--- site: London Drum url: https://londondrum.com/events/?p=17339 canonical: https://londondrum.com/events/?p=17339 title: "26 Bus Route - London's Cheapest Sightseeing Tour Past The Landmarks" description: "London's cheapest sightseeing bus tour is the number 26 route from Liverpool Street to Big Ben, past famous landmarks like Parliament, Nelson's Column and St Paul's" author: Craig Cross updated: 2021-06-24 clipped: 2026-11-15 --- # No.26 - London's cheapest sightseeing bus past lots of famous landmarks ![No.26 Bus](https://londondrum.com/i/eve/no-26-sightseeing-bus-route.webp)
## Useful things to know before your visit Address: Various locations ### What are the dates and times? Every day · Buses run every 9-13 mins from 5.49 AM to 11.51 PM · Journey time from Liverpool Street: 23 mins to Trafalgar Square; 29 mins to Westminster Abbey · Journey time from Bank: 17 mins to Trafalgar Square; 23 mins to Westminster Price? This is a regular London bus, so you just pay the normal [adult bus fare](https://londondrum.com/transport/adult-bus-fares.php), [senior bus fare](https://londondrum.com/transport/senior-bus-fares.php) and [child bus fare](https://londondrum.com/transport/child-bus-fares.php) ## My review of No.26 bus **Worth a visit?** ★★☆ **Good value?** ★★★ **Good for kids?** ★★☆ Reviewed by [Craig Cross](https://londondrum.com/about.php) on XXBITXX There aren't many things that we did as a kid that we can still enjoy as an adult. We can't leapfrog over dustbins, can't slide down the stairs on our backside but hey, at least we can still sit at the front of a double-decker bus (assuming that your creaking knees can get you up the stairs, of course). Unfortunately [sightseeing bus tours](https://londondrum.com/events/?p=16693) are ridiculously expensive these days and a family of four can easily blow the best part of 100 quid on a two-hour ride. So if you don't fancy the idea of spending a small fortune on a sightseeing tour, but you still want to go on a tour anyway, then try riding the number 26 bus instead. It's just a [normal London bus](https://londondrum.com/transport/buses.php) who's route happens to take it past lots of [famous London landmarks](https://londondrum.com/attractions/landmarks.php). So it's a cheap sightseeing bus! ## Catch the bus outside Liverpool Street station I recommend boarding the 26 bus outside [Liverpool Street station](https://londondrum.com/transport/trains.php?station=liverpool-street). The actual start of the route is only a short distance away but there's nothing worth seeing up there and this is a nice lively part of London, full of city suits and newspaper vendors. The only guy ahead of me today is a white-haired old gent struggling to smoke a roll-up that he's accidentally bent whilst lighting it and I think he's probably just on a day out like me, looking for something to do, and I'm wondering if I'm looking at a mirror-image of myself in thirty years. Ten minutes later the bus turns up and it's only now that I discover he's a bit nuts because he's started mumbling to himself as he shuffles up the stairs. That's what sixty years of bus travel does to you. The [famous landmarks](https://londondrum.com/attractions/landmarks.php) don't start until the bus reaches [Bank](https://londondrum.com/transport/trains.php?station=bank) but if you board it outside Liverpool Street then you'll have five minutes to warm up your eyes on a couple of lovely old buildings wedged in between the modern offices. The corner of Threadneedle Street is the best one but it's difficult to see its decorations from the bus. ## Mansion House, Bank of England & Royal Exchange ![The Lord Mayor of London's residence at Mansion House](https://londondrum.com/i/eve/26-bus-mansion-house.webp) _The Lord Mayor of London's residence at Mansion House_ When you see [Mansion House](https://londondrum.com/attractions/mansion-house.php) up ahead you'll have the [Royal Exchange](https://londondrum.com/attractions/royal-exchange.php) and [Bank of England](https://londondrum.com/attractions/bank-of-england-museum.php) on your right. Remember to twist your head right round as you enter the junction so you don't miss the front of the Royal Exchange. Luckily you should have plenty of time to take a few photos because you'll quickly clog on to the end of some traffic around here. ![The Bank of England and Royal Exchange](https://londondrum.com/i/eve/26-bus-royal-exchange.webp) _The Bank of England and Royal Exchange_ That's something that you'll quickly get used to in London. I started out at 10:10 AM and within sixty seconds I was already sitting at the back of my first traffic jam. You typically have thirty-seconds of moving forwards and then two minutes of standing still in a bottleneck of taxis, buses and beeping cars. When the traffic lights turn green absolutely nothing happens. You slowly inch your way forwards until a crack opens up, then the driver puts his foot down for ten seconds before he's back on the end of another traffic jam. ## Dome of St. Paul's Cathedral ![St. Paul's Cathedral](https://londondrum.com/i/eve/26-bus-st-pauls-cathedral.webp) _View of St. Paul's Cathedral from the No.26 bus_ Once you're onto Cannon Street get your camera ready for [St. Paul's Cathedral](https://londondrum.com/attractions/st-pauls-cathedral.php) up ahead. You'll get a great shot of the dome as you drive past the side (it's probably one of the best views you can get of it from anywhere) and if you squeeze in a quick look to your left as you drive past that weird angular-shaped building then you'll see the [Tate Modern](https://londondrum.com/attractions/tate-modern.php) across the Millennium Bridge. Fleet Street is bunged up with building