London is a city that doesn’t shy away from its demand on cash. The city is one of the most expensive places to live in the UK and with 2000 years of history, its wealth of attractions are some of the most visited in the world. Indeed, London is one of the most popular tourist cities in Europe and with demand comes price inflation. Whether you’re just visiting for a Montcalm London Afternoon Tea or you’ve booked a room for a week, you’ll realise very soon that enjoying the city can mean spending money.
There are tourist hacks for the budget traveller though. The city needn’t cost you a fortune if you plan correctly and play your cards right. One way to save money in London that is often advertised by travel agencies is the London Pass. if you’re staying at centrally located Montcalm Hotels then you’re in prime position to explore the city’s many attractions, many of which are available on the London Pass discount ticket. But when you break it down, is the London Pass worth it and are there other ways to save money?
What Is The London Pass?
The London Pass has turned digital recently, meaning that there is no need to print or obtain a card. The pass itself is available for between 1 and 10 consecutive days and allows free entry into over 80 different attractions and landmarks in and around London. Most of these attractions are ticketed or require an entry fee, the London Pass covering these attractions with a single payment of £79 for a day for one adult all the way up to £161 for 10 days.
What Does The London Pass Include?
Not only does the London Pass include entry into many attractions across the city, but also for bus tours and gift shop perks too. Bus tours include the one-day hop-on hop-off bus tour of Central London. For travel across the city, people often add a bonus Visitor Oyster card that allows for travel throughout the days of your sightseeing excursion. Whether you are staying in the outskirts of the city or at the Montcalm Marble Arch, the world’s your easy-to-reach oyster when you add travel perks to your London Pass.
Top Priced Attractions Available On London Pass
Whilst some of the attractions available on the London Pass cost no more than £5, others are quite expensive and, if you’re planning on visiting a few of these attractions a day, can really increase the value of the London Pass.
Tower Of London
Built in the 11th century, the Tower of London’s long and bloody history charts the city’s post-Saxon lineage and power struggles. With adult on-the-day tickets costing as much as £29, the London Pass certainly offers bang for its buck, especially when you factor in the working history and tradition of this esteemed landmark and its inclusion of the venerated crown jewels of England.
Tower Bridge
A testament to engineering ingenuity, the Tower Bridge tour is not one for those suffering from vertigo, but if you don’t mind heights and love learning about architecture, then this museum and upper-bridge walkway is the attraction for you. Tower Bridge adult tickets cost as much as £11.40, and with the attraction taking no more than 2 hours to fully enjoy, is a great value addition to the London Pass collection.
Uber Clipper 1 Day River Roamer
See the city through a new lens with the sleek and modern Thames Uber branded clipper boats. A London pass allows one day’s worth of free entry onto this boat which takes visitors to 23 different stop offs along the Thames. A day pass for the clipper can cost up to £21 per head.
Westminster Abbey
With a normal ticket costing £25 per head on the day, Westminster Abbey is one of the most famous cathedrals not only in London, but the world too. This royal coronation site is also home to dozens of tombs, immortalising the lives of many famous and influential Brits including Stephen Hawking, Geoffrey Chaucer and Mary Queen of Scots.
St Paul’s Cathedral
Another of London’s iconic cathedrals, St Paul’s has been rebuilt twice and is easily spotted from many of London’s best vantage points, some even created specifically with a view of St Paul’s in mind. It’s no wonder that with St Paul’s being so highly venerated, entrance costs can reach up to £21 per head without the London Pass. Easy to reach from the Brewery Hotel Chiswell Street, the views, stories and architecture of St Paul’s interior offer some of the most memorable sightseeing experiences in London.
London Zoo
London Zoo is probably the most expensive attraction on the London Pass list, coming in at £38 per adult ticket, but is one of the most family friendly. The London Zoo is the oldest scientific zoo in the world and will take a good half day to complete. The zoo is a perfect family outing and includes the likes of tigers, elephants, orangutans and many more exotic and unique animals.
When Is the London Pass Worth It?
So, with all that in mind, is the London Pass worth it? As you can see, if you can fit in three or four attractions in a day, then you might reach the £79 for a day limit for the one day pass. The longer the period you buy for, the more money you will save on attractions. Another benefit of the London Pass is that it takes away any hassle of ticket buying and preplanning. When it comes down to it then, the London Pass is well worth it if you get out early for the day pass or buy one for a longer period of time.
There are alternatives though, London is well known for its free museum scene. You can visit the permanent exhibits of the Natural History, British, Science Museum, and V&A Museum of Design for free. The Tate Galleries permanent exhibits are also free to visit. If you have other plans for your stay in London and don’t fancy 2 to 10 consecutive days of sightseeing, then you can opt for visiting the cheaper and free museums of London.
