London Attraction Passes: Which One to Buy in 2026

Published: September 2026 · Last updated: September 2026 · Facts checked: September 2026 · Written by Clara Whitby, The Londonologist.

London is one of the world's great cities, and one of its priciest to sightsee. A single day of headline attractions can run past a hundred pounds a head. Attraction passes exist to blunt that, bundling entry to the big sights for less than paying gate by gate. The trick is picking the right one, because the wrong pass wastes money just as fast as no pass at all.

What Is a London Attraction Pass?

A London attraction pass is a prepaid ticket, almost always digital now, that gets you into a set of attractions for one price. Some give you unlimited entry for a run of days. Others let you choose a fixed number of attractions and use them at your own pace. Either way, the idea is the same: pay once, skip the individual ticket queues, and pay less than you would one by one, as long as you actually visit enough.

Passes typically cover the big-ticket, paid sights, the ones worth bundling. That is where a pass earns its keep, because London's free museums you can walk into for nothing anyway.

The Main London Passes, and Who Each One Suits

There are a handful of serious passes on the market. These are the ones worth your time, and the sort of traveller each one fits.

1. The London Pass (all-inclusive)

Run by Go City, this is the heavyweight: over 100 attractions on one pass, valid for a run of consecutive days (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10). You get in wherever you like, as often as the days allow. It is built for the power tourist who wants to tick off as much as possible in a short, intense trip.

• Best for: fast-paced visitors packing three or four paid attractions into each day.
• Watch out for: the days are consecutive, so a slow day or bad weather eats into the value. It only pays if you keep moving.

2. The Go City Explorer Pass

The Explorer Pass is the flexible sibling, also from Go City. Instead of days, you choose a number of attractions, from 2 up to 7, and visit them at your own pace over a generous window from first use (check the current validity at checkout). No pressure to cram.

• Best for: slower travellers, longer stays, and anyone who wants to cherry-pick a handful of must-sees over a week.
• Watch out for: you pay per attraction slot, so it only beats single tickets if you pick the higher-priced sights.

3. Merlin's Magical London Pass

A family favourite, this bundles five of London's biggest crowd-pleasers: the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, the London Dungeon, Shrek's Adventure and SEA LIFE London. You visit all five within 90 days of your first visit, so it suits a family spreading treats across a trip.

• Best for: families and anyone whose London wish list is mostly the Merlin attractions.
• Watch out for: the Dungeon is properly scary and aimed at older children and teens, not little ones.

See the London Pass and Explorer Pass on Go City   See the Merlin family pass

4. The Golden Pass and other options

Go City also offers a Golden Pass that pairs a hop-on hop-off bus tour with one to three attractions, handy if a bus tour is central to your plan. There are other passes on the market too, but we point readers to Go City because it covers the most attractions and keeps everything in a single app, and to the Merlin pass for families. If a pass we do not cover suits you better, buy it with our blessing; the goal here is that you save money, not that you buy any particular card.

7 Ways to Save More With a London Pass

Owning the right pass is half the job. These seven habits make it work harder.

1. Match the pass to your travel style. Racing through ten things? The all-inclusive London Pass wins. Cherry-picking a few over a week? The Explorer Pass only charges you for what you choose. Buying the wrong shape of pass is the most common way people overpay.
2. Plan your free days around the pass. London's best museums are free, so save the pass for paid sights and slot the free ones in between to pace yourself and stretch the value. See our guides to the free museums and free things to do in London.
3. Use the included hop-on hop-off bus. Many passes throw in a day on the sightseeing buses. Treat it as transport as well as a tour: it saves on Tube fares and links the sights, with commentary along the way. Here is how the hop-on hop-off buses work.
4. Target the high-value attractions first. Passes shine on the pricey sights. Front-load the expensive ones, such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the View from the Shard and a river cruise. Two or three of those in a day can cover the pass on their own.
5. Start sightseeing early. On day-based passes the clock runs by calendar day, not a rolling 24 hours. The earlier you start each day, the more you fit in before closing time, and the more value you bank.
6. Do the maths before you buy. Add up the gate prices of the attractions you really want, then compare that to the pass price. If the pass is not clearly cheaper, skip it. Our guide to combo tickets and passes walks through the sums and the specific attraction combinations.
7. Avoid peak hours. Weekends and afternoons are the busiest. Go early or midweek for shorter queues, better light and more attractions per day. Less time in line means more value from the pass.

