London Christmas Lights Tours FAQs
Switch-on dates, dark times, Oxford Street, prices, pickups, children and refunds, answered from the operators' own pages and the official sources. Choosing between tours of Christmas lights in London? The answers below settle most of it.
Two answers matter more than the rest. First, the lights are free: a tour buys a seat, a cab, a guide or a route, never entry. Second, from 26 October 2026 the central stretch of Oxford Street is closed to buses, taxis and cycles, so only walkers get under its lights this season.
After that, it is the meeting point. The buses leave from four different stops, and the one in front of the London Eye is a numbered tourist bus stop, so check the one your booking names and arrive 15 minutes early.
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.
Are the tours in other languages?
No. Every tour here is guided in English only. The silent-disco walk plays its music through headphones, but the guide still speaks English.
Is there a toilet on the bus?
Not on the open-top bus from the London Eye, which runs 60 to 90 minutes with no breaks. Go before you board, and arrive 15 minutes early.
Is food included?
On the bites bus, which serves tea, coffee or hot chocolate with festive snacks, and on the lights-and-bites walk, which includes snacks, a meal and Christmas cake. On every other tour food and drinks are extra.
Is there a drink on a walk?
The markets walk includes a glass of mulled wine, and the private walk from Bond Street includes a coffee or tea. On the other walks you buy your own along the way.
What is the silent-disco walk?
A guided walk with festive music played through wireless headphones, so the group sings along as it goes. It lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, starts on Rathbone Street in Fitzrovia and walks the length of Oxford Street on foot.
Where does the Trafalgar Square tree come from?
The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree comes from Norway, a gift from the Norwegian people every year since 1947 in thanks for Britain's support in the Second World War. It is usually a spruce over 20 metres tall and 50 to 60 years old, chosen in the forests around Oslo.
When is the tree lit?
At a ceremony in early December: in 2025 it was Thursday 4 December. The 2026 date has not been published, and the tree stays up until just before Twelfth Night.
What happens if it rains?
The tours run in the rain, so dress for it. On a double-decker the lower deck is covered, and in a black cab you stay dry between photo stops.
How cold is the top deck?
Cold. Travellers who sat up top in December say to bring layers, a hat, gloves and a blanket, and one called it freezing.
Are there booster seats in London black cabs?
No. See More Taxi Tours says London taxis carry no booster seats, so bring your own if your child needs one.
How big are the groups?
From your own party up to 72. The open-top bus from the London Eye seats up to 72 and the silent-disco walk takes up to 40, while most other walks stop at 10 to 15, and a cab or a private walk is yours alone.
Can I choose a black cab's route?
Largely, yes. Several cab listings say the route is shaped to your party, and one lets you finish anywhere in central London. Say which displays matter most when you book.
Is the bike tour hard?
It is not a hard ride, but you cycle in London traffic for three hours, and some riders found that stressful. Riders on the open tour must be 10 or older, and a bike, a helmet and a Santa hat are included.
What is the Christmas Carol walk?
A small-group walk of 2 to 3 hours through the Temple and the City, past taverns Dickens knew, ending at Leadenhall Market. It starts at Temple station, and it is about the story more than the lights.
Does Hyde Park Winter Wonderland cost money?
Entry to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is ticketed, and in 2026 it runs from 19 November to 3 January 2027. Online entry is free when you spend £25 in one transaction, and there are £1 off-peak sessions from Monday to Thursday through November.
When is Christmas at Kew?
Christmas at Kew runs on selected dates from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, from 4.20pm to 10pm. Tickets start at £25.50 and are timed, separate from daytime entry to the gardens.
Do I need to book in advance?
For the weeks before Christmas, yes: December evenings fill first, and the walks and cabs take small numbers. With free cancellation up to 24 hours before, booking early costs you little.
What should I wear?
Warm layers, a hat and gloves, and flat shoes on the walks. December evenings are cold on an open top deck, and the pavements under the lights are crowded.
Should I tip the guide?
It is up to you. Several listings say gratuities are not included in the fare, and one calls them optional.
Where do the tours end?
Most walks end near a Tube station, on Carnaby Street, at Covent Garden or Piccadilly Circus, or at the South Bank Christmas market. The open-top bus returns to the London Eye, and the cabs drop you at your hotel or anywhere central.
How do I find the bus stop at the London Eye?
The open-top bus boards at tourist bus stop 4 on Belvedere Road, SE1 7NA, in front of the London Eye and two minutes from Waterloo. Travellers who went by the postcode alone struggled, so look for the stop number and arrive 15 minutes early.
Still deciding? The practical detail is in the visitors guide, and what travellers made of each tour is in the reviews. Every fare sits side by side on London Christmas Lights Tours.