Big Bus in New York

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Big Bus in New York is a popular provider of hop-on hop-off bus tours. It is the ideal way to explore New York in a short time. You will pass famous sights such as Times Square, Central Park and the Empire State Building. Get off at a stop to visit an attraction, or stay seated and relax while listening to the audio guide and enjoying the view from the bus.

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Eric's Index

1 My tips for the Big Bus in New York:
2 Hop-on Hop-off Bus New York Routes
3 Tickets for Big Bus in New York
- 3.1 Practical Information
4 FAQ

My tips for the Big Bus in New York:

Hop on at the starting point in Times Square to secure a spot on the bus.
Do the Downtown Tour first; it’s the route with the most sightseeing.
Sit at the top on the right side for the best views.
Take the Hop-on Hop-off bus on your first day in New York and early in the morning (around 9) to avoid the crowds.
Use the bus for sightseeing, not as a means of transport. They simply drive too slowly for that.

Hop-on Hop-off Bus New York Routes

Big Bus currently offers the following routes in New York:

Downtown Tour
Uptown Tour
Evening Tour
Brooklyn Tour

Downtown Tour (around 2 hours)

Discover many of New York’s famous sights on the Downtown route. You will pass through various neighbourhoods, such as SoHo, Chinatown and Little Italy. Along the way, you will see the Empire State Building, the Flatiron Building and Hudson Yards, among other things.

I would recommend getting on at the starting point, Times Square, and staying on for the entire route. That way, you’ll see a lot of sights right away. You can pick up free earbuds to listen to an audio guide.

You can also get off in Downtown Manhattan to visit the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 Museum or One World Observatory.

Eric’s Tip: “This route is ideal for your first morning in New York. Start the day with a coffee and a bagel, and hop on the bus early. This will allow you to see New York from a unique perspective and immediately get a sense of the city’s size and where the main attractions are located.”

Uptown Tour (around 2 hours)

During the Uptown route, you will see the streets of Midtown Manhattan and the Upper East Side. You will see Rockefeller Centre, Central Park and the Chrysler Building, among other things.

This route shows you a different side of New York than the Downtown Tour. A good option for your second day in New York, if possible. You can also pick up free earbuds and listen to the audio guide on this route.

Evening Tour (around 2 hours)

New York changes completely when the sun goes down! You’ll get a good impression of this during the evening tour. From the bus, you’ll have a great view of the lively streets and see world-famous sights such as the Flatiron Building, Times Square and the Empire State Building. The bus crosses the Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn, where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the illuminated Manhattan skyline.

Unlike the other routes, this evening tour is not a hop-on hop-off tour. You will remain on the bus for the entire ride while a guide tells you about what you see along the way.

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Brooklyn Tour (around 3 hours)

Discover Brooklyn on this bus tour. This is the most densely populated borough in New York City, making it a fun place to explore. You will visit the DUMBO neighbourhood, known for its art galleries, coffee shops and cobbled streets.

A highlight of the tour is a visit to Jacques Torres Chocolate for a chocolate tasting. Here you will also have the opportunity to take photos. Along the way, the tour offers beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline.

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Tickets for Big Bus in New York

Big Bus offers various types of tickets depending on your needs:

24-hour Downtown Loop: Full-day access to the Downtown Tour only
48-hour Ticket: 2 days of full access to both the Downtown and Uptown Tour + other perks
72-hour Ticket: 3 days of full access to the Downtown and Uptown Tour + other perks

All tickets come with free headphones to listen to the audio guide. The guide tells you interesting facts about all the sights as you pass them by and about the history of New York.

If you plan to purchase a discount pass, such as the New York Pass or Explorer Pass, you will receive a ticket for the Big Bus, which allows you to take the Uptown and Downtown Tour.

Practical Information

After booking your Big Bus tickets, you will receive a voucher by email containing all the necessary information. You can show this voucher – either printed or on your phone – to a Big Bus employee at one of the boarding stops. You can then board the bus and the tour can begin

Starting Point: Both routes depart regularly from Times Square.
Departure Times:
- Downtown Route: daily between 9:00 and 16:00
- Uptown Route: daily between 10:00 and 16:00
The buses don’t operate on Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve
Children under 3 are free of charge

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FAQ

Big Bus Hop on Hop off tickets are from £44.

There are different loops the bus takes. Depending on which loop you want to do it can take between 2 and 2.5 hours.

Yes, I recommend especially first-time visitors to hop on the Big Bus. You get to see a lot of the city in a short time.

I recommend starting the Big Bus route at the starting point, which is in Times Square. There is always space on the bus here. When the bus is full, it leaves and the next one arrives automatically. This means you always have a good seat on the bus.

The Big Bus in New York runs daily, regardless of the weather. The sightseeing tour is even a good option when the weather is bad, as you can sit inside or on the covered upper deck.

The best time to take the Big Bus in New York is on your first morning in New York. The first buses leave at 9:00. and it is convenient to arrive a little earlier. This is a good time to take the bus so you can get to know the city and at that time it is still relatively quiet.

There are several different Big Bus routes in New York, of which the Downtown and Uptown routes are hop-on hop-off routes. This means you can get on and off at different points along the way. Start your first day with the Downtown Tour to see most of the sights. Afterwards, you can take the Uptown Tour to see a different side of New York.