Frequently asked questions about the London passes
The London Pass®, London Explorer Pass, Turbopass, Headout Pass and the Merlin combo tickets: prices, validity, time slots, cancellation, children, public transport and discount codes, sorted by topic.
Which pass Prices Validity and time slots Cancellation Children Public transport Attractions Discount codes Turbopass, Headout, Merlin
Which pass fits
What sightseeing passes are there for London?
The two best-selling ones come from Go City: the London Pass, with which you visit as many attractions as you can manage over 1 to 10 days, and the Explorer Pass with 2 to 7 attractions of your choice. On top of that there are the Turbopass City and Turbopass Flex, the Headout Pass London and the Merlin combo tickets for the London Eye, Madame Tussauds and other Merlin attractions.
What is the difference between the London Pass and the Explorer Pass?
Both are from Go City and largely cover the same attractions. With the London Pass you pay by days and visit as many attractions as you like in that time. With the Explorer Pass you pay by attractions and have 30 days from your first visit. With three or more paid sights a day, the London Pass usually comes out ahead.
Which pass is worth it for whom?
The London Pass fits if you are out sightseeing for several days in a row, plan lots of sights or want to stay spontaneous. The Explorer Pass fits if you spread a few fixed highlights over a longer trip. If you mainly want to see the London Eye and Merlin attractions such as SEA LIFE or the London Dungeon, look at the Turbopass and the Merlin combo tickets.
Do I need a pass at all?
Not always. A pass only pays off when the single tickets together cost more than the pass. If you only plan one or two paid attractions, or mainly free museums such as the British Museum and Tate Modern, you are better off buying single tickets.
Can each person in a group buy a different pass?
Yes. Each pass is for one person, and the passes in a group do not have to be the same. One person can take the London Pass, another the Explorer Pass with a few attractions. If you plan together, make sure both passes include the sights you have planned.
Prices and costs
How much is the London Pass?
The price depends on the number of days. Adults aged 16 and over pay £105.00 for 1 day, £199.00 for 3 days and £305.00 for 10 days. Children aged 5 to 15 pay between £75.00 and £195.00. LONDONCP05LP saves you 5% on londonpass.com.
How much is the Explorer Pass?
Here the number of attractions counts. Adults pay £65.00 for 2 and £165.00 for 7 attractions, children aged 5 to 15 between £49.00 and £109.00. LONDONCP05 saves you 5% on gocity.com.
Are there child prices?
Yes, for both Go City passes for children aged 5 to 15. For the 3-day London Pass a child pays £115.00 instead of £199.00. Children under 5 do not need a pass.
How much does the London Pass cost for a family?
For two adults and two children aged 5 to 15, the 3-day London Pass costs £628 in total: two times £199.00 for the adults and two times £115.00 for the children. Children under 5 go free. Whether it pays off depends on how many attractions you manage per day with children.
Are the bus and boat included in the price?
With the London Pass, yes: a 2-day Big Bus hop-on hop-off ticket and the 24-hour City Cruises pass on the Thames. Bought separately, the two together cost £81. With the Explorer Pass they are available to choose and each counts as one attraction. The Tube, regular buses and trains are not included in any pass.
Where do the prices on this site come from?
We update the Go City and Merlin pass prices by hand from the providers’ shops, with the date we checked. Turbopass, Headout, Tiqets and GetYourGuide we check through their interfaces. The attraction prices are the regular adult prices without a pass, rounded. What counts is the price in the shop when you buy.
Is there a London Pass Plus or a premium level?
No. Go City only sells the London Pass by days, from 1 to 10. There is no plus or premium version on offer.
Validity, activation and time slots
When is the pass activated?
The London Pass and Explorer Pass are activated with your first visit to an attraction, not when you buy. The Turbopass City also starts with your first visit. The Headout Pass, by contrast, is valid from the date you choose when booking. The best time to start the London Pass is the morning of your first full sightseeing day.
Do the London Pass days have to be consecutive?
Yes. The London Pass is valid on consecutive calendar days from your first visit. If you use a 3-day pass for the first time on Monday, it is valid until Wednesday evening. If you plan rest days, the Explorer Pass suits you better.
How long is the Explorer Pass valid?
30 days from your first visit. In that time you use the number of attractions you bought.
How do I choose the attractions with the Explorer Pass?
When you buy, you only set the number, 2 to 7. Which attractions they will be, you decide as you go. Where a time slot is needed, you book it in the Go City app.
How many attractions can I manage per day with the London Pass?
As many as you can fit in. Two to three big sights a day is realistic, more with an early start and short distances.
Do I need a printout or is my smartphone enough?
Your smartphone is enough. The London Pass and Explorer Pass are in the Go City app, and the QR code is scanned at the entrance. Download the app before your trip and log in.
Do I still need to book in advance with a pass?
For some attractions, yes. For the London Eye, The Shard, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey and Madame Tussauds you book a time slot in the Go City app after you buy, for the London Eye about 15 days ahead. You visit the Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral without a booking.
What happens if I visit fewer attractions than I bought?
