London Pass Tipps 2026: So holst du das Maximum aus deinem Sightseeing-Pass
With the right plan, you can save significantly more and see significantly more with the London Pass® or the Explorer Pass. Here you will find tried and tested tips on activation, savings, logistics and cancellations - all specifically tailored to both Go City Passes, not general travel topics.
The four levers you can use to get the most out of it
Whether London Pass® or Explorer Pass: if you follow a few simple rules, you will save more money and see more in the same amount of time. We have sorted the most important tips into four topics - from activation to cancellation.
1. make clever use of activation and validity
Both Go City Passes only start when you visit the first attraction - not when you buy it. This is the most important lever of all, because the clock starts ticking from this moment. With the London Pass®, consecutive calendar days count from activation, with each day ending at midnight. With the Explorer Pass you have 30 days after activation to redeem your chosen attractions.
The most common mistake is to activate the London Pass® on the day of arrival with a small attraction in the late afternoon. Then you lose almost an entire day of validity for a single attraction.
Only activate the London Pass® on the first full day of sightseeing, ideally in the morning before the first big attraction. This way, you can make full use of every calendar day instead of wasting half a day.
The Explorer Pass is more relaxed here: You have 30 days from activation. Rest days, day trips or a rainy afternoon cost you nothing. Plan your 2 to 7 attractions over the period that suits you best.
Buy the Sightseeing Pass from the comfort of your own home. The purchase does not activate anything - the validity only starts when you visit the attraction for the first time.
With the London Pass®, activate with the first attraction in the morning, not halfway through the day of arrival. With the Explorer Pass, the start time is not critical thanks to the 30-day deadline.
Plan several attractions per day of validity. Each additional visit to London Pass® is free - this lowers your price per attraction.
2. save as much as possible
A sightseeing pass saves money on its own - but with the right sequence you can get even more out of it. There are three decisive factors: the discount code at the time of purchase, the selection of expensive attractions first and the free extras of the London Pass®.
Both passes are from Go City. On londonpass.com you save with the code LONDONCP05LP additional 5 % on the London Pass®. The code works on gocity.com LONDONCP05 for the London Pass® and the Explorer Pass. That's money you'd otherwise just leave lying around.
The second lever is the order: if you want to reach break-even faster, visit expensive attractions first. Just two or three of the major highlights often bring a multi-day London Pass® into the plus range. Here are a few Go City reference prices to give you an idea of what individual tickets would cost:
Expensive highlights first
- The View from The Shard: round £32
- Tower of London: round £35
- Westminster Abbey: round £30
- Windsor Castle: round £33 (London Pass® only)
Just three of these highlights add up to around £100. This means that a London Pass® is available for 1 day (from £99) practically immediately.
Free extras with the London Pass®
- 2-day hop-on hop-off bus included
- 24h Thames boat trip included
- Both are automatically included in the London Pass®
- Saves another round £40-£60
The hop-on hop-off bus and boat trip are included in the London Pass® at no extra charge. Plan them actively - they combine the highlights and are a savings lever in themselves.
The Explorer Pass does not automatically include the bus and boat trip - each tour counts as one of your selected attractions. With the Explorer Pass, it is therefore particularly worthwhile to select the most expensive highlights as your 2 to 7 attractions. The individual prices quoted are estimated Go City reference values and may vary slightly depending on the season.
3. plan logistics and sequence
London's attractions are far apart. If you criss-cross without a plan, you can easily lose an hour a day - and therefore an attraction. With a few logistical rules, you can see significantly more in the same amount of time.
Plan attractions per day that are close to each other. Tower of London and Tower Bridge on one day, Westminster and the London Eye on another - that saves travelling.
Visit the major highlights early in the morning or in the late afternoon. The queues are longest at lunchtime - even with a sightseeing pass.
Both passes run digitally via the Go City app on your smartphone. You don't need to print anything out - simply scan the QR code at the entrance.
Some attractions require a time slot in advance even with a valid Sightseeing Pass. These include Windsor Castle, The View from The Shard and Westminster Abbey. Reserve these time slots via the Go City app or the respective attraction website a few days in advance - otherwise you will be standing in front of a locked door or losing time in the queue despite having a Sightseeing Pass.
4. cover cancellation and risk
An often overlooked advantage: both Go City Passes can be cancelled free of charge 90 days after purchase as long as they have not been activated. This makes the early purchase of a sightseeing pass virtually risk-free - and is itself a savings and planning lever.
Buy your Sightseeing Pass in advance - for example, if you want to take advantage of a good exchange rate or discount code. If your trip is cancelled due to flight cancellation or illness, Go City will refund the unactivated Sightseeing Pass in full within 90 days. So you are not taking any financial risk.
