River Boat -Travel Information on getting around London
 
The Thames takes its name from the Celtic word 'Teme', meaning river.  Throughout London's history the Thames continued to play an important role and until the 1950s it was the main artery for much of Britain's commerce.  Changing trade patterns and the development of deep water container ports has meant that large ships have moved elsewhere and today the river has become London's foremost leisure amenity.  

Travelling by boat is one of the most interesting ways of seeing London and several companies offer sightseeing cruises from Central London.

Passenger Boat Services

Passenger boats cover about 30 miles of the Thames, from Hampton Court in the west to the Thames Barrier in Dockland to the east. 

The most popular stretch of the Thames runs downstream of the Houses of Parliament to Tower Bridge.  Travelling by river gives you a different perspective of the capital's major sites, and, surprisingly quite a fast way of getting around the capital and less congested than other methods of transport. 

Most sightseeing boats are fully accessible, with catering and toilets aboard and many boats provide informative commentaries.

Boat trips vary in length from 30 minutes to over 3 hours.  Most services run every 20 minutes to an hour between about 10.30 am and 5.00 pm.  In the summer the services tend to be more frequent and run later. 

The summer schedule runs from 1 April until the end of September.  A winter schedule operates for downstream trips but there are no upriver services during this period.  

Tickets are available on the day from the tour operator at each pier.  Adults from about £5.00, children from about £2.20.  If you have a valid Travelcard you are entitled to one-third off the price of most riverboat services. 

River Red Rover Tickets for for unlimited 'hop-on hop-off' travel on City Cruises between Waterloo Millennium, Westminster Millennium, Tower Millennium and Greenwich Piers.  Adults about £8.00, about £4.00 for children. 

DLR Rail & River Rover Tickets combine daily 'hop-on, hop-off' travel on City Cruises with unlimited travel on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).  Adults about £8.30, about £4.20 for children.  Tickets can be purchased from City Cruises ticket offices at Westminster, Waterloo, Tower and Greenwich Piers and from Sweet Express at Tower Gateway Station.  They can also be bought from DLR ticket machines at all stations (except Bank and Canning Town).   

Telephone individual operators for details of schedules and fares or London's 24 hour Travel Information Line, Tel: 020 7222 1234

Popular Riverboat Tours

Waterloo Millennium Pier -  nearest Underground station Waterloo
Thames Circular Cruise (50 minutes).  These multi-lingual sightseeing cruises runs every hour.  Catamaran Cruisers Tel: 020 7925 2215
Waterloo - Greenwich (60 minutes each way).  Catamaran Cruisers Tel: 020 7925 2215

Westminster Millennium Pier - nearest Underground station Westminster
Westminster to Tower (30 minutes each way).  City Cruises Tel: 020 7740 0400
Westminster to Greenwich (60 minutes each way).  City Cruises Tel: 020 7740 0400 and Thames River Services Tel: 020 7930 4097.  The Thames River Service boats continue to the Thames Barrier (Greenwich - Thames Barrier 25 minutes).
Westminster to Thames Barrier Gardens (90 minutes each way)  Thames Cruises  Tel: 020 7930 3373
Westminster to Hampton Court (around 3 hours each way).   This tour also stops at Kew and Richmond. 
Westminster to Kew   90 minutes, Kew to Richmond 30 minutes, Richmond to Hampton Court 90 minutes.   Passengers wishing to take a shorter trip can alight at Kew or Richmond.  A quicker return can be made by rail from Hampton Court Station.  Westminster Passenger Service Association (Upriver)  Tel: 020 7930 2062

Embankment Pier  nearest Underground station Embankment
Embankment to Tower (30 minutes each way)  Catamaran Cruisers Tel: 020 7925 2215
Embankment to Greenwich (60 minutes each way)   Catamaran Cruisers Tel: 020 7925 2215

Tower Millennium Pier  nearest Underground station Tower Hill
Tower to Greenwich (60 minutes each way)  Catamaran Cruisers Tel: 020 7925 2215 and City Cruises Tel: 020 7740 0400
Tower to Westminster (30 minutes each way)  City Cruises Tel: 020 7740 0400

Greenwich Pier  nearest rail station Greenwich, DLR Cutty Sark
Greenwich - (Thames) Barrier Gardens  (25 minutes each way)   Campion Launches Tel: 020 8305 0300
Greenwich - Tower (60 minutes each way)  Catamaran Cruisers Tel: 020 7925 2215
Greenwich - Westminster (60 minutes each way)  Thames River Services Tel: 020 7930 4097

Lunch and dinner cruises are also available. 
The Silver Fleet run a Laurent Perrier Luncheon club once a month departing from Savoy pier outside the Savoy Hote plus special events for Valentines Day and Mothers Day and private charter. Tel: 020 7481 2711
Bateaux London Tel: 020 7925 2215 Dinner cruises running from Westminster and Savoy Piers, details from City Cruises Tel: 020 7740 0400 or Bateaux London Tel: 020 7925 2215.