London Attraction Pass Comparison: Is The London Pass Worth It?
If you are planning a trip to London and want to visit several paid attractions, you will probably come across the London Pass and the London Pass Explorer. These attraction passes allow you to visit multiple attractions for one price instead of buying individual tickets, and they can save money if you plan your itinerary carefully.
London has many paid attractions such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, Windsor Castle and the Thames River Cruise, and the cost of visiting several of these can add up quickly. Attraction passes are designed to reduce the overall cost if you plan to visit multiple attractions in a short period of time.
However, the London Pass and the Explorer Pass work in different ways, and many visitors are unsure which one to choose or whether either pass is worth buying at all. The answer depends on how many attractions you want to visit, how many days you have in London, and whether you prefer a busy sightseeing itinerary or a slower, more relaxed trip.
This guide explains the London attraction pass comparison, including how each pass works, what attractions are included, the differences between the passes, and example cost comparisons to help you decide whether the London Pass is worth it for your trip.
What Is The London Pass
The London Pass is a sightseeing pass that allows you to visit multiple attractions over a set number of consecutive days. Instead of buying individual tickets for each attraction, you buy the pass and use it to enter included attractions during the validity period.
The London Pass works on a credits system. Each attraction has a credit value that is usually similar to the normal ticket price. Your pass has a maximum credit allowance depending on how many days you purchase, and you can visit as many attractions as you want until you reach the credit limit or your pass expires.
For example, if you buy a multi-day London Pass, you could visit attractions such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, the London Eye, the Thames River Cruise, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace and Kew Gardens over the duration of your pass.
The London Pass is usually best for visitors who want to visit many attractions in a short period of time, especially over two or three busy sightseeing days. If you plan your itinerary well and visit several major attractions each day, the pass can save a significant amount of money compared to buying individual tickets.
However, if you only plan to visit a small number of attractions, the London Pass may not be worth the cost, and the Explorer Pass or individual tickets may be a better option.
What Is The London Pass Explorer
The London Pass Explorer works differently from the standard London Pass. Instead of choosing a number of days, you choose a number of attractions, such as two, three, four, five, six or seven attractions.
You can then visit those attractions over a longer period of time rather than trying to visit many attractions in a few days. This makes the Explorer Pass better for visitors who prefer a slower itinerary or who only want to visit a few major attractions during their trip.
Many of the main attractions such as the London Eye, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge and the Thames River Cruise are available on both passes. This means the main difference between the passes is how they are used rather than which attractions are included.
In simple terms, the London Pass is best for visiting many attractions in a short time, while the Explorer Pass is best if you only want to visit a few attractions and do not want to rush between attractions each day.
For example, if you only want to visit the London Eye, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral, the Explorer Pass may be cheaper than buying a multi-day London Pass.
What Both Passes Include
Both the London Pass and the London Pass Explorer include many of the main paid attractions in London. Because of this, the decision between the passes is usually not about which attractions are included, but how many attractions you want to visit and how quickly you want to visit them.
Many major attractions are available on both passes, including the London Eye, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, the Thames River Cruise, the Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour, Kensington Palace, Royal Observatory Greenwich, Hampton Court Palace, Kew Gardens, London Zoo, stadium tours, walking tours and various museums and experiences.
These attractions are some of the most popular paid attractions in London, and visiting several of them individually can be expensive. This is why attraction passes can be useful if you plan to visit multiple paid attractions.
Because many of the main attractions are included on both passes, the biggest difference between the passes is the pricing structure and how the passes are used, rather than the attractions themselves.
Attractions Only Available on One Pass
While many attractions are included on both passes, there are a few attractions that are only available on either the London Pass or the Explorer Pass. This may influence which pass you choose if you specifically want to visit one of these attractions.
| Attraction | London Pass | Explorer Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Windsor Castle | Yes | No |
| Royal Mews | Yes | No |
| King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace | Yes | No |
| Keats House | Yes | No |
| Guildhall Art Gallery | Yes | No |
| Paddington Bear Experience | No | Yes |
| Wicked The Musical | No | Yes |
| Hard Rock Cafe London (Old Park Lane) | No | Yes |
| LEGOLAND Windsor Resort | No | Yes |
If you specifically want to visit attractions such as Windsor Castle, the Royal Mews or the King’s Gallery, you will need the London Pass. If you want attractions such as the Paddington Bear Experience, Hard Rock Cafe or certain theatre experiences, you will need the Explorer Pass.
For most visitors, however, the main attractions they want to visit are included on both passes, so the choice usually comes down to how many attractions you want to visit and how quickly you want to visit them rather than these smaller differences.
