London Pass Comparison: Which City Pass Is Worth It?

Our Recommendation for Those in a Hurry: The Best London Pass

In this article, we compare all available London passes in detail and run through sample calculations to show you which pass is the best choice for which type of traveler.

If you don’t want to read through all of that and just need a quick recommendation, that’s totally fine. Here’s our take for those in a hurry:

The best London Pass if you want to see as many attractions as possible

Best choice: The London Pass

If you want to pack in as many sights as possible on your London trip, the original London Pass is definitely your best bet.

It covers all the major highlights and offers the greatest savings when you’re doing a lot of sightseeing.

The London Pass also has the most fast track options, meaning you can skip the lines at various attractions.

To the London Pass (5% discount with code GO22PLACESCITY05)

The best London Pass if you want to see the top sights at a relaxed pace

Best choice: London Pass or London Explorer Pass by Go City

If you want to take it easy and maybe only visit a handful of the classic sights, you have two options.

Depending on which attractions you want to see, either the London Pass or the London Explorer Pass will work best for you.

The London Pass has the advantage of letting you skip the line at several sights.

The London Explorer Pass, on the other hand, gives you more flexibility — it’s based on the number of attractions rather than days, so you don’t have to cram as many places as possible into a short window of time.

Depending on what matters more to you, we’d suggest one of the two passes.

To the London Explorer Pass (5% discount with code GO22PLACESCITY05)

To the London Pass (5% discount with code GO22PLACESCITY05)

The best London Pass for families with kids

Best choice: Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass

Would you rather visit places like Madame Tussauds, Sea Life, or the London Dungeon instead of the typical sights? These are especially great for a London trip with kids.

If that sounds like you, definitely check out the Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass — it includes five attractions that are perfect for families and offers some real savings.

To the Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass

How do the London passes work?

The various London passes are special deals for travelers visiting London — they’re often called city cards too.

You can buy all passes online and then visit sights, museums, and attractions without purchasing individual tickets each time.

Some passes also let you join guided tours and walking tours through London at no extra cost, plus boat rides and hop-on/hop-off bus tours in London.

There are two types of London passes:

#1 Time-based passes

Some passes are valid for a set period of time. You buy a pass with a validity of, say, two, three, or five days and can visit as many sights, tours, and attractions included in the pass as you like — or as many as you can fit in during that time.

#2 Attraction-based passes

There are also passes that aren’t tied to a specific time period, but to a set number of attractions. You buy these for, say, three, five, or seven attractions, which you can then visit at your own pace.

Mobile passes

All London passes work conveniently on mobile. After purchase, you’ll receive an email with a mobile pass that you can simply show on your smartphone at any attraction.

You download the mobile pass to your phone, so you don’t even need internet access on-site to show it.

If you don’t have a smartphone, you can of course also print the passes and show them on paper. We always recommend keeping a paper copy on hand just in case.

Which London passes are there?

Many cities only have one city card — London has four of them.

That doesn’t make choosing the right London card any simpler, but that’s exactly what our London pass comparison is here for.

The table below gives you an initial overview of the available passes. Following the table, you’ll find detailed information on each pass, along with its pros and cons.

In the sections below, we’ve summarized the details, pros, and cons of each pass as thoroughly as necessary and as concisely as possible.

The London Pass

Let’s start with the London Pass — sometimes called the original London Pass.

This pass is definitely the most comprehensive on the market and covers the most attractions.

What does the London Pass offer?

The London Pass includes more than 90 attractions, including all of London’s top must-sees:

• Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London Eye
• As the only pass, it includes Windsor Castle
• Hop-on-hop-off buses and a boat trip on the Thames are also included
• The full London football experience: tours of Chelsea, Arsenal, and Wembley Stadium are all covered

How much does the London Pass cost?

The London Pass is available with different validity periods. You can choose between 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 10 days and visit as many attractions as you like during that time.

The longer the pass is valid, the lower the price works out per day — so it’s well worth going for a slightly longer validity if you’re planning a full trip.

Pros and cons

Pros of the London Pass:

• Overall the most comprehensive offering of all the passes
• Includes some exclusive attractions, like Windsor Castle
• One-day hop-on-hop-off bus included
• For most sights, you don’t need to book in advance (e.g. Tower Bridge) — just show your pass at the entrance and walk straight in

Cons of the London Pass:

• Not worth it if you’re only planning to visit a few attractions
• Even with the pass, advance reservations are still required for some sights (e.g. The Shard)

Our verdict on the London Pass

The London Pass is absolutely the right choice for anyone who wants to see a lot of sights in London. You can save a significant amount of money with this pass.

Especially during London’s peak travel season in summer, the ability to skip the lines at several attractions is a serious bonus. That saves a lot of time.
Our tip: Use our code GO22PLACESCITY05 to save 5% on your purchase — don’t be surprised that the discount only shows up at the very end of checkout.

