This is a comparison post of the best London ghost tours, the dark side of London tours, and haunted bus tours, including our pay-what-you-like London ghost tour.
- Ghost Tours
- Haunted Bus Tours
- Dark Side of London Tours
- Jack the Ripper Tours
- Spooky Attractions
- Other London Night Tours
GHOST TOURS
The following are traditional ghost tours that bring London's haunted history to life.
Each runs for 2-2.5 hours and costs approximately £12-£20 per person.
Free Tours by Foot is the only company to offer a pay-what-you-like ghost tour, which takes you near London Bridge to learn about the city's darker history.
Free Tours By Foot
Take a walk through the sinister past of the Dark Side of London, hearing ghost stories, tragic tails, and creepy facts and figures, all the more unsettling because it is true!
Join Free Tours By Foot on a walk through the London’s most fascinating dark heritage as we explore the medieval London.
You will learn the stories of heretics burnt alive, little girls terrifying travelers on the tube, deadly surgeries, ghosts with missing feet, kings and heroes killed in most unexpected way and stand before an old Victorian hospital famous for grave-robbery.
We will visit the largest ‘Plague Pit’ in England – only discovered in 2003 and continue on to the Old Bailey Courthouse, the site of countless executions and the trial of a Victorian serial killer 100 times more prolific than Jack the Ripper!
This tour is a must for anyone who wants to get off the beaten track and learn about the macabre tales that this ancient city has to offer. You’ll never look at London the same way!
Join Free Tours By Foot on a walk through London’s most fascinating dark heritage as we explore the most disturbing and haunting tales of the Old City.
Wander through the ancient "Smooth field," site of countless grisly executions, and connect with Sherlock Holmes at a medieval hospital.
Winding through dark lanes, as you approach London Bridge you’ll hear the grim origins of many medieval nursery rhymes, and enter the City to visit a skull-festooned church that holds the remains of the woman who brought the Black Plague to England.
A walk down “disgraceful Cheapside’ will lead you to a tale of cannibalism and canine haunting before you continue on to the Old Bailey Courthouse, the site of countless executions and the trial of a Victorian serial killer 100 times more prolific than Jack the Ripper!
A visit to Cock Lane will uncover the adulterous scandal behind a series of murders, hauntings, and seances in Georgian London, and we will finish our tour at the largest ‘Plague Pit’ in England – only discovered in 2003.
This tour, guided by a professional storyteller and scholar of dark heritage, is a must for anyone who wants to get off the beaten track and learn about the macabre tales that this ancient city has to offer. You’ll never look at London the same way!
Sites and Topics we cover on the Dark Side of London Tour:
- Ghosts of the Underground
- Smithfield Market
- Charterhouse Square
- Plague Pit
- Medieval Hospital of St. Bartholomew
- 900 Year old Church and Graveyard
- Newgate Prison
- Triple Execution Site
- Grave Robbers Pub
- The Cock Lane
- The Old Bailey
Tour information
Reservations: Click here to reserve.
Where: Meet your guide outside of Farringdon Underground Station, in front of the main station entrance/exit between the new and old stations. (map)
The tour ends at St. Paul's Cathedral.
Duración: Approximately 2 hours.
When: Tuesdays at 20:00 (8 pm) and Fridays at 18:00 (6 pm). View our calendar.
Cost: This tour is free to take, and you get to decide what, if anything, the tour was worth when it's done. A name-your-own-price tour is a tour for anyone's budget.
For more tips on saving money when visiting London, check out our blog posts for London on a budget.
MEET THE STREET
Meet the Street offers a 2-hour Ghastly Ghosts Walking Tour, which aims to share London's haunted history with visitors from around the world.
The tour begins at the Tower of London and concludes at St. Paul's, stopping at several sites in the City of London along the way.
Though it promises to send chills down your spine, this tour is much more humorous than scary, as the guides do an excellent job of lightening the mood when the subject matter becomes too grim.
And for those less interested in learning about London's folklore, don't worry! There is a lot of historical facts shared throughout the tour as well!
Ghastly Ghosts Walking Tour
- From £15 per person
- Wednesday - Sunday at 20:00 (8 pm)
- More details or to book.
See their full range of London tours.
Reviews of Ghastly Ghosts Walking Tour
Meet the Street maintains an excellent reputation on both TripAdvisor and Get Your Guide, averaging 5 out of 5 stars for all of their tours (read the reviews).
