This post will cover each of the best bus tours in Liverpool, including hop-on hop-off services and outings that will take you to all the most notable Beatles landmarks.
Overview
There are currently two different types of bus tour in Liverpool that will take you around to several notable sites throughout the city.
The most popular option is a hop-on hop-off bus tour, and there are two different companies offering these types of services. These tours allow you to explore the city at your own pace.
You can jump off at any of their designated stops, spend some time looking around, and then jump back on the bus when you’re ready to see more!
Alternatively, you can also take a Beatles bus tour. Liverpool is the site of many important events in the history of this legendary rock band, and these outings will take you to some of the most important locations related to the Fab Four.
So many Beatles fans visit Liverpool each year that one of the hop-on hop-off bus tours actually offers a route which includes stops related to the band.
There are also a lot of combo packages which include tickets to various Liverpool bus tours, and this is a good way to save money on multiple activities.
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours
This section provides details about each of the hop-on hop-off bus tours available in Liverpool, including information about ticket prices, tour length, and some of the stops visited on these outings.
City Sights Liverpool
This is the main hop-on hop-off bus tour company in Liverpool, and they currently offer two routes which cover a variety of different locations throughout the city.
Their main service is the red route, which is a multilingual city tour with 14 different stops. If you were to take the tour without any stops, it would take approximately 50-60 minutes to complete.
The blue route combines the best stops on their city tour with several sites related to the history of the Beatles. This is essentially a combination tour, and it takes around 90 minutes to see every stop.
Each ticket for both routes includes a free map, a free glass of champagne at the Philharmonic Dining Rooms, and the following discounts:
- 20% off Tickets | The Magical History Beatles Museum
- 20% off Tickets | Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre
- 40% off Afternoon Tea | The Hilton Liverpool One
- 42% off Afternoon Tea | The Adelphi Hotel
- 25% off Food & Drink | Marco Pierre White Bar & Grill
- 20% off Food & Drink | Courtyard Bar & Kitchen
- 20% off Food & Drink | Sapporo Teppanyaki
- 20% off Food & Drink | The Club House
Ticket Prices
- Red Route (City Tour)
- £12/Adults (16+)
- £6/Children (2-15)
- £8/Students & Seniors (60+)
- £30/Family (2 Adults + 2 Children)
- £35/Family (2 Adults + 3 Children)
- £8/NHS & Service Care Workers
- Blue Route (City + Beatles Tour)
- £18/Adults
- £12/Children
- £14/Students & Seniors
- £45/Family (2 Adults + 2 Children)
- £50/Family (2 Adults + 3 Children)
- £8/NHS & Service Care Workers
Reviews
City Sights Liverpool currently has a very good score of almost 5 out of 5 stars on Get Your Guide (read reviews here).
Most guests agree that their hop-on hop-off bus tours are entertaining and helpful in figuring out where everything is located.
There aren’t many negative reviews, and many people who left 1 star ratings didn’t even bother to explain why, so it’s hard to know what they didn’t enjoy about the tour.
City Explorer Liverpool
Much like their competitors, this company also provides a hop-on hop-off bus tour which covers a variety of notable locations. They also have a Beatles bus tour which we will cover in that section.
The city tour is around 1 hour in length from start to finish if you choose not to hop off at any of the sites included on their route, and it includes 14 different stops in Liverpool.
Ticket prices are lower than other Liverpool bus tours, but they don’t offer any discounts for other attractions and restaurants, so keep that in mind before deciding which tour to take.
Ticket Prices
- £11/Adults
- £6/Children
- £8/Concession
- £30/Family (2 Adults + 3 Children)
Purchase tickets or learn more.
Reviews
City Explorer Liverpool has mostly positive reviews with a similar overall rating of almost 5 out of 5 stars (read reviews here).
Many guests report that this tour is both informative and enjoyable, indicating it’s a great way to see and learn about the city of Liverpool.
There aren’t many negative reviews for this service, and those that aren’t positive don’t seem to have much in common. Furthermore, City Explorer appears to quickly respond to any and all complaints to resolve any issues their customers may have.
