“Here We Go Again” London Afternoon Tea Bus

London sightseeing gets a musical twist on this ABBA-themed afternoon tea bus, where you ride through central London with sandwiches, cakes, tea, and a glass of Prosecco for passengers over 21. The fun is less formal tour and more moving tea party, with city landmarks passing the windows while familiar songs play.

I like the compact 90-minute format, which gives you a pleasant London overview without taking half a day. I also like the menu choices: standard, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free afternoon tea. The main catch is that ABBA music may not fill the whole ride, and some departures have reportedly felt more like a regular tea bus than a true ABBA event.

Key points to know before booking

• ABBA is part of the mood, not always the entire soundtrack: Some departures have included other music, including Adele, before the ABBA songs began.
• The route passes three major sights: You see Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, and Tower Bridge from the bus, but sightseeing admissions are not included.
• Afternoon tea is served at your seat: Expect sandwiches, sweets, hot tea, and a plastic souvenir mug.
• A glass of Prosecco is included for passengers over 21: Younger passengers receive non-alcoholic drinks instead.
• The bus holds up to 26 people: This is a small group by tour-bus standards, but space can still feel close on a warm day.
• There is an English audio guide, not a live guide: Commentary points out some sights, but this is not a detailed history tour.

What this London tea bus is really like

I would think of this experience as afternoon tea with a sightseeing route, not as a serious London tour with tea added. The bus provides a moving setting for lunch, music, and city views. You will hear recorded commentary about selected landmarks, but the emphasis is on atmosphere and social fun.

The classic double-decker setting does much of the work. You are not simply sitting in a café near a landmark. You are eating as London rolls past the windows, with Westminster, the London Eye, and Tower Bridge built into the route.

The experience lasts about one hour and 30 minutes and returns to its starting point. That timing works well between other activities, especially if you want something light and entertaining after a morning of museums or sightseeing.

The biggest variable is the ABBA theme. I would not book this if hearing ABBA for the full ride is essential to your plans. The supplied experience details promise an ABBA-inspired outing, but one account found that ABBA played for only part of the trip, with Adele heard during the first 15 minutes. Another person found the bus was simply a standard afternoon tea bus rather than the advertised ABBA version.

That does not make the ride worthless, but it changes the decision. If you mainly want tea, cake, and a city tour with some music, you may be happy. If this is a special ABBA pilgrimage, you should confirm the current departure format before paying.

Leaving from Bulleid Way

The meeting point is the Golden Tours departure area at Stop 1 on Bulleid Way, London SW1W 9SR. The ride also ends there, so you are not left across town trying to find your way back after tea.

A mobile ticket makes entry simple. The departure point is near public transportation, which helps if you are coming from another part of London. I would still allow extra time to find the exact Golden Tours stop, since Bulleid Way is a transport area rather than a single famous landmark.

There is no hotel pickup or drop-off. You need to reach the departure point yourself, and the activity is offered in English. Confirmation is provided when you book.

The bus carries a maximum of 26 people. That keeps the group smaller than a large sightseeing coach, but remember that an afternoon tea bus has tables, trays, and narrow aisles. You are choosing a cozy setting, not a spacious one.

Afternoon tea with a musical soundtrack

The food is served as lunch-style afternoon tea. You can choose a standard, vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free menu, which makes the outing easier to plan for mixed groups.

The meal includes tea sandwiches and desserts, along with hot tea. The strongest food praise has gone to the sweets, while the sandwiches have received a more mixed assessment. One account found the sandwiches somewhat soggy, so I would set expectations at pleasant tour catering rather than a top London tea room.

Tea is served hot, and the drink service includes a cute plastic souvenir mug. If the weather is warm, hot tea may not be what you want at that moment, especially since one departure became uncomfortably hot inside the bus. I would dress lightly and bring water for before or after the ride.

A glass of Prosecco is included for passengers over 21. Anyone below 21 receives a non-alcoholic drink. The Prosecco has also been described as slightly warm on one departure, so treat it as a welcome extra rather than the reason to book.

Golden Tours cannot guarantee that food has not come into contact with nuts or other allergens. If you have a serious allergy, this limitation matters. The menu choices help with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free needs, but they do not remove the risk of cross-contact.

Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square

The first major sight on the route is Westminster Abbey, beside Parliament Square and the Houses of Parliament. Big Ben is also in this area, giving you one of the most recognizable clusters of London landmarks from the bus.

Westminster Abbey is a large Gothic church and the traditional place of coronation. It is one of the capital’s most important historic buildings, but this experience does not include an interior visit. You see the area as part of the moving route, with the audio commentary providing selected information.

That distinction matters. If you want to study the abbey’s architecture or visit royal tombs and memorials, you need a separate admission and more time. Here, the value is the quick view from the bus, which lets you add the building to a broader London outing without committing to a full visit.

The bus setting can also make photography unpredictable. You may have a clear view one moment and a passing vehicle or dirty window the next. One particularly negative account found the windows too dirty for good sightseeing. If clear views are important to you, sit where you can see out comfortably and keep your expectations practical.

The London Eye from the road

The route also passes the London Eye, the giant observation wheel on the South Bank. Its glass capsules rise 135 metres above London, and the wheel is easy to spot from many central viewpoints.

This tea bus does not include a London Eye ride. The attraction is simply one of the landmarks included in the route, so you will not receive fast-track or standard admission as part of this booking.