London Pass Prices & Credits
The London Pass works on a credit system where 1 credit = £1 of attraction value. When you enter an attraction, the normal gate price is deducted from your credit balance. Each pass duration has a maximum credit allowance.
London Pass Maximum Credit Values (Adult)
| Duration | Price | Maximum Credits | Maximum Attraction Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | £99 | 295 credits | £295 |
| 2 days | £139 | 480 credits | £480 |
| 3 days | £169 | 650 credits | £650 |
| 4 days | £189 | 805 credits | £805 |
| 5 days | £209 | 950 credits | £950 |
| 6 days | £229 | 1,085 credits | £1,085 |
| 7 days | £239 | 1,205 credits | £1,205 |
| 10 days | £259 | 1,515 credits | £1,515 |
London Pass Explorer Prices
| Number of Attractions | Price | Cost Per Attraction |
|---|---|---|
| 2 attractions | £64 | £32.00 |
| 3 attractions | £89 | £29.67 |
| 4 attractions | £109 | £27.25 |
| 5 attractions | £129 | £25.80 |
| 6 attractions | £149 | £24.83 |
| 7 attractions | £159 | £22.71 |
As you can see, the more attractions you choose, the cheaper the cost per attraction becomes. Many major London attractions such as the London Eye, Tower of London and Westminster Abbey cost around £30 to £40 each, so the Explorer Pass usually becomes good value if you plan to visit at least three or four paid attractions.
Is The London Pass Worth It
Whether the London Pass is worth it depends entirely on how many attractions you plan to visit and how quickly you plan to visit them. The pass can save a significant amount of money if you visit several expensive attractions each day, but it is usually not good value if you only visit one or two attractions per day.
London has many paid attractions, and individual ticket prices can add up very quickly. Attractions such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye, Windsor Castle and the Hop-On Hop-Off bus all have relatively high ticket prices. If you visit several of these over a short period of time, the London Pass can work out cheaper than buying individual tickets.
However, London also has many excellent free museums and attractions, including the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Tate Modern and the National Gallery. If your itinerary includes a lot of free attractions and only a small number of paid attractions, the London Pass may not be worth buying.
In general, the London Pass is most useful for first-time visitors, short trips, and busy sightseeing itineraries where you plan to visit multiple attractions each day. If you are visiting London for longer and only want to visit a few major attractions, the Explorer Pass or individual tickets may be a better option.
A simple way to think about it is this: the London Pass is usually worth it if you plan to visit several paid attractions per day, while the Explorer Pass is usually better if you only plan to visit a few attractions in total.
Example 2 Day London Pass Cost Comparison
The easiest way to work out if the London Pass is worth it is to compare the cost of individual attraction tickets with the cost of the pass. London attractions are relatively expensive, so visiting several major attractions over two days can quickly become costly.
For example, a typical two day London itinerary might include the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, a Thames River Cruise, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and the London Eye. If you bought individual tickets for these attractions, the total cost would be approximately £177.
The price of a 2-day London Pass is £139, so in this example the pass would save around £38. If you added another attraction such as Kensington Palace, the Royal Observatory Greenwich or a stadium tour, the savings would be even higher.
This example shows that the London Pass is usually worth buying if you plan to visit several major attractions over two days, especially if you include some of the more expensive attractions.
Example 3 Day London Pass Cost Comparison
The London Pass often becomes even better value over three days, because you have more time to visit additional attractions and spread them across different areas of London.
A typical three day itinerary might include the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the Thames River Cruise, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye, Kensington Palace, the Royal Observatory Greenwich and the Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour. If you bought individual tickets for these attractions, the total cost would be approximately £282.
The price of a 3-day London Pass is £169, so in this example the pass would save over £100 compared to buying individual tickets. This is why the London Pass is often recommended for visitors who are in London for three days and want to visit many of the main attractions.
The more attractions you visit per day, the better value the London Pass becomes. If you only visit one attraction per day, the pass is usually not worth it, but if you visit three or four attractions per day, it can save a significant amount of money.
When The London Pass Is Worth Buying
The London Pass is usually worth buying if you are visiting London for the first time and want to see many of the main attractions. Many first-time visitors want to visit places such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye and the Thames River Cruise, and the cost of these attractions individually can be quite high.
The pass is also worth considering if you are in London for two or three days and plan to follow a busy sightseeing itinerary where you visit several attractions each day. The pass becomes better value the more attractions you visit, so it works best for travellers who like full sightseeing days rather than slow travel itineraries.
It is also worth buying if you plan to visit expensive attractions, such as the London Eye, Hop-On Hop-Off bus, Windsor Castle, stadium tours or river cruises, because these attractions quickly increase the total value of the pass.
