West End displays · a tree from Norway · the shopping street on foot

London Christmas Lights Tours

Open-top buses, black cabs, guided walks and a bike ride under the lights

London tours of the Christmas lights take you under the displays by open-top bus, private black cab, on foot or by bike. From 26 October the busiest shopping stretch closes to buses, cabs and bikes, so each card shows how you travel, whether you can walk under those lights and where you meet.

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Every booking here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, so you can book now and change your plans later.

3:52pmSunset at its earliest, mid-December

26 OctThe shopping street closes to traffic

From $29A seat on a vintage open-top bus

Hours, prices and access verified by the London Christmas Lights Tours team — last checked 2026-09-29.

London Christmas Lights Tours › Tours & Tickets 2026 Updated: 2026-09-29

Start here

Top London Christmas Lights Tours for 2026

The best London Christmas lights tour is the one that matches how you want to see them: from a top deck, from a black cab or on foot. Start with the one that fits your evening.

London by Night Bus Tour with Christmas Lights and Live Guide

★★★★☆ 4.5 (2,049 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)

Open-top busOxford St: walkers only from 26 OctLondon Eye bus stop

Board an open-top double-decker at the tourist bus stop in front of the London Eye, two minutes from Waterloo, for 60 to 90 minutes past the lights. A live English-speaking guide talks you along the Strand, round Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus, then past Big Ben and back to the wheel. There are no breaks and no toilet on board, so arrive 15 minutes early and plan around that. From 26 October the busiest shopping stretch is closed to buses, so its lights are for walkers this season.

Board at the London Eye
Along the Strand
Trafalgar Square
Piccadilly Circus and Fortnum & Mason
Regent Street and Oxford Street
Big Ben
Back to the London Eye

From $40 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London Christmas Lights Private Tour by Traditional Black Cab

★★★★★ 4.8 (92 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes)

Private black cabOxford St: walkers only from 26 OctHotel pickup

Pickup from your London hotel starts two and a half hours in a traditional black cab with a professional guide-driver, for a party of up to six. The fare covers the whole cab rather than each seat, so six sharing pay about $89.67 each. Food, drinks and tips are not included, and London taxis carry no booster seats, so plan ahead for small children. Like every vehicle this season, the cab cannot use the traffic-free stretch of the main shopping street.

From $538 per group (up to 6)

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London Christmas Lights Guided Tour With Christmas Music

★★★★★ 4.9 (118 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes)

Group walkWalks Oxford StreetRathbone Street, Fitzrovia

Meet on Rathbone Street in Fitzrovia, pull on silent-disco headphones playing festive music, and follow your guide for an hour and 45 minutes on foot. The route goes along the main shopping street under its lights, then on to Neal's Yard, Leicester Square and the lit streets of Soho. Groups can reach 40, and several start times are offered. Food and drinks are not included, so eat before a London evening that ends in the West End.

Meet at 2 Rathbone Street
Along Oxford Street on foot
Neal's Yard
Seven Dials
Leicester Square
Regent Street
Through Soho

From $51 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Why book with us

Trusted by Thousands of Visitors

⚖

Best Guides

London Christmas lights guided tours put a live guide on the bus, a driver-guide at the wheel of your cab, or a storyteller on foot who knows which side streets are lit.

✓

Book With Confidence

Every booking here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, and every card shows the fare, whether it is per person or per cab, and where you meet.

★

Experience of a Lifetime

Look up at a street strung with lights from end to end, warm your hands on mulled wine by a market stall, and hear why a tree from Norway stands in London each Christmas.

FREE CANCELLATION up to 24 hours ahead on every booking here, so you can hold your evening and change it later.

Everything available

All London Christmas Lights Tours and Tickets

London Christmas Lights Bus Tours

London Christmas lights bus tours give you a seat above the street, on an open top deck or under a vintage roof, with a live guide on board. Buses are barred from the closed shopping stretch from 26 October, so that one is for walkers this season.

