How to Travel with a London Pass in England
Tower Bridge in London taken when having a Thames river cruise going to Greenwich.
Thelma Alberts
What is a London Pass
London Pass is a popular digital sightseeing pass commonly used for tourists and some British nationals when visiting London, England. It is a pass where you have access to more than 80 sightseeing attractions and some hidden places in London.
Before buying a London Pass, you have to decide how many consecutive days you need to book for your sightseeing tour. The more days you book, the more you can save. You can buy this pass in some retail partners in London when you arrive there but it is better to buy the pass online through a British shop as it is cheaper than buying it in London.
When you order your pass online, you will receive an email from the shop or the British shop you ordered it from. You have to download the digital London Pass as soon as possible, print it or just show it on your mobile so that it will be scanned whenever you enter an iconic place and other tourist spot which needed this pass. You also need this for a hop on and off bus sightseeing tour for a day. This pass is only valid for the consecutive days that you have booked.
The London Pass for 3 days.
Thelma Alberts
London Travel Card
Traveling in London with a Travel Card is easy and you can quickly hop on and off in a bus, train or the tube. It is an all in one ticket valid for the duration of your travel in London. You can enjoy an unlimited travel with the public transportation whenever you want. Buying this ticket online before your travel will save you from queing in line at the train station for buying this ticket. If you choose "Anytime" when ordering the travel card, you can travel any time of the day or night. The London Card will be send to you by the post office after you have bought it online. This will arrive after a few days you ordered it.
London Travel Card
My Travel Card for 7 days in London.
Thelma Alberts
25 Attractions that are Included in the London Pass
There are more than 80 tourist spots that are included in the London Pass. They are plenty for a few days or a week of stay in London and so I only have to mention what interests me. You can of course choose which one you want to visit. Some of them are for free but you can have a guided tour with the use of your London Pass.
- Exploring London with a bus hop on and off for a day.
- St. Paul´s Cathedral.
- River Thames cruise to Greenwich
- London Tower
- The view from the Shard.
- Visiting Westminster Abbey
- Visiting Kensington Palace and the Orangery.
- ZSL London Zoo.
- London Bridge Experience and London Tombs
- Tower Bridge Exhibition.
- A guided tour in Royal Albert Hall.
- Visiting the Jewel Tower.
- Visiting the Banqueting House.
- The Freud Museum
- London Transport Museum
- Florence Nightingale Museum
- HMS Belfast
- Kew Gardens
- The Queens Gallery at Buckingham Palace
- Science Museum
- Royal London Walking Tour
- Wimbledon Tour Experience & Museum
- Free Guide book at the London Museum.
- Free audio guide at the National Gallery.
- Free audio guide at Tate Modern Museum.
Source: https://www.visitbritainshop.com/world/united-kingdom=culture/
Big Bus Hop On and Off
The Big Bus Hop on and off sightseeing tour.
Thelma Alberts
Exploring London with a bus hop on and off
I was traveling with my relatives in London. Our first day of exploring London was with the use of London Pass and London Travel Card which we have bought online a few weeks before our travel. We stayed in an appartment near St. Pancras Station. Each one of us used our travel card and showed it to the driver when riding a normal bus going to the city center where we started the red Big Bus hop on and off tour.
We choosed the red bus hop on and off in the beginning of using our London Pass instead of the blue bus. We were not allowed to use another bus hop on and off once we started the bus tour with the red bus.
Sightseeing tour with the bus was wonderful as we were able to see the very interesting, historical and beautiful places in London. We were able to choose which one of the iconic places we had to visit first in our 1 week of stay in London.
The bus had a tourist guide who showed and told us stories about those places we passed through. We only had to use the headphones to listen to what the guide was saying. The bus was full of tourists from different countries. It was a wonderful tour and we were allowed to get off the bus anytime we wanted. We took videos and photos of the things and places we saw.
All in all, it was an amazing bus hop on and off. The dissapointment was that, London was having many building sights that covered some iconic views like the Big Ben and the Westminster Abbey.
