The London City Pass, less known than the famous London Pass and the London Explorer Pass, is a good alternative for a first stay in London. It gives access to the main tourist sites and provides an overview of the capital.
What is the London City Pass?
Released in 2016, the London City Pass is the latest tourist pass. This package valid for 1 to 7 consecutive days allows you to visit the most popular monuments and attractions and tourist attractions in London.
Ideal for a first stay in the capital, purchasing this tourist card will save you time and money.
Coming in the form of a booklet, the London City Pass comes in different formulas that you can choose depending on the length of your stay and whether you wish to combine it with a transport card.
What are the benefits of the London City Pass?
The interest of the London City Pass is to offer diversified visits. Indeed, you can as well visit a historical monument of the city as a popular attraction which will appeal to the greatest number.
By comparing with other tourist passes ( London Pass, London Explorer Pass, Eventure, Merlin Magical and Royal Pass) this one is the only one to combine classic and fun tours. For example, it is the only pass offering the Tower of London, Madame Tussauds, the London Eye and the Shard.
In addition it offers discounts in some stores and for tours, see the list below.
Activities included in the London City Pass
With the London City Pass you can visit the following tourist sites:
- London Eye
- Le shard
- Madame Tussauds
- London Dungeon
- Shrek’s adventure
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Tower of London
- Kensington Palace
- Banqueting House
- Greenwich Observatory
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Cutty Sark
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Wimbledon Museum
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Unlimited one-day access to the so-called “hop on hop off” tourist bus with audio guide in French.
Discover the complete list of proposed activities.
Reductions offered with the London City Pass
- 15% discount in the shop M&M World
- 15% discount à Fun London Tours
- 20% discount for a bike tour 3 to 4 hours
- 12,5% discount on Bus Golden Tours
- 1 free gift at the Beatles Store for any purchase from € 5
- £ 3 reduction and feel like a glass of champagne au Shard
London City Pass et l'option transport
By taking the London City Pass with the transport option, you will benefit from a Oyster Card and will be able to use unlimited transport in central London, namely in zones 1 and 2.
As a reminder, public transport is free for children up to the age of 11, provided they are accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket. Therefore, there is no point in purchasing a London City Pass with the transport option for children under 11.
To know all the practical information about the Oyster Card, I invite you to read this article: What is the Visitor Oyster Card?
The amount credited to the Oyster Card varies according to the number of days:
Pass 1 day : £ 15 credit
Pass 2 days : £ 20 credit
Pass 3 days : £ 20 credit
Pass 4 days : £ 30 credit
Pass 5 days : £ 30 credit
Pass 6 days : £ 40 credit
Pass 7 days : £ 40 credit
To the question, should we take the transport option, I will answer yes but. First of all, the pass with transport is only available by post, unlike the one you receive by email. Therefore, anticipate your purchase and take into account the reception time which varies according to the type of shipment: standard (7 working days) and express (2 working days).
If you want to receive your pass directly in your mailbox and avoid additional costs, simply order the pass without the transport option and buy your Oyster Card at the ATMs in metro stations or in the bar car of Eurostar trains.
How much does the London City Pass cost?
Price 2019 London City Pass without transport
Prices given as an indication
2019 London City Pass fare with transport
Prices given as an indication
Is the London City Pass a good deal?
The London City Pass is a good plan if you are a strategist! To make your pass profitable, you should prioritize visiting the more expensive attractions - the London Eye, the Shard, Madame Tussaud and the Tower of London. It is also the only pass that offers such a handset, which is a strong point.
As an example, I made a typical program for a weekend in london by choosing the most expensive sites and taking into account their geographical location in the city. The goal is to make the most visits during the day and to achieve the maximum savings!
For each visit, I indicate the price for an adult entry (without pass) reserved on the attraction's website, count on average £ 2 more if you buy your entry on site!
1st day of visits with entrance fees without Pass :
- Madame Tussaud : £34
- Kensington Palace: £ 17.50
- London Dungeon : £24
- London Eye : £27
2nd day of visits with entrance fees without Pass :
- Cutty Sark : £13.50
- Tower of London: £ 24.70
- Shard : £25
So these seven individually paid attractions would cost you £ 165.70; with the 2-day London City Pass, you'll pay £ 112.90 - a savings of £ 52.8, not including discounts in restaurants and shops.
What is the validity of the tourist card?
The pass is valid from the stated validity date for one, two, three, four, five, six or seven consecutive days. It is activated during the first visit and valid for the number of days reserved.
Each attraction can be visited for free once and the days cannot be interrupted.
Where to buy the London City Pass?
The London City Pass can only be ordered online and more precisely on the Turbospass site. Once your order has been confirmed, you will receive a confirmation email.
If you order the pass without transport : you receive your tickets by email, you can print them or them as an electronic ticket on your smartphone.
If you order the pass with transport : you will receive the pass in the form of a booklet by post to your address.
The delivery times and costs are:
- Standard dispatch reception 7 working days. Shipping costs 5.90 €
- Express shipping 1-2 working days. Delivery costs 25 €
Conclusion
The London City Pass is a handy sightseeing card that offers visits to London's most famous landmarks and attractions. Ideal for a first stay, the proposed activities combine classic and fun visits that will appeal to as many people as possible.
To amortize its cost and make considerable savings, plan your program in advance and choose the most expensive visits!
Book London City Pass
