NYCSightseeing

Hop-On Hop-Off Buses in New York City

Quick answer. Book the New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour, rated 4.76 out of 5 from 13,723 reviews, from $99 (estimated). It covers the ground a hop-on hop-off pass covers and keeps a guide on board for the full 6h.

The classic 19-stop hop-on hop-off pass is the one New York bus product we will not send you to. It is cheaper, from $62 (estimated), and it is rated 3.51 out of 5 across 4,932 reviews, the lowest score of any New York bus product with more than a thousand reviews among the 28 we screened through the Viator Partner API on 28 August 2026. The only other hop-on hop-off pass in that screen with a review base above a hundred, the one that bundles the Empire State Building, scores 3.36 out of 5 across 213 reviews, so this is not one operator having a bad year.

The 8 tours below are guided departures at a fixed time, from $34.99 (estimated) for the 2h express loop up to a full day across the boroughs. Every one is rated 4.0 or better. Prices are the operator's lowest published fare and move with season and demand, so read them as a floor and not a quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a hop-on hop-off bus in New York City cost?
The 19-stop open-top pass that Viator sells as New York's hop-on hop-off starts from $62 (estimated). We do not link it, because it is rated 3.51 out of 5 across 4,932 reviews. The guided bus tours on this page start from $34.99 (estimated) and none of them is rated below 4.0.
Is there a real hop-on hop-off bus in New York?
There is, and it is the lowest rated New York bus product with a review base big enough to trust. Of the 28 New York bus experiences we screened through the Viator Partner API on 28 August 2026, the two hop-on hop-off passes with more than a hundred reviews rank 3.51 and 3.36 out of 5, the bottom two of the whole screen at that review size. The tours below cover the same sights with a guide on board and a departure time you know before you book.
Can I cancel a New York bus tour if the weather turns?
On 7 of the 8 tours here, yes. They are listed with free cancellation and the operator page shows the exact window. The NYC TV & Movie Locations Bus Tour carries no cancellation flag, so read its terms before you pay. These are fixed departures rather than a loop you join when you like, so what you are holding is a seat on a specific bus.
How long does a New York sightseeing bus tour take?
From 1h 30m to 7h. The shortest on this page is the New York Night Tour, the longest is the NYC Highlights Tour, and five of the eight run half a day or more. Pick by how much of the day you want to give it: a guided tour runs start to finish, it is not a loop you join and leave.
Do any of these bus tours leave Manhattan?
Four of the eight do, going by the stops each operator publishes in its own itinerary, and that is the thing a Manhattan loop cannot give you. The NYC Bus Tour of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens stops in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens and is rated 4.9 out of 5 from 4,242 reviews. The NYC Highlights Tour stops in Brooklyn and Queens and is rated 4.56 out of 5 from 3,146 reviews. The New York Night Tour stops in Brooklyn and is rated 4.42 out of 5 from 3,071 reviews. The Express Sightseeing Bus Day Tour with Night view Combo stops in Brooklyn and is rated 4.35 out of 5 from 350 reviews. The other four stay on the island.
Which one should a first-time visitor book?
New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour. It is rated 4.76 out of 5 from 13,723 reviews, the largest review base of the New York bus tours we screened, and it costs from $99 (estimated) for 6h. It is the closest thing to what people expect from a hop-on hop-off pass, minus the wait.