St. Paul´s Cathedral in London
St. Paul´s Cathedral
St. Paul´s Cathedral is an Angelican cathedral and one of the most iconic landmarks in London. "It is the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London." It is located in the city center of London, about 300 meter north of the Thames river. It is the second highest cathedral in the world. It is 366 feet high, was built in 1711 and was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. It has been destroyed 4 times by the Vikings, two different fires and was struck by lightning. It was restored for more than a decade and was finished in 2011. It has 528 steps to the top of the cathedral. (Source: Wikipedia)
It is free to attend the service or Mass in St. Paul's Cathedral however, if you want to see the historic galleries, tombs and domes, you have to buy a ticket. Included in this ticket is the admission to an audio or multimedia tour or a guided tour. Visiting St. Paul's Cathedral is included in this London Pass.
The Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, is the official name of The Tower of London. It is an interesting historical castle in central London which is situated at the north river bank of the Thames. William the Conqueror was the founder of the London Tower.
Visiting the London Tower was and still is a very fascinating and horrifying landmark I have visited in London. To think that this tower was a prison place for some royalties including Anne Bolyn, the wife of King Henry V111, the mother of Queen Elizabeth the 1st, before she was beheaded, was gruesome. The place where she was decapitated is now a tourist spot inside the fortress of London.
There are many things to see in the Tower of London.
1. The White Tower -Inside the White Tower is the St. John’s Chapel. It is said to be the oldest church in London. This tower houses the armours of the palace, old clothes and some interesting and curious things I have seen.
2. The Medieval Palace---- The life of King Edward 1, in the 13th century is shown in this palace. His private rooms and chambers reminded me of a fairy tale movie.
3. The Coins and Kings Exhibits----It showcases the various coins and the production of coins like in the time of King Henry VIII.
4. The Beefeaters Parade---- There is an exact time when the Beefeaters are doing their parade.
5. The Crown Jewels----The crown jewels of Her Majesty is exhibited in this place. They are all brilliant and fascinating to see. What a pity we are not allowed to take photos inside.
The London Tower
River Thames Cruise to Greenwich
The River Thames Cruise is a must when visiting London. Like the bus hop on and off, you are allowed to hop on and off anywhere you like in one of the ports where the cruise stops. It is awesome to view the London bridge, the London Tower, the Shard, the London Eye and other iconic landmarks from the river. The cruise guide was telling some interesting stories about those buildings we passed by. He was also telling about some celebrities from the past who have lived nearby the Thames river.
The View from the Shard.
The Shard is a 95 storey skyscraper in London. It is also called a Glass Shard, which is the tallest building in the United Kingdom and the tallest building in the European Union.
The glass pyramid-like tower is very unique. It is a vertical city where there are offices, restaurants, bars, residential apartments and a hotel. One can work in the Shard and relax after work, viewing the city of London from the top of the Shard. The Shard offers a view of 360 degree of the skyline of London and beyond.
The view from the Shard was awesome to me. It was a breathtaking view of London. The visitors are guided to the lift in going to the viewpoint. A few steps were made as well before arriving the top. I took a lot of photos and videos as well. What made me laugh was when I went to the toilet where I was able to see the view of London with its glass wall. Gladfully, the door was not made of glass.
The Shard
Good bye London
There are many things I want to write in this article but I have to stop here as it is way too long to read for some of my readers. However, I will write more about some places in London which I have not covered here. Thank you very much for reading. Have a blessed day everyone!
Tips:
Please check out the new opening time and prices of the places you are going to visit in London.
Thank you!
© 2019 Thelma Alberts
Comments
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on May 21, 2021:
Thank you very much Elaine for visiting my hub and for your nice comment. I am sure this will help for the travelers to London.
Elaine Lieberman on May 21, 2021:
This is a helpful and descriptive article. London isn't cheap and knowing how to save money definitely helps.
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on May 17, 2020:
You are very welcome Robbie. Yes, there are a lot of things and places to see and our time is not enough. Thanks for dropping by. Have a nice day.
Robie Benve from Ohio on May 15, 2020:
We visited London last year and it was fantastic! What a wonderful city and so much to see. Thanks a lot for all your great tips, I'll keep them in mind for the next time we get to go.
