Frequently Asked Questions
What time and where do your tours start?
Will we get out of the car/minibus to go inside places of historic importance, take photos etc...?
Can I tour on Sundays or is everything closed?
How much will I see in a 3 hour London tour compared to a 7 hour London tour?
Lunch and entrance fees?
Can I extend my tour?
Can you book hotels for me?
Can I share a tour with another group?
How much do foreign language guides cost?
Can I customise my tour?
How much notice is needed for a tour?
What is the cancellation policy?
What vehicles do you provide?
Wheelchair access?
Other European cities?
Is our guide's gratuity included?
The start-time is up to you and all of our tours include collection and return to your central London Hotel or other central London location. In the case of collections from train stations in central London e.g Victoria and Waterloo there is a surcharge of £20. We recommend an early start for a full day tour of 7 hours or more.
If you need to be collected from outside central London a surcharge is made, please contact us. Also see our airport transfers page.
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Will we get out of the car to see places of historic importance, take photos etc...?
Yes! Your tour guide will guide you inside places of historic importance as well as show you the city panoramically.
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Can I tour on Sundays or is everything closed?
All the main sights in London are open on Sunday and the City, London's financial centre, has the advantage of being less busy than on a weekday.
Due to services on Sundays however, guiding inside St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey will either be very limited or not possible. If you wish to visit London's Cathedrals and Abbeys and have a choice between touring on a Sunday and a weekday, a weekday would be better.
For touring outside London, almost all of the historic sights we cover on day tours from London are open on Sundays.
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A 3 hour tour is mainly panoramic seeing London's most important sights from the outside or one sight in depth. On a full day tour of London you will see much of the 'West End' of London as well as the 'City', the original site of London. There is also time on a full day tour to go inside places of historic importance with your guide such as St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey.
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Lunch and entrance fees?
Lunch and entrance fees are not included on our tours. We do not include them because our tours are flexible - not everyone wants to visit the same attractions, or eat in the same pub or restaurant.
An indication of admission fees - standard adult rates (concessions apply for children/students/elderly and families)
Westminster Abbey: £18
The Tower of London: £21.45
St Paul's Cathedral: £16
London Eye from £31.75
(2013 Prices)
NB If you're planning on visiting a number of attractions, a sightseeing pass can be a good idea. We offer a 10 pc discount on the London Pass - please see http://www.britishtours.com/passes
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Can I extend my tour?
Yes, subject to availability (in high season, please let us know if you might extend). Simply tell your guide. The hourly extension rates are:
Up to 2 people: £50
Up to 4 people: £55
Up to 7 people: £60
Up to 11 people: £105
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Can you book hotels for me?
Yes, if booked in conjunction with one of our overnight tours. For overnight tours we typically recommend historic inns and 4 or 5 star Country House Hotels rather than hotel chains. Please advise us of your preference, the type and number of rooms you need and your budget. You can also book any of our recommended London hotels directly.
Can I share a tour with another group?
No; our tours are offered per individual private group.
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How much do Language Guides Cost?
There is an additional charge of £30 per half day and £60 per full day for a German, French, Italian or Spanish speaking guide. All other languages including Russian, Japanese and Chinese have a surcharge of £175 up to 4 hours, £275 for 5 to 9 hours and £50 extra per hour thereafter (2013 rates).
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Can I customise my tour?
Yes. Your guide will design your tour around your specific interests and preferred pace.
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How much notice is needed for a tour?
It is advisable to give us a few days notice especially for a series of day tours, overnight tours, special interest tours, large groups, foreign languages and tours during the height of the season.
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What is the cancellation policy?
Please see our Terms and Conditions
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What vehicles do you provide?
All our saloon cars and people carriers are modern comfortable and air-conditioned. For groups over 7 passengers we provide chauffeur driven and air-conditioned Mercedes minibuses and executive coaches. You can choose from 3 categories
Medium: 1 - 2 passengers, e.g. Honda Civic
Large: 1 - 4 passengers, e.g. Saab, Alfa Romeo
People Carrier: 1 - 7 passengers, e.g. Volkswagen Sharan, Toyota Previa
Deluxe vehicles: 1-7 passengers, Jaguar XJ6, BMW 3 series, Mercedes E Class, Mercedes V Class.
Minibuses: 1-15 passengers Mercedes Minibuses
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Wheelchairs
We have taken many clients on tour who use wheelchairs. Please ask us for tours with good access.
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Other European Cities
In addition to the UK, we can provide private tours in Paris, Rome and Edinburgh.
Is our Guide's gratuity included?
No. Gratuities are at your discretion. If you are happy with your guide, a gratuity - usually in the region of 10% to 15% of the cost of the touring rate - is much appreciated.
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"Our tour guide was incomparable ... we feel we had many, many experiences which would have been denied us had we tried to see England on our own or on a bus full of people."
Wanda and R.C. Cranfill
