It doesn’t should be Halloween to benefit from the spooky aspect of London – so should you’re trying to uncover a few of the darker tales from town’s previous, a ghost bus tour of London is the right technique to do it.
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Operating year-round, the London Ghost Bus Tour is a metropolis sightseeing tour with a distinction, with a midnight black double-decker Routemaster bus taking you across the capital, listening to spine-chilling tales of homicide and demise – plus a really massive serving to of gothic comedy on the aspect.
In the event you’re in search of an uncommon technique to spend a night in London with children, hoping to entertain bored teenagers or just fancy discovering a special aspect to town, that is simply one in every of London’s quirkiest excursions – so right here’s every part you want to know in my Ghost Bus Tour of London assessment, with children and with out.
What’s the Ghost Bus Tour of London?
A haunted bus with its personal darkish historical past whisks you across the centre and metropolis of London, sharing tales of ghosts, homicide, bloodshed and demise alongside the best way.
In the event you’re anticipating a dry historic tour, you couldn’t be farther from the reality – our flamboyant conductor introduced the grisly tales to life, obtained passengers leaping from the get-go, and combined loads of jokes among the many info.
The route itself passes the Homes of Parliament, Downing Road and Whitehall, in addition to venturing into the Metropolis of London previous the Previous Bailey, St Paul’s Cathedral, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, the Tower of London and throughout the river to Bankside.
Alongside the best way, you’ll encounter well-known fiends similar to Sweeney Todd – and uncover the true story behind 186 Fleet Road, one in every of London’s most well-known ghost hoaxes, and the Crossbones Cemetery which proves that actual life might be far darker than fiction.
There’s judicial homicide, together with the ghosts that hang-out the location of outdated Newgate Jail, and grisly tales of aristocratic executions on the Tower of London, plus a few of the nation’s most well-known hangings.
Alongside the best way, in addition to passing a few of London’s most iconic landmarks, you’ll study medieval punishments, see the location the place a King was beheaded and the place a murderous Queen lies buried.
We heard tales of the Nice Fireplace of London, and realized why Londoners believed it was a punishment for gluttony, in addition to the passing a web site that helped encourage Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.
Plus the spooky story behind the Necrobus itself… this necropolis bus was as soon as used as a funeral bus, it was the one one to outlive a devastating fireplace, it has its personal ghostly historical past – and maybe a magical current (or might it simply be technical trickery?)
Some tales are genuinely haunting – a nurse whose bony hand nonetheless rests on her fellows’ shoulder to remind them to take care after unintentionally killing a affected person, a ghost in Theatreland noticed within the place the place a stabbed physique was later found, and tales of tube practice drivers who’ve seen spectral girls strolling throughout the tracks.
To not point out an opportunity to see the capital all lit up at night time, to a soundtrack of axes clashing and the conductor prowling unexpectedly by way of the aisles.
In the event you’re shivering in your seat studying this, concern not that is much more comedy horror than nightmare-inducing – it’s really very humorous, theatrically over-the-top and there are as many laughs as chills courtesy of the actors concerned, the conductor particularly.
On a sensible be aware, it’s all cleverly arrange with TV screens at the back and front of the deck so you possibly can see what’s occurring with out having to show spherical, utilizing a few of the CCTV cameras on board.
The bus itself is without doubt one of the basic Nineteen Sixties routemasters, given a spooky makeover – the ornamental options embrace lamps by a few of the home windows, pink velvet curtains and black and orange streamers on the ceiling throughout our tour simply earlier than Halloween.
The place does the London Ghost Bus Tour go to?
The Ghost Bus Tour route follows a loop by way of London – though very down-to-earth highway closures imply you may find yourself taking a couple of diversions.
From Northumberland Avenue, you’ll head down Whitehall to Parliament Sq. and Westminster Abbey earlier than returning to Trafalgar Sq. and heading alongside the Strand by way of Theatreland.
The route continues alongside Fleet Road and thru the Metropolis of London, with places together with St Paul’s and St Bartholomew’s, Pye Nook and the Previous Bailey, Greyfriars and the Monument, over London Bridge to Southwark and again to the northern Embankment to complete the route.
That’s simply an summary, however suffice to say, you cowl a shocking quantity of London – geographically and its historical past – throughout your 75-minute tour.
How scary is the Ghost Bus Tour of London?