The 90-day period applies from the date of purchase and only for non-activated passes. As soon as you have visited the first attraction, the Sightseeing Pass is deemed to have been redeemed and is no longer refundable. If you want to be on the safe side, you should therefore only activate your pass once you have actually finalised your trip.
These mistakes will cost you money
Most people don't give away money when they buy something, but when they use it. Four mistakes are particularly common - and all four can be avoided with a little planning.
If you activate the London Pass® in the afternoon after arrival for a single attraction, you will lose almost an entire day of validity. It's better to start on the first full day in the morning. With the Explorer Pass it doesn't matter thanks to the 30-day validity period.
If you start with small, cheap sights, you will reach the break-even point more slowly. Visit the expensive highlights first - that way your sightseeing pass will be in the black quicker if you spontaneously cancel a day.
Windsor Castle, The View from The Shard and Westminster Abbey require a time slot even with a Sightseeing Pass. Without a reservation, you will lose time in the queue or not get in at all - and therefore money per attraction.
The additional 5 % about the code will be lost if you overlook the field when purchasing. On londonpass.com applies LONDONCP05LP, on gocity.com LONDONCP05 - always enter before paying.
Quick win checklist: 7 steps to the maximum
- Buy your Sightseeing Pass in advance and enter your discount code (LONDONCP05LP or LONDONCP05)
- Only activate the London Pass® on the first full day of sightseeing in the morning
- Plan expensive highlights first to reach break-even quickly
- Take the London Pass® hop-on hop-off bus and Thames boat trip as a free extra
- Cluster attractions per day geographically and avoid peak times
- Book a time slot for Windsor Castle, The Shard and Westminster Abbey in advance
- Install the Go City app and download the digital sightseeing pass to your smartphone
Frequently asked questions about the use of London Pass® and Explorer Pass
Both Go City Passes are activated automatically when you visit the attraction for the first time, not when you buy them. The London Pass® is best activated on the first full day of sightseeing in the morning, as consecutive calendar days run from then on. With the Explorer Pass the timing is not critical - you have 30 days after that.
Yes for some attractions. Windsor Castle, The View from The Shard and Westminster Abbey require a pre-booked time slot even with a valid Sightseeing Pass. Book these via the Go City app or the attraction page a few days in advance. You can visit most other attractions spontaneously with the digital Sightseeing Pass.
Yes, both the London Pass® and the Explorer Pass can be cancelled free of charge 90 days after purchase as long as they have not yet been activated. So you can buy your Sightseeing Pass in advance - if the trip is cancelled, you will receive a full refund.
Enter the code in the voucher field before paying. On londonpass.com the code for the London Pass® is LONDONCP05LP, works on gocity.com LONDONCP05 for the London Pass® and the Explorer Pass. In both cases you save additional 5 % on the already discounted pass price.
Unused days or attractions will not be refunded after the expiry date. With the London Pass® the validity ends after the selected consecutive days, with the Explorer Pass after 30 days or as soon as all selected attractions have been redeemed. So plan realistically: it is better to use a shorter sightseeing pass to the full than to leave a long one half empty.
The smartphone is enough. Both passes run digitally via the Go City app. You load the sightseeing pass into the app after purchasing it and have the QR code scanned at the entrance to each attraction. A printout is not necessary - download the app before your trip and log in.
With the London Pass® yes: A 2-day hop-on hop-off bus and a 24-hour boat trip are automatically included without using up an attraction. With the Explorer Pass, the bus and boat trip each count as one of your chosen attractions. Make active use of the extras on the London Pass® - they combine the highlights and also save you money.
Plan geographically and by price. Combine attractions that are close to each other in one day and visit the most expensive highlights first to break even quickly. It is best to visit major highlights early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid peak times and long queues.
Ready to get your sightseeing pass?
Both Go City Passes are high quality. Choose the one that suits your travelling style - and use the code to secure additional benefits. 5 %.
The London Pass®
All-inclusive sightseeing pass with over 100 attractions. Windsor Castle, hop-on hop-off bus and Thames boat trip are automatically included. 1 to 10 days consecutive.
- From £99 for 1 day
- Bus and boat trip included free of charge
- With code LONDONCP05LP additional 5 % save
London Explorer Pass
Choice sightseeing pass with 2 to 7 freely selectable attractions from 103 available. 30-day redemption period from activation - perfect for selective and relaxed travelling.
- From £64 for 2 attractions
- 30 days flexibility
- With code LONDONCP05 additional 5 % save
Calculate your savings with the calculator on the page about whether the London Pass® is worth it, or compare the two passes directly.