The tour begins outside the Grand Hotel on Northumberland Avenue. After checking your ticket, you board the classic Routemaster and settle into the converted interior. The bus is not simply transport between stops: its lighting, decor, sound and theatrical setup form part of the show. Arrive around 15 minutes before departure if you want a better choice of available seating.
What are Ghost Bus Tours in London?
Ghost Bus Tours in London are theatrical sightseeing tours that combine a classic 1960s Routemaster bus with live comedy, dark history and ghost stories. Rather than following a walking route, visitors remain aboard the bus for most of the 75-minute tour as professional actors and guides tell stories linked to London's murders, executions, hauntings and historic disasters. The route passes major landmarks including Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. The tour also includes a brief walking section, depending on the route and conditions. The bus departs from 8 Northumberland Avenue, outside the Grand Hotel and opposite the Sherlock Holmes pub.
What makes the format different is the combination of sightseeing and live theatre. The bus itself becomes part of the performance, with a blacked-out Routemaster interior, onboard effects and a conductor who turns the city's history into a comedy-horror show. The tour typically lasts around 1 hour and 15 minutes, although traffic can affect the total duration.
Why take a Ghost Bus Tour?
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See London's landmarks through darker stories
The route passes Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. The commentary focuses on the darker stories attached to these places rather than standard sightseeing facts.
The bus itself is part of the show
The tour takes place aboard a classic 1960s Routemaster transformed with dark interiors, lighting, sound and theatrical effects. You are watching a performance while travelling between London landmarks.
Live actors lead the storytelling
Professional actors and guides perform onboard, combining commentary with characters, comedy and sudden theatrical effects. The format is closer to a moving theatre show than a conventional sightseeing commentary.
The comedy-horror format is not for everyone
The tour deals with murder, torture, executions, ghosts and other grisly subjects. Younger children may find the material unsuitable, while visitors expecting a conventional historical bus tour may prefer a standard sightseeing service.
Plan your visit to Ghost Bus Tours
- Ghost Bus Tours operate as evening departures, with the exact schedule varying by date.
- The tour itself lasts approximately 75 minutes and can run longer when London traffic is heavy. Current schedules include departures from the evening onwards, so check your chosen ticket for the exact departure time.
- Arrive at least 15 minutes early, particularly if you want a preferred seat.
- Evening is the natural time for Ghost Bus Tours in London because the theatrical format works alongside London's illuminated streets and landmarks.
- Weekday departures can suit visitors with flexible itineraries, while weekend and peak-season slots are better booked ahead.
- For exact departure times and current operating dates, check the Ghost Bus Tours timings page before planning your evening.
- The tour departs from 8 Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5BY, outside the Grand Hotel and opposite the Sherlock Holmes pub.
- Charing Cross and Embankment stations are both nearby, making the departure point straightforward to reach by public transport. Allow extra time to locate the bus and join the queue before departure.
- By Tube: Take the Bakerloo or Northern line to Charing Cross. The departure point is about a 2–3-minute walk from the station via the Trafalgar Square exit. Embankment is another option, served by the Bakerloo, Northern, Circle and District lines, with roughly a 4–5-minute walk to Northumberland Avenue.
- By train: Take a Southeastern train to Charing Cross station, the closest mainline station. From the station, walk towards Trafalgar Square and Northumberland Avenue; the meeting point is roughly 3–5 minutes away.
- By bus: Several routes stop around Trafalgar Square and Northumberland Avenue, including routes 15, 24, 26, 91 and 176. Get off at Northumberland Avenue / Trafalgar Square, then walk for about 2–4 minutes to 8 Northumberland Avenue.
- By car: The tour starts in central London, where parking directly outside the venue is limited. If driving, Q-Park Trafalgar Square is a nearby parking option; from there, walk towards Northumberland Avenue and allow extra time for central London traffic.