However, their Ghastly Ghosts Walking Tour is especially highly reputed.
NEW EUROPE TOURS
This particular tour lasts 2.5 hours and requires a prepaid reservation costing £14 per person.
Though tales of Jack the Ripper are included on this tour, it also features many different ghost stories.
Like some of the other tours included on this list, the Grim Reaper Tour is probably funnier than it is scary.
However, there are still plenty of opportunities to get spooked while walking around the dark streets of the East End.
Grim Reaper Tour
- £14 per person / £12 Students with ID
- Nightly at 18:30 (6:30 pm)
- More details or to book.
Reviews of The Grim Reaper Tour
Sandeman's Grim Reaper Tour is one of their most popular tours, averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars on both TripAdvisor and Get Your Guide (read the reviews).
Similar to their Death and Debauchery Tour, the Famous Ghosts and Infamous Murders Tour by Insider London is a slightly spookier version that focuses on the city's haunted past.
The tour begins outside of Tottenham Court Road Tube Station and lasts approximately 2 hours.
You will visit one of London's narrowest alleyways, a former plague pit, and leper hospital, and a tunnel so haunted that their guides are scared of walking down it.
This is one of the scarier ghost tours in London, so if you're looking for a fright, Insider London might be the company for you!
Famous Ghosts and Infamous Murders
- Adults - £12
- Children - £10
- Seniors - £10
- Saturdays at 7 pm
- More information here.
Reviews of Insider London
Guests seem exceedingly happy with the Famous Ghosts and Infamous Murders Tour, describing it as "fascinating and (at times) terrifying" and "highly professional, and offer great entertainment and value for money".
In fact, there are no reviews that rate the tour at less than 4 stars. TripAdvisor Rating: 5 stars.
HAUNTED LONDON QUEST
Although it's not really a tour, this self-guided exploration game will give you the task of solving a mystery as you discover some of the most haunted locations in London.
This game also includes a variety of true horror stories and details about curses that may plague the city.
Find out more about this Haunted London Quest.
HAUNTED BUS TOURS
GHOST BUS TOURS
Ghost Bus Tours is the only company currently offering a haunted bus tour of the city.
Though more expensive than the walking tours and not quite as long, the Ghost Bus Tour allows you to see a much larger area of the city.
TIP: This tour is included for free with the iVENTURE Card tourist discount pass. Learn more about tourist passes by clicking here.
Described as a comedy-horror show, the Ghost Bus Tours lead a 75-minute scary sightseeing tour around the city.
However, perhaps the most exciting part of this tour is the bus itself!
The Necropolis Bus is midnight black and used to be part of a private fleet of funeral buses that were used until all but one (the Ghost Bus) was destroyed in a fire in 1967.
Ghost Bus Tour
- Adults (ages 16-59) £23
- Children (ages 6-15) £15
- Children (ages 5 and under) Free
- Seniors (ages 60+), Military with ID, Student (with ID ages 16-25) £17
- Departs nightly at 6 pm, 7:30 pm, and 9 pm
- More information or to book.
Reviews of Ghost Bus Tours
Most people seem to find the Ghost Bus Tour extremely entertaining and fun, with the tour averaging 4.3 out of 5 stars on both TripAdvisor and Get Your Guide (read the reviews).
Reviewers love the bus's spooky decor and the conductor's wacky personality.
Though a few seem disappointed that it wasn't scary, it is important to remember that it isn't advertised as such! This is a comedy horror show that aims to make you laugh above anything else.
DARK SIDE OF LONDON
Dark Side of London Tours usually refrain from telling stories of the supernatural and instead focus on the city's darker history.
Tales of murder, debauchery, crime, and brutality are rife throughout each of these tours -- all of which are aimed at mature audiences.
Murder Mile Tours and Insider London offer tours that are very similar in style and price, costing £15 per person.
City Wonders also covers a similar part of the city but is significantly more expensive at £30 per person.
However, their reviews are extremely positive with many guests raving about their experiences.
Murder Mile Tours offer just one tour: Soho's Infamous Murders Walking Tour.
However, though their offerings may be limited, Murder Mile Tours is hugely popular with visitors to learn more about London's seedy history. Guides are described as "performers of black comedy"
Soho's Infamous Murders Walking Tour
- £20 per person
- Depart Sundays at 11 am
- More information or to book.
Reviews of Murder Mile Tours
Described as "gruesome and great," visitors seem to absolutely love the Infamous Murders Walking Tour offered by Murder Mile Tours.