Best value

London Christmas Lights Tour by Vintage Bus Open Top

★★★★☆ 4.0 (1,137 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes)

Open-top RoutemasterOxford St: walkers only from 26 OctNorthumberland Avenue

Climb aboard a 1960s Routemaster with an open top outside a hotel on Northumberland Avenue for 75 minutes of live commentary under the lights. A top-deck seat is promised, and seats are first come, first served, so arrive early if you want the front row. It is the lowest fare among these London lights tours, and food and drinks are not part of it. Dress for an open deck after dark, with gloves and a hat.

From $29 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London Christmas Lights Tour by Vintage Double-Decker Bus

★★★★☆ 4.0 (135 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes)

Vintage double-deckerOxford St: walkers only from 26 OctVictoria Coach Station

Check in at Gate 0 inside the coach station at Victoria 15 minutes before a restored 50-year-old bus sets off for 90 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes. A local guide gives live commentary as you pass Harrods, Apsley House, Piccadilly Circus, Whitehall and Westminster Abbey. An upper-deck seat is not promised, and in exceptional circumstances a closed-top vintage bus or a coach may run instead. It is not wheelchair accessible, up to 38 ride, and tips are not included.

From $43 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London: Christmas Lights & Bites Tour

★★★★☆ 4.1 (185 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)

Vintage bus, snacks aboardOxford St: walkers only from 26 OctEmbankment, stop 40B

Wait at stop 40B on the Victoria Embankment, opposite the pier and a short walk from Embankment station, for a vintage bus that serves festive snacks on board. Tea, coffee or hot chocolate comes with them, and a live guide points out the landmarks as the lights pass your window. The ride runs about 90 minutes, longer when London traffic is heavy. It is not wheelchair accessible, and hotel pickup is not part of the fare.

From $59 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Private London Christmas Lights Tours

Private London Christmas lights tours give your party its own black cab or its own guide on foot. A cab fare covers the whole cab for up to six, and every cab can collect you from your hotel or address.

London Private Christmas Lights Taxi Tour with Pick Up

★★★★★ 4.9 (29 reviews · 3 to 4 hours)

Private black cabOxford St: walkers only from 26 OctPickup from your address

Door-to-door from your London address, a private black cab carries your party of up to six for three or four hours, a length you choose when you book. Parking fees and Wi-Fi on board are in the fare, which covers the whole cab rather than each seat. Covent Garden, Bond Street and the Victoria Embankment are on the route. Tips and any coffee or tea you stop for are extra.

From $471 per group (up to 6)

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London Exclusive Christmas Lights Guided Tour by Black Cab

★★★★★ 5.0 (14 reviews · 4 hours)

Private black cabOxford St: walkers only from 26 OctHotel pickup or Embankment

Four hours in a private black cab with a guide-driver give your party an evening with the route tailored to you. Pickup and drop-off at your hotel are included anywhere within five miles of Trafalgar Square, or you can meet the cab at Embankment Place. The drive takes in Bond Street, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, then passes Buckingham Palace. One fare covers the whole cab of up to six, and food and drinks are extra.

From $620 per group (up to 6)

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Magical Christmas Lights in London: Private Black Cab Tour

★★★★★ 4.9 (51 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes)

Private London taxiOxford St: walkers only from 26 OctPickup or Embankment

Collect your party from a central London address, or meet at Embankment, for two and a half hours in a private London taxi with short stops on foot. The vehicle may be a TXE, a TX4 or a Mercedes Vito, and the fare covers the whole car for up to six. Marylebone, Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square are on the route before it passes Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Pickup from outside central London is not included, so check your address first.

From $372 per group (up to 6)

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London Christmas Lights Private Guided Taxi Tour

★★★★★ 5.0 (25 reviews · 3 hours)

Private black cabOxford St: walkers only from 26 OctPickup or St Martin's Lane

Three hours in a private black cab begin with pickup anywhere in central London, or on St Martin's Lane if you would rather meet the cab. Bottled water is on board, and the evening can finish anywhere in central London, which suits a dinner booking. The route runs along Park Lane, through Leicester Square and over Waterloo Bridge to the London Eye. One fare covers the whole cab for up to six of you, while food is extra.