That can still be useful on a first visit. You get a quick orientation to the wheel and its place along the Thames, then you can decide if you want to return for a separate ride. The London Eye is best appreciated with time for the full rotation, while the bus gives you a passing look.

The recorded audio guide may point out the landmark, but do not expect a detailed talk about London’s buildings, politics, or riverfront. This is a highlight route. I like it for getting your bearings, but I would not use it as your only introduction to the city.

Tower Bridge and the eastern end of the route

Tower Bridge adds a different kind of landmark to the ride. Its two towers and upper walkways are among London’s most recognizable sights, and the bridge has been in place for more than 135 years.

You may hear facts about its construction, including the eight years it took to build and the more than 11,000 tonnes of steel used for its towers and walkways. The bridge also has exhibitions and interactive displays, but those are not included in this bus experience.

Again, the bus gives you an outside view rather than an admission ticket. If you want to walk through the high-level walkways or see the displays, plan that separately. The tea bus is a useful way to connect the city’s western and eastern highlights in one outing, but it is not a replacement for visiting the bridge itself.

The route’s range is one of its better features. Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, and Tower Bridge are not next door to one another. Seeing all three from a double-decker while eating lunch saves you from arranging separate transport, even if the views are brief.

How much value do you get for $68.06?

At $68.06 per person, this is not a cheap cup of tea. You are paying for the bus setting, the meal, the route, the audio commentary, and the novelty of a themed London outing.

The value is strongest if you would otherwise pay separately for afternoon tea and a sightseeing bus. You also save planning time, since the route, food, and entertainment are combined. For an ABBA fan, the music adds another reason to pay more than you would for a basic bus tour.

The value weakens if you expect a polished musical production, detailed guiding, or restaurant-level food. There is no live guide, and the commentary is recorded in English. Some music may not be ABBA, and the food is served in a working vehicle rather than a quiet hotel lounge.

I would compare it with your other afternoon options. If you want a classic, elegant tea with excellent pastries, a dedicated tea room may be the better use of your money. If you want a detailed city tour, choose a live-guided sightseeing experience. If you want a lighthearted combination of tea, music, and landmarks, this makes more sense.

The average booking point is about 51 days before the experience. That suggests popular dates can fill ahead of time, especially if you are planning around a birthday, graduation, or other fixed celebration. Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Heat, windows, and other practical concerns

The two comfort issues I would take most seriously are temperature and window condition. One departure was described as miserably hot, with a passenger feeling unwell and unable to drink the hot tea. Another account found the windows dirty enough to interfere with sightseeing.

These problems may not affect every departure, but they are worth considering because they can change the whole experience. You are in a bus for 90 minutes, and you cannot simply move to a cool café or choose a better table after service begins.

I would avoid heavy clothing, drink water before boarding, and tell the staff promptly if you feel unwell. The supplied information does not promise air-conditioning or specific seating, so I would not assume the bus will stay cool.

The service is handled by a driver and a tea server rather than a full tour team. That keeps the outing personal and simple, but one staff member is managing food and drinks for the whole bus. Service may therefore feel unhurried or uneven when the bus is full.

The experience is open to most people, and it is near public transportation. Still, anyone who needs specific accessibility arrangements should confirm them directly before booking, since the available information does not describe the bus layout or accessibility features.

Who will enjoy this most?

I would recommend this to an ABBA fan who wants a playful London activity rather than a concert-style event. It also suits first-time visitors who want to see several major sights while sitting down for lunch.

It can work well for a small celebration, a family outing, or a meeting point for people with different sightseeing interests. The vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menus make group planning easier, though allergy precautions still need direct attention.

I would be more cautious if you are booking for a special occasion and the ABBA theme is the whole point. The music selection may vary, and one account found that a celebration announcement covered birthdays and anniversaries but not a high school graduation. That is a small detail, but it shows that the staff may follow a set routine rather than tailor every announcement.

I would also skip it if you dislike warm vehicles, need a quiet meal, or want clear photographic views of every landmark. The bus windows and temperature can affect the outing, and the route is not designed for long stops.

Should you book the ABBA afternoon tea bus?

Book it if you want a fun, social 90-minute ride with tea, sweets, London highlights, and at least some ABBA music. The best parts are the unusual setting, the compact route, the choice of menus, and the chance to share the outing with other music fans.

Think twice if you require ABBA throughout the ride or expect a serious guided tour. Confirm that the departure is currently using the ABBA format, then treat the experience as a themed afternoon tea with sightseeing, not as an in-depth London history lesson.

For me, the decision comes down to your priority. Choose it for the mood and novelty. Skip it for detailed commentary, guaranteed music coverage, or fine-dining afternoon tea.

FAQ

Where does the London ABBA afternoon tea bus start?

It starts at Golden Tours, Bulleid Way Departure Point, Stop 1, Bulleid Way, London SW1W 9SR, United Kingdom.

Where does the experience finish?

The bus returns to the same meeting point on Bulleid Way.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately one hour and 30 minutes.

Is a live guide included?

No. An English audio guide is included, but there is no live guide.

What food choices are available?

You can choose a standard, vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free afternoon tea menu.

Is alcohol included?

A glass of Prosecco is included for passengers over 21. Passengers below 21 receive non-alcoholic drinks.

How many people can join the bus?

The activity has a maximum of 26 people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.