12 Bus Day Trips in the UK Worth the Fare

1.Stonehenge, Windsor, and Bath Day Trip by Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,335 reviews · 10 - 11 hours · from $120Our pick

Leave London by air-conditioned coach for Windsor’s castle and cobbled streets, Stonehenge’s ancient stones, and Bath’s Roman Baths. Expect roughly 10 to 11 hours, several hours on the road, and a fast pace. Guides may lead in English or Spanish, with entry tickets available by option.

“Nice trip with Regina and Mario. We enjoyed it very much. Absolutely recommendable. We had all entries included which was really good.”

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2.Windsor Castle Half Day Trip from London by Luxury Coach

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 744 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $122

Ride from Earl’s Court to Windsor Castle on an air-conditioned coach, with live commentary from guides such as James, Sam, or Nick. Your ticket includes castle admission and free time inside, but the guide leaves you at security, so you explore with the castle’s audio guide.

“Not worth the price. Make the arrangements yourself. Spent over 600 pounds for 5 people for a bus ride, tickets and self guided tour.”

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3.Guided Day Tour of Giant’s Causeway from Belfast by Comfortable Coach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 740 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $59Top rated

Travel from Belfast in a comfortable coach with a driver-guide such as Steven, Paul, or Paddy. See Giant’s Causeway, Bushmills, Dunluce Castle, Dark Hedges, Carnlough, and Portaneevy View Point, with live stories and photo stops throughout the 7.5-hour day.

“Paddy was an expert guide, gave us enough time to see everything and visualise the scenes even with the fog. Having a local born and bred made the stories real. Would highly recommend, good value for money.”

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4.Uber Boat 1-Day Hop-On Hop-Off and Cable Car Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 409 reviews · 1 day · from $44

Use one ticket for unlimited Uber Boat by Thames Clippers journeys between Putney and Barking Riverside, then ride the IFS Cloud Cable Car from North Greenwich for wide views over the Thames, the O2 Arena, and London. You get indoor seating, covered outdoor areas, and a downloadable river guide.

“I had my granddaughter staying with me. London Eye was going to be busy so thought we would try this out. Had a good deal on the internet. Everything went well and we had a brilliant day.”

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5.Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon Day Trip by Coach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 352 reviews · 10 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $122

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Victoria to Stratford-upon-Avon for Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, and New Place. You’ll have free time in town, guided commentary on some departures, and possibly Cotswold scenery. Expect a long, tightly timed day with plenty of driving.

“Our guide and driver were excellent. "D" and "V" were wonderful. "D" gave us lots of details and local history about the places we visited. Unfortunately, these kinds of tours are a bit rushed so there is not enough time to see everything. The Cotswolds are beautiful. The Shakespeare museum is wonderful as is Anne Hathaway's Cottage.”

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6.Hop-On Hop-Off 1-Day River Sightseeing Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 257 reviews · 1 day · from $34

Ride Uber Boat by Thames Clippers all day between Putney and Barking Riverside. Hop off at Westminster, Tower Bridge, Greenwich, and other piers, then continue by boat when ready. You get indoor seating and covered outdoor space, with crew such as Captain Darren and First Mate Paul praised for helpful service.

“generally good and the officers were very helpful. They assited us even though we did not receive the tickets. Then I called at the office and was assisted”

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7.Giant’s Causeway Tour and 2-Day Open Top-Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 86 reviews · 1 day · from $55

Spend day one on the Causeway Coast with guides such as Dave, Stuart, or Patrick, stopping at Carrickfergus, Carnlough, Dark Hedges, Dunluce Castle, and Giant’s Causeway. Then use your two-day Belfast bus pass to reach Titanic Belfast, Crumlin Road Jail, Queen’s University, and the city’s murals.

“We had a fantastic day trip visiting the Giant's Causeway, which was spectacular. Our tour guide, Patrick, was brilliant - funny, informative & made the day so special taking us to some beautiful places! He knows his history & shared so many stories both old & new (including interesting facts about the Games of Thrones which, whether a fan or not, were fascinating) Myself & my husband loved this trip from start to finish - it was great value, well worth the money & a fantastic way to see some beautiful places of interest (including Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, Carrickfergus Castle, the dark hedges & an amazing cavern & coastal areas.…”

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8.Giant’s Causeway Tour and 2-Day Open Top-Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 52 reviews · 1 day · from $55

Take an English-guided coach tour from Belfast to Giant’s Causeway, with stops at Carrickfergus, Carrick-a-Rede, Dark Hedges, and Dunluce Castle. Your ticket also covers Belfast’s 19-stop open-top bus route, with six-language commentary and departures every 30 minutes.

“Our tour guide Andrew was amazing. Made the day so much better! Will definitely book again if I visit the city again.”

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9.From Portsmouth: Isle of Wight Day Tour by Bus and Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 36 reviews · 9 hours · from $106

Travel from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight by executive coach and Wightlink Ferry. With an English-speaking guide such as Andrew, Charlie, or Jerry, visit Godshill and Alum Bay, then see the Needles by chairlift or on foot.

“Siamo stati troppo tempo in autobus con solo 2 soste. La prima sosta abbastanza inutile solo per vedere qualche cottage e una chiesetta, la seconda ai Needles. Il meteo non era favorevole quindi sostare 2-3h, essendo impossibile restare sulla spiaggia per il vento, significa costringere le persone a rifugiarsi nei ristoranti, ma non era questo lo scopo della gita.... Penso che il tempo per visitare Osborne House ci fosse tutto.....”

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10.Bicester Village Shopping Day Trip with Coach Ride

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 8 reviews · from $60

Travel from 258 Vauxhall Bridge Road to Bicester Village by luxury coach, then enjoy several hours to browse more than 150 designer boutiques. Your fare includes Wi-Fi, USB charging, a Guest Services Host, and an e-VIP code for an extra 10% off at participating stores. No guided sightseeing is included.

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11.Hop-On Hop-Off 2-Day River Thames Sightseeing Pass

★★★★★★★★★★3.1 · 3 reviews · 2 days · from $57

Use an Uber Boat by Thames Clippers pass for two consecutive days and travel between 24 piers from Putney to Barking Riverside. Hop off near the London Eye, Tower of London, Shakespeare’s Globe, and Greenwich Market, then continue by comfortable indoor cabin or outdoor deck.

“Gut Englischkenntnisse sind zwingend erforderlich, da JEDER Mitarbeiter das Ticket zuerst ablehnt hat und ich auf Englisch erklären musste, dass es doch für Uber-Boat gilt. Grund: Es gibt ein anderes Bootsunternehmen, welches mit einer Art Sightseeing-Pass für Bootstouren wirbt (so einen Pass hat Uber-Boat überhaupt nicht). Habe locker 2 Stunden Diskussionen auf Englisch hinter mir, wobei ich bei einer Fahrt alleine dreimal Überzeugungsarbeit leisten musste. Ohne gutes Englisch wäre ich komplett verloren gewesen. Als solches ist das Ticket eine Empfehlung, wenn denn der Begriff "Sightseeing-Pass" durch "Uber-Boat-Ticket" (oder was auch immer) ersetzt werden würde.”

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12.Bath Hop on with Jane Austen 2-Day bus and walking tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $33Best value

Use unlimited hop-on hop-off travel on Bath’s City and Skyline routes for two days, then follow a 40-minute audio walk through places linked to Jane Austen. Expect commentary in 10 languages, free landmark stops, and separate admission for the Roman Baths and Jane Austen sites.

“Very easy to book on line, running commentary throughout the tour. vey skilled drivers who are very friendly and helpful”

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