From $411 per group (up to 6)

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London Christmas Lights Private Walking Tour

★★★★★ 5.0 (13 reviews · 2 to 3 hours)

Private walkWalks Oxford StreetRoyal Opera House

Start at the piazza entrance of the Royal Opera House with a private guide for your party alone, up to ten walkers, on an afternoon or evening start. Two to three hours on foot pass Hatchards and Fortnum & Mason, then South Molton Street and the main shopping street. The walk ends at Piccadilly Circus station, and all guiding fees sit in the one group fare. Coffee, snacks, drinks and tips are yours to pay along the way.

From $242 per group (up to 10)

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London Private Christmas Lights Walking Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★ 5.0 (3 reviews · 2 hours)

Private walkWalks Oxford StreetBond Street station

Inside Bond Street station, by the sandwich shop, a local guide meets your private group of up to ten for two hours on foot. A coffee or tea is included, and the walk passes Fortnum & Mason, Burlington Arcade and Liberty before the lanes of Soho. It ends at Covent Garden station, so your way home starts at the Tube. It is priced per person even though the group is yours alone, and rain gear and tips are not included.

From $114 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London Christmas Lights Walking Tours

London Christmas lights walking tours take you under the displays on foot, the one way to see the closed shopping stretch this season. Some add mulled wine, snacks and lunch, or the story of A Christmas Carol.

London Christmas Carol & Charles Dickens Small Group Walking Tour

★★★★★ 5.0 (55 reviews · 2 to 3 hours)

Group walkOxford St not on its routeTemple station

Follow A Christmas Carol through the City of London for two to three hours, from the steps of Temple station by the newspaper seller. A professional guide leads up to ten of you past the Inner Temple, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street and the Royal Exchange. Old taverns and a City coffee house come before the finish in a covered market hall, near a Tube station. It is not wheelchair accessible, and food and drinks are not included.

From $120 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London Christmas Lights Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★ 4.9 (29 reviews · 2 hours)

Group walkOxford St not on its routeCovent Garden station

Outside Covent Garden station on Long Acre, a professional guide starts two hours on foot for up to 15 walkers under the lights of the West End. The route crosses Trafalgar Square to St James's, Burlington Arcade and Bond Street, then heads into the lit lanes of Soho for the finish. You end up five minutes from Oxford Circus, well placed for dinner or the Tube home. Bookings need at least two people, and tips, food and drinks are up to you.

From $60 per person, bookings of two

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Top rated

Christmas Lights and Markets Guided Walking Tour with Mulled Wine

★★★★★ 5.0 (72 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)

Group walkOxford St not on its routeJames Street, Covent Garden

Look for the guide's open umbrella outside a sunglasses shop on James Street, by Covent Garden station, for 90 minutes on foot among the lights and the markets. A glass of mulled wine is in the fare, and the walk runs from Covent Garden to Trafalgar Square. Groups stop at ten, and every walker must be 18 or over. Food is not included and the route does not suit wheelchairs, so plan your London evening around that.

From $60 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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The Christmas Lights and Bites Tour

★★★★★ 4.8 (46 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes)

Group walkOxford St not on its routeEmbankment station

Take the Villiers Street side of Embankment station, not the river side, to meet a local guide for two and a half hours of lights and food. Snacks, lunch and Christmas cake are in the fare, eaten along a route through Covent Garden and past Trafalgar Square. You cross the Golden Jubilee Bridges and finish at the riverside Christmas market on the South Bank. Bottled water is extra, groups stop at 15, and it does not suit coeliacs.

From $133 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Private London Christmas Lights Walking Tour with a Londoner

★★★★★ 4.9 (15 reviews · 2 hours)

Private walkOxford St not on its routeCharing Cross station

Your own festive guide, a Londoner, meets your party of up to eight on the Charing Cross station forecourt, by the hotel entrance on the Strand. Two hours on foot link Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Burlington Arcade, with the story of British Christmas customs told along the way. The walk ends in Soho, among its lanes of small shops. One fare covers the whole group, and tips are the only extra.

From $262 per group (up to 8)

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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London Christmas Lights Bike Tour

London Christmas lights bike tours put you in the saddle for three hours with a local guide, from Lambeth to the West End and back along the river.

