London Pass or Explorer Pass: side by side
Both passes come from Go City and open almost the same doors. The London Pass charges by days, the Explorer Pass by attractions. Which one is cheaper depends on how much you want to see in a day.
The London Pass®
London Explorer Pass
Both passes line by line
Same provider, same app, same cancellation rule. The differences are in how you pay and in a few offers only the London Pass has.
Scroll the table sideways.
| Feature | The London Pass® | London Explorer Pass |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | by days, unlimited attractions per day | by attractions, 2 to 7 of your choice |
| Adults from | £105.00 (1 day) | £65.00 (2 attractions) |
| Largest option | £305.00 (10 days) | £165.00 (7 attractions) |
| Validity | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 calendar days | 30 days |
| Activation | with your first visit | with your first visit |
| Programme | Go City’s entire programme | the major sights, without day trips and food offers |
| Tower of London, London Eye, Westminster Abbey | included | to choose |
| Windsor Castle and Royal Mews | included | to choose |
| Stonehenge half-day tour | included | not included |
| Big Bus (2-day ticket) | included | uses one attraction |
| Thames boats (24 hours) | included | uses one attraction |
| Booking required | with both for the London Eye, The Shard, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey and Madame Tussauds | |
| Cancellation at Go City | full refund within 90 days of purchase, as long as not activated | |
| Age | adults 16+, children 5 to 15, no pass needed under 5 | |
| Discount code (5%) | LONDONCP05LP on londonpass.com | LONDONCP05 on gocity.com |
Prices of both passes side by side
The London Pass counts days, the Explorer Pass counts attractions. Adult prices at Go City, without a discount code.
Price by days
| 1 day | £105.00 |
| 2 days | £155.00 |
| 3 days | £199.00 |
| 4 days | £225.00 |
| 5 days | £245.00 |
| 6 days | £265.00 |
| 7 days | £285.00 |
| 10 days | £305.00 |
Consecutive calendar days from your first visit.
Price by attractions
| 2 attractions | £65.00 |
| 3 attractions | £89.00 |
| 4 attractions | £115.00 |
| 5 attractions | £135.00 |
| 6 attractions | £155.00 |
| 7 attractions | £165.00 |
30 days from your first visit.
All London Pass prices including child prices Explorer Pass price levels
When the London Pass becomes cheaper
The rule of thumb: a two-day London Pass costs roughly the same as an Explorer Pass for seven attractions. If you can fit seven or more sights into two days, take the London Pass. If you plan fewer or spread your visits over a week, you pay less with the Explorer Pass.
Scroll the table sideways.
| London Pass | Price | Explorer Pass up to this price | London Pass cheaper from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | £105.00 | 3 attractions (£89.00) | 4 attractions in one day |
| 2 days | £155.00 | 6 attractions (£155.00) | 7 attractions in 2 days |
| 3 days | £199.00 | 7 attractions (£165.00) | 8 attractions in 3 days |
| 4 days | £225.00 | 7 attractions (£165.00) | 8 attractions in 4 days |
This compares pass prices only. Whether a pass is worth it at all depends on the admission you would pay without one. The savings calculator works that out.
Savings calculator for your selection
Tick what you would really visit. The calculator shows the single tickets, the London Pass for the days your plan needs and the Explorer Pass at the matching level.
Two trips, two calculations
Adult admission according to Go City, pass prices without a discount code.
Two days, packed schedule
On day one the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and The Shard. On day two Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, the Thames boats and Madame Tussauds. Eight sights in two days.
The London Pass is the cheapest here: £94 less than single tickets and £28 less than the Explorer Pass option.
One week, four big sights
The Tower of London, the London Eye, a day in Windsor and one at Hampton Court. In between, free museums such as the British Museum.
The Explorer Pass saves £29 here compared with single tickets and gives you 30 days. A London Pass for the whole week would even cost £141 more than single tickets.
The decision in three cases
If the calculator does not give you a clear answer yet, this list helps.
- you manage three or more paid sights on most days
- you plan more than seven attractions
- you want to use the bus and Thames boats without giving up an attraction for them
- you want Stonehenge, a day trip or a food offer included
- you have two to seven sights firmly in mind
- you plan one attraction a day or fewer
- you want to fit in rest days, rainy days or free museums
- you want to spread your visits over up to 30 days
you only plan one paid attraction or two cheaper ones, and otherwise visit the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern and the parks. These charge no entry, and single tickets are then cheaper than any pass.
What sets the two passes apart
The major sights are in both. The difference lies mainly in the pricing model.
The London Pass is a flat rate for calendar days. With the Explorer Pass you buy a set number of visits. The fuller your schedule, the more likely the flat rate pays off.
The London Pass runs day after day from your first visit, even if you skip a day. The Explorer Pass gives you 30 days for your visits.
The 2-day Big Bus ticket and the 24-hour pass for City Cruises Thames boats are simply included in the London Pass. With the Explorer Pass, each one uses up one of your attractions.
The half-day tour to Stonehenge, the day trip to Blenheim Palace, LEGOLAND Windsor, Chessington, the musical “Wicked” and the offers in restaurants and pubs.
Questions about the comparison
What is the basic difference between the London Pass and the Explorer Pass?
Both come from Go City and largely cover the same attractions. With the London Pass you pay for 1 to 10 days and see as much as you can manage in that time. With the Explorer Pass you pay for 2 to 7 attractions and have 30 days from your first visit.
Which pass is cheaper?
It depends on the number of sights per day. The 1-day London Pass costs £105.00, the Explorer Pass for three attractions £89.00. So if you only manage three sights in a day, the Explorer Pass is cheaper. With lots of sights in a few days, the London Pass wins. The savings calculator works it out for your own selection.
Does the Explorer Pass include all the London Pass attractions?
No. The major sights such as the Tower of London, London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle and the Royal Mews are available in both passes. Only the London Pass has Stonehenge, several day trips, theme parks, the musical “Wicked” and the food offers.
Which pass is more flexible?
In terms of time, the Explorer Pass: you have 30 days from your first visit, and breaks cost nothing. The London Pass runs on consecutive calendar days. On the other hand, with the London Pass you do not have to count how many attractions you have left.
Which pass suits families better?
The age rules are the same: children aged 5 to 15 pay the child price, and under 5s do not need a pass. With children you rarely manage more than two sights a day. That is why the Explorer Pass often comes out ahead, unless the family has many days with a full schedule.
Can I combine both passes?
You can, as they are separate products. It rarely makes sense. It is usually cheaper to go one level up with the Explorer Pass or to add a day to the London Pass.
What are the cancellation terms?
The same for both if you buy 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. At Headout, Tiqets or GetYourGuide their own rules apply.
Is there one discount code for both passes?
No, there are two codes, each worth 5%. LONDONCP05LP works on londonpass.com for the London Pass, LONDONCP05 on gocity.com for the Explorer Pass. Anyone buying the London Pass on gocity.com uses LONDONCP05 there too. They do not work with other sellers.
Both passes with 5% off
Pick the one that matches your pace. You can cancel free of charge at Go City for 90 days until you activate it.
The London Pass®
5% off with code LONDONCP05LP
- 1 to 10 days
- Bus and Thames boats included
- from £105.00
London Explorer Pass
5% off with code LONDONCP05
- 2 to 7 attractions
- 30 days from your first visit
- from £65.00
LONDONCP05LP