NYC: Empire State Building & 48-Hour Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

Two Days, Three Routes, One Ticket: See New York Without Planning Every Stop

You get 48 hours of unlimited bus access across Downtown and Uptown Manhattan, with entry to the Empire State Building observation deck included and a live 2-hour night tour departing at 7 or 8 p.m. Activate your ticket via the Big Bus app or at the first stop, hop off whenever something catches your eye (the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, Wall Street, the Met), and catch the next bus when you're ready to move on. The whole experience runs on your schedule, not a fixed itinerary.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Downtown and Uptown New York

• Hop on Downtown Red Route bus
• Visit Times Square East stop
• Stop at Empire State Building
• Explore Flatiron District
• Visit Chinatown and Little Italy
• See Wall Street and Trinity Church
• Hop on Uptown Blue Route bus
• Stop at 7th Ave & W 53rd St
• Visit Central Park and Columbus Circle
• Explore 5th Avenue and museums
• Return to starting point
• Enter Empire State Building Observation Deck
• Enjoy 2-hour Night Tour with guide

The experience

The app wouldn't load the first time I tried to activate the ticket, which honestly felt like a bad omen standing outside M&M's World on 7th Avenue at 8 in the morning with a line of tourists behind me. But the driver at Stop 1 just scanned the voucher code on my phone, handed me a ticket, and pointed to the next bus pulling up. That's the thing about this setup. It's built to be flexible enough that a small hiccup doesn't derail the whole day. You get 48 hours of unlimited hop-on, hop-off access across two loops: the Downtown route hits Times Square, the Flatiron Building, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge. The Uptown loop runs through Central Park, Fifth Avenue, and the Met. The buses come every 10 to 15 minutes, so if you miss one, another's right behind it.

The Empire State Building observation deck is included, which saves you the separate ticket and the line. You just show your pass at the 86th floor entrance and walk straight up. The view from there is the kind of thing you can't quite prepare for. The city spreads out in every direction, and you can actually see how the neighborhoods fit together instead of just walking through them at street level. After you've done the main stops, there's a 2-hour guided night tour that leaves at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. from the same spot where you started. The guide points out the landmarks lit up after dark (Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, Rockefeller Center), and it's a different city at night, quieter somehow, even though it's still packed with people.

The digital audio commentary on the buses is decent. It tells you what you're passing without being intrusive, and the Big Bus app lets you track the next bus in real time so you're not standing on the corner guessing. Wi-Fi is on board, which matters if you want to look up a museum's hours or check if a restaurant's open before you hop off. The whole thing is designed so you don't have to plan every detail. You just pick a stop, get off, explore for as long as you want, then catch the next bus when you're ready to move on. It's not the cheapest way to see the city, but it's the least stressful, and that's worth something when you're trying to fit a lot into a short trip.

What’s included

• Big Bus 48-hour hop-on hop-off access on Downtown & Uptown loops.
• entry to Empire State Building 86th floor observation deck.
• 2-hour live guided night tour departing at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m.
• digital audio commentary on board.
• Wi-Fi access.
• Big Bus app for ticket storage, live bus tracking, and route information.
• Statue of Liberty ferry option (if selected at booking).

Options for this experience

2 options

Empire State Building and 48-hour bus tourNo fixed timeEmpire State Building ticket with a 48-hour hop-on hop-off tour: board and leave at convenient stops along the Downtown and Uptown loops in New York, with digital audio commentary. 2-hour night tour: a 2-hour evening tour with a live guide who speaks English. Tours leave daily from Stop #1 (M&M's World) at 7:00 PM and 8:00

ESB, Statue of Liberty, and busNo fixed timeEmpire State Building, Statue of Liberty ferry, and 48-hour hop-on hop-off tour: board and leave at convenient stops around New York, with digital audio commentary played on board. 2-hour night tour

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Big Bus Tours - USA

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to see the main Manhattan attractions without booking separate tickets or planning a fixed schedule: the 48-hour window and frequent buses mean you set the pace, and the included Empire State Building and night tour cover two of the things most visitors want to do anyway.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

How do I activate my ticket?

Download the Big Bus app, tap "Add Booking," enter your reference number, and press "Activate" on the day of travel. Or redeem your voucher with staff at Stop 1 (7th Ave & W 48th St, outside M&M's World) or with any driver at any stop along the route.

When does the night tour leave?

The 2-hour guided night tour departs daily at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. from Stop 1 (M&M's World on 7th Avenue).

How often do the buses run?

Buses arrive every 10 to 15 minutes at each stop during operating hours.

Can I use the ticket on both the Downtown and Uptown loops?

Yes. Your 48-hour ticket gives you unlimited access to both the Downtown (Red Route) and Uptown (Blue Route) loops, so you can switch between them as many times as you want.

Is the Empire State Building entry included?

Yes. Entry to the 86th floor observation deck is included with your ticket. Just show your pass at the entrance.

What's included with the ticket?

48-hour hop-on hop-off bus access on both loops, Empire State Building observation deck entry, a 2-hour live guided night tour, digital audio commentary on board, Wi-Fi, and the Big Bus app for route tracking and ticket storage.

Can I bring a stroller or wheelchair?

Yes. The buses are wheelchair accessible, and strollers are allowed. Infants must sit on an adult's lap.

How long is the 48-hour ticket valid?

Your ticket is valid for 48 hours from the moment you activate it, during operating hours only.