To the London Pass

London Explorer Pass

The London Explorer Pass takes a different approach than the classic London Pass. Instead of choosing a number of days, you select a fixed number of attractions.

You then have a full 60 days to visit them, which gives you much more flexibility.

What does the London Explorer Pass offer?

The London Explorer Pass includes more than 60 attractions, including:

• Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral
• The Shard
• Tower of London and Tower Bridge
• Hop-on-hop-off bus

How much does the London Explorer Pass cost?

With the London Explorer Pass, you choose a specific number of attractions that you can visit within 60 days.

Pros and cons

Pros of the London Explorer Pass:

• Fair pricing model: you only pay for as many attractions as you actually want to visit
• No time pressure — the pass is valid for 60 days
• For most sights, you don’t need to book in advance (e.g. Tower Bridge) — just show your pass at the entrance

Cons of the London Explorer Pass:

• Even with the pass, advance reservations are still required for some sights (e.g. The Shard)

Our verdict on the London Explorer Pass by Go City

The London Explorer Pass is a great alternative for anyone who doesn’t want to rush from one attraction to the next and prefers a more laid-back pace.

Thanks to the straightforward pricing model, it’s easy to figure out whether the london pass prices make sense for your specific plans.

Our tip: Use our code GO22PLACESCITY05 to save 5% on your purchase — don’t be surprised that the discount only shows up at the very end of checkout.

To the London Explorer Pass

London City Pass / Turbopass London

The London City Pass from Turbopass is, like the classic London Pass, a time-based pass. You choose a number of days (between one and seven).

What does the London City Pass offer?

Compared to the London Pass, the London City Pass has a considerably more limited selection.

The following highlights are included:

• Tower of London
• Up at The O2 and London Zoo
• A special film-themed tour (for example, a Harry Potter walking tour)
• Hop-on-hop-off bus for one day and a ride on the Thames
• Discounts on some tours and shopping

How much does the London City Pass cost?

The price of the London City Pass depends on the number of days.

Pros and cons

Pros of the London City Pass:

• A guided film tour through London included (such as the Harry Potter walking tour)

Cons of the London City Pass:

• The pass is relatively expensive
• It’s missing nearly all the big-name highlights, such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and Westminster Abbey
• Only really worth it if you’re specifically interested in the attractions it does include
• Even with the pass, advance reservations are still required for some sights (e.g. Tower of London)

Our verdict on the London City Pass

If your itinerary includes classic sights like Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, or Tower Bridge, the London City Pass isn’t a good fit. That’s why we wouldn’t recommend this one.

Our tip: Use our code 22PLACES5 to save 5% on your purchase — don’t be surprised that the discount only shows up at the very end of checkout.

To the London City Pass

Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass

The Merlin Magical Pass isn’t one of the typical sightseeing passes for London. It covers only five attractions that are especially great for families with kids.

What does the Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass offer?

This pass gives you entry to exactly five attractions. For the typical London visitor, that’s probably less exciting — but for families with kids, it’s a different story.

The following attractions are included:

• Madame Tussauds
• London Eye
• Sea Life
• Shrek’s Adventure
• London Dungeon

How much does the Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass cost?

The pass costs £59 for adults and £53 for children.

Pros and cons

Pros of the Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass:

• Perfect for families with kids
• Real savings when you visit all five attractions
• Very flexible timing — you have a full 90 days to visit all the attractions

Cons of the Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass:

• Nearly all of the classic London sights are not included
• Not interesting for most London visitors

Our verdict on the Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass

This one’s simple: if the five included attractions appeal to you, this pass is a great choice that can save you real money.

All the attractions are super exciting for kids — but for the typical tourist, probably less so.

To the Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass

Differences between the London passes

Now that we’ve introduced all four passes, here’s a concise overview of the key differences — and similarities — between them.

Difference #1: Billed by time or by attractions

There are two basic types of London passes:

1. Passes that are valid for a set period of time, during which you can visit all the attractions included.
2. Passes that are only valid for a set number of attractions.

Both types have their pros and cons. Which pass works on which model is shown in this overview:

Time-based passes:

• The London Pass (1 to 7 or 10 days)
• London City Pass (1 to 7 days)

Attraction-based passes:

• London Explorer Pass by Go City (2 to 7 attractions)
• Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass (5 attractions)

Time-based passes are worth it especially if you want to visit as many attractions as possible. The longer the validity, the cheaper the price per day.

Passes where you choose a number of attractions are best if you want to stay as flexible as possible and aren’t sure yet whether you’ll visit enough places to make a time-based pass worthwhile.

Difference #2: Included attractions

Not all London passes include the same sights and attractions.