Several people comment on the impressive enthusiasm and knowledge of their guides, as well as the fascinating route itself.
Some reviewers even admit that they had low expectations for the tour, but were completely blown away by the end. TripAdvisor Rating: 5 stars.
Other Dark Side of London Tours
East End Tours - They offer a Sweeney Todd: The Dark Side of London, which takes you on a journey to find London’s most notorious gangsters, Ronnie and Reggie Kray.
Along the way, you will learn all about the gangsters, shootouts, nightclubs, and murders that took place in the 1960s in London.
The Death and Debauchery Tour offered by Insider London is another popular option for those looking to learn about London's darker history.
The tour begins near Oxford Street and takes you through Central London.
One of the great things about Insider London is that you never have to worry about the tour being canceled due to too few people signing up.
Their tours run regardless, so if you're the only person to book a spot, you will be able to enjoy a very intimate tour experience rather than having it canceled all together!
An Oyster or TravelCard is required as the tour uses the Underground.
Death and Debauchery Tour
- From £15 per person
- Every Friday at 5 pm
- More information or to book.
Reviews of Insider London
Insider London has really excellent reviews for all of their tours, but their Death and Debauchery Tour is especially well rated, averaging a perfect 5 out of 5 stars on both TripAdvisor and Get Your Guide.
One of the most popular sites on this tour is the "Ghost Station," which can be seen very briefly from the window of a moving train. Guests seem especially impressed with the guides, who do a fantastic job of illuminating the scarier side of London.
One visitor even described the tour as one of the best (if not THE best) they have ever been on. You really can't do better than that! TripAdvisor Rating: 5 stars.
SPOOKY ATTRACTIONS
The London Bridge Experience & Tombs and The London Dungeon are two popular attractions that bring London's darkest history to life with intricate sets, enthusiastic actors, and lots of scare tactics.
Of the two, London Bridge Experience & Tombs is regarded as more terrifying.
However, both successfully frighten people of all ages. The London Dungeon is a fair bit more expensive, starting at $30 per person rather than the $20 per person for the London Bridge Experience & Tombs.
Yet, the former maintains a better rating on TripAdvisor and has several reviewers who comment on its excellent value.
LONDON BRIDGE EXPERIENCE & TOMBS
The London Bridge Experience and Tombs is a spooky attraction that uses professional actors and intricate sets to showcase London's gruesome history.
The London Bridge Experience lasts approximately 60 minutes and spans 2,000 years of history.
After braving the horrors of the Experience, you are then led to the Tombs where you are meant to face your worst fears including evil clowns and nesting spiders.
This attraction has won UK's Scariest Attraction for 8 years in a row and the Top Horror Attraction in the World.
London Bridge Experience and Tombs
- Adults £21
- Children (ages 15 and under) £18
- Open daily from 10:30 am - 5:00 pm
- More information or to book.
Reviews of London Bridge Experience and Tombs
Reading through the reviews, it seems that guests either love or hate the London Bridge Experience and Tombs, with a 3.5 out of 5-star rating on TripAdvisor and a slightly better 4 out of 5 stars on Get our Guide (read the reviews).
For many, the attraction is both hilarious and terrifying, while also incorporating lots of interesting British history. Others found it to be overly cheesy and to rely too heavily on cheap scare tactics.
However, the general consensus is that you will enjoy it as long as you enter with an enthusiastic attitude! TripAdvisor Rating: 3.5 stars.
The London Dungeon is a unique, interactive attraction in which you are guided through several different shows by professional actors who aim to make you laugh and scream in equal measure.
Each show brings to life a different moment in British history, with the entire productions spanning 1,000 years of history.
There are a total of 19 live interactive shows, 20 actors, and 2 creep underground rides.
The entire experience lasts approximately 1.5 hours and is conveniently located next to the London Eye. Guests who are 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
The London Dungeon
- Adults (age 16+) – from £24
- Children (age 3-15) – from £19
- Children under 3 – free
- Students – from £12.95
- More information or to book.
Reviews of The London Dungeon
As one guest describes it, "it was so tacky, but so much fun!" Don't expect to be seriously scared during this attraction.
The London Dungeon is a fun and interactive way to see history come alive while having a few laughs along the way.
Some were disappointed with the long lines and overcrowding, however that largely speaks volumes about the popularity of this attraction.
The staff has received several compliments for their enthusiasm and quality of acting.
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