A London Eye tour, in the listings I compared, is a walking or rail tour that ends with a ride on the wheel, because I found no guided commentary on the wheel itself. There are three: a Harry Potter walk at $112, a Westminster walk at $115 and a Paris to London day trip at $399. This page sets them side by side with routes, group size, meeting point and what reviewers say. If you only want the ride, my page on tickets for the London Eye compares every option.
Tour
From
Rating
Length
Free cancellation
Book
Harry Potter Walking Tour & London Eye Entry Ticket
The wheel does one thing: it takes about 30 minutes to turn once, per the official ticket page, and it stands 135 m tall according to Wikidata. A London Eye tour does not change that ride. What it changes is the day around it: a guide for the three hours before, a route through the area, and a timed arrival at the wheel that is sorted for you.
The plain entry ticket costs $39 on GetYourGuide and is the most reviewed London Eye ticket, with 4.6 stars from 41,035 reviews. So when a London Eye tour costs $112 or $115, you are paying roughly $73 to $76 for the walking tour with a guide. That is the number to judge the tours against.
Harry Potter London Eye Tour
The Harry Potter walking tour with a London Eye entry ticket costs $112 and runs 4.5 hours, in English. The listing says the guide leads a small group around film locations, with stories and fun facts, and then you ride the wheel for 30 minutes. The route starts at King’s Cross, passes the Harry Potter shop at Platform 9 3/4, Cecil Court, Goodwin’s Court and the Palace Theatre, then Leicester Square, Westminster and Southwark, and ends with London Bridge and the wheel.
TOP SIGHTS TOURS LLC
Harry Potter Walking Tour & London Eye Entry Ticket
★5.0 (4 reviews)
4.5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: For Potter fans: a film-location walk then the wheel, $112, 4.5 hours in English. Only 4 reviews, so the 5.0 is thin evidence.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ 3-hour walking tour of the top Potter film locations and sights!
✓ Tour guide
✓ 30-minute ride on the London Eye
Not included / not suitable
✕ Food and drinks
✕ Hotel pickup and drop-off
✕ Tube journeys x2 (approx. £6)
Meeting point: Platform 9 ¾ - We meet in front of the stairs leading up to the Parcel Yard (next to the Platform 9 ¾ Harry Potter shop inside King's Cross Station)
Note: Want to get your photo with the Platform 9 ¾ trolley? Queues can be big so we recommend arriving 45 mins before the tour starts - we won't have time during the tour itself. London N1C 4AH, UK
Languages: English
Duration: 4.5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
The meeting point is in front of the stairs up to the Parcel Yard inside King’s Cross, next to the shop. The listing warns that queues for the Platform 9 3/4 trolley photo can be big, and suggests arriving 45 minutes before the start because there is no time for photos during the tour. It also says two Tube journeys, about 6 pounds, are not included. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours ahead.
The only review text I have is German and positive: a father and daughter enjoyed the guide, and liked that the guide kept linking places to scenes in the films, so that they wanted to watch the films again. With four reviews in total I would not call that a pattern, and I could not find a complaint to report either way. If you travel with children, note that the listing gives no minimum age and says nothing about pace, so ask the operator before you book for a young child.
Westminster Walking London Eye Tour
The Westminster walking tour with a London Eye ticket is $115 for 5 hours, with a 3-hour walk and then the wheel. This is the London Eye tour that gives a group number: 10 to 15 guests per group, with a local guide, in English. The route runs from the Ritz on Piccadilly past Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and 10 Downing Street, Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, then the London Eye.
Top Sights Tours LLC.
Westminster Walking Tour & London Eye Ticket
★5.0 (2 reviews)
5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The one I'd book for a guided London Eye day: $115, 5 hours, 10 to 15 per group, Westminster landmarks then the wheel. Only 2 reviews.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ Entrance ticket for London Eye
✓ 3-hour walking tour with a fun local guide
✓ Small tour group size (10 – 15 guests per group)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Food & drinks
✕ Hotel pick up/drop off
Meeting point: We meet outside of the Ritz hotel (150 Piccadilly, W1J 9BR) next to 2 red telephone boxes and 2 souvenir stands, underneath one of the Ritz signs. The nearest tube station is Green Park Underground station. When you get to Green Park Underground station, take the left hand exit. You will see a set of stairs and a ramp leading out of the station. Take the stairs up and walk towards the Ritz Hotel. 150 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1J 9BR, UK
Languages: English
Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
The group meets outside the Ritz hotel at 150 Piccadilly, next to two red telephone boxes and two souvenir stands, and the listing says to take the left-hand exit at Green Park station and climb the stairs. The listing adds that the Changing of the Guard is part of the 10am tour on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays only. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours ahead.
