3 Best Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours in New York City

Getting to the country or city you’re visiting is one task altogether, but how do you get around once you arrive at your destination? Hop-on hop-off buses are a great way to tour a city or get around to some of the top attractions, and the Big Apple is no exception. New York City isn’t the most walkable city when it comes to tourist attractions, so most people resort to public transit, rideshare apps, or taxis. However, hop-on hop-off buses are just as handy and budget friendly for tourists. We here at Road Affair have curated a list of the best hop-on hop-off bus tours in New York City so that you can get the most out of your vacation! So let’s hop into the details, shall we?

These are the best hop-on hop-off buses in New York City: 

• Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
• City Sightseeing New York Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
• TopView NYC Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

How Do New York City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours Work?

The hop-on hop-off buses in New York City are very easy to use and extremely convenient for getting to the city’s biggest attractions. You can purchase a one-day or multi-day pass for one route or all the routes that a company offers. Once you’ve settled on a ticket type, all you have to do is find one of the bus stops, and just as the name suggests, you can hop on and hop off at any of the preset destinations as many times as you want! The double-decker buses feature an open top level which allows you to immerse yourself in the city’s surroundings. You’ll also hear pre-recorded commentary on the sights and surroundings you pass. 

If you’re wondering what kind of ticket you should get for a double-decker bus tour in New York City, you will first want to ask yourself what you’re looking to get out of the experience. Are you planning on using the bus to get around the city from attraction to attraction? If so, a multi-day ticket on multiple routes might be the best way to go. If you simply want to take a tour of the city’s top sights and attractions while learning tidbits of information along the way, then a one-day pass would be more up your alley! 

Best Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours in New York City

Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

The Big Bus tours in New York City are among the most popular in the city. Big Bus offers two fantastic routes along with several ticket types, packages, and combo tickets available so you get the most out of New York City’s tourist attractions. They also offer complimentary headphones for guests to use to listen to the commentary on board. A Big Bus ticket can be purchased for one day or two days with the option of discounted bike rentals included in most of the tickets.

Routes of the Big Bus Tour in New York City

The two routes that Big Bus offers are a Downtown Loop (Red Route) and an Uptown Loop (Blue Route). You should keep in mind that if you want to do both routes in one day, then you need to purchase a standard one-day ticket with a rental bike discount or Statue of Liberty Cruise instead of the Discover one-day ticket. The Discover ticket is the cheapest option, but it only covers the Downtown Loop. 

The Downtown Loop (Red Route) is the most popular and offers commentary in six different languages. It makes 12 stops at several popular NYC attractions like Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the World Trade Center. If you want to ride the double-decker bus as a tour from end to end, then the total travel time is 90 minutes. This is also a great route for getting around as buses arrive at each stop every 10-20 minutes, so you won’t have to worry too much about missing the bus as the next one will come along quite quickly!

The Uptown Loop (Blue Line) has seven stops along its route and includes stops at attractions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MoMA), Central Park Zoo, and Carnegie Hall. The frequency of the blue line is a lot less than the red, with buses arriving at each stop roughly every 60 minutes. If you’re looking to ride the Blue Line as a tour from end to end, the total travel time is 75 minutes. Commentary is only available in English and Spanish on the Blue Line. 

Red Route (Downtown Loop):

• Duration: 90 minutes
• Frequency: Every 10-20 minutes
• First bus: 9 a.m.
• Last bus: 5 p.m.
• Stops: M&M’s World, Times Square East, Empire State Building/KoreaTown, Flatiron District, SoHo, Chinatown/Little Italy, the Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street/Charging Bull, Statue of Liberty/Battery Park, the World Trade Center, Hudson Yards, and Circle Line Sightseeing.

Blue Route (Uptown Loop):

• Duration: 75 minutes
• Frequency: Every 60 minutes
• First bus: 10 a.m.
• Last bus: 4 p.m.
• Stops: Hope Sculpture, Times Square East, Midtown East, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park Zoo, Columbus Circle, and Carnegie Hall. 

