NYC Night Bus Tour: Open-Top Double-Decker Views

You photograph the skyline from the top deck while the guide fills in the stories

You board an open-top double-decker bus at 7th Ave and ride for ninety minutes through Times Square, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Little Italy, and across the Brooklyn Bridge, with a live guide narrating the neighborhoods and landmarks as they light up at night. The upper deck gives you unobstructed views and the best angle for photos of the Manhattan skyline. Departures run daily at 6pm and 8pm, and you'll want to arrive early to claim a top-deck seat.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening open-top bus tour of NYC

• Start at Times Square
• Drive down 5th Avenue
• Pass Empire State Building
• Pass Greenwich Village
• Pass Chinatown and Little Italy
• Cross over to Brooklyn
• See Brooklyn Bridge at night
• View Manhattan Skyline
• Pass United Nations Headquarters
• Pass Manhattan Bridge
• Pass Rockefeller Center
• Pass Grand Central Terminal
• Pass Chrysler Building
• Pass Bryant Park
• Pass Washington Square Park
• Pass SoHo and New York City Koreatown

The experience

There's something about seeing the city after dark from the top of a double-decker bus that makes you feel like you're actually inside the skyline instead of just passing through it. The 1.5-hour night tour leaves from 7th Ave between 47th and 48th Street at either 6pm or 8pm, and you're up on the open deck where the air hits different once the sun goes down. The guide keeps talking the whole time: stories about the neighborhoods, facts about the buildings, the kind of thing that makes you actually look instead of just snap photos and move on. Times Square is the first thing you see, all that neon and movement, and then the route takes you down 5th Avenue past the Chrysler Building and Rockefeller Center, both of them glowing in a way they don't during the day.

The bus moves through Greenwich Village and SoHo, past Washington Square Park, then into Chinatown and Little Italy where the streets narrow and the light gets warmer. You're high enough up that you see the neighborhoods as shapes and patterns, not just storefronts. The guide's commentary keeps pace with what's passing below. You're not sitting in silence trying to figure out what you're looking at. Then the route crosses into Brooklyn, and that's when the Manhattan skyline comes into full view from the bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge itself is lit up at night, and seeing it from above, with the East River below and the whole Manhattan edge glowing, is the kind of moment that justifies the ticket. The Manhattan Bridge passes too, and the UN Headquarters shows up somewhere in the middle of all this, another piece of the puzzle that only makes sense when you're seeing it from this angle.

Seating on the upper deck is first-come, first-served, so arriving early matters if you want the best sightlines for photos. The bus runs rain or shine, so bring a jacket. The wind picks up when you're moving, and the weather can change fast in the city. There are no restrooms on board, so plan for that. The tour doesn't stop at attractions or include entry anywhere. It's purely the ride and the view and the guide's voice telling you what you're seeing. Traffic can shift the timing around, and the route might adjust depending on conditions, but the core of it (Times Square, the bridges, the skyline lit up) stays the same. It's wheelchair accessible, families with kids are welcome as long as adults stay with them, and service animals ride along.

What’s included

• Your 1.5-hour tour includes an open-top double-decker bus ride with panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline lit up at night, live guide commentary with entertaining facts and NYC trivia about the neighborhoods and landmarks you pass, and photo opportunities from the upper deck.
• The tour covers Times Square, 5th Avenue, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Little Italy, the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and the East River views.
• Wheelchair-accessible transportation is provided, and the tour is suitable for all fitness levels.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 18:00 and 20:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 65

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

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

Operated by TopView® Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours

Is this one for you?Right for first-time visitors and locals wanting to see the city's lit landmarks without planning multiple stops: the live guide and open-top vantage point do the work of making sense of what you're seeing. Plan to arrive early for upper-deck seating, and bring a jacket since the wind picks up once the bus is moving.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time does the NYC night bus tour depart?

The tour departs daily at 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM from TopView Bus Stop #1, located on 7th Ave between 47th St & 48th St.

How long is the open-top bus tour?

The tour is 1.5 hours long.

What neighborhoods and landmarks does the tour pass?

The route covers Times Square, 5th Avenue, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Chrysler Building, Greenwich Village, Washington Square Park, SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy, the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, and the Manhattan skyline.

Is there a hop-on/hop-off option or entry to attractions?

No. This is a guided panoramic bus tour with no stops at attractions or entry included. You stay on the bus for the full 1.5 hours.

Are restrooms available on the bus?

No. Restrooms are not available on board, so plan accordingly before boarding.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the bus is wheelchair accessible, though access is limited. Contact in advance to discuss your specific accommodations.

Is seating guaranteed on the upper deck?

Seating is first-come, first-served. Arrive early if you want the best views on the upper deck.

Can service animals ride on the tour?

Yes, service animals are allowed on the bus.