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The City of Westminster & Lambeth Reach

River Cruises with Thames River Sightseeing

Cruising from Westminster Pier, Embankment Pier, Festival Pier, Bankside Pier, Tower Bridge Quay & Greenwich Pier

A visit to London isn’t complete without a cruise on the River Thames. Thames River Sightseeing operate regular services from six piers on the River Thames including Westminster Pier, Embankment Pier, Tower Bridge Quay (St. Katharine Pier) & Greenwich Pier. Thames River Sightseeing cruise 361 days a year & operate a fleet of all-weather vessels with spacious open decks perfect for the summer months & heated saloons with panoramic windows for the colder months. The vessels range from more traditional River Thames passenger boats (London Rose) to more modern vessels purposefully built for the River Thames (Thomas Doggett). A cruise between Westminster & Tower Bridge Quay takes just 30-40 minutes & passes numerous London landmarks including the New Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament), the London Eye, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the Shard, London Bridge & Tower Bridge.

Passengers can embark at Westminster Pier, Embankment Pier, Festival Pier, Bankside Pier, Tower Bridge Quay or Greenwich & take advantage of a range of ticketing options. Single tickets are suited for day trippers or passengers travelling in or out of London & return tickets allow passengers to disembark & explore before joining a return sailing later the same day. A 2 Day River Pass is the perfect option for anyone visiting London over multiple days. A River Pass allows unlimited travel on our services for just £21.00 per adult, a family River Pass is just £42.00 (for 2 Adults + 3 Children).

Thames River Sightseeing also offer excellent group rates & discounts which are perfect for families, tour companies or travel trade. Toilet facilities & a Multilingual Audio Guide are available on all sailings. The Multilingual Audio Guide is an informative commentary available through our onboard Wi-Fi in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish or Mandarin (Smart device & headphones are not provided, Read More).

Why Choose Thames River Sightseeing

  • Modern & traditional sightseeing boats with open decks, heated saloons & toilet facilities.
  • Regular departures: Currently every 40 minutes.
  • Onboard Café Bars are open on Saturdays & Sundays serving hot drinks, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks & light snacks. Some sailings between Monday & Friday may also have refreshments available. (Read More)
  • Scenic cruises between Westminster Pier, Embankment Pier, Festival Pier, Bankside Pier, Tower Bridge Quay (St. Katharine Pier) & Greenwich Pier passing more than 44 London landmarks.
  • Wi-Fi Audio Guide available in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German & Mandarin. (Smart device & headphones are not provided, Read More)

 

Thames River Sightseeing Routes

We are currently operating 7-days a week calling at Westminster Pier, Embankment Pier, Festival Pier, Bankside Pier, Tower Bridge Quay & Greenwich Pier.

Piers on our Routes
Westminster Pier (Houses of Parliament)
Embankment Pier (Charing Cross, Villiers Street & Strand)
Festival Pier (Royal Festival Hall & South Bank Centre)
Bankside Pier (Globe Theatre & Tate Modern)
Tower Bridge Quay (St. Katharine Pier)
Greenwich Pier (Cutty Sark)

Sightseeing by Boat

Our two services call at six piers across London providing a unique link between London’s top attractions.

Travel London by Boat

Our cruises are perfect for sightseeing however if you are travelling in or out of London our services may make a  more practical alternative to the train, tube or river bus. With services every 30-60 minutes & large, open passenger boats we provide a stress-free experience travelling across London.

If you are travelling from Greenwich to London our service only calls at Tower Bridge Quay & Westminster Pier allowing fast journey times with no stops or changes. A journey from Greenwich to Tower Bridge Quay is just 20-30 minutes* & the journey from Greenwich to Westminster is just under 1 hour*.

All of our boats have outdoor seating in the fresh air on the open deck & plenty of space to social distance. Some of our sailings also feature fully licensed bars, we recommend checking with our ticket office on your day of travel to check availability of bar services.

Destinations

Westminster Pier is located on the North shore of the River Thames in the City of Westminster. The pier is a short walk from the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament), Westminster Abbey & St. Margaret’s Church (A UNESCO World Heritage Site). Numerous museums & landmarks are within walking distance of Westminster Pier including the Banqueting House, Household Cavalry Museum, the National Gallery & the London Eye.

Embankment Pier is located on the North shore of the River Thames next to Charing Cross Railway Bridge and Embankment Station.

Embankment Pier is just a short walk from Westminster Pier, Villiers Street, the Strand and a number of famous landmarks.

Festival Pier is located on the south shore of the River Thames next to Royal Festival Hall in the heart of the Soutbank Centre. The National Theatre, London Eye, OXO Tower Wharf, & County Hall (Home to the London Aquarium, London Dungeon, Shrek’s Adventure and more) are only a few minutes from Festival Pier. Festival Pier is popular with corporate & private charters, our daytime sightseeing cruises with Thames River Sightseeing also call at Festival Pier.

Bankside Pier is located on the south shore of the River Thames next to the Millennium Bridge within the London Borough of Southwark. Bankside stretches from Blackfriars Railway Bridge to the edge of London Bridge City & is one of London’s newer tourist hot spots. Bankside & the surrounding area is home to a variety of historical & contemporary attractions including Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, the Clink Prison Museum, Golden Hinde II, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Tate Modern, Bankside Gallery & the Millennium Bridge. Bankside is also home to numerous riverside restaurants, pubs, bars & is just a short walk from London Bridge City, the City of London & the South Bank.

Tower Bridge Quay (formerly St. Katharine Pier) is located on the North shore of the River Thames at St. Katharine Dock, a short walk from the UNESCO World Heritage Site at the Tower of London. The dock opened in 1828 & was once popular with expensive cargo’s from around the world including ivory, shells, sugar, marble, wines, fragrant spices & perfumes. Today St. Katharine’s is a haven for yachts & historic vessels including traditional Thames sailing barges. A wide range of cafes, bars & restaurants are located at St. Katharine’s & regular food markets also take place throughout the week.

Greenwich Pier is located on the South shore of the River Thames in Maritime Greenwich, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The pier sits between the famous tea clipper Cutty Sark & Sir Christopher Wren’s Riverside Masterpiece, the Old Royal Naval College. Today the Royal Borough of Greenwich is an eclectic mix of historical & modern buildings. Greenwich town centre is home to a collection of museums, pubs, restaurants, markets & shops.

Thames River Sightseeing Enquiries

Please note our sailing times can vary due to the weather, tides & traffic on the River.

Thames River Sightseeing Enquiries

Please note our sailing times can vary due to the weather, tides & traffic on the River.

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