My home city of London has a not unwarranted reputation for being expensive. Although its world-class state-funded museums are free, London’s other attractions can seriously blow a hole in your travel budget.
The good news is that London has a city pass – the Go City® London Explorer Pass – providing access to many of its top attractions and activities. But is the London Explorer Pass worth it?
In my view, the Go City® London Explorer Pass is likely to be worth it for most travellers, particularly if you prioritise high-ticket attractions. There are few exclusions, and the pass has a generous 30-day validity period once activated.
Get the lowdown in my London Explorer Pass review, where I run through how it works, how much it costs, what is included, and where to buy it. All information and prices are taken from the London Explorer Pass official website and are correct as of July 2026.
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The Bottom Line
- The Go City® London Explorer Pass is likely to be a good deal for most travellers.
- It includes a host of world-famous attractions, has a generous 30-day validity period and offers complete flexibility over how much you want to see. Provided you use all of the credits and select the more expensive attractions and activities, it’s hard not to save money with the London Explorer Pass.
- If you like a less intensive sightseeing schedule, visiting just one or two places a day, the London Explorer Pass is likely to be the best city pass for you. If you want to blast through the city, ticking off as many sites as possible, then the All-Inclusive London Pass will be a better fit.
How it works
The London Explorer Pass is a city sightseeing pass
You choose credits to visit 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 places from the list of top London attractions, tours and activities, and then download these to the Go City® app. Your London Explorer Pass is activated when you visit your first attraction and is valid for 30 days.
London Explorer Pass or London All-Inclusive Pass?
It’s easy to confuse these London city cards, both sold by Go City.
Like many traditional city passes, the London Pass, or London All-Inclusive Pass, offers access to an unlimited number of included attractions over a set number of days. The London Explorer Pass offers access to a predetermined number of attractions.
The London Explorer Pass lets you choose how many attractions you would like to visit. With the London Pass, you choose the number of consecutive days you would like to sightsee.
How much does it cost?
The price of your London Explorer Pass will be determined by how many credits, or attractions, you select. One credit grants you access to one of the included attractions.
It comes in these different flavours: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 credits.
Adult prices apply to those aged 16 and over. Child prices are for those aged 5 to 15. Most attractions grant free entry to under-fives.
The London Explorer Pass prices quoted refer to full face value as of December 2025. Discounts may be available, and you can check the current costs here.
- 2-Choice Pass – Adult £64 | Child £49
- 3-Choice Pass – Adult £89 | Child £64
- 4-Choice Pass – Adult £109 | Child £79
- 5-Choice Pass – Adult £129 | Child £89
- 6-Choice Pass – Adult £149 | Child £99
- 7-Choice Pass – Adult £159 | Child £109
The more choices you select, the cheaper the pass is on a cost-per-attraction basis.
What is free with the London Explorer Pass?
As of July 2026, over 110 of London’s best attractions and activities are free with the Go City® London Explorer Pass. You can check the full list on the official website.
Popular London attractions
You don’t need to pre-book most of the attractions. However, there is a handful that you will need to book in advance. Find out which attractions require a reservation here.
Here are some of my favourite places in London that are included in the pass.
Tower of London – Built by William the Conqueror in 1066, the Tower of London is famous as a place of imprisonment and execution and is home to the Crown Jewels.
St. Paul’s Cathedral – This magnificent Wren cathedral has been the setting for many ceremonial events and is famous for its Whispering Gallery and the views over London from its Golden Gallery.
Westminster Abbey – Founded by Benedictine monks in 960 AD, this Gothic masterpiece is the final resting place of 17 English monarchs, writers, artists, scientists and political leaders.
The View from The Shard -Soaring to a height of almost 310 meters above the River Thames, The View from The Shard is the highest viewpoint in London.
London Eye – A 30-minute flight on this London icon is hugely popular
Tower Bridge Experience – Visit this famous London bridge in a lift that whisks you up to the walkways, 30 meters above street level.
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre – Tour this marvellous reproduction of an Elizabethan theatre, located a few hundred meters from the original Globe, where many of Shakespeare’s plays were first performed.
Kensington Palace – Designed by Christopher Wren, the childhood home of Queen Victoria is now the official residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Kew Gardens – Displaying over 50,000 plant species, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is another UNESCO World Heritage Site in London.
London Zoo – Set in Leafy Regent’s Park and home to over 700 species, London Zoo is a fun family day out.
Windsor Castle – 11th-century royal residence and and one of the best day trips from London
Hampton Court Palace – The famous royal palace of the Tudor king Henry VIII.
