New York City

Big Bus New York: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus

New York City, USA

From $58.00

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

  • 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

See the highlights of New York City without the hassle of navigating traffic or public transportation with a hop-on hop-off tour. This tour enables busy travelers to relax and enjoy the sights from a double-decker bus; depending on the option you pick, you can access both Uptown and Downtown routes . Along the way, choose to disembark to see the attractions that interest you most, rather than being caught up on a group tour.
  • Book a flexible bus tour that lets you hop on and off
  • Audio commentary shares the stories behind the sights
  • Choose from several tour durations to best suit your schedule
  • Have the freedom to explore according to your own interests and schedule

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

This bus tour focuses on Manhattan with upgrades for night trips, a boat ride, and Brooklyn.

What's Included

  • Hop-on hop-off, open-top, sightseeing bus tour
  • Live bus tracking through Big Bus app
  • 2 Routes - Uptown (red route) and Downtown (blue route)
  • Audio-guide in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and German
  • On selected tickets 1-hr free bike rental with a purchase of 1-hr from Unlimited Biking
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Start time

Opening hours

Select your preferred tour option to see hours.
View tour option

What To Expect

Show your paper or mobile voucher to a member of the staff at any of the main stops along your route to redeem and board the bus. Learn about the history of the city from the onboard audio commentary as you go.

Choose between a single route, or upgrade for a package that gives you access to both Uptown and Downtown loops.

Whichever option you choose, you can cruise the entire loop or hop off when a destination interests you enough that you want to explore it further, such as Battery Park, the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center.
Downtown - Red Route

10 Stops

21 Points of Interest

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Operating Schedule: 9:00 AM (from Stop #1 - M&M'S World) - 5:00 PM Every 10 to 15 minutes, totally route takes 90 minutes Customers are advised to visit the Big Bus website or to download the Big Bus app to see the most up to date bus stop locations and timings. For live bus tracking on the day of travel - please download the Big Bus App in advance of arrival.

M&M'S New York

W 42nd St and Broadway

5th Avenue & West 32nd Street

5th Ave & W 23rd St

West Broadway & Spring Street

100 Lafayette St

Park Row & Beekman St

SAMC360

State St/Bridge St

Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises

Points of interest passed by on this route

Empire State Building

Rockefeller Center

Times Square

Flatiron Building

Battery Park

Charging Bull (Wall Street Bull)

SoHo

Greenwich Village

Little Italy

Union Square Green Market

Herald Square

The High Line

Madame Tussauds New York

Times Square

Rockefeller Center

Bryant Park

Union Square

Brooklyn Bridge

The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum

One World Observatory

Trinity Church

Uptown - Blue Route

5 Stops

16 Points of Interest

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Operating Schedule: 10 AM - 5 PM (Stop #11 Times Square North) Every 30 Minutes, tour duration takes 90 Minutes Customers are advised to visit the Big Bus website or to download the Big Bus app to see the most up to date bus stop locations and timings. For live bus tracking on the day of travel - please download the Big Bus App in advance of arrival.

W 42nd St and Broadway

7th Avenue & West 50th Street

5th Avenue & East 83rd Street

5th Avenue & East 66th Street

Central Park South & Columbus Circle

Points of interest passed by on this route

Carnegie Hall

Columbus Circle

Central Park Zoo

Frick Collection

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Grand Central Terminal

Bryant Park

Times Square

Central Park

Madame Tussauds New York

Empire State Building

Broadway

Fifth Avenue

Central Park

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Central Park Zoo

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • 1 day tickets will be valid for same day use. Tickets with multiple days must be used consecutively.
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Most travelers can participate

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

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Q:How often does a bus arrive at each stop during the Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Tour?

A:A bus arrives approximately every hour on both the Downtown (Red) and Uptown (Blue) routes.

Mar 2021

Q:Do I have to go to a central location to redeem my ticket for the Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Tour?

A:You may redeem your printed or electronic ticket at any of the listed bus stops.

Mar 2021

Q:How long is a full circle ride on the Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Tour without getting off?

A:A full rotation on each of the Downtown (Red) and Uptown (Blue) routes is approximately 90 mins. Note: Tour duration can fluctuate according to the season.

Mar 2021

Q:How will I know which stop(s) to use during the Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Tour?

A:Our live guides and pre-recorded commentary will communicate upcoming stops. You can also download our free App for more information on routes and times, and what to see and do at each stop location.

Mar 2021

Q:Is the Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Tour wheelchair accessible?

A:Yes, we operate wheelchair-accessible vehicles with lifts that can accommodate up to 650 pounds. If you require an accessible vehicle, please let us know in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout.

Mar 2021

Q:Can I bring a pet with me on the Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Tour?

A:No pets are allowed onboard the bus, except ADA service animals.

Mar 2021

Q:Can I bring food or drink with me on the Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Tour?

A:No food or alcohol is permitted onboard the bus. Non-alcoholic drinks in screw-top bottles are permitted.

Mar 2021

Q:Can I bring luggage on the Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Tour?

A:No, luggage is not permitted onboard the bus at this time.