Tickets for the Big Bus Tour in New York City

As we stated before, there are several ticket types and packages available with Big Bus, and the best one depends on what you are looking to get out of the tour! You can opt to purchase your Big Bus ticket on the official website or app, but we recommend going through GetYourGuide. All tickets purchased on GetYourGuide are completely refundable up to 24 hours prior to your ticket date. On the official website, you will only get a refund if the buses aren’t running due to extreme weather, you purchased for the wrong city, etc. Another great feature of booking on GetYourGuide is the “Reserve Now, Pay Later” feature. This is great for those who want to be guaranteed a ticket but aren’t quite ready to commit their wallets. 

It should be noted that Big Bus allows children under the age of three to ride for free, so they won’t need a ticket! However, child tickets are only available for those ages three to 12. Those with kids aged 13 or older will need to buy an adult ticket. 

• The Discover Ticket: The Discover Big Bus tour ticket is the most budget-friendly option as it has a starting cost of only $54 USD for adults and $45 USD for children. The ticket includes unlimited travel on the Red Line for one day. Purchase tickets or learn more.
• The Essential Ticket: The Essential Ticket is easily the most popular as it allows you unlimited travel for one day on both the Red Line and the Blue Line. It also includes an exclusive bike rental deal with Unlimited Biking, one of the city’s top bike rental and tour companies. You can opt to receive $5 off a bike or segway tour per person or receive an additional free hour bike rental with the purchase of a minimum one-hour bike rental. Essential tickets start off at $72 USD for adults and $63 USD for children. Purchase tickets or learn more.
• The Explore Pass:  The Explorer Ticket is a two-day pass with unlimited travel on both the Red Line and the Blue Line. Just like the essential ticket, you’ll also get the bike rental deal! Explorer tickets start at $90 USD for adults and $81 USD for children. Purchase tickets or learn more.

Buy Your Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tickets Here

Tourist Passes That Include a Big Bus Tour in New York City

Tourist passes are an excellent way to save time and money when visiting attractions in New York City, and several include tickets for Big Bus. You can save upwards of 50% by bundling attractions and tours into one digital pass. 

• Go City Explorer Pass: The Go City Explorer Pass offers a wide selection of 90 tours, entrance tickets, and experiences to choose from. Build your perfect NYC tourist pass by choosing between 2-10 tours, entrance tickets, or experiences, and save up to 50% by bundling them into one digital pass. Some of the most popular attractions and tours included in the pass are the Museum of Modern Art, the Top of the Rock, a Statue of Liberty at sunset cruise, and a Yankee Stadium tour. The Go City Explorer Pass includes a one-day Big Bus tour ticket as one of your attractions. Prices for the two-attraction Go City pass start at $94 for adults and $74 for children. 
• New York Pass: Another excellent way to simplify tickets and save up to 50% on attractions is with the New York Pass. The New York Pass works a bit differently than the Go City Pass. Instead of choosing how many attractions you want to include in your pass, you’ll choose how many days you would like the pass to be valid for and will then have unlimited access to all the included attractions and tours they offer! This is especially handy if you like to plan jam-packed days filled with plenty of things to see and do. New York Passes have a starting price for a one-day pass of $164 USD for adults and $124 for children. The pass includes over 100 attractions and experiences, including the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, a Rockefeller Center Tour, the Guggenheim Museum, and Madame Tussauds New York. 

City Sightseeing New York Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

Another excellent choice for a hop-on hop-off bus tour in New York City is City Sightseeing New York. City Sightseeing offers two routes, an Uptown Loop (Blue Line) and a Downtown Loop (Red Line). The double-decker buses offer pre-recorded commentary in six different languages and free headphones for those who need them! 

Routes of the City Sightseeing Bus Tour in New York City

The Red Line (Downtown Loop) is easily the most popular route and it takes 90 minutes to ride from end to end. Along the way, you’ll stop by popular attractions and neighborhoods like Times Square, SoHo, and the World Trade Center. The Blue Line takes 60 minutes to ride from end to end and has six stops, including stops at popular attractions like Times Square, Central Park Zoo, and Carnegie Hall. Both the Blue Line and the Red Line have a bus frequency of 60 minutes.

