London Boat Tour Prices: How Much Does a Boat Ride Cost?
London boat prices in October 2026: the Uber Boat from £6.20, canal boats from US$27, Thames speedboats US$43 to US$87, the hot tub boat US$60, and a private yacht for eight.
A boat ride in London costs anything from £6.20 on the river bus to about US$90 for a speedboat, and the price follows what you get: transport, a commentary, speed, or a novelty like a hot tub. All prices below were checked in October 2026: the river bus and canal waterbus fares on the operators’ own pages, and everything else as listed on GetYourGuide, in US dollars.
See the best-rated speedboat dates
London boat prices at a glance
| Boat | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Uber Boat river bus, single | £6.20 to £19.30 contactless, off-peak | Transport by zone, no commentary |
| Uber Boat Hop-on Hop-off, 1 day | £29.30 online, £32.60 at the pier | Every pier, all day |
| City Cruises Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Cruise | US$33 | 24 hours of sightseeing boats with commentary |
| Westminster to Greenwich Cruise | US$23 | About an hour, with commentary |
| London Waterbus, Little Venice to Camden | £17 adult, £14 child | 45 minutes on the canal, one way |
| Canal Boat Ride on Camden Lock | US$31 | 90 minutes, a working lock, commentary |
| Regent's Canal Guided Kayaking Tour | US$20 | 1.5 hours with a coach, adults only |
| GoBoat Rental on the Regent's Canal | US$127 per boat | Drive it yourself, up to 8 people |
| 20-Minute Tower RIB Blast | US$43 | The shortest speedboat ride |
| River Thames Speedboat Tour | US$70 | 50 minutes to Canary Wharf and back |
| 70-Minute Thames Barrier Speedboat Tour | US$86 | The longest speedboat run |
| Hot Tub Boat Docklands Cruise | US$60 | 75 minutes in a heated tub |
| Private Luxury Thames Boat Cruise | US$1,997 per group | Two hours on a private yacht for up to 8 |
Per person unless marked. River bus and waterbus fares from the operators’ pages, the rest as listed on GetYourGuide, all checked in October 2026.
The cheapest way onto the water
The Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is a commuter service, priced like one. Tap a contactless card at the pier and a single across the central zone costs £9.90 off-peak, or £6.20 within the east or west zone. The catch is that contactless always charges the adult fare; child and Travelcard discounts apply only to tickets bought in the app, online or at the pier. Buying single, return or Hop-on Hop-off tickets online at least three days ahead takes 15% off. There is no commentary, but the views are the same as from a cruise boat. The Uber Boat guide explains the zones.
What the price buys on a tour
Once a guide is on board the price jumps, and the extra pays for one of three things.
A commentary. A sightseeing cruise from Westminster to Greenwich is about US$23 (October 2026) and gives you an hour of landmarks with someone telling you what they are. It is the cheapest guided trip on the river.
Speed. The speedboats cost three to four times as much, US$43 to US$87, because each boat seats about 12 and burns a great deal of fuel. You are paying for the ride: 30 knots on the open reaches east of Tower Bridge. Per minute, the 50-minute ride is better value than the 20-minute blast.
A novelty. The hot tub boat at US$60 and the self-drive GoBoat at US$127 per boat (October 2026) are priced on the experience, not the distance. Split among eight people, the GoBoat costs about US$16 each, cheaper than any guided trip on the canal.
The calendar below is for the River Thames Speedboat Tour from the London Eye Pier:
Hidden costs
- Photos. Thames RIB sells photos of your ride afterwards; they are not in the ticket price.
- Drinks. The hot tub boat’s bar and the river buses charge for drinks. The sunset speedboat includes one seasonal drink.
- Tips. Speedboat listings exclude tips for the crew.
- Upriver trips. Boats to Kew, Richmond and Hampton Court are sold by Thames River Boats at Westminster Pier and on its website, not on GetYourGuide; check its own fares page before you go.
For which boat fits which trip, the best boat tour guide matches each to a kind of traveller, and the London boat tours page compares them side by side.
The Best-Rated Boat Ride for the Money
The River Thames Speedboat Tour packs Parliament, Tower Bridge and the fast run to Canary Wharf into 50 minutes. Rated 4.9 from 1,045 reviews, from US$70 a person as of October 2026, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check Speedboat Dates