The rest expire at the end of the 30 days, and there is no partial refund. So it is better to buy the Explorer Pass one level smaller.
How long is the Turbopass valid?
The Turbopass City is valid for the number of calendar days you bought, 1 to 7, from your first visit. For the Turbopass Flex, Turbopass itself gives two different periods, 365 days and 30 days elsewhere. Check the information in the shop before you buy.
How long is the Headout Pass valid?
30 calendar days from the date you choose when booking. You set the times for the individual attractions through Headout after you buy.
Cancellation and changes
Can I cancel the London Pass and Explorer Pass for free?
Yes, if you bought directly from Go City: full refund within 90 days of purchase, as long as the pass is not activated. It is activated with your first visit. If you bought through Headout, Tiqets or GetYourGuide, their rules apply.
Can I change or cancel a Merlin combo ticket?
The combo tickets are not refunded. You can change the date up to three times free of charge.
How do I cancel the Turbopass?
The two products have different rules. You can cancel the Turbopass City for a fee of €30 per ticket, as long as it is unused and nothing is booked. With the Turbopass Flex you get your money back in full as long as no attraction is selected or booked; after that you get a partial refund, and less than 24 hours before the start date nothing at all.
Can I cancel the Headout Pass?
Yes, with a full refund, as long as you have not yet booked any attraction.
Families and children
Which pass is worth it for families?
Often the Explorer Pass. With children you see fewer sights a day, and the 30 days allow for breaks. If the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE or Shrek’s Adventure are the focus, a Merlin combo ticket or the Turbopass is often cheaper. Very active families with lots of sights in a few days do better with the London Pass.
Do children go free?
At Go City, children under 5 do not need a pass. From 5 to 15 the child price applies, for example £79.00 instead of £115.00 for the Explorer Pass with 4 attractions. Turbopass and Headout also have child prices for ages 5 to 15.
Which attractions suit young children?
A boat trip on the Thames, the hop-on hop-off bus with its open top deck, the London Eye and London Zoo all work well. SEA LIFE is not available at Go City, but it is in the Turbopass, the Headout Pass and the Merlin combo tickets.
How many attractions can you manage per day with children?
Usually one or two. Breaks, meals and getting between sights take time. So with children, a pass by days pays off less often than one by attractions.
Are SEA LIFE, Shrek’s Adventure and the London Dungeon in the London Pass?
No, all three are missing at Go City, in the London Pass as in the Explorer Pass. All three are included in the Turbopass City, and with the Turbopass Flex you can choose them. The Headout Pass also lets you pick the London Dungeon, SEA LIFE and Shrek’s Adventure as premium attractions. Merlin sells them as combo tickets with the London Eye.
What is the minimum age for the London Dungeon?
Children under 5 are not allowed in. Up to the age of 15, the London Dungeon is only allowed with someone aged 18 or over. The scenes are designed to scare; for younger children that is often too much.
Public transport and getting there
Is the Oyster Card included in any pass?
No. No London pass includes the Tube, regular buses or trains. For public transport you pay contactless with a card or phone, or get a Visitor Oyster Card.
Is there a London Pass with public transport?
Not at the moment. You pay for sightseeing and travel separately. Because Oyster and contactless payments have a daily cap, public transport costs stay manageable.
Visitor Oyster Card or pay contactless?
The fares are the same, and so are the daily and weekly caps. The Visitor Oyster Card has a £10.50 card fee that you do not get back (as of 2026). Paying contactless saves you this fee, as long as your bank does not charge high foreign fees. For children aged 11 to 15 you need the Visitor Oyster Card if you want to use the Young Visitor Discount.
How much does public transport cost per day?
With Oyster or contactless you pay no more than £8.90 a day in zones 1 and 2. A bus journey costs £1.75, and the daily bus cap is £5.25. A paper Day Travelcard for zones 1 to 4 costs £16.60 (all as of 2026).
How do I get from Heathrow Airport into town?
On the Elizabeth line or the Piccadilly line, both with Oyster or contactless. The Heathrow Express is faster, but it is not covered by the daily cap and costs extra.
Do children travel cheaper or free?
Children under 11 always travel free on buses and trams. On the Tube, DLR, Overground and Elizabeth line they travel free with a paying adult, up to four children per adult. For children aged 11 to 15 there is the Young Visitor Discount on the Visitor Oyster Card: half the adult fare for up to 14 days.
Attractions and what is included
Which attractions are included in the London Pass?
Every attraction in the Go City programme. The London Eye, The Shard and Madame Tussauds are included, as well as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, Kensington Palace, Kew Gardens, London Zoo, HMS Belfast, the Royal Observatory, the Cutty Sark and Up at The O2. The full searchable list is on the attractions page.
Which pass has the widest choice?
The London Pass. The Explorer Pass covers most of the same programme. Headout and Turbopass have much shorter lists, but with Merlin attractions such as the London Dungeon. The Merlin combo tickets only cover Merlin attractions and the Big Bus.
What is only in the London Pass, not in the Explorer Pass?
