Uber Boat — Thames Clippers River Bus Service
Photo: londondrum.comUber Boat Tickets from £23 Book tickets➜
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Useful things to know before your visit
Address: Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, Piers from Putney to Greenwich
What are the dates and times?
Every day · Putney Pier (towards Greenwich) -- Every 20-30 mins from 6.30 AM to 10.40 PM (Mon-Fri); Every 30 mins from 9 AM to 9.14 PM (Sat-Sun) · Westminster Pier (towards Greenwich) -- Every 30-45 mins from 7.43 AM to 10.45 PM (Mon-Fri); Every 13-30 mins from 9.17 AM to midnight (Sat-Sun) · London Eye Pier (towards Greenwich) -- Every 30-45 mins from 8.29 AM to 10.50 PM (Mon-Fri); Every 30 mins from 9.21 AM to 11.41 PM (Sat-Sun) · Tower Pier (towards Greenwich) -- Every 30-45 mins from 7.34 AM to 11.41 PM (Mon-Fri); Every 13-30 mins from 9.47 AM to 00.26 AM (Sat-Sun) · Greenwich Pier (towards Westminster) -- Every 30-50 mins from 6.08 AM to 9.55 PM (Mon-Fri); Every 13-30 mins from 7.55 AM to 10.32 PM (Sat-Sun) · North Greenwich Pier (towards Westminster) -- Every 30-50 mins from 6 AM to 9.45 PM (Mon-Fri); Every 13-30 mins from 7.45 AM to 10.22 PM (Sat-Sun)
How much do the tickets cost?
Prices start from £23
Which buses go to Uber Boat by Thames Clippers?
Bus routes to Putney Pier: 22, 265, 378, 485 – Westminster Pier: 3, 11, 12, 24, 87, 148, 159, 211, 453 – London Eye Pier: 76, 148, 168, 453 – Tower Pier: 15, 42, 78, 100, 343 – Greenwich Pier: 177, 188 – North Greenwich Pier: 108, 129, 132, 161, 180, 188, 335, 422, 472 and 486 all stop close by
Which is the closest train station?
The nearest station is Putney Bridge on the District line
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EmailMy review of the Uber Boat from Putney to Greenwich
It's 7 o'clock in the morning and I'm standing behind a chained gate at Putney Pier. I quite like this place but it's just a high street full of shops. There are no landmarks or attractions or anything like that, so if you're a tourist then you'll probably want to start at the London Eye or Victoria Embankment, but I've got a whole day to waste so I don't care. If I could catch a boat to the end of the world and drop off the end then I'd do it.
Photo: londondrum.comUber Boats aren't really aimed at sightseers because they don't have any commentary and the only open-air seats are a few rows at the back. People use them more like a bus, commuting up and down the river from pier to pier. You can even use your Oyster card on them, tapping down on those same yellow readers that you find on the buses and tubes.
Photo: londondrum.comThe downside is that they're a lot more expensive than the train. A 1-day pass from Putney is almost ten quid more than a zone 1-4 travelcard, and a single ticket will set you back an extra 15 quid.
RB6 route from Putney to North Greenwich
The upside is that they operate one of the longest routes in London - fifteen miles from Putney Bridge to North Greenwich. Not all of their boats cover the entire stretch though, so remember to check their timetable first. You might find that you have to change boats at Big Ben while others only go as far as Canary Wharf, but hey... who cares! It's a nice way to pass the day as you pootle up the river.
We don't get going for another ten minutes and the boat is gently rolling on the water as the motor ticks over. No one is quite awake yet. A couple of kids are yawning at each other while others are slowly dozing on the vibrating windows. A few people are fiddling with their phones and the city suits have their laptops on the tables so they can do a few emails before work.
Then all of a sudden the engine starts up and it sounds like a farm tractor coughing up blood. It's spluttering and chuntering and spewing fumes out the back and when he kicks open the motor it's like being thrust into the face of a force ten gale.
Photo: londondrum.comThere's nothing much to see between Putney and Chelsea so you can let your camera have an extra ten minutes in bed. It's all parkland and bland flats around here.
We pick up a few people at Wandsworth and there's a bit of excitement at Chelsea Harbour as a lady comes clattering down the jetty with her arms waving around like the broken blades of a windmill, trying desperately to stop us from pulling away. We all know that she's got minutes to spare but we're having fun watching her anyway.
Now an old guy has got on with four dogs all tangled up in their leads. The rest of our motley crew is made up of cyclists and their bicycles, a few kids sitting on a pyramid pile of rucksacks, and a couple of chatty mums with pushchairs that are bigger than a bus. That's exactly what this boat is like... it's more like a floating bus than a sightseeing tour.
Photo: londondrum.comWe're passing Chelsea and Cadogan Pier now, which is where the actual landmarks start - Christopher Wren's Royal Hospital on the left and the huge golden Peace Pagoda on the edge of Battersea Park.
Photo: londondrum.comThen we pass the big brown bulk of Battersea Power Station and the top secret MI6 building (which absolutely everyone knows about thanks to that James Bond movie). Then the riverbank starts filling up with skyscraper flats as we get closer to Westminster. Once we pass Lambeth Bridge and the Tudor gatehouse of Lambeth Palace we're into the start of touristy London.