London Christmas Lights Bike Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★ 4.8 (67 reviews · 3 hours)

Guided bike rideOxford St: walkers only from 26 OctKennington Road

Saddle up at 74 Kennington Road in Lambeth for three hours on a bike with a local guide, a helmet and a Santa hat. The ride loops past Sloane Square, Harrods and Hyde Park, then through Covent Garden and back along the South Bank. Cycles are barred from the traffic-free stretch of the main shopping street from 26 October, so expect your route to change there. Riders must be ten or older on the open tour, and groups stop at 12.

From $60 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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The lights and the season

About London Christmas Lights Tours

London's Christmas lights have no gate and no ticket: the displays hang over public streets across the West End and the City, and anyone can walk beneath them. They go up through the first half of November and stay lit into early January. From 26 October 2026 the Oxford Street stretch from Orchard Street to Great Portland Street closes to buses, taxis and cycles. Join us on the buses, black cabs, walks and bike ride that show you the lights. We set out on every card how each one travels and where it starts.

The Lights, Street by Street

Regent Street, Carnaby Street and Seven Dials each hang their own display, and Leadenhall Market dresses its covered hall in the City. In 2025 the West End displays came on between 1 and 12 November, and Leadenhall followed on 13 November. The dates for this season are not yet announced, so book a tour for any evening from mid-November.

When the Lights Look Best

Sunset falls between 3:52pm and 3:56pm through most of December, and British Summer Time ends on 25 October, so every evening of the season is on GMT. The lights read best from about 4:30pm, once the sky has gone fully dark. A tour starting at 5pm or later is under the lights from the first minute.

Where the Tours Start

The buses board in front of the London Eye, on Northumberland Avenue, at Victoria Coach Station and on the Victoria Embankment. Most walks meet at a Tube station from Temple to Bond Street, the silent-disco walk on a Fitzrovia street and the bike ride in Lambeth, while every black cab can collect you from your hotel.

Curtains of gold stars and fairy lights hanging down over a wide street at dusk

A tall tree lit pink in a crowded piazza beside a glass-roofed market

A corner department store washed in purple light with a festive window display

What you will see

Named Highlights of the London Christmas Lights

The displays the buses, cabs, walks and bike ride take you to, from the grand shopping streets to a tree from Norway and a market hall in the City.

The grand curve of flagship shopsRegent Street, owned by The Crown Estate, hangs its display over the shops between Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus, and in 2025 its lights came on on 6 November.
The shopping street closed to trafficOxford Street closes to buses, taxis and cycles between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street from 26 October 2026, so this season its lights are seen on foot.
The small street of independent shopsCarnaby Street, in Soho, turned its lights on on 6 November in 2025, and the walks from Covent Garden and Charing Cross both end there.
The lanes north of the piazzaSeven Dials, a few minutes' walk north of Covent Garden, is on the silent-disco walk, the private walk from Bond Street and the bike ride.
The tree from NorwayThe Trafalgar Square Christmas tree has been a gift from the people of Norway every year since 1947, usually a Norwegian spruce hung with vertical strings of lights.
The covered market in the CityLeadenhall Market, about 4 km east of Oxford Circus, is where the Christmas Carol walk finishes, and its lights came on on 13 November in 2025.

Plan your evening

Everything You Need Before You Go

When it gets darkWhat it costsWhere you meetThe shopping streetBeyond the streets

Sunset in London falls between 3:52pm and 3:56pm from 1 to 25 December, and at 4:46pm in the week of 26 October. British Summer Time ends on 25 October, so the whole season runs on GMT and every evening start is after sunset.

Best time to see the lights

The lights cost nothing to look at. A seat on a bus runs from $29.69 to $59.65, a group walk from $51.91 to $133.49 a person, and a private black cab from $372.16 to $620.27 for up to six.

What the tours cost

The buses board in front of the London Eye, on Northumberland Avenue, inside the coach station at Victoria and on the Victoria Embankment. Most walks meet at a Tube station from Temple to Bond Street, and every black cab can collect you from your hotel.

Meeting points map

From Monday 26 October 2026 Oxford Street, between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, closes to buses, taxis and cycles. Walkers can still stand under its lights, so a walk or the self-guided route is the way to see that stretch.