works today and there's a load of temporary traffic lights and fluorescent yellow wires strung across the street - it looks like they've put the Christmas decorations up six months early. Whilst we're sitting here I've been busy listening to a little drama unfolding in the seat behind me. I can't understand the passenger's language but he's been shouting down his phone for five minutes and getting increasingly irate. The guy in the double seat beside me has perched his flip-flopped feet up on the front and his hands are slapping invisible cymbals to the silent sounds in his headphones. I spend some time peering inside the shop windows and have come to the conclusion that London is 90% sandwich shops, coffee shops and banks. ## Sweeney Todd's church in Fleet Street The bus finally gets going again. The first half of Fleet Street is a bit bland but try and find [St. Dunstan's](https://londondrum.com/attractions/st-dunstan-in-the-west.php) on the right (did you see the statue of Elizabeth I above the door?). That's where Sweeney Todd was supposed to have had his barbershop - next-door to that church. ## Temple Bar & Royal Courts of Justice ![The Temple Bar Monument](https://londondrum.com/i/eve/26-bus-temple-bar-monument.webp) _The Temple Bar Monument_ I love the stretch from [Temple Bar](https://londondrum.com/attractions/temple-bar.php) to [Parliament Square](https://londondrum.com/attractions/parliament-square.php) and if I were the driver I'd be on the tannoy telling everyone to look out the window because it's going to be one great building after another from here. When you pass the [dragon-topped monument](https://londondrum.com/attractions/temple-bar.php) in the middle of the street everyone makes the mistake of focusing solely on the Camelot-like turrets of the [Royal Courts of Justice](https://londondrum.com/attractions/royal-courts-of-justice.php) and they completely miss all of the Tudor-style shop fronts on the left. Try and find Ye Olde Cocke Tavern and Prince Henry's Room because that one really _is_ Tudor - a survivor from the Great Fire of London. ![The Royal Courts of Justice](https://londondrum.com/i/eve/26-bus-royal-courts-of-justice.webp) _The Royal Courts of Justice_ Then you pass a religious roundabout marooned in the middle of the road - St. Clement Danes. ## Waldorf Hotel, Savoy Hotel & The Strand As soon as you you're past the [Waldorf Hotel](https://londondrum.com/hotels/waldorf-hilton.php) and into the Strand see how quickly you can spot the top of [Nelson's Column](https://londondrum.com/attractions/nelsons-column.php) poking over the rooftops. Then keep an eye out for the Savoy Hotel just past Simpson's on the left. [Covent Garden](https://londondrum.com/attractions/covent-garden.php) is down the side streets on the other side. If you look to the right when you get level with [Charing Cross](https://londondrum.com/transport/trains.php?station=charing-cross) then you'll get a nice view of the [National Gallery](https://londondrum.com/attractions/national-gallery.php). ## Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards & Downing Street ![National Gallery and St. Martin-in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square](https://londondrum.com/i/eve/26-bus-trafalgar-square.webp) _National Gallery and St. Martin-in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square_ I wouldn't normally wish terrible traffic on you but I hope you're driving slowly round [Trafalgar Square](https://londondrum.com/attractions/trafalgar-square.php) so you can get a distant glimpse of [Buckingham Palace](https://londondrum.com/attractions/buckingham-palace.php) through the middle of Admiralty Arch. Then you're into Whitehall and depending on what time of day you pass [Horse Guards](https://londondrum.com/attractions/horse-guards.php) you'll either see some foot soldiers or mounted sentries guarding the gates. You'll also see a crowd of about three million tourists all queuing up for a selfie. ![Sentry boxes outside Horse Guards](https://londondrum.com/i/eve/26-bus-horse-guards.webp) _The sentry boxes outside Horse Guards_ Immediately after that comes [Downing Street's big black gate](https://londondrum.com/attractions/downing-street.php) and if you're quick you might be able to spot the policeman standing halfway up the street on the righthand side - that's where the Prime Minister lives at No.10. ## Big Ben, Parliament & Westminster Abbey ![Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament](https://londondrum.com/i/eve/26-bus-parliament-square.webp) _Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in Parliament Square_ When you enter [Parliament Square](https://londondrum.com/attractions/parliament-square.php) you'll see [Big Ben](https://londondrum.com/attractions/big-ben.php) and the [Houses of Parliament](https://londondrum.com/attractions/houses-of-parliament.php) on the left and [Westminster Abbey](https://londondrum.com/attractions/westminster-abbey.php) over the other side. The bus will whizz around to the right and unless you've got fingers quicker than Frederic Chopin you won't have enough time to take photos so I recommend getting off here. ## The final stop - Westminster Cathedral ![Westminster Cathedral](https://londondrum.com/i/att/westminster-cathedral.webp) _Westminster Cathedral_ If you decide to stick with it to the very end then you'll be heading towards [Victoria station](https://londondrum.com/transport/trains.php?station=victoria). The first half of Victoria Street looks like something out of East Berlin but once you reach the red brick buildings you'll be treated to [Westminster Cathedral](https://londondrum.com/attractions/westminster-cathedral.php) on the left.