Mar 2021

Traveler Photos

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Reviews

3.5
3,984 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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0
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 3,984 reviews
Nice
Tina_D, Apr 2024
The view was great and a lot of busses. I would recommend a newbie to New York use it to initially get around
Excellent
Helen_D, Apr 2024
Great service and easy to use. Bus stops local to tourist attractions. Only downfall bus really busy evening time and unable to sit top deck to admire views
Overpriced and not worth it
Kirsty_Y, Apr 2024
This experience was an overpriced waste of time. We thought it would be a good way to see the sights and learn about the city. Sadly not. The audio commentary is juvenile and not very informative. It was also behind the schedule so would talk about things after we passed them. We saw several interesting buildings that weren’t even discussed. The routes are limited. It doesn’t really work as a hop on hop off bus because the buses are infrequent and often full. The stops aren’t particularly convenient for the major sights and it ends very early at night. The buses also don’t run on loops - you are forced to get off at the end of the line even if you didn’t start there. Don’t recommend. It was very expensive and I think there are better ways to see the city. The only reason it is 2 stars not 1 is because one of our buses had an amazing driver (Santana) who was enthusiastic and informative.
Great way to see the city!!
Audrey_B, Apr 2024
Brought my daughter and her friend to the city for the day as her friend had never been! Thought the Big Bus tour would be a great way for her to experience the city!! One of our tour bus drivers was so fun! Overall a great experience despite the cold bitter rain!!
Waste of money
Fredrik_S, Apr 2024
This bus tour is not worth the money if you do it on a weekday. The traffic is so bad that it takes way too long to get round the loop. It says 90 minutes but after 2 hours we had only got half way and ended up being late for another booking. The audio is all pre recorded and pretty rubbish to be honest. Often it does not match up with where you are so end up looking at the wrong thing. Don't bother booking it on line either. There are litterlay hundreds of touts selling these tickets all over manhattan. So just wait and pick a day with good weather and less traffic. Or just don't bother at all and just use the subway.
Fun day
Rosalva_M, Apr 2024
Start early go once around and then you know where you want to go. Take your time eat and enjoy the sights
Things to avoid in NYC
Teri_H, Apr 2024
It was terrible. Staff was cursing at each other, rude to the guests, did not want to let us sit in the lower level despite the frigid cold weather. Head sets did not work. I would never do this again nor would I recommend it to anyone else.
See It All
Kathleen_S, Apr 2024
NYC’ Hop On Hop Off bus made it so convenient to see everything we wanted to see in New York! I would definitely book again:)
Too much wait time
Davit_A, Mar 2024
Hop on, hop off can't happen as there is too much time spent on waiting the bus or in the traffic while on the bus. It takes 2 full hours for that, once you get off, then may be you can get on one more time...and that's it. This is a scam to get your money.
Not worth it
Elizabeth_R, Mar 2024
Pretty big waste. The commentary on the tour was cheesy/scripted and not actually informative at all. The bus stops were a little hard to find and sometimes stop before the “big bus tour” stop (eg by the hudson yards). Save your money.
Awesome Sightseeing
Agatha_L, Mar 2024
I’ve been wanting to see New York and finally get to see it. This amazing hop on and hop off bus ride just to get close to sights and take quick photos are good enough, which includes 360 degrees view of New York City as well as both Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge.
New York is real
Lynne_C, Mar 2024
Seeing all of the sites I had only heard about or seen in movies was memorable. I felt the there was too much music. So many songs were distracting to me.
Can’t recommend, different from prior experience.
jimenezjcnd, Mar 2024
Wouldn’t recommend. No live tour conductor. All the staff is on street making sales. Difficult to understand what one is looking at because of traffic, so either ahead or behind the tape and at times the driver has the tape loop.
Great way to see New York
Jackie_S, Mar 2024
Great way to see New York City and to use as a hop on hop off to visit many places of interest. Luckily they have downstairs and a covered area upstairs for when the weather is bad which it was.
Just Buy A Regular Bus Ticket
Anonymous, Feb 2024
Horrible experience, you might as well book a regular bus ticket. They explain absolutely nothing, give you headphones with prerecorded explanations that are in and out the whole trip, and there is nowhere near enough space for everyone. Definitely not like experiences in other cities.
Average
Rebecca_W, Feb 2024
Was ok but just ok, commentary was poor and didn’t advise when the bus would be stopping. We also used Topview which was much better.
Not perfect but almost
Marcy_O, Feb 2024
Our NYC big tour was this past weekend , the bus was clean and timely for the most part It did allow us to see/get to many sights we would not have been able to cover in a day. The audio portion was a bit annoying that you had to plug in each time you entered the bus and it the description was off timing wise due to traffic. Also would highly recommend that a system be in place to announce what stop is coming up next ! A few times we either missed getting off or got off at wrong stop. While we received an email stating that the brooklyn bridge stop was closed for the day, there was no mention of Battery Park renovation that allows minimal access to waterfront/picture taking spots of lady liberty!
Horrible Horrible Experience!!! Waste of money and time!!!
Anonymous, Jan 2024
The bus does not stop in the "convenient" locations it tells you it does. It also says they come every 10-15 minutes. We had to wait in the snow for over 35 minutes for a bus to come. We thought there was a tour guide but it was just a pair of earphones that did not even work when plugged in. I paid for a two day ticket and was absolutely disgusted with the bus and both Viator and Big Bus refused to give me a refund for the 2nd day. I paid $200 for 2 people to ride a bus for about an hour on one day. Biggest rip off in the city!!!!!
Terrible
alberto_p, Jan 2024
Bad experience. The bus never showed up. Waited 45 minutes in the snow. I should be refunded. Terrible
Does Not Disappoint
Paul_S, Jan 2024
We always try to do a Hop on, Hop off bus tour whenever we’re on a city break/holiday. It gives us the opportunity to see the city in all its glory so that we can plan our stay and this one did not disappoint.
...

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