What the closure changes

Christmas at Kew runs on selected dates from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, from 4.20pm, with tickets from £25.50. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland opens every day from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, apart from Christmas Day.

Things to do at Christmas

The shopping street is walkers only this season. Buses, taxis and cycles are barred from its central stretch from 26 October 2026, so to stand under those lights, walk it: London Christmas lights walking tours go on foot, and the meeting points map shows the closed stretch.

Straight answer

Do You Need a Tour to See London's Christmas Lights?

Not to see them. The lights hang over public streets and cost nothing to look at, and the self-guided lights walk links the main displays in about 65 minutes on foot. What a tour buys is the part that is hard alone: a seat above the traffic, a cab for your party from the hotel door, or a guide who knows which lanes are lit and why.

There are no London Christmas lights tickets to buy for the streets themselves. The London Christmas lights ticket prices that matter are the tour fares, from $29.69 a seat on a vintage bus to $620.27 for four hours in a private black cab, and what each adds: a guide, a cab, mulled wine or a meal. Make your London Christmas lights booking for the evening you want, since every London Christmas lights reservation here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead. If you would rather go on your own, the self-guided lights walk maps the route leg by leg.

See Top Tours Which tour suits you?

Book with a full refund up to 24 hours ahead on every tour, and a change of plan costs you nothing.

Which one is me

Choosing the Right Tour for You

Start from how you want the evening to go, warm and seated, with the family, on foot, with a drink, with a story or on a bike, and the right tour follows.

A warm seat above the street

The 90-minute top-deck ride from the London Eye has a live guide on board, from $40.45 a seat. The London Christmas lights bus tours start from $29.69, the fare on the 1960s Routemaster.

A black cab for the family

The black cab from your hotel carries up to six for two and a half hours, $538.02 for the cab or about $89.67 each. The private London Christmas lights tours also include walks with a guide for your party alone.

Under the shopping street's lights

The silent-disco route with festive music goes along Oxford Street on foot, from $51.91. The London Christmas lights walking tours are the way under that stretch this season, since buses, cabs and bikes cannot use it from 26 October.

Mulled wine and a market

The markets walk from Covent Garden includes a glass of mulled wine, from $60.68, for adults only. The lights and bites walk adds snacks, lunch and Christmas cake and ends at the riverside market, from $133.49.

A Christmas Carol in the City

The Dickens walk from Temple station follows A Christmas Carol past old taverns to Leadenhall Market, from $120.01 a person. Read the story behind the walk before you go.

On two wheels

The bike ride from Kennington Road lasts three hours with a helmet and a Santa hat, from $60.61, for riders ten and over. Cycles are barred from the traffic-free shopping stretch from 26 October, so walk that part another evening.

Compare

Which London Christmas Lights Tour Is Right for You?

Read how each one travels, whether it walks the closed shopping stretch and where it starts before the price. The black cab tours London Christmas visitors book are priced for the whole cab of up to six, while a seat on a bus or a group walk is priced per person.