Beatles Bus Tours
These outings focus almost entirely on the history of the Beatles, taking you to a variety of notable sites in Liverpool that were important to the famous rock group.
The Magical Mystery Tour
This tour is actually offered in conjunction with the Cavern Club, one of the most historic Beatles landmarks in the entire city. As a matter of fact, each ticket includes admission to the Cavern Club!
Unlike hop-on hop-off bus tours, this is a 2 hour tour that does not allow you to jump off at your convenience. Instead, there are specific locations where you will be allowed to get off the bus and take a look around.
The Magical Mystery Tour starts at Royal Albert Dock and includes the following stops:
- Childhood home of Ringo Starr
- George Harrison’s birthplace
- Penny Lane | Includes stop
- St. Peter’s Church Hall
- Strawberry Field | Includes stop
- Childhood home of John Lennon
- Childhood home of Paul McCartney
- Schools/Colleges the Beatles attended
- And more!
Ticket Prices
- £19.95/Adults
- £10/Children (2-16)
- £50/Family (2 Adults + 2 Children)
NOTE: If you’re planning to visit Liverpool from London, it’s worth noting that there are some day trips which actually include tickets to the Magical Mystery Tour.
Reviews
This company currently enjoys an impressive rating of almost 5 out of 5 stars (read reviews here).
There are very few negative reviews for the Magical Mystery Tour, and whenever they do receive criticism, they respond promptly in an attempt to resolve any issues their customers might have.
Guests who enjoyed their experience suggest it’s perfect for fans of the Beatles, indicating that even if you’re well-versed in the history of the band, you might just learn something new on this tour!
City Explorer Liverpool
In addition to their hop-on hop-off bus tour, this company also offers a Beatles bus tour that includes stops at a variety of locations related to the history of the legendary rock band.
This tour is approximately 90 minutes long and it’s available every day of the week. Guests can expect to see popular sites such as Penny Lane and Strawberry Field among many others.
Ticket Prices
- £15/Adults
- £10/Children
- £11/Concession
- £44/Family (2 Adults + 3 Children)
- Not currently available as of October 2022.
Reviews
As with their hop-on hop-off tours, City Explorer has received a lot of great reviews and they enjoy a rating of nearly 5 out of 5 stars (read reviews here).
There aren’t currently any 1 or 2 star ratings which mention their Beatles bus tour, so even the most negative reviews tend to indicate that they enjoyed the service.
Positive reviews suggest that this is a great way to learn the history of the Fab Four while seeing some of the most notable sites from their past.
Combo Packages
Both companies offer combination deals which give you a discount on multiple activities. If you’re planning to enjoy a cruise, walking tour, museum or other attractions in Liverpool, this is a great way to save money.
Tiqets Combo Deals
This company currently has 3 different combo packages which include admission to other tours and activities. Consider one of the following deals if you want to save some money:
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour + Magical Mystery Tour & Cavern Club
- Prices start from £27.86 for Adults.
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour + Mersey Ferry Cruise
- Prices start from £22 for Adults.
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour + Liverpool FC Stadium Tour + Audio Guide
- Prices start from £30.60 for Adults.
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Magical Mystery Tour & Cavern Club + The Beatles Story
- Prices start from £34.16 for Adults.
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour + Liverpool Walking Tour
- Prices start from £30 for Adults.
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
- Not currently available as of October 2022.
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour + Mersey Ferry Cruise + Liverpool Cathedral
- Prices start from £23 for Adults.
- Not currently available as of October 2022.
City Sights Liverpool
Like their competitors, this company also offers combo packages which include multiple activities for a discounted price. Here are all the options currently available:
Beatles + City Tour (Blue Route) + The Beatles Story Museum
- £30/Adults
- £20/Children
- £25/Concession
City Tour (Red Route) + Wheel of Liverpool
- £17/Adults
- £11/Children
- £13/Concession
- £43/Family (2 Adults + 2 Children)
City Tour (Red Route) + Radio City Tower
- £16/Adults
- £10/Children
- £12/Concession
- £40/Family (2 Adults + 2 Children)
Click here to learn more about these combo packages.