In general, the London Pass is worth buying if you want to see a lot of London in a short amount of time and visit several paid attractions each day.
When The London Pass Is Not Worth Buying
The London Pass is not always good value, and in some situations it is better to buy individual tickets or use the Explorer Pass instead.
The pass is usually not worth buying if you plan to visit many free museums, because London has some of the best free museums in the world. If your itinerary includes places like the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Tate Modern and the National Gallery, you may not need an attraction pass at all.
It is also not worth buying if you prefer a slow itinerary where you only visit one attraction per day and spend the rest of your time exploring neighbourhoods, markets, parks and free attractions. In this situation, the pass will usually cost more than buying individual tickets.
The London Pass is also not ideal if you are staying in London for many days but sightseeing slowly, because the pass works best when you visit multiple attractions each day over a short period of time.
In general, the London Pass is not worth buying if you only want to visit a small number of attractions, prefer free attractions and museums, or prefer a slow travel itinerary rather than a busy sightseeing schedule.
Tips For Using The London Pass
If you decide to buy the London Pass, it is important to plan your itinerary carefully so that you get the maximum value from the pass. The pass becomes better value the more attractions you visit, so it works best if you organise your days so that attractions are located near each other and you are not spending too much time travelling across London.
One of the best strategies is to visit the most expensive attractions while your pass is active, such as the London Eye, Hop-On Hop-Off bus, Windsor Castle, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and river cruises. These attractions have higher ticket prices, so visiting them with the pass increases the value you get from it.
You should also start using your pass early in the morning on the first day, because the pass is valid for calendar days rather than 24-hour periods. Starting early allows you to visit more attractions on your first day and get better value overall.
It is also important to check whether attractions require advance booking, even if you have the pass. Some popular attractions such as the London Eye, Madame Tussauds and some tours may require reservations in advance.
Finally, try not to plan too many attractions in one day that are far apart from each other. London is a large city, and travel time between attractions can take longer than expected. The best approach is to group attractions by area, for example visiting Westminster attractions on one day and Tower Bridge and the City of London on another day.
Rupert’s Handy Travel Tips
If you are trying to decide whether the London Pass is worth it, the best thing to do is make a list of the attractions you actually want to visit and check the individual ticket prices first. Once you add them up, it becomes much easier to see whether the pass will save you money.
- Plan your itinerary first: Work out which attractions you want to visit before buying any pass.
- Use the London Pass for busy days: The pass works best if you visit several attractions in the same day.
- Use the Explorer Pass for fewer attractions: If you only want to visit a few attractions, the Explorer Pass is usually better value.
- Remember many London museums are free: Do not fill every day with paid attractions.
- Group attractions by area: This saves travel time and helps you visit more attractions each day.
Want to meet the reindeer behind our travel tips? Find out more in our page Who is Rupert?.
Frequently Asked Questions About The London Pass
Is the London Pass worth it?
The London Pass is usually worth it if you plan to visit several paid attractions each day, especially expensive attractions such as the London Eye, Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. If you only plan to visit one or two attractions per day, it is usually not worth buying.
What is the difference between the London Pass and the Explorer Pass?
The London Pass is based on the number of days and allows you to visit multiple attractions per day, while the Explorer Pass is based on the number of attractions and allows you to visit them over a longer period of time.
Does the London Pass include the London Eye?
Yes, the London Eye is included on both the London Pass and the Explorer Pass, but you may need to book a time slot in advance.
Does the London Pass include Windsor Castle?
Windsor Castle is included on the London Pass but not on the Explorer Pass.
Are London museums included in the London Pass?
Many of London’s major museums are free, so they are not included in the pass. The pass mainly covers paid attractions, tours and experiences.
How many attractions do you need to visit for the London Pass to be worth it?
In general, the London Pass becomes worth it if you visit around three or more attractions per day, while the Explorer Pass becomes worth it if you visit around three to five attractions in total.
Further Reading & Related Guides
If you are planning your trip, make sure to read our London Attractions Guide, which explains where the main attractions are located and how to group them together so you do not waste time travelling across London.
You should also read our London Itinerary Guide, as well as our London in 1 Day, London in 2 Days and London in a Weekend guides. These guides will help you plan which areas of London to visit each day and how to organise your itinerary efficiently.
If you are planning to use public transport, our Getting Around London guide and Oyster vs Contactless guide explain the Underground, buses, river boats and the best ways to travel around the city.
Reading these guides together will help you plan your London trip more efficiently, group attractions together by area and decide whether the London Pass or Explorer Pass is worth it for your itinerary.
Last Updated
April 2026
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