You have two days in New York and a landmark list longer than your schedule. An open-top bus can knock out Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty in an afternoon, but the bus tour services in New York vary a lot in what they actually cover. Between them, the operators below have logged more than 68,000 Google reviews, and ratings still range from 4.3 up to 4.9, so the gap between an average ride and a great one is real and worth checking before you buy a ticket.
Short answer: For classic New York sightseeing, Big Bus Tours New York is our top pick, with a 4.7 rating across more than 22,000 Google reviews, the best balance of quality and scale in the city. TopView has the most reviews of any operator (33,274) but rates lower at 4.3, while OurBus (4.8) is the go-to for intercity coach travel. Hop-on-hop-off adult day passes start around $39, with night tours and bus-plus-cruise combos costing more.
#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days
Big Bus Tours New York
4.7★★★★★22,034 Google reviews
Big Bus Tours is the New York arm of a global sightseeing operator, running the city's familiar red open-top double-deckers on hop-on-hop-off loops across Manhattan. Riders get live and recorded guide commentary, a two-hour non-stop night tour, and combination 'Unlocked' tickets that fold in attractions like the Empire State Building and a Circle Line harbour cruise. Buses run daily from a Midtown base near Times Square, which suits first-time visitors who want to see the big landmarks and hop off at the ones they like.
What people praise
- Engaging guides who bring NYC history to life, especially on the night tour
- Smooth, professional drivers noted across reviews
- The night tour is a standout, with skyline and Brooklyn Bridge views
- 'Unlocked' combo tickets bundle attractions like the Empire State Building and a harbour cruise
- Helpful customer service when app or ticket problems came up
Worth knowing
- The guided night tour draws the strongest praise; daytime loops are more standard sightseeing
- Attractions and cruises are add-ons on top of the base bus ticket
Reputation scorecardrank in New York
Review volume22,034 · 93th
Info completenesssite · hours
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: It tops our list on the strongest balance of a high 4.7 rating and one of the largest review bases in the city (over 22,000). For classic hop-on-hop-off sightseeing, and especially the night tour, it is the safe default.
📍723 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019, USA
#2🕑 Open 7 days
TopView
4.3★★★★★33,274 Google reviews
TopView is one of New York's largest sightseeing operators, best known for hop-on-hop-off double-decker routes that its own site advertises from $39. Alongside the day and night bus loops it sells a Statue of Liberty cruise and bundled attraction passes, and its ticket sellers work the sidewalks at major stops across Midtown. The booking desk runs around the clock, which makes last-minute planning easy.
What people praise
- The most routes and departures of any NYC operator on this list
- Friendly, helpful street-side ticket sellers noted by name in reviews
- Well-liked night tour and plenty of ground covered versus walking
- 24-hour booking desk for last-minute plans
- Low entry price, with passes advertised from $39
Worth knowing
- Some travellers on multi-day passes felt hop-off service wound down earlier in the day than they expected
- Cruise seating and bike-rental extras can cost more on top of the pass
- Onboard audio units and the app were hit or miss for a few riders on busy days
Reputation scorecardrank in New York
Review volume33,274 · 98th
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: TopView has more Google reviews than any NYC operator (over 33,000), but its 4.3 average sits below Big Bus's 4.7, so it ranks second on our rating-weighted score despite the bigger crowd. It is the pick for the widest route coverage and the lowest entry price.
📍2 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017, USA
#3🕑 Open 7 days
OurBus
4.8★★★★★7,519 Google reviews
OurBus is an intercity coach service rather than a sightseeing operator, running scheduled routes between New York City and cities across the Northeast and beyond. It uses a crowdsourced, minimal-stop model with online booking, free onboard water and Wi-Fi, live bus tracking, and rebooking up to an hour before departure. Charters and college-break routes round out the service, and its NYC stops sit around Madison Avenue in Midtown.
What people praise
- Affordable fares and a wide route network, including smaller destinations
- On-time, friendly drivers praised across recent reviews
- Free bottled water on board and easy rebooking up to an hour before departure
- Responsive phone and app support that riders single out by name
Worth knowing
- Pickup points are curbside and can be tricky to find, so arrive early and confirm the exact spot
- The cancellation window is firm at 60 minutes before departure
Reputation scorecardrank in New York
Review volume7,519 · 88th
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: OurBus earns a strong 4.8, but it is an intercity coach line for getting between cities, not a sightseeing tour. We include it because it surfaces under bus tours and travellers rate it highly; choose it to travel to or from NYC, not to see the sights.
📍79 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA
#4🕑 Open 7 days
Tours of NYC
4.9★★★★★1,856 Google reviews
Tours of NYC is a highly rated local operator specialising in small-group guided experiences rather than open-top bus loops. Its best-known outings are a Chinatown and Little Italy food-tasting walk and a Gangsters and Ghosts history tour, with guides leading compact groups on foot through Lower Manhattan. It weaves in the neighbourhoods' immigrant history, true-crime lore and hidden corners, running daily into the evening from a base on Baxter Street near Chinatown.
