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Which Philadelphia Bus Tours Are The Best?

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Updated: May 25, 2022
 By Jenn H

This post reviews and compares the many different Philadelphia bus tours available to you, including hop-on-hop-off to night tours and trolleys. 

 Hop On Hop Off Company  1-Day Adult Pass
 Big Bus $35
 City Sightseeing  $34
 Philly Plash  $5 (self-guided)

HOP-ON-HOP-OFF PHILADELPHIA: BIG BUS

This may be one of the best ways to discover the birthplace of America. Explore the city at your own pace as you travel from one landmark to the next.

 

Big Bus Philadelphia

 

These services perform an entire circuit around Philadelphia and allow you to jump off at various locations for a closer look.

There are 2 commercial companies and one do-it-yourself option. Expect ticket prices to range from $30-$50 on average for the commercial tours.

 


BIG BUS TOURS

When it comes to the hop-on-hop-off tours, this company is one of the biggest names in the industry.

They offer services all over the world, providing narration and transportation for travelers everywhere.

In Philadelphia, they offer daily bus tours, trolley tours, and even horse and carriage tours.

 

Big Bus Philadelphia Route Map

Click on the map to expand.

The full circuit will take you roughly 90 minutes to complete, giving you plenty of time to explore all of the different locations on this trip.

One ticket is good for both bus and trolley travel. A free courtesy shuttle is available from the airport and other areas such as the city center.

Live English tour guides on all buses, with audio in 11 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Mandarin, Korean and Arabic.  

They also offer a night tour option as well as combination tickets.

The Philadelphia branch of Big Bus Tours has an incredibly high rating of 4 ½ of 5 stars on TripAdvisor and Get Your Guide (read the reviews). 


Ticket Prices

1-Day Ticket

  • $35 for Adults
  • $12 for Children (4-12 years)

2-Day Ticket

  • $55 for Adults
  • $18 for Children

3-Day Ticket

  • $75 for Adults
  • $26 for Children 

More info and to book.

 


CITY SIGHTSEEING BUS TOURS 

(also known as Philadelphia Sightseeing)

City Sightseeing is also well known for providing hop-on-hop-off bus tours all around the country. In the City of Brotherly Love, they offer very similar services to what you’ll find with their competition.

 

 

This company provides live commentary in English for all of their tours. Headsets are available for tours in English, French, German, Spanish, and Mandarin.  

It takes about 90 minutes to complete the circuit, but there are so many significant locations to see that you might want to consider a multi-day pass.

Prices for their 2 and 3-day tickets are a little bit cheaper than Big Bus, which makes this an excellent alternative.  

They also offer night tours and combination tickets.

This bus tour currently has a 4 ½ out of 5-star rating on TripAdvisor and Viator (read the reviews). 


Ticket Prices 

  • 1-Day Ticket: $34 for Adults | $32 for Seniors | $12 for Children
  • 2-Day Ticket: $54 for Adults | $51 for Seniors | $18 for Children
  • 3-Day Ticket: $69 for Adults | $65 for Seniors | $26 for Children
  • More information and to book.

 


PHILLY PHLASH

If you’re looking for a more affordable alternative to hop-on-hop-off tours, the city of Philadelphia actually offers their own special bus service for tourists.

 

 

With a total of 22 stops, the Philly Phlash will take you to almost all of the same locations as a major tour bus at a fraction of the cost.

Unfortunately, this transportation doesn’t offer any audio or a live guide and it doesn't run year-round.

That being said, if you’re considering one of our free guided or self-guided tours, the Phlash is an excellent method for getting around town. 

The services operate from 8:30 am until 6 pm (20:00) daily (May-August) and more limited service throughout the year (no service in January, February and half of March.

Buses typically run every 15 minutes.  

Surprisingly, this service has an excellent overall rating of 4 ½ out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor.  

Many reviewers feel that this bus is a convenient way to save money while discovering as much of the city as possible.


Ticket Prices

  • $2 per ride | $5 for all-day pass | $7 for a Two-Day Pass |Children under 4 ride free
  • SEPTA Pass/Key Card holders ride for free
  • More information

 


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NIGHT BUS TOURS IN PHILADELPHIA

In addition to the standard hop-on-hop-off bus service, you will also find a few night tours in Philadelphia.

