if you wish. Purchasing it well in advance can be a good idea if you see a good online sale and already have your trip planned.

However, since the passes have a 90-day guarantee refund policy, where you can get a refund for any reason (as long as the pass has not been activated), it makes sense for most people to purchase it within 90 days of their intended usage.

So I would recommend purchasing the pass between 1 day and 3 months before your trip to London. Then if your trip gets cancelled for any reason (and you can’t reschedule), you can request a refund.

Note that while you should receive the digital pass within a few minutes of purchase, I would not wait until the day you need to buy it in case you have any issues with the pass or the app. I would recommend buying it at least a day or two before you plan to use it.

After you purchase the London Pass online, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a link to the digital pass. You need to download the digital pass (the confirmation email is NOT your pass), and you can then add it to the Go City app, save it to your smartphone, or print it out.

What is the London Pass credits package?

Each London Pass comes with a set amount of credits which is the maximum total value of attractions you can visit with that pass. For most visitors, the credits will be far more than they can use in a day.

The longer the duration of each pass, the more credits are available. The credits cover the total duration of the pass.

As of April 2024, the credit limit for the London Pass is as follows:

• 1-day London Pass credits package: adult 180 max credit / child 150 max credit
• 2-day London Pass credits package: adult 295 max credit / child 245 max credit
• 3-day London Pass credits package: adult 400 max credit / child 320 max credit
• 4-day London Pass credits package: adult 495 max credit / child 380 max credit
• 5-day London Pass credits package: adult 615 max credit / child 450 max credit
• 6-day London Pass credits package: adult 720 max credit / child 515 max credit
• 7-day London Pass credits package: adult 820 max credit / child 565 max credit
• 10-day London Pass credits package: adult 915 max credit / child 605 max credit

So for example, with a 2 day London Pass, you can use it for two consecutive days to visit attractions worth a total of £295 over those two days. So if you visit an attraction worth £30, that would deduct £30 worth of credit from your pass.

For most visitors the available credit is far more than they will use, so you are unlikely to need to worry about the credits package or how many credits you have left to be honest!

How do I download the Go City app to use with the London Pass?

The Go City app (previously called the London Pass app) contains information on how to use the London Pass, information on visiting each included attraction, and digital maps. You can also use it to store your digital London Pass.

You will receive a link to where you can download the Go City mobile app (previously called the London Pass app) in your confirmation email after purchasing the pass. It is available for use with both Android (link here) and Apple smartphones (link here).

After you download the Go City app, you can add your London Pass to it if you want to be able to use it within the app. We recommend running the app and checking you can display the pass before your trip.

Note that you do need WiFi or mobile data to purchase the London Pass and to download the app and your pass initially, but once you do that you can use the Go City app without needing data or WiFi as it is designed to work offline. So if you are traveling in London without phone data, you should still be able to use the app during your trip.

How do I activate my London Pass?

Your London Pass will automatically be activated once you use it at the first attraction you visit or tour you take. Someone at the attraction will scan it or type in your pass number.

The London Pass is activated at first use at an attraction in London, not by downloading it. So you will not activate it by downloading it, downloading the Go City app, printing it out, or making a reservation.

Once activated, your pass time will start and it will be valid for the number of consecutive days (not 24 hour periods) that matches the pass you purchased. So if you purchased a 3 day London Pass and activate it on a Monday afternoon, it will be valid for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of that week.

How do I use my London Pass at each attraction?

All you need to do is present your digital London Pass at each attraction and someone will scan the QR code (or in some cases type in your pass number). Each pass has a unique number and QR code. You can show them your pass’s QR code within the London Pass app, as a digital saved scannable QR code on your phone, or as a printed QR code.

If you are traveling with others, each person in your group will need their own individual London Pass. However, you can save multiple passes in the Go City app if you wish to purchase and keep them together in one place.

Note that you can only visit each included attraction once with each London Pass. So be sure to plan your time accordingly.

How do I make reservations for attractions on the London Pass?

While most attractions included on the London Pass do not require (or even allow) you to make advance reservations, some attractions, particularly tours, do require or strongly recommend reservations.

The first step would be to check the list of attractions that require reservations and note any that require reservation that you want to visit. For instance, at the current time, The Shard, Fuller’s Brewery Tour, Twickenham Stadium Tour, and many of the included London city walking tours require a reservation.

I would then recommend making these reservations as soon as you know when you want to visit to ensure you are able to do so. Instructions for making reservations at each attraction and tour are given at the above linked page.

How do I get a copy of The London Pass guidebook?

This information is now available within the Go City app described above. Most of this information is also available on the London Pass website.

There is no longer an option to get a printed London Pass guidebook.

Do I need to download the Go City app to use the London Pass?

No, you don’t have to download or use the Go City app to use or active your pass.

On purchase, you’ll receive an email with a link and directions to download and use your digital London Pass, as well as a link to a printable version of the pass.