What the Ghost Bus Tour involves
Arriving at the black Routemaster
The conductor introduces London's darker side
Once underway, the professional actor or conductor begins connecting familiar London streets with stories of murder, execution, torture, ghosts and historic disasters. The commentary combines factual historical references with comedy and theatrical performance, so the tone is deliberately darker and more playful than a conventional city tour.
Landmarks become part of the story
The route passes several of central London's best-known landmarks, including Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Rather than stopping for conventional sightseeing, the tour uses the passing landmarks as settings for stories and commentary.
A short walk adds another layer
The tour can include a brief walking section where passengers leave the bus for part of the storytelling before returning to the vehicle. The walking portion is short, but comfortable footwear is useful. Weather and operational conditions can affect whether this part takes place.
The final stretch returns to central London
The tour lasts approximately 75 minutes, depending on traffic. By the end, you have covered several central London landmarks while following a continuous comedy-horror narrative rather than a conventional hop-on hop-off route. There are no toilet facilities on the bus, so use facilities before departure.
The context behind Ghost Bus Tours
The black Routemaster is central to the identity of the tour. The concept can be traced from the London Necrobus to historic funeral transport, while the current fleet uses restored 1960s Routemaster buses redesigned for theatrical sightseeing. The Routemaster itself is part of London's transport heritage, so the vehicle gives the tour a setting that is recognisably connected to the city rather than resembling a purpose-built theme-park ride.
The London tour uses the vehicle as a moving theatre, combining its vintage design with lighting, sound and live performance. That context helps explain why the bus is treated as part of the attraction rather than simply a way to travel between landmarks.
What to know before you book
Need to know
- Age restrictions: Guests aged 15 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult. The comedy-horror subject matter may not suit very young children.
- Accessibility: The vintage Routemaster has a non-accessible entrance and cannot accommodate wheelchair users, prams or strollers, including folded ones.
- Luggage: Large bags and luggage are not permitted onboard, so avoid arriving with suitcases or bulky belongings.
- Walking section: The tour can include a brief walk away from the bus. Wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for London's evening weather.
- Toilets: There are no toilet facilities on the bus. Use a restroom before boarding.
Worth knowing
- Arrive early: Arrive at least 15 minutes before departure. Seating is first come, first served rather than reserved in advance.
- Keep the format in mind: This is comedy horror rather than a conventional history tour. Expect gruesome stories, dark humour, theatrical effects and live performance.
- Leave time around the tour: Traffic can affect the 75-minute duration, so avoid scheduling another attraction immediately after the bus departure.
Frequently asked questions about Ghost Bus Tours in London
Ghost Bus Tours are known for combining London sightseeing with live comedy-horror theatre aboard a restored 1960s Routemaster. The route links major landmarks with stories of murder, executions, ghosts and dark history.
The London tour lasts approximately 75 minutes, although traffic can affect the total journey time. A short walking section may also form part of the tour, depending on conditions.
The tour departs from 8 Northumberland Avenue, outside the Grand Hotel and opposite the Sherlock Holmes pub. Charing Cross and Embankment stations are nearby.
Guests aged 15 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult. The tour contains gruesome stories, dark humour and theatrical scares, so parents should consider the subject matter before booking.
No. The vintage Routemaster has a non-accessible entrance and insufficient onboard storage for wheelchairs, prams or pushchairs, including folded ones.
The route passes landmarks including Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Exact routing can vary with traffic and operations.
It is designed as comedy horror rather than a serious scare attraction. Live actors, dark stories, theatrical effects and sudden sounds create the atmosphere, with comedy balancing the more gruesome material.
The London service operates as an evening sightseeing tour, with departures scheduled from the evening onwards.
Advance booking is sensible for specific evening departures, particularly at weekends and during busy travel periods. Arriving early is also recommended because seating is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Yes. Available combinations include the London Dungeon, London Eye and Thames River Cruise. These can help build an evening or full-day itinerary around the bus tour, depending on the departure times selected.
