Frequently
Asked
Questions

We are very proud to say, as of 2024 for over 11 continuous years, we are the #1 rated day tour company on TripAdvisor running day tours out of London. We are a small, passionately run, family business. We offer the best tours, with the best expert guides and our own new, purpose built to our own specification, luxury Mercedes Benz mini-coaches. We take the scenic routes and back roads where possible and we only ever take small groups, maximum 16 people. Your safety and security is essential to us, and we will always work to make sure you have the very best experience possible.

Our cancellation policy is super flexible, so you can book with peace of mind. Booking direct will give you the best prices and we can be most flexible with bookings made through our own website. Bookings will be 100% refundable (less a £5 per person admin fee) if we, The English Bus, are notified at least 24 hours before departure. Bookings cancelled within 24 hours of departure will be non refundable and non transferable, and no shows will also be non refundable. We can move you to an alternative date, at no extra cost, provided we have availability, and are given more than 24 hours notice before the date of the original departure.

All availability on our website is 100% live, up to date and you’ll get instant confirmation after booking. Booking direct cuts out the middle-man, which means we can spend more money on making your experience perfect, while keeping our prices as low as possible for you. We guarantee to offer the cheapest prices direct - if you find a tour operated by us anywhere else advertised for cheaper - we will refund the difference.

It’s very simple and secure to book your tour on our website. Select the “Book a tour” link on the menu, select the tour from the drop down list, the number of people, and the date. You will then be prompted to enter the passenger details, before proceeding to checkout where you can pay with either a credit or debit card. After your payment has been processed, you will receive both an email receipt and an automatic booking confirmation. Alternatively, you can reach the booking process within each tour page.

As we are a fairly small tour operation running small group tours, some of our tours sell out months in advance, particularly at busy times of the year. Some don't, but we'd recommend booking as soon as you can to guarantee your seats so as not to be disappointed. 

All of our tours depart from near the London Eye at 8.45am - more specifically from the coach drop off and pick up point for the London Eye, which is on the corner of Belvedere Road and Chicheley Street, here: London Eye departure point The closest street address is 5 Belvedere Road This is a short walk from Waterloo, Westminster, or Embankment Stations. Our tours from London to Bath & Stonehenge and from London to Oxford, Stratford and the Cotswolds also pick up at 9.10am from outside the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London Victoria here: Victoria departure point  This is a short walk from Victoria Station. See our departure point page for more information, and the tour page for more information on times.

For our Bath & Stonehenge tours, and our Oxford, Stratford and the Cotswolds tour, we have 2 departure points to choose from, either near the London Eye, or by the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Victoria. 

We really recommend using Google maps to plan your route to either of our departure points. Just enter your start location into the following templates and it will give you multiple options of how to get somewhere using public transport.

London Eye departure point directions

Victoria departure point directions

If you are still unsure, just drop us an email and we'll help you decide.

If you have not yet booked your accommodation, and so don't know yet which spot will be best for you, don't worry - you can always change your chosen departure point at any time. All you need to do is let us know before the tour - either by email or phone, so that we can make the change, and so we know where to expect you.

Of course! We understand that people's plans can change, and if you decide our other departure point works better for you for your tour, all we ask is that you let us know before 6pm the day before the tour, so that we can make the guide know where to expect you. Please note that not all tours and dates offer both departure points so this is subject to approval.

London is a huge city, with such unpredictable and dynamic traffic conditions, that offering hotel pickups would take many hours off the time we have for the tour.  We only have 2 departure points, both very centrally located and very simple to get to, which makes it easier for everyone and means that we don’t waste any precious tour time doing multiple pickups around London. Our route out of London from the departure points takes us past some wonderful sights, which your guide will tell you all about.

Tours to Kent and Bruges only depart from the London Eye departure point as they leave London in a south easterly direction.

Visa, Mastercard and American Express. All via secure online checkout processed by Stripe - the world's leading online payment gateway. If you prefer to pay with Paypal, get in touch, and we can send an invoice for payment.

As of 2024, we have a small fleet of new, 16 seat, luxury Mercedes Benz mini-coaches, purpose built to our specifications. Because we don’t operate overnight tours, unlike other companies, we have removed much of the luggage space, adding even more leg room and space to the cabin. All side windows are panoramic, as well as a panoramic glass roof and a huge panoramic windshield, which means you can see everything either side of you, as well as everything in front of you… and even the sky! Each row of seats has a USB port. All seats are leather, and reclinable. Each seat has its own A/C vent and LED reading light. Our vehicles are fitted with a high quality audio PA system, so you can hear your guide clearly, wherever you are sitting. Your comfort is very important to us. As our vehicles are new - they all have the latest Euro 6 spec engines - offering the cleanest, greenest and most efficient drive on the market. 

