Liverpool is not a city you can do in an afternoon. It has two cathedrals, a waterfront that makes grown adults stop and stare like they have never seen a river before, and more Beatles-related attractions than almost any place on earth can claim, all of them entirely justified.
Attempting to navigate all of it on foot, in the wrong direction, with a dead phone battery, is a rite of passage for some visitors. City Explorer exists so that you do not have to be one of them.
So what is City Explorer, exactly?
City Explorer is Liverpool’s original open-top, hop on, hop off sightseeing bus. It visits 11 iconic landmarks, with a live tour guide on board who will tell you things that you will definitely repeat at dinner parties and pretend you already knew.
The hop on, hop off format means your ticket is valid for 24 hours from the moment you first board, and in that time you can jump on and off at any stop as many times as you like. Spend four hours at the Albert Dock. Hop off at the Philharmonic Pub and, well, conduct some independent research (yes, we’re talking about the pub’s world-famous toilets). Rejoin the bus. Hop off again. Nobody is timing you, and the next ride is never far away.
The prices, which are genuinely a bargain
- Adult (16 and over): £15.00
- Child (5 to 15): £11.00
- Concession (seniors, students, NHS and emergency services on production of
formal ID): £13.00 - Family Pass (2 adults and 2 children): £35.00
- Family Pass (2 adults and 3 children): £40.00
Fifteen pounds for a live guide, an open-top bus, 24 hours of freedom, and a proper introduction to one of Britain’s most interesting cities! That is less than two pints in most of the places the tour will drive past. The concession rate is a thoughtful touch for seniors, students, NHS workers, and emergency services personnel, all of whom have earned a discount several times over.
The two family pass options deserve a particular mention: a family of five gets the full experience for £40.00, which in 2026 barely covers a service station lunch.
For those who have caught the Liverpool bug
If the City Explorer tour leaves you wanting more of Liverpool, the combined tours are our way of saying “we thought you might say that.” Each option bundles two or more experiences into a single ticket at a price that beats buying them separately.
The City Explorer and Beatles Explorer combination (£22.00 adult, £16.00 child) gives you 48 hours across both bus tours.
The Beatles Explorer heads out to Penny Lane, Strawberry Field, and the other locations that made four lads from Liverpool inexplicably famous in every country on earth.
The River Cruise and City Explorer (£26.50 adult, £17.00 child) adds a sail on the Mersey Ferry to the bus tour, because at some point on a Liverpool visit you are legally obliged to look back at that skyline from the water and feel something.
For the dedicated Beatles enthusiast, the Beatles Story and Beatles Explorer ticket (£30.00 adult, £15.00 child) combines the bus with entry to one of Liverpool’s most visited attractions, while the Liverpool Beatles Museum and Beatles Explorer (£34.00 adult, £25.50 child) pairs the tour with a visit to Mathew Street’s extraordinary collection of authentic memorabilia.
The River Cruise and Beatles Explorer (£28.50 adult, £18.00 child) is available for those who want the Mersey in the mix too.
At the top of the stack sits the Golden Ticket (£41.00 adult, £25.00 child): 72 hours of access to City Explorer, Beatles Explorer, and the River Explorer Cruise. Three days, three experiences, one pass, and the very real possibility that by the end of it, you will know more about Liverpool than most people who live here.
The savings continue long after you’ve stepped off the bus
Once you step off the bus, your pass does not retire. City Explorer has partnered with a stack of businesses across Liverpool, and showing your valid ticket at any of the participating venues unlocks discounts of up to 20%.
You can enjoy reduced admission at the British Music Experience (complete with a free tea or Americano), take a ride on the Wheel of Liverpool for less, or visit Liverpool Gin Distillery and even create your own personalised bottle while you’re there.
Feeling hungry? Ticket holders can save at Turtle Bay, Shenanigans Irish Bar, and the magnificent Philharmonic Dining Rooms, one of the finest Victorian pubs in Britain. Doctor Duncan’s also offers a bowl of traditional scouse and a pint of Madri for £14, which feels like a very sensible way to end a day of sightseeing.
In other words, the City Explorer ticket is less of a bus pass and more of a loyalty card.
Liverpool is already very good value. City Explorer makes it even better.
Book your tickets now.