Tour	Rating	How you travel	The shopping street	Where you meet	Fare	Best for
London by Night Bus Tour with Christmas Lights and Live Guide 1 hour 30 minutes	4.5 (2,049)	Open-top bus	Oxford St: walkers only from 26 Oct	London Eye bus stop	From $40 per person	First-timers who want a seated overview with a guide	Book
London Christmas Lights Tour by Vintage Bus Open Top 1 hour 15 minutes	4.0 (1,137)	Open-top Routemaster	Oxford St: walkers only from 26 Oct	Northumberland Avenue	From $29 per person	Budget travellers who want a promised top-deck seat	Book
London: Christmas Lights & Bites Tour 1 hour 30 minutes	4.1 (185)	Vintage bus, snacks aboard	Oxford St: walkers only from 26 Oct	Embankment, stop 40B	From $59 per person	Families who want hot drinks and snacks on board	Book
London Christmas Lights Tour by Vintage Double-Decker Bus 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes	4.0 (135)	Vintage double-decker	Oxford St: walkers only from 26 Oct	Victoria Coach Station	From $43 per person	Travellers near Victoria who want a longer ride	Book
London Christmas Lights Guided Tour With Christmas Music 1 hour 45 minutes	4.9 (118)	Group walk	Walks Oxford Street	Rathbone Street, Fitzrovia	From $51 per person	Groups who want the shopping street's lights, with music	Book
London Christmas Lights Private Tour by Traditional Black Cab 2 hours 30 minutes	4.8 (92)	Private black cab	Oxford St: walkers only from 26 Oct	Hotel pickup	From $538 per group (up to 6)	Families of up to six collected from their hotel	Book
Christmas Lights and Markets Guided Walking Tour with Mulled Wine 1 hour 30 minutes	5.0 (72)	Group walk	Oxford St not on its route	James Street, Covent Garden	From $60 per person	Adults who want mulled wine among the markets	Book
London Christmas Lights Bike Tour with Local Guide 3 hours	4.8 (67)	Guided bike ride	Oxford St: walkers only from 26 Oct	Kennington Road	From $60 per person	Active riders aged ten and over with three hours	Book
London Christmas Carol & Charles Dickens Small Group Walking Tour 2 to 3 hours	5.0 (55)	Group walk	Oxford St not on its route	Temple station	From $120 per person	Dickens readers who want the City's taverns and story	Book
Magical Christmas Lights in London: Private Black Cab Tour 2 hours 30 minutes	4.9 (51)	Private London taxi	Oxford St: walkers only from 26 Oct	Pickup or Embankment	From $372 per group (up to 6)	Parties who want short walks between cab stops	Book
The Christmas Lights and Bites Tour 2 hours 30 minutes	4.8 (46)	Group walk	Oxford St not on its route	Embankment station	From $133 per person	Food lovers who want snacks, lunch and Christmas cake	Book
London Private Christmas Lights Taxi Tour with Pick Up 3 to 4 hours	4.9 (29)	Private black cab	Oxford St: walkers only from 26 Oct	Pickup from your address	From $471 per group (up to 6)	Parties who want to choose three or four hours	Book
London Christmas Lights Guided Walking Tour 2 hours	4.9 (29)	Group walk	Oxford St not on its route	Covent Garden station	From $60 per person, bookings of two	Couples who want a two-hour walk ending in Soho	Book
London Christmas Lights Private Guided Taxi Tour 3 hours	5.0 (25)	Private black cab	Oxford St: walkers only from 26 Oct	Pickup or St Martin's Lane	From $411 per group (up to 6)	Diners who want to finish anywhere in central London	Book
Private London Christmas Lights Walking Tour with a Londoner 2 hours	4.9 (15)	Private walk	Oxford St not on its route	Charing Cross station	From $262 per group (up to 8)	Parties of up to eight curious about Christmas customs	Book
London Exclusive Christmas Lights Guided Tour by Black Cab 4 hours	5.0 (14)	Private black cab	Oxford St: walkers only from 26 Oct	Hotel pickup or Embankment	From $620 per group (up to 6)	Parties of up to six wanting four tailored hours	Book
London Christmas Lights Private Walking Tour 2 to 3 hours	5.0 (13)	Private walk	Walks Oxford Street	Royal Opera House	From $242 per group (up to 10)	Work teams and friends who want their own guide	Book
London Private Christmas Lights Walking Tour with Local Guide 2 hours	5.0 (3)	Private walk	Walks Oxford Street	Bond Street station	From $114 per person	Solo travellers who want a private guide and coffee	Book

A good chance to see the city and the best of the displays, with history, jokes and facts in the mix.Reagan J · December 2025 · Open-top lights bus from the London Eye

Laughing and learning the whole way round; a good way to see the lights when it is cold and crowded.mary s · December 2024 · Black cab from your London hotel

An evening of holiday joy with a great host; leave your inhibitions at the start.Lori V · December 2025 · Silent-disco lights walk

What to expect

How a London Christmas Lights Tour Works

Pick your evening

Sunset comes before 4pm from 1 to 25 December, so any evening start in the season is already dark.

Choose how you travel

The first line on each card says open-top bus, vintage bus, black cab, walk or bike.