Never more than 16 people. This means we can guarantee small groups, a friendly atmosphere and a highly personable tour experience. However, it does also mean that space is limited - so book early to avoid disappointment.

Yes. Once you have booked your seat(s), you will be sent an automatic confirmation, and a receipt.

For a number of reasons. Firstly we tailor each and every tour to you, so we like to know a bit more about the age ranges we have on each tour so we can make your tour as appropriate to you as possible. Each and every tour is different and all of our guides adapt the tour to their audience, as best they can. Knowing age ranges in advance helps us to plan. We also need to know whether we will be carrying any children under 12 - as it is a requirement that we provide them with a booster seat if so, and to make sure we don't have any children under 3 on our list as we can't take children younger than 3 years old.

We will always do our best to accommodate changes, but we can’t guarantee that we will be able to. Contact us as soon as you can with your requirements and we will do our best to help.

You can see our cancellation policy, along with all the other terms of booking HERE Our cancellation policy is super flexible, so you can book with peace of mind. Booking direct will give you the best prices.  Bookings will be 100% refundable (less a £5 per person admin fee) if we, The English Bus, are notified at least 24 hours before departure. Bookings cancelled within 24 hours of departure will be non refundable and non transferable, and no shows will also be non refundable. We can move you to an alternative date, at no extra cost, provided we have availability, and are given more than 24 hours notice before the date of the original departure.

Your guide will plan the route back into London based on where everyone wants to go and will do their best to get you as close to your destination as possible. Depending on traffic conditions and timings, we typically offer a number of different drop offs around central London. Your guide will advise on the day and will make absolutely certain you know exactly how to get to where you are going if we are not able to drop you at your door. Ultimately, you will always be able to return to the area where your tour started if you would like.

Yes. We can put together a tour for your requirements. Please get in touch with us with your requirements and we can advise on our availability and prices. Please see our “Groups” page HERE

Many other tour companies offer a day tour from London to Windsor, Bath and Stonehenge. For many of our competitors, this is their best selling tour. The English Bus thinks differently about this particular tour, and there are many reasons why we have decided not to follow in their footsteps... To enjoy a visit to Windsor, we really think you need to spend at least half a day there. Bath, Stonehenge AND Windsor are all places where you need to spend a good amount of time to get the most out of them, and by combining Windsor with a day tour to Bath and Stonehenge, it means spending very little time in each destination and rushing between them. With a group at Windsor Castle, there is not much a tour guide can add to the experience over and above the excellent audio guide that is available at the entrance, without forcing you to stay with the group at all times, and go at their pace. This is in contrast to Bath, which can be enhanced enormously with a great guide. Our tour to Bath and Stonehenge includes a stop at a wonderful “secret place”. We can’t tell you where or what it is, but it means that we have a tour that is so much more than “just Bath and Stonehenge” and we have carefully calculated the timings to allow enough time at both Bath and Stonehenge to do them justice, in a leisurely way. Windsor is very close to London and it is very easy to travel there independently. Trains leave regularly from London and take just 30 minutes. See our blog page for a dedicated blog on how to get to Windsor

On our main Stonehenge & Bath tour, we also include a stop at a “secret place”. This gives your guide the opportunity to take you somewhere that they love and that you will love too, but that you may have never heard of. Where we visit varies from tour to tour and from guide to guide, and we can’t reveal any of these locations, so you’ll have to join us to find out for yourself.

It may be possible to accommodate a folding wheelchair/stroller/some luggage, but we have limited storage space, so please get in touch with your requirements before booking so that we can advise accordingly.

English weather can be temperamental, and therefore it is a good idea to bring some warm clothes with you (essential in the winter months). London is usually warmer than the places we visit outside of London, and from our experience, you will be much more comfortable if you’re not battling the elements! Layers are a good way to adapt with the often changing weather conditions. Comfortable shoes are a good idea too, as we do some walking on all of our tours. England is famous for its rain, but it typically rains much less than you probably imagine! However, it would still be a good idea to bring an umbrella and/or waterproofs with you, just in case.

Bring a camera, and some cash for entrance fees, coffee, lunch, souvenirs etc (most places take card, but for some small purchases, you may need to pay cash). If you are planning to join our tour to Bruges, don’t forget your passport, and visa if your nationality requires it.

Send us an email, or give us a call. We are here to help!

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