Mainly the trips and extras: the half-day tour to Stonehenge, the day trip to Blenheim Palace, LEGOLAND Windsor and Chessington World of Adventures, plus the Guildhall Art Gallery and several food and drink offers. The big London attractions, including Windsor Castle and the Royal Mews, are in both passes.
Is Windsor Castle included in the Explorer Pass?
Yes, Windsor Castle is in both Go City passes. In the Explorer Pass it counts as one of your 2 to 7 attractions. Without a pass, entry costs £36.
Is the London Eye included in the pass?
In the London Pass, yes; with the Explorer Pass it is available to choose, both with a time slot booked in the app. On the Headout Pass it counts as a premium attraction. With the Turbopass City it costs extra; with the Turbopass Flex you can choose it. It is included in every Merlin combo ticket.
Is Stonehenge in the pass?
Only in the London Pass, as a half-day tour with a time slot. You cannot choose Stonehenge with the Explorer Pass.
Discounts and saving
Is there a discount code for the London Pass and Explorer Pass?
Yes, 5% each and with no expiry date. LONDONCP05LP works on londonpass.com for the London Pass, LONDONCP05 on gocity.com for the Explorer Pass. If you buy the London Pass on gocity.com, use LONDONCP05 there as well. The code and the shop have to match.
How much does the code save?
5% off the price in the shop. On the 3-day London Pass (£199.00) that is around £10 per adult. Larger discounts only come with Go City’s limited-time offers.
Where do I enter the code?
In the basket at Go City, in the discount code field, before you pay. The reduction shows up in the total straight away. The codes do not work at Headout, Tiqets or GetYourGuide.
Are codes for 30% or 50% off real?
As a rule, no. Codes like that have expired or are made up. You can see in the basket whether a code works: if no reduction appears, it does not.
Are there Black Friday discounts?
Go City occasionally runs a limited-time offer with a bigger discount for Black Friday or in the summer. There is none running at the moment. Outside such offers, the 5% with the codes applies.
How do I find out whether a pass is worth it?
Write down the attractions you really want to visit and add up their prices. If the total is higher than the pass price, you save. The calculator does this for you and puts the London Pass and the Explorer Pass side by side.
Turbopass, Headout and Merlin
What is the Turbopass?
Turbopass sells two passes for London, both in euros. The Turbopass City is valid for 1 to 7 days for every attraction on the list, much like the London Pass. With the Turbopass Flex you choose 2 to 7 attractions, as with the Explorer Pass. The list includes the Tower of London, Madame Tussauds, Kensington Palace, the London Dungeon, SEA LIFE, Hampton Court and London Zoo, among others.
Who is the Turbopass for?
For anyone who wants to combine the Tower with Merlin attractions such as the London Dungeon, SEA LIFE and Shrek’s Adventure. Windsor Castle, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s and The Shard are missing; if you want to see those, you are better off with Go City. Public transport is not included here either.
How does the Headout Pass work?
You buy 2 to 7 attractions, either as Essential with a fixed mix of premium and standard attractions or as Flexi with a free choice. The premium attractions include the Tower of London, London Eye, Westminster Abbey and Madame Tussauds. It is the only pass here that includes the Houses of Parliament. It is valid for 30 days from the date you choose.
What are the Merlin combo tickets?
Fixed bundles of 2, 3 or 5 Merlin Entertainments attractions: the London Eye with Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE, the London Dungeon or Shrek’s Adventure, and in one version with the Big Bus as well. You do not choose individual sights; you choose a bundle. The former Big City Saver no longer exists.
How long are the Merlin combo tickets valid?
7 days from your first visit. You set the time for the first attraction when you buy and book the rest free of charge in Merlin’s booking portal. You do not need a time slot for the Big Bus.
Is a Merlin combo ticket worth it for families?
Often, yes, if the London Eye, SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds or Shrek’s Adventure are on your list. These attractions are expensive on their own and much cheaper in a bundle. The downsides: non-refundable, valid for only 7 days, and the London Dungeon has age limits.
More answers on the topic pages
Each of these pages goes into more detail on one topic.
The London Pass®
What is included, how the days count and who it pays off for.
To the London Pass By attractionsExplorer Pass
2 to 7 attractions, 30 days to use them, and what the programme leaves out.
To the Explorer Pass Bundle pricesMerlin combo tickets
The London Eye with Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE or the London Dungeon.
To the combo tickets Every optionPrices
Adults and children, the price per day and extra costs.
To the prices CalculatorIs a pass worth it?
Four trips worked out and the calculator for your own plans.
Do the maths Search and filterAll attractions
Every attraction with its price without a pass and the passes that include it.
Find an attraction Side by sideLondon Pass vs Explorer Pass
The two Go City passes next to each other.
See the comparison 5% at Go CityDiscount codes
Which code works in which shop and how to redeem it.
See the codes Public transportOyster Card and contactless
Which ticket you need alongside the pass and what it costs.
To public transportLondon Pass or Explorer Pass with 5% off
Bought directly, both Go City passes can be cancelled free of charge for 90 days, as long as you have not activated them.
LONDONCP05LP
Explorer Pass: 5% with code LONDONCP05
Still unsure? Work out whether a pass pays off for you
LONDONCP05LP