With the maths for four typical trips, updated 2026

Which London Pass is best?

For most trips to London it comes down to two passes from Go City: The London Pass® for full sightseeing days, the London Explorer Pass for a few fixed sights. Which one wins for you depends on how many days you have and how many attractions you fit into each day.

Go to the pass finder See the maths

Key facts in brief

The best pass for two or more full sightseeing days is The London Pass®. For six classic sights in two days it costs £155.00 instead of £185 in single tickets.
For two to seven sights planned in advance and spread over your trip, the London Explorer Pass is usually cheaper.
With just one attraction, you pay less without a pass. For the London Eye, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE, the Merlin combo tickets are often cheaper.
A code saves you 5% on both passes at Go City.

The verdict by type of trip

No pass is the best for every trip. These three cases cover almost all of them.

The London Pass® if you visit three or more paid attractions a day on two or more days. The fuller your days, the bigger the gap to single tickets.
London Explorer Pass if you have two to seven sights firmly planned and would rather spread them over several days. You have 30 days from your first visit.
No pass if you only visit one attraction, or mostly the free museums, parks and markets. Then you pay less buying separately.

Buy the London Pass Buy the Explorer Pass

Four trips worked out

Admission without a pass against Go City’s adult prices. The cheapest option is marked in green.

Trip	Single tickets	London Pass	Explorer Pass	Cheapest
2 days, six classic sights Tower, Westminster Abbey, London Eye, St Paul’s, The Shard, Tower Bridge	£185	£155 (2 days)	£155	London Pass
3 days with Windsor the six classics plus Windsor Castle, a Thames boat and the hop-on hop-off bus	£302	£199 (3 days)	£208	London Pass
Four fixed sights over a week Tower, London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle	£144	£155 (2 days)	£115	Explorer Pass
One day, two sights Tower of London and London Eye	£76	£105 (1 day)	£65	Explorer Pass

For six classic sights in two days, single tickets cost £185. The London Pass and the Explorer Pass are level here at £155. The London Pass, though, leaves room for a seventh or eighth sight at no extra cost.

Add Windsor and a third day and the London Pass pulls ahead: £199 against £302 for single tickets. The Explorer Pass stops at seven attractions, and you pay for anything beyond that separately.

If you spread just four sights over a week, take the Explorer Pass for £115. The London Pass would have to run for two full days and come to £155.

The admission prices are the ones Go City states. Some tickets are cheaper online from the operator, the London Eye for example. You can work out your own plans in the savings calculator.

The pass finder for your trip

Four questions about how long you stay, your pace, the sights you want to see and what matters to you.

How long are you staying in London?

What decides it

Length of stay and pace

The London Pass counts calendar days from your first visit. It pays off if you start early and fill your days. The Tower of London, Tower Bridge and a Thames cruise are only a few minutes’ walk apart, and groups like that make three sights a day easy. If you like to spend hours in one museum, you will rarely manage it.

Fixed sights or an open plan

With the Explorer Pass you pay for the number of attractions, not for days. It suits you if your list is already set and you want the rest of the trip left open. Every attraction you can choose with the Explorer is also included in the London Pass. The direct comparison is on the page London Pass vs Explorer Pass.

Travelling with children

Child passes cover ages 5 to 15, and younger children do not need a ticket at most attractions. SEA LIFE, the London Dungeon and Shrek’s Adventure are missing at Go City. If Merlin attractions make up most of your plans, the Merlin combo tickets are more likely to pay off. More on the page London with kids.

Bookings

The London Eye, The Shard, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey and Madame Tussauds need a time slot with the pass. For the London Eye it is worth booking early, especially at weekends. At the Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral you simply show the pass at the entrance.

The other passes

The Turbopass City includes SEA LIFE, the London Dungeon and Madame Tussauds, but neither Westminster Abbey nor Windsor Castle, and the London Eye only at extra cost. On the Headout Pass, the Tower and the London Eye count as premium attractions. Both are worth a look if your plans match their list closely.

Where to buy

Bought directly from Go City, the London Pass and Explorer Pass can be cancelled free of charge within 90 days of purchase, as long as you have not used them. With LONDONCP05LP you save 5% on the London Pass on londonpass.com, and with LONDONCP05 5% on the Explorer Pass on gocity.com. If you buy from another seller, their terms apply.

The best-known sights in detail

Admission, booking and how the visit works with the pass, with a page for each attraction.

Tower of London with the London Pass

The London Eye with the London Pass

Westminster Abbey with the London Pass

St Paul’s Cathedral with the London Pass

Windsor Castle with the London Pass