Although you won’t have the opportunity to hop off at various locations around the city, you will see a different side of Philly once the sun goes down. 

Each excursion includes live commentary. 

Unfortunately, these tour options are only available during the warmer months, so they won’t be accessible for anyone visiting during the winter.


PHILLY BY NIGHT- BIG BUS TOURS 

Philly By Night

Whether you’re looking for a bit more than their typical bus trip or you just want to experience Philadelphia after dark, the Philly By Night tour should do the trick.

Clocking in at 120 minutes in length, the night tour will last about as long as a full circuit with their hop-on-hop-off service.

Starting in the spring, this bus tour will depart at 8 pm ( almost every night.

Although prices are comparable to their all-day tickets, you can actually save money by purchasing a combo pass

If possible, reviews for Philly By Night are even better than the ratings for their standard service.


Ticket Prices

  • $30 for Adults | $20 for Children (Ages 4-12)
  • Note: Courtesy shuttle available from Center City Hotels
  • More info and to book

 


TWILIGHT PHILLY- CITY SIGHTSEEING TOURS 

Philadelphia Night Tour

Not to be outdone, this company also offers a very similar night tour entitled Twilight Philly.  Note that this bus tour is SEASONAL and only operates between the months of May and October, departing every night at 8 PM.

This trip will also last for approximately 90 minutes, giving you plenty of time to discover the city after dark. A local tour guide will provide a plethora of information about the various locations you will visit on your journey. 

Ticket Prices

 


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COMBO DEALS & DISCOUNTS

If you plan on visiting a wide variety of locations in Philadelphia, you may want to consider one of the following options.

With a tourist attraction discount pass, you pay one lump sum for access to a lot of different locations and the transportation necessary to visit each landmark.

Plan out your itinerary ahead of time and save money on all of your activities!

 


PHILADELPHIA PASS 

Philly Pass

Although this tourist pass will cost more per day than one of the bus tours listed above, it also includes admission to several attractions.

If you want to do more than just see the sights, the Philadelphia Pass is a great way to experience the city on a tight budget.

Each pass comes with a 2-day hop-on-hop-off ticket from Big Bus Tours.

Instead of just visiting each location and looking around, now you can actually gain entrance into landmarks and important sites such as the Betsy Ross House, the National Constitution Center, and One Liberty Observation Deck.

If you want to learn more about this opportunity, check out our comparison of each Philadelphia tourist pass.


Ticket Prices

  • 1-Day Pass: $59 for Adults | $49 for Children
  • 2-Day Pass: $89 for Adults | $79 for Children
  • 3-Day Pass: $109 for Adults | $99 for Children
  • 5-Day Pass: $129 for Adults | $119 for Children

Tip: Check their website for regular discounts!

Find out more information here.

 


CITYPASS PHILADELPHIA City PaSS

Much like their competitors, this company also works with Big Bus Tours to provide a free hop-on, hop-off bus ticket. However, you won’t have access to nearly as many attractions with the CityPASS.

Rather than offering admission to dozens of different locations, this tourist pass focuses on just four activities.

In addition to a bus tour, you’ll also gain entrance into the Franklin Institute, One Liberty Observation Deck, and your choice of either the Adventure Aquarium or Philadelphia Zoo.

The main advantage of this option is that you will have a total of 9 days to take advantage of each individual activity. 

General admission for all of these tours and attractions can cost over $90 without this pass.

If you’d rather take your time exploring the city, this might be one of the best ways to save some cash.

For more information, look at our comparison between each tourist pass.

Ticket Prices

  • $55 for Adults | $35 for Children
  • Find out more here.

 


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About The Author

Jenn H

Jenn is a born Jersey girl that grew up “across the Ben” but has Philly in her heart and history in her blood. She went to Washington & Jefferson College in the Pittsburgh area. Yes her college mascots were two guys in white wigs! Jenn came back to Philly to get her M.A. in Museum Studies. Happily worked at the city history museum but came outside for some fresh air as a tour guide. Jenn has been part of the FTBF team since March 2011.
Updated: May 25th, 2022
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