Bus tours · Sightseeing
City Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
by City Explorer Liverpool (Maghull Coaches)
City Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour is run by City Explorer Liverpool (Maghull Coaches) and starts from Royal Albert Dock (Gower Street), Liverpool. It lasts about 1 hour for the full loop. Tickets start at £15 per adult. Weekdays: every 30 minutes from 10am, hourly after 2pm.
Booking is with City Explorer Liverpool (Maghull Coaches). Old Town Liverpool does not sell tickets.
Liverpool’s open-top sightseeing bus, with a live guide rather than a recording. The loop starts at the Royal Albert Dock and calls at 11 stops around the city centre, and your ticket is valid for 24 hours, so you can step off at the cathedrals or the Cavern Quarter and pick up a later bus.
The same operator sells combination tickets with the Beatles Explorer and the Mersey Ferries River Explorer Cruise, including a 72-hour Golden Ticket for all three.
What you see
- 11 stops around the city centre
- Live tour guide on board
- Ticket valid for 24 hours
When it runs
- Weekdays
- Every 30 minutes from 10am, hourly after 2pm
- Weekends
- Every 30 minutes from 10am
- Last tour
- 3pm in the darker months, 4pm in the lighter months
No tours from 30 November 2026 to 31 January 2027. Tours resume on 1 February 2027.
Prices
- Adult (16+)
- £15.00
- Child (5–15)
- £11.00
- Concession
- £13.00
- Family (2 adults, 2 children)
- £35.00
- Family (2 adults, 3 children)
- £40.00
Meeting point
Royal Albert Dock (Gower Street)
Gower Street, Liverpool
Accessibility
The operator states that all its vehicles are wheelchair friendly. Call 0151 933 2324 for other needs.
On this spot
What was here before
The tour starts at the Royal Albert Dock, where houses, a pub and the Dock Trustees' dockyard were cleared for Jesse Hartley and Philip Hardwick's dock, opened by Prince Albert in 1846.
- 1846
Prince Albert opens the Albert Dock.
- 1972
The dock closes.
- 1988
The restored dock reopens, with Tate Liverpool.
Old Town Time Meter
66/100
Landmark
- Time on this spot180 years, since 1846 (Albert Dock opened)24/40
- Age of the present building180 years, built 184618/20
- Layers of history3 documented chapters9/15
- Heritage protectionGrade I listed15/15
An index of the documented time and history held by this place, part of Old Town Liverpool's Quantum Energy Mapping. How it is measured.
Make a day of it
Where to eat before or after
Restaurants and pubs close by, each with its own Old Town Liverpool guide.
And in the evening
What's on in Liverpool
More things to do
You might also like
Good to know
About City Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
When does City Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour run?
Weekdays: Every 30 minutes from 10am, hourly after 2pm. Weekends: Every 30 minutes from 10am. Last tour: 3pm in the darker months, 4pm in the lighter months. No tours from 30 November 2026 to 31 January 2027. Tours resume on 1 February 2027.
Where does City Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour start?
From Royal Albert Dock (Gower Street), Gower Street, Liverpool.
How much does City Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour cost?
Adult (16+) £15.00; Child (5–15) £11.00; Concession £13.00; Family (2 adults, 2 children) £35.00; Family (2 adults, 3 children) £40.00. Prices are set by City Explorer Liverpool (Maghull Coaches) and can change.
How long does City Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour take?
About 1 hour for the full loop.
Is City Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour accessible?
The operator states that all its vehicles are wheelchair friendly. Call 0151 933 2324 for other needs.
Where can I eat near City Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour?
Close to the start point you can try Byron, The Baltic Fleet and Hanover Street Social.
Sources: Wikipedia: Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool.
Times and prices are taken from each operator's own published information and can change. Old Town Liverpool does not sell tickets; please confirm with the operator before you travel. Last checked 9 October 2026.