If you want to use the London Pass on your smartphone but not in the app, just download and save the PDF file with the QR code onto your phone so you are able to pull it up and it can be scanned at attractions. Or you can download the PDF and print it to use a paper copy.

Do I need to have a smartphone to use the London Pass?

No, you don’t have to have a smartphone to use the London pass. Whilst a smartphone is beneficial as you get access to the Go City app, you do not need one to take advantage of the pass.

If you don’t want to use your smartphone, you can download and print the printable version of the London Pass using the link in your confirmation email. Just be sure that the print quality is good so it will be easy for people to scan.

Can I print out a copy of my London Pass?

Yes, you can. Just click on the printable download version in your confirmation email and print it.

Even if you plan on using your smartphone to display the London Pass, we always recommend printing out a physical paper copy of the pass in case your smartphone battery dies or something goes wrong with your phone or the app.

The London Pass includes free entry to so many attractions, and of course you don’t want to miss the fabulous free city attractions and other places not covered by the pass. To get you started, you can take a look at the brief 4 day London itinerary mentioned above as well as our experience using a 3 day London Pass below in this article.

Better yet, you can also check out our very detailed 3 day London itinerary or our6 day London itinerary which includes a day-to-day London itinerary, walking maps for each day, and an example of the estimated cost savings with a London Pass. If you have more or less days in London, you can easily alter the itineraries to fit your needs.

We also have a 1 day London itinerary and a 2 day London itinerary if you have less time in the city.

• Plan ahead before coming to London. Do a little research and figure out which attractions are included with the Pass and which ones you plan to visit so you can make an informed choice of whether or not the pass makes sense for you or not.

• The London Pass is going to be of the most value for those coming for longer stays as the longer the Pass duration, the greater the potential value. Those thinking about a 1 or 2 day London Pass may find it doesn’t save them very much money depending on which attractions they want to visit. Similarly, the value multiplies by the number of travelers in your group so even if each person only saves£18, that is a savings of£72 for a family of 4!

• There are oftenspecial discounted offers on London Passes purchased online. If you have some time before your visit, you may want to see if you can catch one of these promotions as they often have time-limited deals online for 10% to 20% off passes. Even more savings!

• Prioritize attractions you want to visit with high entry fees if your pass does not cover your full trip to London. Use your London Pass to get you into those places that are more costly such as the Tower of London, View from the Shard, Windsor Castle, Westminster Abbey, London Zoo, and the Hop on Hop off bus to get the most value of your pass. If you don’t have time to visit lower cost places with your pass, then you can always visit them at your own expense later.

• When planning what you want to do in London, be sure to consider attractions that are not covered by the London Pass, such as the British Museum (free!), Victoria & Albert Museum (free!), etc. Plan your days so that you can maximize your London Pass days and visit the rest of the attractions on your list on other days that do not take away from getting the most out of your Pass.

• Be sure to install the Go City app to your smartphone and test it out before your trip. In addition to the information provided about all the covered attractions, the app also includes information about discounts and includes useful maps and tips to help you plan your visit

• One can spend a lot of time traveling from one part of London to another, so try to group together attractions that are near each other or are well connected by public transit lines to get the most of your time. Use the Go City app or Google Maps to help you plan out the most efficient route each day. Also, you might want to choose a hotel which is near a public transit stop or your preferred attractions. See our guide to where to stay in London for lots of options.

• Many of the attractions are not open 7 days a week, and some can close down or change hours without much notice, especially the active royal residences and churches. It is always a good idea to check their website or call ahead before setting out.

• Try to start using your London Pass on the morning of the first day you want to start using it so you can get the get the most of it! Remember that once you first use the pass, the time begins and it is only for good for the next XX consecutive days.

• Be sure to allow enough time to visit the attractions you are most interested in exploring. You can only visit each attraction once with your London Pass. So be sure you have enough time to visit a place before going inside. For instance, you cannot spend 30 minutes in a museum and then come back tomorrow (unless you want to pay full entrance price), as you only get one free entry per London Pass.

• Check ahead in the Guidebook, on the app, or on the London Pass website to see which attractions you plan to visit provide Skip the Line access to pass holders. If you get to one of these attractions and are not sure if you are in the correct line for pass holders, ask a security guard or museum personnel so you can be sure to save time. Note that the Pass does not allow you to fast-track security lines.

• A few attractions require reservations or for London Pass holders to call in advance. So for instance, we had to make reservations to visit The Shard with the London Pass. Most of the walking tours that are included with the London Pass also require or recommend pre-booking. You can check the latest list which require advance bookings online here or within the Go City app..

• Note that the Pass may not be a good value for younger children as they often get reduced entrance fees anyway and some sites grant free admission to children. So if you are traveling with children or adults that qualify for reduced entry fees, check out the prices before buying a London Pass.

• If you plan to utilize public transit (buses, Underground, trams, etc.) very often during your trip, you might consider getting a Oyster Card. The Visitor Oyster Cards are no longer sold as part of the London Pass (as of October 2023) but can still be purchased online separately here.