The bulk is extra ghoulishly enjoyable than terrifying, however it is a ghost tour in spite of everything, so there are positively a couple of scary moments.
For starters, anticipate leap scares proper from the beginning – my husband was caught out as he was about to climb as much as the highest deck, and as a number of different passengers found, it pays to maintain your eyes on the conductor to keep away from a fright.
With out giving an excessive amount of away, you received’t solely discover ghostly tales from London’s previous when you’re on board – the ghost bus has its personal secrets and techniques…
With flickering lights and some genuinely unnerving moments (albeit pretty short-lived with loads of jokes to diffuse the strain), it’s pleasurably scary for adults and teenagers, however if in case you have youthful children who’re susceptible to nightmares, it may be one to postpone for a couple of years…
Get a reduction on tickets should you ebook through Tiqets utilizing my hyperlink and the code MUMMYTRAVELS6
Is the London Ghost Bus appropriate for youths?
The brief reply is that it is determined by the age of the kids and the way simply unnerved they’re – the web site says it’s not appropriate for youths aged 1-5 though it’s all the way down to parental discretion, so youthful children can come on board at dad and mom’ danger.
There have been a number of households on our London Ghost Bus tour, with all the youngsters aged 10+, and whereas there have been a couple of nervous moments (together with for the adults!), there was nothing too terrifying.
I positively wouldn’t strive it with toddlers and youthful children as there are moments when it’s darkish and spooky, and delicate older children (7-12) may not benefit from the finish, however teenagers and people who get pleasure from being a bit scared will find it irresistible.
The conductor was good at selecting adults for the viewers interplay sections and the leap scares too.
The opposite level to remember is that fairly aside from the tales of murders and demise, there’s a good quantity of risque content material – principally double entendres and different jokes which might most likely go over the heads of youthful passengers. However should you don’t fancy explaining what a ‘girl of the night time’ is, it’s value realizing upfront!
There are additionally no bathrooms on the bus; once more, little drawback for older ones when the entire expertise takes below 90 minutes although. There’s additionally no house for buggies/pushchairs.
In the event you’re in search of different family-friendly bus excursions of London, take a look at my choose of one of the best bus excursions with children
Suggestions for the London Ghost Bus Tour
It’s nicely value getting there early – you’re beneficial to show up round quarter-hour beforehand, however I’d recommend making it 20 or 25 minutes if you’d like a superb seat.
We arrived round 20 minutes early and there was already a queue; we ended up boarding nearly immediately, and by quarter-hour earlier than departure, the highest deck was nearly totally full.
It’s additionally value sitting on the left hand aspect of the bus. There’s a lot to see from each side, however from our place on the suitable hand aspect, it felt like we have been being directed to look out of the alternative home windows lots.
You received’t miss out on both aspect although, however in case you are early and have a alternative of seats, that may be my choose.
Some seats face backwards should you or your children are susceptible to journey illness. There are not any seatbelts, as with every customary bus in London, although we by no means felt unsafe.
There are additionally a number of departures per night time, so keep in mind that visitors shall be worse for the sooner ones – you may find yourself with extra time on the bus in consequence, however you’ll even be sitting round much more.
When you’re suggested to permit 75 minutes, our 9pm tour was completed by round 10pm because the roads have been clear, however I’d anticipate a 6pm tour to be slower.
It’s additionally value contemplating what time sundown it: as our Ghost Bus Tour of London assessment journey was in October, even the earliest departure was after darkish, however should you’re visiting in summer season, early autumn or late spring, you could want a later tour to see town after darkish.
The Ghost Bus Tour of London: Have to know
The London Ghost Bus tour departs each day from 8 Northumberland Avenue, outdoors the Grand Lodge and reverse the Sherlock Holmes pub.
It’s minutes from Embankment and Charing Cross tubes, in addition to from the Strand and Trafalgar Sq..
The tour takes round 75 minute relying on visitors, with a number of departures per night time relying on the time of 12 months – throughout college holidays round Halloween, you possibly can anticipate as many as six departures per night time between 6pm and 9.15pm, whereas on different days there might solely be two, at 7.30pm and 9pm.
Tickets price from £25 for adults, £17 for youths aged 5-15, or you should buy household tickets (two adults, two youngsters) for £63. You too can purchase tickets with free cancellation from Get Your Information and Tiqets
Disclosure: This submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee. I paid for this tour myself and all opinions are my very own
Photos copyright MummyTravels