FAQs
General
Why book with graylinelondon.com?
graylinelondon.com is operated by Golden Tours Ltd. Established in 1984, Golden Tours is the leading sightseeing company in the UK. Golden Tours are part of the international Gray Line family. We provide tickets to well-known attractions as well as an extensive range of sightseeing tours, rail products, evening tours, cruises, Paris by Eurostar trips – and much more. You will travel in luxury air-conditioned coaches, escorted by a professional guide.
Are there any special advantages in buying tickets in advance online?
By purchasing your tickets in advance on Graylinelondon.com you will be applicable to our Best Price Guarantee, which means if you find the same tour or activity sold for less, we will refund the difference. Terms and Conditions apply.
The benefit of buying attraction tickets in advance on Goldentours.com means you are able to purchase tickets to different attractions at the same time. Many of our entrance tickets are fast-track tickets so you can beat the queues and save time on your holiday.
How can I pass on my comments to Gray Line London?
Please contact our customer services department at [email protected] who will be happy to hear your comments or alternatively you can write to us at: Gray Line London, 156 Cromwell Road, London, SW7 4EF.
How secure are my personal details?
Your personal details are entirely secure. Your personal information is submitted on a secure server with 128-bit SSL encryption and is used only in order to create your ticket and/or contact you if there is any problem with your booking. Your details will not be passed on to any third-party.
Do you offer group discounts?
If your group consists of 10 or more people, then please contact our Groups Department who will be happy to assist you with your enquiry and see what we can arrange for you:http://www.goldentours.com/groupenquiry.aspx
Can we show our tickets on a mobile phone without presenting a printed copy as we do not have access to a printer?
Unfortunately, we cannot accept tickets shown on a mobile phone or tablet. Clients must ensure they have a ticket printed and this can be done for you at any of our three visitor centres based in Victoria, Kensington, Paddington or Leicester Square.
Golden Tours and Gray Line London are they are same or different companies?
The above brands are part of the same group and you can rest assured that you are purchasing with London’s leading sightseeing company.
Can you tell me the best way to reach your visitor centre in Victoria from Victoria Tube Station?
Walk from the tube station towards Victoria coach station (in the opposite direction to), Buckingham Palace. Before you reach the coach station, you will see the ‘Colonnade Walk’ on the left. Enter the walkway and turn left at the Subway sandwich store; the visitor centre is behind the fountain.
Booking, Cancellations & Refunds
Can I book special offers over the phone?
Special offers are exclusive online offers and are unavailable over the phone. If you have any questions with regards to the tour/activity our call centre will happily be able to assist you with these.
Once I have booked, can I amend my booking?
Amendments can only be made to coach tours. Please call us 24 hours prior to your tour’s departure time and date. Amendments cannot be made to entrance tickets, theatre tickets, Rail Trips or the Warner Bros Studio Tour.
How do I cancel my ticket?
For full and half day coach tours, a refund will only be made if you cancel over 24 hours before your tour. If you cancel later than this, you will not be refunded. All fast-track entrance tickets, open top bus tours, theatre tickets, rail trips, Warner Bros Studio Tours, Overnight Tours and lunch and dinner products cannot be cancelled once booked.
How do I pay?
To make payments through our website we accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Maestro Online.
I have booked a tour with my relative’s credit card; however the voucher says “Client must carry the transaction card on the day of travel”. What are my options in this situation?
All you need is a letter written and signed by the card holder confirming that they authorised this payment.
I have booked on-line. How do I get my ticket/voucher?
You will automatically receive an e-voucher to your email address. Please print your voucher/ticket which contains your unique reference number. Please remember to bring this with you on the day. You will not be allowed entrance to an attraction without a valid ticket.
What if I don’t have a working printer?
If you do not have a working printer you unfortunately won’t be able to book online. Please call our reservation team on +44 207 233 7030 to book your sightseeing tour over the phone.
Will you contact me if there is a problem?
If there is any problem with your booking or payment details, we will contact you on the telephone number or email address stated in your booking. Sometimes tours may not operate due to insufficient numbers, and we may need to contact you to advise you of any such changes.
What if my voucher/ticket is not displayed?
If your voucher is not displaying following your booking, please contact us requesting your ticket. On certain packages, a message will be displayed indicating that the vouchers will be emailed to you within 48 hours at your given email address. If you do not receive your vouchers within the given time please contact us.
Will you use my personal information to send me promotional material?
It’s your choice. When making your booking, a checkbox will appear which states: “please leave ticked if you wish to receive news, special offers or other information.” By leaving this box ticked, you are giving Golden Tours your consent to be sent promotional material, which you can opt-out of at any time.
We have double booked the tour on your website. Can we cancel one of them and get a refund?
As per our Terms and Conditions, refunds on coach tours can only be made up to 24 hours prior to departure.
Is there is an expiry date on the gift certificates?
Gift certificates are valid for 12 months from the day of issue.
Sightseeing Tours
Can you arrange a pick up from my hotel?
