In a nutshell
- There are a total of four hop-on hop-off providers in New York. But only two of them are really recommendable: Big Bus & Top View.
- Our favorite is Big Bus Tours New York with 3 cool routes through the city and a good value for money.
- In this article, we give you all the information on Hop-on Hop-off New York – ticket options, comparison of providers, our review and much more. Let’s get started!
Hop-on Hop-off in NYC: What You Need to Know
New York City is huge and full of sights – so a hop-on hop-off bus tour sounds like the perfect way to explore the city in a relaxed way.
There are four hop-on hop-off providers in NYC. Two of them are recommended, the other two are not recommended. The reasons for this are unpleasant legal disputes, aggressive sales strategies and sometimes chaotic operating procedures.
The recommended providers are Big Bus Tours and TopView Sightseeing – the main providers in New York City.
Although they have also come under a lot of fire, they still offer good tours of downtown and uptown Manhattan.
You can check out these highlights with New York’s hop-on hop-off buses:
- Times Square
- Empire State Building
- Wall Street
- One World Trade Center
- Ferry to the Statue of Liberty
- Chinatown
- Brooklyn Bridge
- Rockefeller Center with Top of the Rock
- Central Park New York
- Museum Mile with many New York museums
- Harlem
Good to know: During peak travel times, it can be difficult not to get on at the starting point. Many people get on at the starting point and ride the entire route (2 hours).
Note: Hop-on/Hop-off tickets do not include access to the sights in New York! You can buy tickets for the highlights in advance online or on site.
Our Recommendation: Big Bus New York
If you want to hop-on hop-off in NYC, then you should do it with Big Bus Tours.
Big Bus Tours offers three great routes and a night tour that take you to the city’s most important sights:
- Downtown Loop (Red Route)
- Uptown Loop (Blue Route)
- Brooklyn Loop (Green Route)
With a ticket, you can hop on and off whenever you want. The audio guides on board ensure that you receive interesting information about New York during the ride.
You can choose between a 24-hour ticket from $60, a 48-hour ticket from $83 and a 72-hour ticket from $102.
- 24h ticket is valid for: Downtown Loop (Red Route)
- 48h ticket valid for: Downtown & Uptown Loop (Red & Blue Route), discount on bike rental, free butterbeer ice cream in the Harry Potter Store
- 72h ticket valid for: Downtown & Uptown & Brooklyn Loop (Red & Blue & Green Route), discount on bike rental, guided tour of DUMBO, free butterbeer ice cream at the Harry Potter Store
Benefits:
- Most reliable provider in New York City
- Flexible boarding & alighting at more than 30 stops
- Audio guides in several languages (including German)
- Tickets for 24, 48 or 72 hours
- Additional night tours & boat trips available (separate tickets required)
- Cool extras with the 48h & 72h ticket
- Ideal for relaxed sightseeing
- Discounts for children & seniors
Disadvantages:
- Buses can get crowded because the tour is the most popular
Book the Big Bus Tour
Book your Big Bus Tours New York Hop-on Hop-off ticket online
The Cheapest Hop-on Hop off Tour New York
Big Bus is also the cheapest hop-on hop-off provider in New York City.
Tours start at around 60 dollars for 24 hours. With a flexible ticket, you can discover the most important sights comfortably and at a reasonable price. It comes with an informative audio guide.
City Sightseeing and TopView are alternative options, but usually more expensive and not as well rated as Big Bus. Big Bus offers the most benefits.
NYC Hop-on Hop-off Providers at a Glance
There are two recommended providers for hop-on hop-off tours in New York. In our table we show you an overview of the differences between the two providers:
| Big Bus Tours | TopView Sightseeing | |
|---|---|---|
| Validity | 24h, 48h & 72h | 24h & 48h |
| Price | 24h = app. $60 48 h = app. $83 72 h = app. $102 | 24h = app. $66 48h = app. $78 |
| Free for children | up to 5 years | up to 3 years |
| Citypass discount | Sightseeing Pass All-Inclusive Pass Explorer Pass | Sightseeing Pass All-Inclusive Pass Explorer Pass |
| Routes | 3 routes (+ night tour) | 3 routes |
| Stops | 13 (Red Route/Downtown) 13 (Blue Route/Uptown) 7 (Green Route/Brooklyn) 13 (Night Tour) | 15 (Downtown) 13 (Uptown) 7 (Brooklyn) |
| Cycle time | 15-30 min | 20-30 min |
| Operating hours | 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (8 p.m. night tour) | 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. |
| Audioguide / Live | Audioguide + Live (Red & Blue Routes) | Only audioguide |
| Book here | Get your ticket | Get your ticket |
Combi-Tickets: Combine Hop-on Hop-off NYC with Attractions
With our favorite Big Bus Tours, you have the opportunity to book really cool combo tickets that save you money.