Unfortunately, there’s no perfect pass for everyone — each one has its weaknesses.

The most comprehensive option is without a doubt the London Pass. It really does include everything you could wish for.

The London Explorer Pass by Go City also offers a solid lineup and is a great pick if you don’t want to see quite as many sights and prefer a more relaxed approach.

The London City Pass unfortunately skips quite a few key historical sights, which will likely be a dealbreaker for most visitors.

If specific attractions are particularly important to you, keep that in mind when choosing your pass. The table below gives you a clear overview of what’s included across all passes.

Which London pass is right for you?

Now for the big question: which London pass is actually the best one for you?

There’s no single answer. The right pass depends entirely on your travel style — and in some cases, no pass makes sense at all.

We’ve done the math for three very typical travel styles and give our recommendation for the best London pass for each type of traveler.

Here are the traveler types:

1. Those who want to visit as many paid attractions as possible
2. Those who want to see the most famous sights at a relaxed pace
3. Travelers with kids

Traveler type #1: See as much as possible

Are you the kind of traveler who always wants to see as much as possible and ideally doesn’t want to miss a single sight?

A typical itinerary might look like this:

Westminster Abbey (£31)
St. Paul’s Cathedral (£27)
Tower of London (£36)
Tower Bridge (£16)
The Shard (£32)
Kensington Palace (£20.60)
Hampton Court Palace (£28)
Wembley Stadium Tour (£26)
Boat trip on the Thames (£13)
Day ticket hop-on-hop-off bus (£37)
London Eye (£29)
Total price: £295.60

That’s 11 attractions in total, which can comfortably be done in four days.

If you were to buy all the tickets individually, you’d be paying more than £290 in entry fees.

The table below shows how much you’d save with each of the London passes.

With the London Pass, you do save money here. Based on our sample itinerary, you’d pay £289 with this pass, saving £6.60.

To the London Pass

Traveler type #2: A handful of sights

If power sightseeing isn’t your thing and you prefer to take it easy, we totally get it.

Let’s say you want to visit seven selected sights:

Westminster Abbey (£31)
St. Paul’s Cathedral (£27)
Tower of London (£36)
Tower Bridge (£16)
London Eye (£29)
Kensington Palace (£20.60)
Hop-on-hop-off bus for one day (£46)
Total price: £207.60

For these seven sights, you’d pay £207.60 buying tickets individually. To enjoy this sightseeing at a relaxed pace, you should plan for three days.

For this laid-back itinerary, only the London Explorer Pass offers any real savings.

To the London Explorer Pass by Go City

Traveler type #3: Visiting London with kids

If you’re traveling to London with kids, visiting churches and historic buildings is probably not your top priority.

In this case, the Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass is a seriously good option. With this pass, you get access to Madame Tussauds, London Eye, Sea Life, London Dungeon, and Shrek’s Adventure for just £59 (adults) and £53 for kids — all attractions that kids absolutely love.

Individual tickets for these attractions would cost you nearly £199. If you visit all the included attractions, you’ll definitely save money.
To the Merlin’s Magical London 5-in-1 Pass

London without a pass

Do you absolutely need a London pass? Of course not!

The passes aren’t worth it for everyone. If you’re not planning to visit many paid attractions, we’d honestly recommend skipping a pass altogether.

If you’re mainly interested in museums in London, a pass isn’t necessarily worth it either — most of London’s museums are free to enter anyway.

Without a pass, you have more flexibility, since you won’t feel pressured to rush from one attraction to the next just to get your money’s worth.

You might spend a bit more in the end, but you’ll have a more relaxed trip. Even if you go this route, we still recommend buying your tickets online in advance.

For many attractions, you can do this at fairly short notice, and online prices are almost always lower than on-site prices.

The table below gives you an overview of which tickets you can buy online in advance, even without one of the passes:

Frequently asked questions

To wrap things up, here are answers to the most common questions about the various passes.

Still have a question? Just leave us a comment below and we’ll get back to you quickly.

Conclusion

We’ve already drawn a detailed conclusion at the very beginning of our London pass comparison — so here’s just a quick summary:

Best pass for visiting as many attractions as possible:
The London Pass
Best pass for a relaxed itinerary:
The London Pass

London Explorer Pass by Go City
Best pass for families with kids:
Merlin Magical London 5-in-1 Pass

We hope we’ve helped you cut through the confusion of London passes and made it a little easier to find the right one for your trip.

We’d be thrilled if you order your pass through our links in this article. We receive a small commission from the providers — it doesn’t cost you anything extra, of course. The commission is the same across the board, so we have absolutely no reason to favor one pass over another.

Heads up: Our London pass comparison is updated regularly. That said, things can sometimes change without notice. It’s worth double-checking the terms and included attractions before you finalize your purchase. Thanks!