• If you plan to use the Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing buses or River Boat, we recommend that you start using them in the morning so you can get the most from your 1 day ticket. You can find out more about using the HOHO buses with the London Pass here.

• Don’t try to see all the included attractions (or even half) in one visit! Some people get their London Passes and go down the list visiting as many as they can squeeze into their trip. We certainly know the feeling of wanting to see everything, but if you do this, you are going to be exhausted. London has so much to offer that is not on that list and you’ll want to take time to slow down and soak up the city whether it is lingering over a pub lunch, sitting in a city park, visiting one of London’s many free museums, watching the sunset over the Thames, going to the theater, or dancing the night away at a club. Hopefully you’ll be back again in the future to catch those attractions you miss, but don’t go through London as if it is one big checklist of famous attractions.

Laurence and I have actually used the London Pass on many occasions, but I’ll just be talking about a trip to London when we were given two 3-day London Passes in order to explore London and do a review of the passes.

Note that this was when the passes were available as a physical product that could be bought and picked up in person. This is no longer possible as of 2021 as the London Pass is now a mobile-only product. However, the general experience of using the pass is largely the same, other than the pickup experience.

We ordered our passes online and we picked them up in London at the London Pass Redemption Centre Desk (this no longer exists as the passes are all digital now).

We paid for our own travel using our Oyster Cards which we already owned.

During our 3-day London Pass period, we ended up visiting 11 attractions covered by the Pass! This sounds like a lot and it is as we tend to try to cram a lot in as our trips are almost always part work, part pleasure and this trip was not different.

So we got up each morning and often visited sites until 5:00 or 6:00 each evening. However, we didn’t do quick in-and-out visits and did the full tours at almost all the sites we chose to visit.

If you are wanting a suggested day-by-day guide, you can check out this article which details how we would recommend spending 3 days in London for a first time visitor.

While we spent a lot of time in some of the attractions we visited (e.g., Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace), we spent much less time at several of the other attractions either because we’d already visited them before (Westminster Abbey), or they are smaller sites that only take about an hour to visit or do the tour (e.g., Keats House, Apsley House). It was nice to mix major attractions with lesser-known ones such as Apsley House and the Benjamin Franklin House.

Note that attractions are occasionally added and removed from the Pass. Our review reflects our experience at the time we used the London Pass. Some attractions may no longer be covered by the pass, and there may be new sights added in. It is always important to confirm which attractions are covered when planning your trip.

One great thing about the pass is that it is great to be able to re-visit a place to just see a new exhibit or to re-visit a favorite painting without having to pay. It also allowed us to just pop in to less crowded attractions like the Queen’s Gallery that we may not have visited if we did not have the Pass.

Kensington Palace

Keats House – home of the ill-fated Romantic poet John Keats

Westminster Abbey

Two of the attractions (Kensington Palace and Tower of London) we visited allowed Pass holders to skip the lines with the Fast Track Entry privilege.

However, we visited at pretty quiet times for both of these attractions where there were no long lines so this didn’t help save us too much time. But I imagine at busier times of the year and day this would have been very useful, especially the Tower of London where ticket and entrance lines can be very long.

As far as cost-savings, here is how things worked out for us. Note we did our example trip in 2016, but we have updated the prices to ensure it is still relevant to your trip. Also note that some attractions have variable prices depending on the time of day or time of week.

So as you can see we ended up with a saving of £46.1 each for a total saving of £92.2. This is definitely a considerable cost savings for three days of sightseeing.

Even if we had a 6-day London Pass and only added one or two sights to these same 11 sights (less than 2 visits per day!), we still would have saved. For an example of a 6 day itinerary and cost savings with a London Pass, you can read our detailed 6 day London itinerary.

We would highly recommend that all visitors to London consider purchasing the London Pass. For the average first time visitor who plans to spend more than 1 day sightseeing, it will probably end up being a good value.

However, the London Pass is not a good fit for all visitors, and travelers on a budget can also easily spend 3 full days visiting free parks, galleries, and museums in London and spend very little money on sightseeing.

We like that the London Pass also includes things like a free day of Hop-on, Hop-off bus sightseeing, a Thames cruise, free and discounted entertainment options, and free walking tours.

These are great experiences that give visitors the option to see things other than museums, art galleries, palaces, and churches. Check it out and see if the London Pass is a good fit for your next trip to London.

We hope our review of the London Pass is helpful to anyone planning a trip to London. Feel free to shoot us any questions you have about the London Pass and we are happy to try to answer them! Have you used the London Pass? We’d love to hear from others who have also used the passes.

**Disclosure: We were originally provided complimentary 3-day London Passes by The London Pass managed by Go City® in order to write a review and provide feedback; however, this article contains only our own honest thoughts and opinions. We specifically chose to visit London and all the stated attractions on our own. Since writing this review we have also purchased and used the London Pass ourselves a number of times as we feel it offers great value **