The tickets combine 48 hours of hop-on hop-off either
- with the Empire State Building (86th floor) – you save around $28!
- or with the Empire State Building & the ferry to the Statue of Liberty – you save about $22!
Important: You select your desired option in the booking process
Book your Hop-on Hop-off New York Combo Ticket online
Big Bus Tour NYC: Our Review
We used the hop-on hop-off bus with our New York Sightseeing Pass. It was very easy to redeem: we were able to show our pass at the main starting point in front of the large M&M store on 7th Avenue and off we went.
The audio guide is available in five different languages, and the commentary was really interesting and child-friendly.
We looked for a spot at the top to enjoy the best view. However, despite it being a sunny 23 degrees, it was quite chilly on the bus. But we were comfortable in our sweatshirts. So make sure you take something to cover up with.
The bus made slow progress through the heavy traffic. If you’re short on time, you should consider using other means of transportation for some routes. However, the view from the bus was definitely more impressive than from the New York subway.
If you want to do the whole route and get off at the sights, you should plan a whole day for it.
We particularly liked the fact that we were sitting a few meters above the crowds and could experience the city from a new perspective. No need to worry about traffic lights or planning your trip with Google Maps – just enjoy it instead. We saw Times Square and many other sights in a completely different way.
We would definitely use the hop-on hop-off bus in NYC again!
However, we also think that hop-on hop-off in New York City is more worthwhile in the warmer months. From December to February, it is simply too cold to sit upstairs in the open air. Sitting downstairs is usually not ideal because, on the one hand, the windows are sometimes covered with stickers and, on the other, there is no unobstructed view of the sky.
Our Summary of Hop-on Hop-off Tours in New York
If you want to explore New York on a hop-on hop-off bus, Big Bus Tours is the best option.
The provider’s three routes take you to all the city’s major sights. This gives you a completely new perspective on New York City.
Although the bus moves slowly due to the heavy traffic, this is exactly what makes the journey a relaxed sightseeing tour. If it does take too long, the stops are cleverly distributed so that you can get off at any time and continue on foot or by metro.
On the way, you can use an audio guide, and on the red and blue routes (Downtown & Uptown) there are even occasional live commentaries on the route and the sights – although not continuously.
In short: with the hop-on hop-off bus from Big Bus Tours, you can explore New York in a relaxed way – and at a fair price for the city.
Book your Big Bus Tours New York Hop-on Hop-off Ticket online
We’d also like to highlight the combined ticket for 48 hours hop-on hop-off Empire State Building. This saves you around $25!
FAQ about Hop-on Hop-off NYC
How much does hop-on hop-off cost in New York?
How long does a hop-on hop-off tour in New York take?
The duration of a complete tour on a hop-on hop-off bus in New York depends on the route you choose, the volume of traffic and the provider.
You can generally expect 1 to 2 hours if you remain seated throughout.
Should I buy my hop-on hop-off ticket in advance?
Yes, we recommend that you buy your ticket for the hop-on hop-off bus New York online in advance.
Tickets are usually cheaper online than on site. What’s more, you won’t have to queue for tickets in New York, saving you time.
And a big plus point: if you have bought all your tickets for New York in advance, you can plan much better.
Is the Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off tour in New York barrier-free?
Yes, the Big Bus hop-on hop-off tour in New York is largely barrier-free.
Unfortunately, there is no way to get to the upper deck with a wheelchair.
Also, not all stops are 100 percent barrier-free. Some curbs or streets may be challenging. Pay attention to this too.
Is hop-on hop-off in NYC suitable with children?
Yes, a hop-on hop-off tour in New York with children can be a great way to explore the city stress-free.
You and the kids are less exposed to the hustle and bustle of the city and can see the attractions in peace.
The audio guides are also suitable for children.
However, the disadvantage could be the sometimes long journey time.
Our tip: choose a route with child-friendly stops – e.g. Central Park.
How much luggage can I take with me on the Hop-on Hop-off New York?
Small backpacks, handbags and shopping bags are permitted. Bulky luggage such as suitcases and large travel bags are not permitted.
Baby carriages must be collapsible. We recommend a travel buggy for New York anyway.
Are the hop-on hop-off buses included in a New York Pass?
Yes, the hop-on hop-off tours of New York are part of these passes:
- New York Sightseeing Pass
- New York All-Inclusive Pass
- New York Explorer Pass
Are there alternatives to the Hop-on Hop-off bus in New York?
New York boat tours are a good alternative to the hop-on hop-off busses in New York.
Although they don’t take you through the middle of the city, they still give you a really great new perspective.
These were our tips for hop-on hop-off in NYC
Do you also have a tip or would you like to share your experience with hop-on hop-off in New York with us? Then leave us a comment. We look forward to it!