Red Route (Downtown Loop):

• Duration: 90 minutes
• Frequency: Every 60 minutes
• First bus: 9:30 a.m.
• Last bus: 4:30 p.m.
• Stops: M&M’s World, Times Square East, Empire State Building/KoreaTown, Flatiron District, SoHo, Chinatown/Little Italy, the Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street/Charging Bull, Statue of Liberty/Battery Park, the World Trade Center, Hudson Yards, and Circle Line Sightseeing.

Blue Route (Uptown Loop):

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Frequency: Every 60 minutes
• First bus: 10 a.m.
• Last bus: 4 p.m.
• Stops: Hope Sculpture, Times Square East, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park Zoo, Columbus Circle, and Carnegie Hall. 

Tickets for the City Sightseeing Bus Tour in New York City

There are two main types of tickets for City Sightseeing big buses, a Discover Ticket or an Essential Ticket. Both tickets are 100% refundable on both the official website and on GetYourGuide up to 24 hours in advance, but only GetYourGuide offers the extra flexibility of reserving now and paying later. Just in case you aren’t ready to pull the trigger on the tickets but want to be guaranteed you’ll get one. 

City Sightseeing New York allows children under the age of three to ride for free, but child tickets are only available for those ages three to 12. Those traveling with kids aged 13 or older will need to buy an adult ticket. 

• The Discover Ticket: The Discover Ticket is one of the most popular for those looking to take a New York City hop-on hop-off bus tour. The ticket is good for one day of unlimited travel on the Red Line (Downtown Loop) only. Tourists can print off their tickets or use a digital copy to board the bus. Prices for the Discover Ticket start at $60 for adults and $50 for children. Purchase tickets or learn more. 
• The Essential Ticket: If you’re looking to explore both Uptown and Downtown Manhattan on a sightseeing bus tour in New York City, then the Essential Ticket might be exactly what you’re looking for. The Essential Ticket allows unlimited access to both the Red Line and Blue Line for one day. However, tickets must be printed out and presented to the bus driver in physical form, not digital. Prices for the Essential Ticket start at $80 for adults and $70 for children. Purchase tickets or learn more.

Buy Your City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Tickets Here

Tourist Passes That Include a City Sightseeing Tour in New York City

If you want to combine multiple iconic Big Apple attractions with a bus tour in New York City, then consider purchasing a tourist pass. You could save up to 65% off attractions and tours by grouping a City Sightseeing Pass with other attractions and tours in an all-in-one digital pass.

• The New York Sightseeing Flex Pass: The New York Sightseeing Pass is an excellent choice for travelers planning on visiting multiple attractions. The Sightseeing Pass includes access to over 100 tours, experiences, and entry tickets all for one price. All you have to do is choose how many attractions you’d like the pass to be valid for and then you’ll have 30 days from the date of activation to visit those attractions. A City Sightseeing ticket is included in the pass and does not count as one of your attractions. A New York Sightseeing Flex Pass starts at $79 for adults and $60 for children for a two-attraction pass. 

TopView NYC Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

TopView is another excellent New York City tour bus company with double-decker buses and on-board commentary. They offer a range of packages and tickets from one-day, two-day, three-day, or five-day passes with unlimited rides on both of their routes regardless of which pass you pick. You’ll also receive free earbuds to listen to their audio guide, including a celebrity and move location audio channel.

Routes of the TopView Bus Tour in New York City

The Downtown Loop (Red Route) features 17 stops at some of the city’s most popular attractions like Times Square, the Empire State Building, and the High Line. If you want to ride the complete loop as a tour, it will take you roughly 2.5 hours. For those who want to hop on and off all day, the bus stops at designated stops every 20-25 minutes. 

The Uptown Loop (Blue Route) takes two hours to ride on the full route and stops at nine popular attractions like the American Museum of Natural History, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Central Park Zoo. The buses run every 60 minutes. 