What people praise
- Highest rating on the list at 4.9
- Knowledgeable, passionate guides praised by name in review after review
- Small groups that feel personal, not a rushed 'tour mill'
- Strong storytelling on Chinatown, Little Italy and NYC history
- Good variety and portioning on the food-tasting tour
Worth knowing
- Walking and food tours rather than open-top hop-on-hop-off buses
- Smaller review base than the big bus operators
Reputation scorecardrank in New York
Review volume1,856 · 73th
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: It holds the highest rating here at 4.9, but on a smaller review base and for guided walking and food tours rather than bus loops, so it ranks fourth on volume-weighted confidence, not on quality. Pick it for an in-depth, small-group experience on foot.
📍119 Baxter St, New York, NY 10013, USA
#5🕑 Open 7 days
New York Iconic Cruises
4.4★★★★★3,808 Google reviews
New York Iconic Cruises pairs double-decker sightseeing buses with a Statue of Liberty cruise, selling hop-on-hop-off day and night tours that link Manhattan landmarks to a boat out into the harbour. Its route threads through Times Square, the Financial District, SoHo, Chinatown and the Brooklyn Bridge, with tickets and packages that combine the bus and the cruise in one purchase. The operator keeps long daily hours from a Midtown base on 7th Avenue.
What people praise
- Bus-plus-cruise combo covers landmarks and the harbour in one ticket
- Multilingual onboard audio (English and Spanish) noted by riders
- Good value for a combined sightseeing tour and Statue of Liberty cruise
- Long daily operating hours from morning to late night
Worth knowing
- A newer operator; some travellers reported bus delays and long waits, especially in peak summer heat
- Directions between the bus and the cruise can be unclear, so confirm the schedule and meeting points in advance
Reputation scorecardrank in New York
Review volume3,808 · 83th
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
✓ VerifiedSource: Google
Our take: It rounds out the list with a solid 4.4 and a bus-plus-cruise combo that offers good value, though a newer operation means it is worth confirming times and building in buffer. Best if you want the harbour cruise bundled with your sightseeing.
📍712 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019, USA
6 Your business here
Get listed on this page, in front of local customers already searching for you.
Claim this spot › How we score
Every number on this page is computed from public Google data on the date shown, not from opinion or payment. Rating is the operator’s live Google star average. Review volume is how many travellers have rated them, ranked against other New York tour operators. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.7 from tens of thousands of people carries more weight than a 4.9 from a smaller crowd. Recency reflects how recently customers are still leaving reviews. No business can pay to change these numbers.
How much does a New York bus tour cost? (2026)
Price depends on the tour type, how long the pass lasts, and whether attractions or a cruise are bundled in. Booking online in advance is usually cheaper than the gate price, and child and senior fares run lower. Here are typical 2026 adult ranges for New York sightseeing tours:
| Job | Typical price |
|---|
| Hop-on-hop-off 1-day pass (adult) | $39, $75 |
| Two-hour night tour (adult) | $40, $65 |
| 48-hour / multi-day pass | $75, $130 |
| Bus + Statue of Liberty cruise combo | $60, $110 |
| Attraction-inclusive pass (bus + 1-2 attractions) | $85, $160 |
Ranges reflect New York operators’ published 2026 pricing (TopView, Big Bus and comparable sightseeing lines), compiled July 2026; TopView lists hop-on-hop-off tickets from $39. Child, senior and online-advance fares are usually lower, check the operator’s site before booking.
Where these tours run in New York
The operators above cover the core Manhattan sightseeing route, Times Square and Midtown, the Financial District and Wall Street, SoHo, Chinatown and Little Italy, Battery Park for the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and uptown toward Central Park and Harlem. Most pickups cluster around Times Square and 7th Avenue. Searching for a bus tour near me in New York? Each listing below shows a live location and booking details so you can find the closest departure fast.
What to check before you book a bus tour
- How long is the pass valid, a set number of hours, one calendar day, or 24 hours from first boarding?
- How often do buses run, and what time does the last hop-off bus leave each stop?
- Are attractions or a harbour cruise included, or sold as add-ons on top of the base ticket?
- What is the refund or reschedule policy if weather or delays disrupt the tour?
- Is there a live tracking app, and is onboard audio available in your language?
- Are child, senior or online-advance fares cheaper than the gate price?
Frequently asked questions
How did you choose these New York tour operators?
We started from every New York bus-tour and sightseeing company with a public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency, and recency. See How we score above.
Are these rankings paid?
No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position on the underlying data.
How often is this updated?
The data carries a verified date (July 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.
Which is better, Big Bus or TopView?
Big Bus rates higher at 4.7 versus TopView’s 4.3, so it ranks first for overall quality, and its night tour draws the strongest praise. TopView has more reviews and routes and the lowest entry price (from $39), which makes it the value pick. Match the choice to whether you want the higher-rated ride or the widest coverage.
How much is a hop-on-hop-off bus tour in New York?
Adult day passes typically run from about $39 to $75 in 2026, with two-hour night tours around $40 to $65 and bus-plus-cruise combos higher. Booking online in advance is usually cheaper than the gate price. See the cost table above.
The bottom line
Big Bus Tours is the safe default for first-time visitors who want reliable hop-on-hop-off sightseeing and a standout night tour, while TopView wins on route coverage and budget passes from $39. Whichever you choose, book online in advance and check the last hop-off time so you get the full day out of your ticket.