Photo: londondrum.comPassing along the front of Parliament is a really fine sight. As you approach Westminster Bridge you'll be treated to one of best views of Big Ben but this is where I have to get off (end of the line for my boat). You can either stay on the same jetty and catch another one to North Greenwich or you can walk over the river and catch one from the London Eye (check the timetable because you might have to wait an extra half hour if you decide to stay here).
Photo: londondrum.comIf you want to stretch your legs then I recommend having a five minute walk through the middle of Embankment station and down Villiers Street to Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column.
Photo: londondrum.comBack on the boat... the landmarks come thick and fast from this point on so you might want to bring an extra pair of eyes with you. First up is Cleopatra's Needle on the left, then the Royal Festival Hall on the right, then Temple (left), Tate Modern (right), St. Paul's Cathedral (left) and Shakespeare's Globe (right).
Photo: londondrum.comThen comes The Shard (right), The Monument (left), the big guns of HMS Belfast (straight ahead), and Traitor's Gate in front of the Tower of London.
Photo: londondrum.comAs we pull up at Tower Pier we're met by a welcoming party of seagulls who are jostling each other like a scrum of paparazzi waiting for the celebrities to get off. But it's just a load of tourists chatting happily as they troop down the gangplank staring up at Tower Bridge (remember to tap out if you're using an Oyster card or contactless card).
The stretch between Tower Bridge and Greenwich is my favourite part of the river because you really feel as if you're heading out to sea as we plow a path through the rough water towards Canary Wharf. The boat starts bouncing around on the waves. The water gets choppy. The wind gets noisy, and the flag starts flapping madly on its pole as it strains to break free.
The weather isn't great today and the riverside wharves are getting lost behind a curtain of rainwater that's making a tin-drum racket on the roof. I can forget about taking any photos because the windows are covered in rivulets of falling water. I've decided that I'm going to brave the weather outside so I wobble along the aisle holding onto the back of the seats for balance and when I open the door the combination of driving rain and spray means I have to hold my hand up like a visor.
There seems to be another squadron of seagulls following along behind us and I feel like a fighter pilot with a load of heat-seeking missiles on his tail. The only other signs of life are a few soggy joggers on the riverside path and a couple of fishermen on the stoney beach huddling under a giant green umbrella.
Photo: londondrum.comAfter we pass a few rust coloured cranes we round the bend at Greenwich and the first thing we see is the tall mast of the Cutty Sark. If it's not lost in the fog then you might get a view of the Royal Observatory on top of the hill.
Photo: londondrum.comMost of the sightseeing boats finish here but a few of the Uber Boats continue past the plastic flats and factories to North Greenwich, which is worth doing for the view of the cable car and O2 Arena.
Check out my review of the cable car because you can't come all this way and not give it a go.
I’ve ranked a boat trip to Greenwich as ★17 in my top 25 London bucket list
It also appears in my family day out in London and one week in London itinerary
London Squire guidebook – Check out my guidebook available to buy at Amazon, Apple and Kobo. I’ve personally visited 210 London landmarks, attractions and hotels and collected all of my reviews, example itineraries, handy practical info, and advice about using the buses and trains into an eBook, along with 675 original photos
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What do you think? (12)
Ask a question, or share your experience of this tour
PRJ Hi I am staying near Excel London. I am visiting friends at Whitechapel. Can I get clipper boat near me to whitechapel area, I think Tower Bridge is close but I don’t know London that well, thanks. (reply)
Craig It’s probably better just to get the DLR train to Tower Gateway. The Excel is not on the Thames, it’s on the side of an inland dock, so the Thames Clipper doesn’t go there. The closest pier is north Greenwich, but that’s on the opposite side of the river by The O2. You can either swim across the river (I don’t recommend that) or if you want a bit of fun you can ride the 5-minute cable car over there, because the cable car station is very close to the Excel. Tower Millennium Pier is the closest one to Whitechapel, but it might turn out to be a long walk depending on whereabouts in Whitechapel you’re going. (reply)
SallyS Can you please tell me if I can use my Oyster card on the RB1 river bus service? (reply)
Craig Hi Sally. You can. They have the same yellow Oyster readers on the piers that they have at the train stations, so you just tap them down like normal. (reply)
Maria Fraser May I ask if I buy a return ticket to Greenwich, can I get on and off the boat along the way stopping to visit other places? Thanks. (reply)
Craig Hi Maria. Not if you buy a return ticket between two piers, no. But you can buy a day pass instead, called a River Roamer. You can use that as a hop-on, hop-off ticket all day long. (reply)
Toby Are OAP Freedom Passes usable on the Thames Clipper? (reply)
Craig Hi Toby. You can’t travel for free with them, but you can get 50% knocked off the ticket price – thamesclippers.com/plan-your-journey/ticket-information (reply)
Stan Koura Are OAP Freedom Passes usable on the Thames Clipper before 9am weekdays? (reply)
Craig Hi Stan. You get 50% off the price, but only after 9 AM on weekdays, or all day Sat-Sun – londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/freedom-pass/using-pass/river-services-and-cable-car – check their list of services though, because it doesn’t apply to all types of ticket. (reply)
Sally Saunders We are staying at Sea Containers on the South Bank and would like to go to the O2 at Greenwich. Which pier is best to travel from, Blackfriars or Bankside? (reply)
Craig Hi Sally. There’s hardly anything in it, walking-wise, but I’d definitely go from Bankside because then you won’t have to cross over the bridge. (reply)
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