Check the shopping street

The second line says whether the tour walks Oxford Street, which vehicles cannot use from 26 October.

Find where you meet

The third line names the bus stop or the station, or says a cab collects you from your hotel.

Book the date you want

Every booking here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, so you can hold an evening and change it later.

See Top Tours

Traveller reviews

London Christmas Lights Tours Reviews

Travellers' own words about the buses, the black cabs, the walks and the bike ride, with the stars each gave, four-star evenings included, because they help you choose.

★★★★★

London Christmas Carol walk

A second time on this walk, now bringing four children aged 7 to 17 to see the places behind the story. Every one of them enjoyed it, and it was a spouse's favourite tour of the trip.

Catherine S. · Family · December 2025

★★★★★

London private taxi from your address

A third time on this private taxi tour, and still the best way to see every Christmas light in the city. Worth the price, with plenty learned from a very knowledgeable driver.

Tish D. · Repeat visitor · January 2026

★★★★★

Private London lights walk from the opera house

Booked as a Christmas event for a work team, and even those who knew the city heard plenty that was new. Well paced, with regular stops for facts about the lights and the places, and for comfort breaks.

Kirstie S. · Work group · December 2024

★★★★☆

Vintage double-decker from Victoria

A wet winter night, and the microphone only worked at the second try. The stories about how the streets and buildings began made up for the weather, with plenty of dry British humour.

Angelia L. · December 2025

★★★★★

London's open-top Routemaster

A couple who loved the whole evening, though it was a shame not to see one big department store lit for Christmas. An excellent guide full of interesting facts, and a driver who steered the bus through the traffic with skill.

sandra · Couple · December 2025

★★★★★

London lights and markets walk

The right balance of history, folklore and what is happening in the city now. An upbeat, fun and personal guide made it a festive walk to recommend.

Eileen D. · December 2025

★★★★★

Four-hour London black cab evening

Booked to see the Christmas lights, and the guide-driver asked what else interested them: history, architecture, rock and roll. Side streets kept the cab moving while other traffic sat still, and not a minute was wasted.

Tiff C. · December 2024

★★★★★

London black cab with short walks

A family of three, picked up at the hotel at 4pm and taken to lights across several parts of the city. Traffic and crowds cost a spot or two, but plenty of other stops made up for it, and the drop-off was at a restaurant booked for dinner.

Susan B. · Family · January 2026

★★★★★

Private London lights walk from Bond Street

The only person on the walk, which came as a surprise, and a great evening with plenty of the area's history. A good choice if you are travelling solo.

MARTI F. · Solo · December 2025

★★★★★

Vintage bus with festive snacks

Fun, informative and a sweet thing to do over the holidays. The whole family enjoyed it.

Bria · Family · December 2025

★★★★★

London lights bike ride

An excellent evening for a couple on bikes, with a guide who knew the city inside out. So much fun from start to finish.

Tara L. · Couple · December 2021

★★★★★

Tailored London black cab evening

A friendly, knowledgeable guide, and most of the stops were places the family would never have found alone. Even the teenage daughters enjoyed it.

Pascal P. · Family · December 2024

Read all reviews

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the London Christmas lights free to see?

Yes. The displays hang over public streets, so you can walk under them at no cost. A tour buys you a seat, a cab, a guide or a route, never entry.

When do the London Christmas lights switch on?

Through the first half of November, and the 2026 dates have not been announced. In 2025 Oxford Street lit on 3 November, Regent Street and Carnaby on 6 November, and Covent Garden on 12 November.

How long do the lights stay up?

Into early January. Regent Street's 2025 display was lit every day until Sunday 4 January 2026, and the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree stays until just before Twelfth Night.

Do the buses and cabs still go along Oxford Street?

Not along the stretch from Orchard Street to Great Portland Street. From Monday 26 October 2026 Oxford Street there is closed to buses, taxis, private hire cars and cycles, though traffic can still cross it from side streets. To stand under those lights, walk it.

What time does it get dark in London in December?

Sunset is between 3:52pm and 3:56pm from 1 to 25 December, and at 4:13pm in mid-November. The clocks go back on 25 October, so the whole season is on GMT, and the lights read best from about 4:30pm.

