London by boat – River Thames Boat Services

River Thames Boat Services
Places of interest to visit by boat

A visit to London would not be complete without a trip along the river.  London is a maritime city and it’s history and development has been intertwined with the Thames throughout the ages.

take a river boat cruise on the Thames for a different view of London

There are many places of interest and perhaps with only 3 days in London you may not have time to visit them all, but fear not….just a trip in one of the boats alone is worth fitting in to your schedule.
However, if you do have the time then travelling on the river provides a relaxing way of getting around, starting west of London Central and flowing east along the river Thames as it winds through the city, these are places where you can hop-on or off of a boat and what you can see at some of the stops along the way!

MILLBANK MILLENNIUM PIER
Tate Briain

Millbank Millenium Pier - for a visit to Tate Britain

WESTMINSTER MILLENNIUM PIER
Houses of Parliament
St Stephen’s Tower (Big Ben)
Westminster Abbey
Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Room

Westminster Millenium Pier in foreground & London Eye Millenium Pier on far bank

LONDON EYE MILLENNIUM PIER
London Eye
BFI Imax Cinema
Dali Universe
London Aquarium
Southbank Centre
Florence Nightingale Museum

EMBANKMENT PIER
Cleopatra’s Needle
Trafalgar Square
Covent Garden
London Transport Museum

FESTIVAL PIER
Southbank Centre
National Theatre
BFI Imax Cinema

BLACKFRIARS MILLENNIUM PIER
St Paul’s Cathedral

BANKSIDE PIER
Shakespeare’s Globe
Clink Museum
Vinopolis City of Wine
Tate Modern

LONDON BRIDGE CITY PIER
HMS Belfast
London Dungeon
Hay’s Galleria
Britain at War Experience
Old Operating Theatre
Southwark Cathedral
Clink Museum
City Hall

TOWER MILLENNIUM & ST KATHERINE’S PIER
Tower of London
Tower Bridge Experience
St Katharine’s Dock

CANARY WHARF PIER
Canary Wharf Tower
Isle of Dogs (not really an island)

GREENWICH PIER
National Maritime Museum
Royal Naval College
Royal Observatory
Greenwich Park
Greenwich Market

QE11 PIER
The O2 (aka The Millennium Dome)

WOOLWICH ARSENAL PIER
Royal Artillery Museum
Firepower and Heritage Centre

What you need to know before boarding one of the boats:
Buy your ticket before you board (except for some services where you can buy your ticket on the boat)
Under 5′s travel for free
Senior Citizen rates apply to those of pensionable age
Travelcard holders – many operators offer 1/3 off normal advertised adult and child fares on production of a valid Travelcard.
Many river boats offer mobility-impaired access and newer river craft have accessible toilet facilities.

Many of the central tube stations have free booklets on display near the ticket booths.  These booklets give you the times and fares of the different services.

Enjoy and make the most of your 3 Days in London
for online information go to http://www.tfl.gov.uk

or for a whole heap of fun on land and river….you could take a Duck Tour for a completely different experience!

for a completely different experience......by land

......and water. Enjoying a Duck Tour on the River Thames