We offer a courtesy pickup service from over 60 central London hotels for our full day coach tours. Please do give us a call and we can tell you where the closest and most convenient pick-up point is.
Can you arrange a pick up from a hotel mentioned in your list of complimentary pick-ups even if we are not staying there?
Yes you can, however please call Golden Tours to confirm the pick-up location and time.
Where will I be dropped off following my tour?
The driver has to adhere to strict legal and time restrictions and this restricts the options that we can offer you. We can offer you a choice of three possible drop-off points within central London (unless stated otherwise during the tour), all within close proximity of underground stations.
What time will I return from my tour?
Depending on the tour, our full day coach excursions generally return to London between 6.30pm to 8.00pm, traffic permitting. Our unescorted train tours return between 8.00pm and 10.00pm.
Are your tours suitable for wheelchair users?
We are able to take only folding wheelchairs on our coaches. You will also be required to climb the stairs on and off the coach with the assistance from your helper. Due to health and safety reasons Golden Tours staff are not permitted to help you on board the coach.
Due to the fast paced nature of the tours, and the fact there may be a lot of walking involved, we do not recommend our tours to persons with limited mobility. Please contact our reservations team who will be able to answer any queries you may have.
What is not included in the tour price?
Travel insurance
Gratuities for your guide and driver (optional)
Any transfers to/from stations and pick up points unless specified on the tour page.
If we do not take your lunch option, can we grab lunch from restaurants nearby?
Most locations have restaurants nearby, however this will restrict the amount of time you have at the attractions.
At what age do the senior concessions begin?
60 years.
Do your coaches have washroom facilities on board?
We cannot guarantee washroom facilities on board our coaches, however, we do make regular stops en route and there are lavatories available at most attractions.
How much time do you spend at each attraction?
As you can expect some landmarks take more time to get to on coach tours and some are more time-consuming than others. With this in mind, we have no set time for the exploration of each attraction. Our tour guides are trained to watch how their group progresses at each landmark and they adjust each tour accordingly. You should keep in mind that some tours cover three landmarks over a single day, so there are a limited number of hours in which to do a lot of sightseeing. Consequently, you may not have an extensive amount of time to spend at each attraction.
What items are permitted on the coach?
You are permitted to take one piece of luggage on your coach tour, we advise customers to keep personal and valuable items with them at all times. Any items left on the coach are at left at your own risk. Hot food and drink is not permitted on the coach.
What happens if I arrive late for a departure?
You could lose your seat to a walk-up passenger. We encourage you to arrive at the pickup point a minimum of 15 minutes before departure. Once on the tour, your guide or driver will give you a time that the coach will depart each location. You must be at the coach at least five minutes before this time. If you are late and miss the time given, the coach will depart without you in order to not keep the other passengers waiting. If you are in any doubt about a departure time whilst on your tour, you must ask the guide or driver.
If I lose something on your tour can I get it back?
Any items we find on our coaches are taken to our office at Victoria and are kept there for 72 hours before being destroyed or given to charity. Please call our office on +44 207 233 7030 for any lost items.
We are a group travelling together and would like to ensure that we can sit together during the journey. Can we reserve specific seats on the coach?
Unfortunately, the seats are on a first come first served basis only and cannot be pre-booked.
Could you please provide us with the itinerary for a specific tour as your website does not mention the amount of time spent at each attraction?
We can give you an approximate amount of time spent at each attraction. The overall tour is at the discretion of the guide and can vary a little from time to time.
Do you offer any tours in Spanish/German/French/Japanese?
We offer the following tours on Mondays and Saturdays only in Spanish:
- Historic & Modern London
- Total London Experience
- Sights & Sounds of London
Sundays:
- Windsor Bath & Stonehenge
Tuesdays:
- Oxford, Stratford, Cotswolds & Warwick castle
Wednesdays:
- Bath, Stonehenge & Salisbury
Thursdays:
- Windsor, Oxford & Stonehenge
Fridays:
- Leeds Castle, White Cliffs of Dover, Greenwich & River Boat Ride
We also offer the following tours in Japanese.
Mondays and Fridays:
- Bath and Stonehenge
- Leeds Castle, White Cliffs of Dover, Greenwich & River Boat Ride
Wednesday and Sundays:Thursday and Saturdays:
- Windsor, Bath & Stonehenge
- Stratford, Oxford and the Cotswolds
Does the ‘Changing of the Guards’ ceremony take place every day or on alternate days at Buckingham Palace?
Each month has a different itinerary. Please call Golden Tours for details.
What is the difference between the Windsor Castle, Roman Baths and Pump Room, Stonehenge with Lunch Tour and the Discover Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor Tour?
Windsor Castle, Roman Baths and Pump Room, Stonehenge with Lunch Tour is an all-inclusive tour, with all admission fees paid for.
Discover Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor Tour does not include any admission fees to any of the attractions, however admission tickets for the attractions can be bought on day of your tour.
Does the Windsor, Bath and Stonehenge tour give time to walk around the city of Bath or does the tour just include the Roman Baths and Pump Room? If time is given to walk around the city of Bath, do we walk around on our own or is it a guided tour?
