Paris City Bus Tours
Paris has several tour bus operators. The most renowned are OpenTour, Big Bus Paris and Foxity Sightseeing Tour. Find in-depth information about what each company offers and choose the best option.
All sightseeing buses in Paris are open-top double-deckers and include an audio guide in English.
We provide you with information on each of the different tour bus operators so you can choose which one you prefer:
Big Bus Paris
Big Bus Paris (used to be called Les Cars Rouges) is the oldest tour bus operator in Paris. These buses are red, as the name in French used to suggest.
Itinerary
The Big Bus Paris takes 2 hours 15 minutes and includes 11 stops, where you can get on and off at your own pace. Along the route, the bus stops at iconic sites in Paris, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame, the Orsay Museum, The Gardnier Opera, the Arc de Triomphe, and many more.
When booking, you have the chance to purchase a ticket that also includes a please cruise down the Seine.
Schedule & timetable
The Big Bus Paris schedule is approximately from 9:30 am to 8:15 pm. However, it depends a lot on each stop. The last bus passes by the Louvre or Notre Dame at 6:25 pm. The frequency varies between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on the time of year.
Big Bus Paris Prices
| Validity | Adults | Children aged 4-12 |
|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | € 40.50 (US$ 42.90) | € 22.50 (US$ 23.80) |
| 24 hours + cruise | € 53.10 (US$ 56.20) | € 31.50 (US$ 33.30) |
| 48 hours + cruise | € 67.50 (US$ 71.50) | € 37.80 (US$ 40) |
For your convenience, you can purchase tickets online here.
Night Tour
Paris is a city with special night lights and the Big Bus Paris company lets you enjoy them. For 2 hours, you can admire the city's main monuments lit up at night.
The night bus runs every day and departs at 8:15 pm and 9:15 pm. It costs € 30 (US$ 31.80) (€ 24 (US$ 25.40) for children under 12 and is free for children under 4).
Tootbus
Tootbus (previously OpenTour) has a route with 10 stops, including the Garnier Opera, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Champs Elysee and the Eiffel Tower.
The routes and schedules vary depending on the time of year: November to March from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm; April to October from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm. There is a bus every 15 minutes approximately and you can get on and off at any of the stops.
The ticket for Tootbus lasts 1, 2 or 3 days from the moment you first use it. The prices vary: the 1 day ticket costs € 38.25 (US$ 40.50) per adult (2 days € 45.05 (US$ 47.70) and 3 days € 49.30 (US$ 52.20)) and € 21.25 (US$ 22.50) for children aged 4-12 (2 days € 26.35 (US$ 27.90) and 3 days € 28.90 (US$ 30.60)). You can also purchase a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) that allows you to save money on tickets.
Foxity Sightseeing Tour
Foxity Sightseeing Tour was the last tour bus to arrive in Paris. At first, this company only included a bus tour without having the hop-on, hop-off option. However, due to pressure from tourists, it now allows its passengers to hop on and off.
The buses leave from the Eiffel Tower and its itinerary is very similar to the Big Bus Paris one.
The ticket price is € 42 (US$ 44.50) for adults (€ 49 (US$ 51.90) for 2 days). For children aged 4 to 12 a ticket costs € 23 (US$ 24.30) (€ 28 (US$ 29.60) for 2 days), and for children under 4 the tour is free.
Which tour bus to choose?
All of the above companies offer very similar services, although we recommend Big Bus Paris, as it has more routes and more stops, and therefore offers a more complete tour.