Is a London Pass Actually Worth It?

The real answer is that it depends on you. A pass rewards visitors who move quickly and hit several paid attractions a day. If your trip is slower, or heavy on the free museums and parks, single tickets or a small Explorer Pass will often beat an all-inclusive pass. There is no universally best answer, only the best answer for your itinerary, which is why the maths in step six matters more than any review. Work out your list first, then buy the pass that fits it.

Compare Go City passes and prices   Do the maths in our combo tickets guide

Where to Buy a London Attraction Pass

Buy direct from Go City, which sells both the London Pass and the Explorer Pass. The pass lands in an app on your phone, you show it at each attraction, and there is nothing to collect or print. Buying from one provider keeps your whole trip in a single pass rather than juggling several. For the Merlin pass, a trusted ticket seller like the one linked above is the simplest route.

A quick word on trust: buy passes only from the official provider or a reputable ticket platform, never from a stranger reselling a part-used card. And ignore anyone claiming to run a bespoke London pass of their own; the real passes are the ones above.

Buy a pass on Go City   Compare passes, tours and tickets

Getting Around With Your Pass

Most passes include a day on the hop-on hop-off buses, which is the easy way to string the sights together. The big paid attractions also cluster helpfully: the Tower and Tower Bridge sit together, the South Bank lines up the Eye, the aquarium and the Dungeon, and a river cruise ties the riverside landmarks into one trip. Plan by area and you will burn less of your pass days on travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy London attraction passes?

The main provider is Go City, which sells both the all-inclusive London Pass and the flexible Explorer Pass, delivered digitally to an app on your phone. The Merlin's Magical London Pass is sold through trusted ticket platforms. Always buy from the official provider or a reputable seller, never a part-used resold card.

Which London pass is best?

There is no single best pass, only the best for your trip. The all-inclusive London Pass suits fast-paced visitors hitting several paid attractions a day; the Explorer Pass suits slower travellers picking a few must-sees over a week; the Merlin pass suits families. Add up your wish list against each pass price before deciding.

Are London attraction passes worth it?

They are worth it if you visit enough paid attractions to beat the gate prices, which usually means two or three of the pricier sights a day. If your trip leans on free museums and parks, or you move slowly, single tickets or a small Explorer Pass often work out cheaper. Do the maths first.

What is the difference between the London Pass and the Explorer Pass?

Both are run by Go City. The London Pass is all-inclusive: unlimited entry to over 100 attractions for a run of consecutive days. The Explorer Pass is choose-your-own: you pick a set number of attractions, from 2 to 7, and visit them at your own pace over a longer window. Day-counters suit packed trips; the Explorer suits relaxed ones.

Do London passes include the hop-on hop-off bus?

Many do, usually as a one-day ticket on the sightseeing buses, and the Golden Pass is built around one. It is worth using as transport as well as a tour, since it saves on Tube fares and links the main sights. Check what your chosen pass includes before you buy.

Can I use a London pass for free museums?

You do not need to. London's major museums, including the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Tate galleries and the National Gallery, are free to enter for everyone. Save your pass for the paid attractions and enjoy the free ones alongside.

Which London pass is best for families?

For most families the Merlin's Magical London Pass is the natural pick, bundling the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE, Shrek's Adventure and the London Dungeon. For a wider mix including the Tower and the Zoo, a Go City pass covers more. See our guide to things to do in London with kids for the full picture.

How far in advance should I buy a London pass?

You can buy right up to the day, since passes are digital, but buying a day or two ahead lets you plan your route and check that individual attractions do not need a separate timed slot on top of the pass. Some popular sights ask you to reserve a time even with a pass, so read the details.

The Bottom Line

A London pass is a genuine saving for the right traveller and a waste for the wrong one. Work out the attractions you actually want, add up their gate prices, and buy the pass that beats that total: the all-inclusive London Pass for a fast trip, the Explorer Pass for a relaxed one, the Merlin pass for families. Buy from Go City to keep it all in one app, mix in the free museums, and start each day early. Get the shape right and the city opens up for a lot less.

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