Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
can purchase drinks and scant, overpriced snacks on board. Clever budget travelers pack
a picnic and munch while they cruise.
The three dominant companies are
City Cruises
(handy 30-minute cruise from West-
minster Pier to Tower Pier;
www.citycruises.com
),
Thames River Services
(fewer stops,
classic boats, friendlier and more old-fashioned feel;
www.thamesriverservices.co.uk
)
,
and
Circular Cruise
(full cruise takes about an hour, operated by Crown River Services,
www.crownriver.com
). I'd skip the
London Eye'
s River Cruise from Waterloo Pier—it's
about the same price as Circular Cruise, but 20 minutes shorter. The speedy
Thames Clip-
pers
(described later) are designed more for no-nonsense transport than lazy sightseeing.
Thames Boat Piers
While Westminster Pier is the most popular, it's not the only dock in town. Consider
all the options (listed from west to east, as the Thames flows—see the color maps in
the front of this topic):
Millbank Pier
(North Bank), at the Tate Britain Museum, is used primarily by
the Tate Boat service (express connection to Tate Modern at Bankside Pier).
Westminster Pier
(North Bank), near the base of Big Ben, offers round-trip
sightseeing cruises and lots of departures in both directions (though the Thames
Clippers boats don't stop here). Nearby sights include Parliament and Westminster
Abbey.
Waterloo Pier
(a.k.a.
London Eye Pier,
South Bank), right at the base of the
London Eye, is a good, less-crowded alternative to Westminster, with many of the
same cruise options (Waterloo Station is nearby).
Embankment Pier
(North Bank) is near Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, and
Cleopatra's Needle (the obelisk on the Thames). This pier is used mostly for special
boat trips (such as some RIB—rigid inflatable boat—trips, and lunch and dinner
cruises).
Festival Pier
(South Bank) is next to the Royal Festival Hall, just downstream
from the London Eye.
Blackfriars Pier
(North Bank) is in The City, not far from St. Paul's.
Bankside Pier
(South Bank) is directly in front of the Tate Modern and
Shakespeare's Globe.
London Bridge Pier
(a.k.a.
London Bridge City Pier,
South Bank) is near the
HMS
Belfast
and the start of my Bankside Walk.