Red Route (Downtown Loop):

• Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Frequency: Every 20-25 minutes
• First bus: 8 a.m.
• Last bus: 6 p.m.
• Stops: Times Square North, Times Square South, Bryant Park, Empire State Building, Flatiron Building, Union Square, Washington Square Park, SoHo, Canal Street, City Hall, Liberty Cruise, Battery Park, Brookfield Place, The High Line, Hudson Yards, West 42nd Street, and Port Authority. 

Blue Route (Uptown Loop):

• Duration: 2 hours
• Frequency: Every 60 minutes
• First bus: 10 a.m.
• Last bus: 4 p.m.
• Stops: Theater District, Dakota Building, American Museum of Natural History, Museum of the City of New York, Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park Zoo, Central Park South, Carnegie Hall. 

Tickets for the TopView Bus Tour in New York City

There are several tours, packages, and combo packages (too many to include them all in this article) available for TopView, and the best one depends on what you’re looking to experience in the city. All tickets purchased aren’t bought for a specific day(s). Instead, the pass will be valid for 12 months from the date of purchase and does not activate until you scan your ticket for the first time. 

Multi-day ticket passes are grouped with several benefits like discounts, added tours, and attraction entry tickets. The 24-hour ticket is the only pass that just includes the hop-on hop-off ticket. 

TopView NYC allows little ones aged three or younger to ride for free without the need for a ticket. Kids aged four to 12 can purchase a child pass, but kid’s aged 13 or older will need to buy an adult ticket. 

• Hop-On Hop-Off Pass Same Day Ticket: The 24-hour ticket for TopView’s open-top bus in New York City is perfect for those who want to see all the city highlights in one day. The ticket is good for both the Red Line (Downtown Loop) and Blue Line (Uptown Loop) and costs $79 for adults and $69 for children. 
• 48-Hour, 72-Hour, or 5-Day Hop-on Hop-Off Pass: All of the multi-day passes are valid for both the Red Line (Downtown Loop) and Blue Line (Uptown Loop) and include several bonuses like entry tickets to the Museum of Skyscrapers and the Museum of the City of New York, a Statue of Liberty Cruise, a Central Park bike rental, and tickets for TopView’s Night Tour and Brooklyn Tour. Prices for a 48-Hour Ticket start at $119 for adults and $109 for children.

Benefits of a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour in New York City

New York City is a massive metropolitan area to get around, and there are few ways to see the city the same way as on a hop-on hop-off bus tour. Open-top, double-decker buses allow you to immerse yourself in the tall historic buildings and bright lights of the Big Apple, where you can snap some pretty incredible pictures. Not only do you get to see several of the city’s top attractions and sights, but you’ll also hear commentary on passing attractions and about the city in general. There are several languages on board for the commentary so that no one is left out!

One of the biggest benefits of the hop-on hop-off buses is the flexibility to use your pass all day as much as you like to visit attractions across the city. It is much more flexible for your wallet as well as you won’t be paying hefty taxi or rideshare fees, which are subject to busy time rate influxes. You can have a whole day’s worth of travel budgeted down to one ticket! Another advantage is the ample amount of opportunities to save money on entry tickets and tours by purchasing combo tickets or tourist passes that include a hop-on hop-off in New York City.  

Tips for Taking a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus in New York City

We’ve created this quick guide with tips for tourists who want to have the best experience on a hop-on hop-off bus in the city: 

• Pack for the weather. This means packing sunscreen and lots of water in the summer and warm clothes and hats in the winter. 
• Start your day off as early as possible to make the most out of your ticket. 
• Plan and pick which attractions you want to stop at in advance so you can find the nearest stop. 
• Download the bus tour app of the company you purchase from to see live updates, schedules, and routes all on your phone. 
• Get a feel for the city by riding the full loop or loops available if you have time. 
• Avoid hopping on the bus during peak traffic hours.
• Review your ticket in advance to understand what is included and if any routes are not. You just may miss out on a discount or perk! 

Now that you’ve been guided through the best hop-on hop-off bus tours in New York City, all you have to do is pick which company and ticket works best with your schedule. We hope you have a fantastic vacation to the Big Apple!