The London Pass vs London Explorer Pass
Same operator, two very different bets. The London Pass sells you days and dares you to fill them. The Explorer Pass sells you a fixed number of attractions and lets you take your time. Your travel pace — not the price list — decides which one wins.
London Explorer Pass
Pick the London Pass if you'll do three or more paid attractions a day on consecutive days; the daily rate drops fast and it covers Windsor and Hampton Court. Pick the Explorer Pass if you're travelling at a normal pace, spreading sightseeing across a longer stay, or you want the London Eye and Madame Tussauds — which the London Pass excludes.
Side by side
Two different bets
The London Pass gives you unlimited entry across consecutive days, from £89 for one day up to £214 for seven. Its logic is volume: every extra attraction you fit in drives your cost per visit down. It also covers the two expensive day trips — Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace — which single tickets would price at around £30 and £27.
The London Explorer Pass flips the model. You buy a number of attractions (2 for £69, 3 for £89, 5 for £124, 7 for £159) and use them whenever you like across a much longer validity window. No clock, no wasted rest day.
The London Eye question
This is the fastest way to decide. The London Pass excludes the London Eye and Madame Tussauds; the Explorer Pass includes both. If either sits on your must-do list, the Explorer Pass starts well ahead — otherwise you’d be buying a London Pass and a £29 Eye ticket on top.
Do the pace math
Work out your realistic attractions-per-day, honestly:
- 3+ per day, back-to-back → The London Pass. At that intensity the daily rate is hard to beat, and skip-the-line entry makes the schedule survivable.
- 1–2 per day, spread out → Explorer Pass. You pay only for what you’ll actually use, and a slow morning costs you nothing.
- A long stay with occasional sightseeing → Explorer Pass, comfortably.
One honest caveat for both: neither includes public transport, so add your Oyster or contactless spend before comparing against single tickets.
Our verdict
Fast movers should take the London Pass and start with the priciest sights — Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, The Shard. Everyone else is usually better served by the Explorer Pass, and quite often by single tickets alone. Put your real list into the calculator and let the Worth Score weigh the pace, the exclusions and the reservations for you.
Your dates, your travelers, your attractions — one clear verdict.
Open the calculatorFrequently asked questions
What's the difference between the London Pass and the Explorer Pass?
The London Pass is time-based: unlimited attractions within a set number of consecutive days. The Explorer Pass is credit-based: you choose 2 to 7 attractions and use them at your own pace over a longer window. Time-based rewards intensity; credit-based rewards flexibility.
Which one includes the London Eye?
The Explorer Pass. The London Pass does not include the London Eye — a frequent surprise, since it's one of the city's signature sights. Madame Tussauds is the same story. If either is a must-do, that alone can settle the decision.
Is the London Pass worth it for a relaxed trip?
Usually not. Its value depends on packing days: at one or two attractions a day the effective cost per visit stays high. For a slower trip, the Explorer Pass or single tickets almost always come out ahead.
Do both include public transport?
Neither includes Tube or bus travel. Budget for an Oyster card or contactless travel separately when you compare either pass against single tickets.