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on April 06, 2020:
Thank you very much for dropping by Peggy. Yes, it was a wonderful time together with my family in London. Keep yourself safe. Take care.
Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on March 31, 2020:
What a fantastic time you had with your family! Thanks for the tips about buying a London pass ahead of time. Your photos are stunning!
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on January 12, 2020:
Thank you very much for your nice comment Felisa. I hope you will have a chance to visit London one day. Have a nice new week.
Felisa Daskeo from Manila, Philippines on January 11, 2020:
Wow, awesome hub. Detailed and well written for travellers. I have never travelled to London but through your hub I could imagine how amazing the place is. Thanks for sharing.
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on September 17, 2019:
Hi RTalloni,
When I was writing this hub, I was wondering how the designers got those ideas of building those historical places. They are brilliant people and thanks to them I was able to visit those places.
Thank you very much for your nice comment. Have a nice day!
RTalloni on September 16, 2019:
Thanks for sharing your London visit with the helpful travel/tour tips. Your supply of great pictures gives a reader a real sense of the trip. Seeing the historical places makes me think of all the people who designed and built the buildings. Comparing them to The Shard is really amazing.
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on September 02, 2019:
Thank you very much Devika. I am glad you can relate to what I have written. Have a nice day/evening.
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on September 02, 2019:
Hello RoadMonkey. I can relate to that feeling being inside the Underground when I first went to London in the 80s. It was scary for me but this time, it was okay. Thank you very much for your nice comment. Have a great week.
Devika Primić from Dubrovnik, Croatia on September 02, 2019:
Thank you for all the information. I have been to London for a week most of what you wrote here is what I experienced. Is expensive and I visited in 2017. Informative and useful indeed!
RoadMonkey on September 01, 2019:
I live in the UK, though not in London. I was first taken to London as a child and visited St Paul's Cathedral. I really did not like the Underground on that visit, it made me think of descending into the nether regions, with the constant hot wind blowing and glowing red lights. I have been many times since and used the underground lots of times but have still never seen all the sights. Great hub, maybe I should get a London pass for my next visit.
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on September 01, 2019:
Hello Liz. The Shard is indeed awesome to visit. I was scared at first to be there because of the height. It was worth the visit. London is very expensive now compared to the 80s and 90s. It is also very crowded of tourists from all over the world. Thank you for your nice comment. Have a blessed new month.
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on September 01, 2019:
Hello Hacicu. It's nice to meet you. Thank you very much. Very much appreciated. I hope you will be able to visit London. Have a great month September.
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on September 01, 2019:
Hi Linda. Thank you very much for your lovely comment. I appreciate it much. Have a wonderful month of September.
Liz Westwood from UK on August 31, 2019:
A hop on hop off bus is a great introduction to a city and a good way of selecting where you want to visit next. I went to St.Paul's shortly after the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. I was interested to hear about the Shard as I have not been there yet.
Hacicu Bogdan from Cluj-Napoca, Romania on August 30, 2019:
If I ever go to London, I won't know which place to visit first so I might as well visit them in the order you put them. So awesome you shared the directions with us too. It's like a " GO NOW" button :).
Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on August 29, 2019:
This is a lovely article, Thelma. The facts are interesting, the photos are beautiful, and the videos are enjoyable. Getting a London Pass and a Travel Card sound like great ideas. I'm looking forward to your next article about London.
Thelma Alberts (author) from Germany on August 29, 2019:
Hi Chitrangada,
The London Pass covers 80 historical, beautiful and interesting attractions in London. I have only mentioned 25 attractions which interest me.
I hope your dream of going to London will come true. Good luck. Thank you too for your wonderful comment. Have a nice day/evening.
Chitrangada Sharan from New Delhi, India on August 29, 2019:
Wonderful article about the London travel.
The London pass sounds interesting and good to know that it covers 25 beautiful attractions. You have shared some excellent pictures and videos.
London is my dream destination and I hope to visit it very soon. Your article would be very helpful, when I plan my visit.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful article.