Again the reviews are few: two. The Dutch review I have praises a guide who told stories about the buildings and the royal family with enthusiasm and gave everyone attention, and says the walk is worth recommending.
“We hadden een enorm leuke gids genaamd Lisa.”
— GetYourGuide reviewer
London Eye Tour From Paris by Eurostar
The Paris to London Rail Tour with Sightseeing and London Eye costs $399 for 13 hours, and it is a different kind of London Eye tour. The listing includes return Eurostar tickets, a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus ticket and admission to the wheel, plus an information pack. There is no tour guide in it: the listing lists the guide, lunch, hotel pickup and attraction entrances as not included.
Evan Evans Tours
Paris to London Rail Tour with Sightseeing and London Eye
13-hour ticket
My pick: The Paris day trip: $399 for 13 hours with Eurostar, a hop-on bus ticket and the wheel, but non-refundable and with no guide.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ Round-trip Eurostar tickets between Paris and London
✓ Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus tour ticket
✓ Admission to the London Eye
✓ Information pack
Not included / not suitable
✕ Tour guide
✕ Lunch
✕ Hotel pick-up and drop-off
✕ Attraction entrances
Meeting point: 18 Rue de Dunkerque, 75010 Paris, France
You meet at 18 Rue de Dunkerque in Paris, near Gare du Nord, and the Eurostar takes a little over two hours to reach London St Pancras. After that the day is yours. The bus stops named are Westminster, St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. The listing is non-refundable, and it has no rating yet. I would book this only if you are already in Paris and want one booking for the train, the bus and the wheel.
London Eye Tour or Ticket Only?
The ticket-only route is cheaper and more flexible. The official site sells standard and Fast Track tickets from 29 pounds online and 39 pounds walk-up, per the London Eye tickets page. On GetYourGuide the plain ticket is $39. The walking tours are $73 to $76 above that, and the rail tour is $360 above it.
Take the tour if the walk is what you want: Potter locations or the Westminster sights with a person explaining them, and the wheel as the finish. The Thames cruise with an optional wheel ticket at $21 and the champagne experience at $65 are other ways to add something to the ride, and I cover them on the tickets page. Take the plain ticket if you only want the view, because the ride is the same either way. For the rest of the visit, my London Eye opening hours guide covers the slots and the best time of day, and my London Eye map shows the South Bank around it. If you want the background on the wheel itself, see the London Eye history page.
How I’d Choose a London Eye Tour
First day in London, want the big sights: the Westminster walk at $115, with a numbered small group and the wheel at the end.
Harry Potter fans: the $112 walk. Arrive 45 minutes early if you want the trolley photo.
Day trip from Paris: the $399 rail tour, knowing it is non-refundable and has no guide.
Just want the ride: skip all three and use the entry ticket.
Want certainty: the two walking tours cancel free up to 24 hours ahead.
Both walking tours have only a handful of reviews, so the 5.0 scores say little yet. When you are ready to choose, my comparison of London Eye tickets shows the entry ticket, the combos and the other options, and the home page lists the other attractions I compare.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a guided tour of the London Eye?+
Not on the wheel itself, as far as the listings I compared show. The three London Eye tours here are walking or rail tours that include a London Eye ticket: a Harry Potter walk at $112, a Westminster walk at $115 and a Paris day trip at $399. The 30-minute ride is the same ticket you would buy on its own.
How long is a London Eye tour?+
The Harry Potter walking tour with a London Eye ticket takes 4.5 hours, including a 3-hour walk and a 30-minute ride. The Westminster walking tour with a London Eye ticket takes 5 hours. The Paris to London rail day trip runs 13 hours.
Which London Eye tour includes Big Ben and Westminster Abbey?+
The Westminster walking tour. The listing names Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards Parade, 10 Downing Street, Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey before the wheel, and the description also mentions Big Ben. The Paris rail tour lists Westminster and Westminster Abbey as bus stops, not a guided walk.
Does a London Eye tour include the ticket for the wheel?+
Yes for the two walking tours, which include the London Eye ride in the price, and the Paris tour lists admission to the London Eye. The Paris listing also says attraction entrances are not included, which contradicts that, so check the option text before you book it.
Can I take a London Eye tour with a small group?+
The Westminster walking tour is the only one that says it: 10 to 15 guests per group, with a local guide. The Harry Potter listing calls the group small but gives no number. Both walking tours are in English only.
Are London Eye tours refundable?+
The two walking tours offer a full refund up to 24 hours before the start. The Paris to London rail tour is non-refundable. That is worth weighing, since the rail day trip is the most expensive London Eye tour at $399.