If you’ve booked to visit the Roman Baths & Pump Rooms, you leave yourself very little time to explore the rest of the city. However, if you haven’t booked the Roman Baths & Pump Rooms you can explore the city at your own pace and only need to return to the coach at the allocated time.
We do not offer a guided tour of the city.
Can we walk/wander through the stones at Stonehenge? Do we have special access to Stonehenge or is it just limited access wherein we will have to explore the attraction restricted by the normal barriers?
We will all be subject to the same restrictions as all other tourists. You do get to take pictures of Stonehenge
Rail / Eurostar Trips
Do we require a visa for the Paris tour?
Entry requirements change from time to time. You may well need a visa. Please note that it is your personal responsibility to confirm this with the country in question.
For the Paris tour, can the return times be changed?
No. The return times cannot be changed.
On the Paris overnight, if the Louvre Museum is closed, can we get tickets to go for the next date (tour date-Tuesday)?
Yes you can, however you will need to let us know ASAP so that we can arrange it for you.
If I book the Paris explorer, how long will the travel from the station to my hotel take? Do I get picked up?
The journey time is approximately 30 minutes using a metro or a taxi. Your hotel is in the centre of Paris and we do not offer you a pick-up or drop-off service.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London
We would like to spend more time at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. Can we return on a later bus?
The seats are reserved as per the entrance tickets and we only have slots of 3.5 hours available. We request that you return on your allocated bus.
Can we buy entrance tickets only for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London?
We only offer the package deal – transportation plus tickets to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. If you want to make your own way to the studios you can choose to do that. The price will remain the same.
If you prefer not to the pay the full price then please refer to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London’s office site to purchase tickets only.
I am a wheelchair user; therefore I will be escorted by my carer on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. Do I have to pay for my carer?
You can take your carer with you for free. All of our Warner Bros Studio Tour London buses are equipped with a manual ramps at the front entrance. Legally we are allowed to carry one wheelchair per journey.
Why would booking through you enhance our experience of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London compared with using the official website?
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London only sells the ticket. We offer you the ticket and transport to the Studios. This saves you the hassle of finding your way there.
How early should we buy our tickets for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London?
We would suggest that you buy as soon as you know that you’d like to travel to ensure availability. If you plan on visiting during peak times, such as school holidays, we advise that you plan well in advance. If you are lucky you may get tickets even as late as two weeks before visiting. During off peak times you may even be able to book two days in advance.
Open Top Bus Tours
I’m coming to London in a few weeks and I’d like to buy tickets for the Hop on Hop off Bus Tour. Is it possible to buy them directly from your visitor centre?
Absolutely! Tickets can be purchased at any of these centres – Victoria, Kensington or Leicester Square. We are open 7 days a week.
Where can I find a list of all the stops and a map of the various routes?
Please visit the relevant tour page and you will see various links to the map and timetable for our open top bus tour service.
We have lost one of our personal items on our of your open top buses. Can you check if anyone handed it in please?
Please refer to our lost and found department at the Victoria visitor centre
The Hop on Hop off Bus Tour with the river cruise is valid for 48 hrs. Can I use your river cruise one day and then the Hop on Hop off ticket the day after?
Yes, that’s absolutely fine.
What is the difference between blue, orange and red routes? Do we have to book for a specific route?
The blue route goes around central London including Westminster. The orange route go from Covent Garden to Regent’s Park and Hyde Park. The red route covers central London and the world famous museums. You do not need to book a specific route.
We have booked a package of Hop on Hop off Tour and attractions tickets with your company. Can we visit the attractions on different dates?
Yes you can. In order to amend the date you will need to come to any of our three visitor centres located in Victoria, Kensington or Leicester Square.
I have booked a package 48 Hour Hop-On Hop-Off + London Eye + Madame Tussauds. Are these standard tickets or do we receive priority entrance?
London Eye is a standard ticket; however you benefit from priority entrance for Madame Tussauds.
I am very interested in the 48 hour bus tour. Unfortunately I do not have two consecutive days available for it. Will your ticket still be valid?
The validity of the 48 hour bus tour is for 48 continuous hours, two consecutive days only.
Can I buy the ticket on the bus in cash for the open top bus tour?
If you cannot see any staff at the bus stop, then you can pay in cash on board the bus.
What if we need to use washroom facilities?
Please use the washroom before embarking on the journey.
How do we book the Free Walking Tours and Boat Ride which comes complimentary with the Hop on Hop off tour?
The tour ticket on the relevant day is all you need to show as proof to receive your free walking tour and boat ride.
Can the Open Top Buses accommodate wheelchairs?
Most of our buses have an access ramp at the front of the bus. Please ask the Golden Tours representative at the stops about which buses are suitable. Legally we can only carry one wheelchair user per bus.
When do the buses start and finish running?
Please view the full timetable here.
Could there be road closures on the day that I am looking to travel?
London is a very busy place with lots of things going on. Please view the latest service information to see if there are any planned changes