London Eye
View from The Shard
Diana Fountain, Kensington Palace
Hampton Court Palace
Transport & Tours
The London Explorer Pass does not include public transportation. To zip around London’s transport network, buy an Oyster card (a prepayment tap-and-go smart card) and load it with credit when you arrive. Alternatively, use your contactless bank card.
However, the pass does include these other ways to get around the city:
- 2-Day Hop-on-hop-off Bus Tour – See the sights from the upper deck of an open-top bus
- London Bicycle Tour – Explore the city on two wheels on a guided bicycle tour. For a DIY option, bicycle hire is also included in the pass.
- City Cruises 24 Hour Thames River Pass – Or take a relaxing river cruise on this hop-on-hop-off boat
Attractions not included in the London Explorer Pass
The London Explorer Pass is pretty comprehensive. However, there are some notable exclusions:
- Buckingham Palace tours (summer-only)
- Tours of the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament)
The London Explorer Pass doesn’t usually cover admission to temporary exhibitions and events or audioguides at the included attractions.
State-funded museums such as the British Museum and the V&A are not included, but admission to their permanent exhibitions is free regardless.
Is the London Explorer Pass worth it? Crunching the numbers
The only way to work out if the London Explorer Pass is worth it is to do a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation, costing the attractions you would like to see with and without the pass.
Choosing 3 activities
Let’s take the example of a first-time solo visitor to London who wants to use the HOHO bus take a London sightseeing tour, and visit The View from The Shard
Cost | |
|---|---|
Individual tickets | £135 |
3-Choice London Explorer pass | £89 |
Savings | £46 |
Choosing 7 activities
Let’s add four more attractions: Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Cost | |
|---|---|
Individual tickets | £251 |
3-Choice London Explorer pass | £159 |
Savings | £92 |
These examples show that using the London Explorer Pass for these items will save you money. Add to that the convenience of not having to queue to buy tickets at each place, and it’s a no-brainer.
For extra reassurance, Go City has introduced a risk-free guarantee.
If the city pass costs more than individual attraction tickets, they will refund you the difference. You’ll need to have used up all your credits to be eligible.
Find out more here.
Who is the pass good for?
If you are looking for a relaxed itinerary – As you have 30 days to max out your London Explorer Pass, you can take your time exploring the city’s attractions.
If you are spending longer in London – The generous duration of the pass is perfect for a longer-term visit. It’s even a good buy for a local like me!
If you are splitting your London sightseeing over two visits – Some people bookend their visit to the UK with stays in London. With the 30-day window, you can use the pass upon arrival in London and re-commence sightseeing upon your return visit.
If you want to set your budget in advance – No one likes a nasty shock when they check their credit card statement at the end of a holiday. With the London Explorer Pass, you can take control of a chunk of your vacation budget.
If you are looking for convenience – There’s a lot to be said for not having to queue to purchase individual tickets.
Who should skip the pass?
If you have already visited the big-ticket items – Perhaps you have already visited places like the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. Or maybe you are not that keen on the city’s hop-on-hop-off bus or river cruise? These more expensive London Explorer Pass attractions generate the biggest savings.
If you want to see as much of London as possible over a short period of time – If intensive sightseeing is for you, then the Go City® London Pass may be a better deal for you. The more sights you visit, the more money you will save.
If you are on a budget – In an expensive city like London, it can be challenging to stretch the travel budget to the paid-for attractions. Fortunately, London excellent free museums, parks and gardens.
My top tips for squeezing the most out of your London Explorer Pass
1. Prioritise high-value attractions
To get the most bang for your buck, use the London Explorer Pass to visit the more expensive places like the Tower of London.
2. Make sure that you have enough time to use all of your credits
Even though this pass has a generous 30-day window, make sure that you will have enough time to max it out. Don’t pay for credits that you won’t need.
3. Check opening hours in advance
Some London attractions are closed on certain days of the week (Westminster Abbey is closed on Sundays, for example), and many admit their last visitors at 4.30 pm.
Where to buy your London Explorer Pass
You can only buy your London Pass Explorer Pass online. I bought mine from the official site, but the trusted reseller, GetYourGuide, also sells it. It’s worth comparing the prices and cancellation terms offered by the two sites.
You can buy your pass up to one year before you intend to use it. But as Go City offers a no-questions-asked refund within 30 days of purchase, provided the pass has not been activated, I recommend buying the pass in the month before your London trip.
That said, Go City does have some excellent sales, so if you see a deep discount, go for it.
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman is a Londoner who has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.