Ghost bus tour of London with kids – review

It doesn’t have to be Halloween to enjoy the spooky side of London – so if you’re looking to discover some of the darker tales from the city’s past, a ghost bus tour of London is the perfect way to do it.

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Running year-round, the London Ghost Bus Tour is a city sightseeing tour with a difference, with a midnight black double-decker Routemaster bus taking you around the capital, listening to spine-chilling stories of murder and death – plus a very large helping of gothic comedy on the side.

If you’re looking for an unusual way to spend an evening in London with kids, hoping to entertain bored teens or simply fancy discovering a different side to the city, this is easily one of London’s quirkiest tours – so here’s everything you need to know in my Ghost Bus Tour of London review, with kids and without.

What is the Ghost Bus Tour of London?

A haunted bus with its own dark history whisks you around the centre and city of London, sharing tales of ghosts, murder, bloodshed and death along the way.

If you’re expecting a dry historical tour, you couldn’t be further from the truth – our flamboyant conductor brought the grisly stories to life, got passengers jumping from the get-go, and mixed plenty of jokes among the facts.

The route itself passes the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street and Whitehall, as well as venturing into the City of London past the Old Bailey, St Paul’s Cathedral, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, the Tower of London and across the river to Bankside.

Along the way, you’ll encounter famous fiends such as Sweeney Todd – and discover the true story behind 186 Fleet Street, one of London’s most famous ghost hoaxes, and the Crossbones Cemetery which proves that real life can be far darker than fiction.

There’s judicial murder, including the ghosts that haunt the site of old Newgate Prison, and grisly tales of aristocratic executions at the Tower of London, plus some of the country’s most famous hangings.

Along the way, as well as passing some of London’s most iconic landmarks, you’ll learn about medieval punishments, see the site where a King was beheaded and where a murderous Queen lies buried.

We heard tales of the Great Fire of London, and learned why Londoners believed it was a punishment for gluttony, as well as the passing a site that helped inspire Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.

Plus the spooky story behind the Necrobus itself… this necropolis bus was once used as a funeral bus, it was the only one to survive a devastating fire, it has its own ghostly history – and perhaps a paranormal present (or could it just be technical trickery?)

Some stories are genuinely haunting – a nurse whose bony hand still rests on her fellows’ shoulder to remind them to take care after accidentally killing a patient, a ghost in Theatreland spotted in the place where a stabbed body was later discovered, and tales of tube train drivers who’ve seen spectral women walking across the tracks.

Not to mention a chance to see the capital all lit up at night, to a soundtrack of axes clashing and the conductor prowling unexpectedly through the aisles.

If you’re shivering in your seat reading this, fear not this is far more comedy horror than nightmare-inducing – it’s actually very funny, theatrically over-the-top and there are as many laughs as chills courtesy of the actors involved, the conductor in particular.

On a practical note, it’s all cleverly set up with TV screens at the front and back of the deck so you can see what’s happening without having to turn round, using some of the CCTV cameras on board.

The bus itself is one of the classic 1960s routemasters, given a spooky makeover – the decorative features include lamps by some of the windows, red velvet curtains and black and orange streamers on the ceiling during our tour just before Halloween.

Where does the London Ghost Bus Tour visit?

The Ghost Bus Tour route follows a loop through London – although very down-to-earth road closures mean you might end up taking a few diversions.

From Northumberland Avenue, you’ll head down Whitehall to Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey before returning to Trafalgar Square and heading along the Strand through Theatreland.

The route continues along Fleet Street and through the City of London, with locations including St Paul’s and St Bartholomew’s, Pye Corner and the Old Bailey, Greyfriars and the Monument, over London Bridge to Southwark and back to the northern Embankment to finish the route.

That’s just an overview, but suffice to say, you cover a surprising amount of London – geographically and its history – during your 75-minute tour.

How scary is the Ghost Bus Tour of London?

The majority is more ghoulishly fun than terrifying, but this is a ghost tour after all, so there are definitely a few scary moments.