How long is a Christmas lights bus tour?

Between an hour and about two. The open-top bus from the London Eye runs 60 to 90 minutes, the 1960s Routemaster 75 minutes, and the vintage double-decker from Victoria 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on traffic.

How much does a London Christmas lights tour cost?

A bus seat costs $29.69 to $59.65, and a group walk $51.91 to $133.49 a person. A private black cab costs $372.16 to $620.27 for the whole cab, which takes up to six.

Is a black cab tour priced per person?

No. You pay one fare for the cab, and it carries up to six, so a family of five pays the same as a couple. Split six ways, the lowest cab fare comes to about $62.03 each.

Do the black cab tours pick you up?

Yes. Every cab collects you from a central London hotel or address, and some will also meet you near Embankment or on St Martin's Lane. One limits pickups to within five miles of Trafalgar Square.

Can I cancel?

Yes. Every tour here refunds in full if you cancel at least 24 hours before it starts. Inside those 24 hours the fare is not refunded.

Are the tours wheelchair accessible?

The black cabs are, and so are several walks, the silent-disco walk among them. The buses either say they are not or say nothing, so ask the operator before you book.

Can children come?

Yes, on most. The mulled-wine walk is for adults 18 and over, and the open bike tour takes riders from 10. London taxis carry no booster seats, so bring your own if your child needs one.

Upper or lower deck: which is better?

The upper deck has the view, and the cold. The Routemaster guarantees you a top-deck seat, while the vintage double-decker from Victoria does not promise one. On the open-top bus from the London Eye you choose your deck when you book.

Where do the London bus tours leave from?

It depends on the tour: tourist bus stop 4 on Belvedere Road in front of the London Eye, Gate 0 inside Victoria Coach Station, 8 Northumberland Avenue by Trafalgar Square, or stop 40B on Victoria Embankment. Arrive 15 minutes early, because the stops are busy.

Is there a London Christmas lights tour on Christmas Day?

No. None of the tours listed here runs on 25 December. Book an evening on either side and check the listing's own calendar for Christmas week.

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Photographs

London Christmas Lights Gallery

An angel of warm white lights with outspread wings against a black night sky

White peacock feathers made of lights fanned out above a narrow shopping street

A great blue peacock tail of lights spread over a street of designer shops

White snowflakes and a floating snowman hung high over a narrow street at night

An avenue of trees lit blue along the riverside, a great wheel lit behind them

The river at night with a row of lit market huts along the far bank

View full gallery

Read before you go

London Christmas Lights Travel Guides and Advice

What changed

London's Busiest Shopping Street Goes Traffic-Free for Christmas 2026

From 26 October the central stretch closes to buses, taxis and bikes. What that changes for a bus seat, a black cab and a walk under the lights.

Read post →

On the bus

Upper or Lower Deck on a London Christmas Lights Bus

Which buses promise you a top-deck seat, which do not, how cold it gets up there, and where to sit for the photos.

Read post →

The tree

London's Norwegian Christmas Tree: A Gift Every Year Since 1947

Why Norway sends a spruce every winter, how it is chosen and felled, why its lights hang straight down, and what happens to it in January.

Read post →

Read all posts Planning guides

Where it is

Visitor Information for London Christmas Lights Tours

Oxford Circus
Where the two great shopping streets cross, under the lights at the heart of the West End

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Name

London's Christmas lights, the displays hung each winter over the West End's shopping streets.

Address

London's Christmas lights hang over Regent Street and Oxford Street, London W1B, with the two streets meeting at Oxford Circus. The displays go up through the first half of November and stay lit into early January, and the streets are free to walk with no gate and no ticket.

Hours

The streets are open at all hours, and in 2025 the Regent Street lights stayed on daily until 4 January. Each tour's start time is shown when you book.

Getting there

Oxford Circus station sits where the two streets cross. Every tour start is on the London Christmas lights tour meeting points map.

Book Your London Christmas Lights Tour

Choose how you want to travel, then your evening. Fares start at $29.69 a seat, you book at the fare shown on each card, and every booking here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead.

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