For starters, expect jump scares right from the start – my husband was caught out as he was about to climb up to the top deck, and as several other passengers discovered, it pays to keep your eyes on the conductor to avoid a fright.

Without giving too much away, you won’t only find ghostly tales from London’s past while you’re on board – the ghost bus has its own secrets…

With flickering lights and a few genuinely unnerving moments (albeit fairly short-lived with plenty of jokes to diffuse the tension), it’s pleasurably scary for adults and teens, but if you have younger kids who are prone to nightmares, it might be one to postpone for a few years…

Get a discount on tickets if you book via Tiqets using my link and the code MUMMYTRAVELS6

Is the London Ghost Bus suitable for kids?

The short answer is that it depends on the age of the children and how easily unnerved they are – the website says it’s not suitable for kids aged 1-5 although it’s down to parental discretion, so younger kids can come on board at parents’ risk.

There were several families on our London Ghost Bus tour, with all the kids aged 10+, and while there were a few nervous moments (including for the adults!), there was nothing too terrifying.

I definitely wouldn’t try it with toddlers and younger kids as there are moments when it’s dark and spooky, and sensitive older kids (7-12) might not enjoy the end, but teens and those who enjoy being a bit scared will love it.

The conductor was good at choosing adults for the audience interaction sections and the jump scares too.

The other point to bear in mind is that quite apart from the stories of murders and death, there’s a fair amount of risque content – mostly double entendres and other jokes which would probably go over the heads of younger passengers. But if you don’t fancy explaining what a ‘lady of the night’ is, it’s worth knowing in advance!

There are also no toilets on the bus; again, little problem for older ones when the whole experience takes under 90 minutes though. There’s also no space for buggies/pushchairs.

If you’re looking for other family-friendly bus tours of London, check out my pick of the best bus tours with kids

Tips for the London Ghost Bus Tour

It’s well worth getting there early – you’re recommended to turn up around 15 minutes beforehand, but I’d suggest making it 20 or 25 minutes if you want a good seat.

We arrived around 20 minutes early and there was already a queue; we ended up boarding almost straight away, and by 15 minutes before departure, the top deck was almost entirely full.

It’s also worth sitting on the left hand side of the bus. There’s plenty to see from both sides, but from our position on the right hand side, it felt like we were being directed to look out of the opposite windows a lot.

You won’t miss out on either side though, but if you are early and have a choice of seats, that would be my pick.

Some seats face backwards if you or your kids are prone to travel sickness. There are no seatbelts, as with any standard bus in London, though we never felt unsafe.

There are also several departures per night, so bear in mind that traffic will be worse for the earlier ones – you might end up with more time on the bus as a result, but you’ll also be sitting around a lot more.

While you’re advised to allow 75 minutes, our 9pm tour was finished by around 10pm as the roads were clear, but I’d expect a 6pm tour to be slower.

It’s also worth considering what time sunset it: as our Ghost Bus Tour of London review trip was in October, even the earliest departure was after dark, but if you’re visiting in summer, early autumn or late spring, you may need a later tour to see the city after dark.

The Ghost Bus Tour of London: Need to know

The London Ghost Bus tour departs daily from 8 Northumberland Avenue, outside the Grand Hotel and opposite the Sherlock Holmes pub.

It’s minutes from Embankment and Charing Cross tubes, as well as from the Strand and Trafalgar Square.

The tour takes around 75 minute depending on traffic, with multiple departures per night depending on the time of year – during school holidays around Halloween, you can expect as many as six departures per night between 6pm and 9.15pm, while on other days there may only be two, at 7.30pm and 9pm.

Tickets cost from £25 for adults, £17 for kids aged 5-15, or you can buy family tickets (two adults, two children) for £63. You can also buy tickets with free cancellation from Get Your Guide and Tiqets

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission. I paid for this tour myself and all opinions are my own

Images copyright MummyTravels

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