San Francisco: Hop-on/Hop-off

Hop-on/hop-off San Francisco: Skyline Sightseeing
© Noah Boyer/ Unsplash

Here you will find information about sightseeing tours by hop-on hop-off bus in San Francisco. We inform you about stops, timetables and prices.

You can book the tickets directly with our partners and download them to your mobile phone. We receive a small commission for the sale. The price remains the same for you, of course.

Big Bus San Francisco

Hop-on/hop-off San Francisco: Big Bus
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Big Bus is one of the largest providers of hop-on hop-off tours and also offers evening city tours in San Francisco.

  • First departure: 10:00 a.m.
  • Last departure: 6:00 p.m.
  • Frequency: every 15 minutes
  • Duration of the tour: 2.5 hours
  • Daily 6:30 p.m.
  • Start stop: 99 Jefferson Street
  • Duration of the tour: 1 hour

If you have any questions for the company or wish to make a complaint, you can contact Big Bus San Francisco using the following contact form:

If you have any questions about ticket booking, please contact Tiqets.com or GetYourGuide Customer Service (depending on where you booked your ticket).

There is a multilingual audio guide on board. You can follow the buses live with the free Big Bus app.

Ticket validity: 1-2 days
Rating: 4,8 (15 Rezensionen)
Price: from $66.00

Red seat on the hop-on hop-off bus
© Doglikehorse / Shutterstock.com

If you buy your ticket online, you will receive a voucher that you can save on your mobile phone. Show this voucher to the bus staff on your first journey.

Tip: With a combined ticket, you can use the bus and visit an attraction. This will save you some money.

Hop-on/Hop-off bus + Alcatraz

Skyline Sightseeing

Hop-on/hop-off San Francisco: Skyline Sightseeing
© Noah Boyer/ Unsplash

Skyline Sightseeing is a San Francisco-based company that offers a hop-on hop-off tour and a night tour in the city.

  • 1 route - 15+ stops
  • Start stop: 99 Jefferson Street/ Fisherman's Wharf
  • Optional: City tour by night
  • Map with route & stops
  • First departure: 10:00 a.m.
  • Last departure: 5:00 p.m.
  • Frequency: every 20-30 minutes
  • Duration of the tour: 2 hours
  • Daily 6:30 p.m.
  • Start stop: 99 Jefferson Street
  • Duration of the tour: 1 hour

If you have any questions for the company or wish to make a complaint, you can contact Skyline Sightseeing by e-mail:

  • info@sightseeingworld.com

If you have any questions about ticket booking, please contact Tiqets.com or GetYourGuide Customer Service (depending on where you booked your ticket).

There is a multilingual audio guide on board.

Ticket validity: 2 days
Rating: 4,4 (312 Rezensionen)
Price: $149.99

Hop-on hop-off tour: tourist couple on a city tour
© Daxiao Productions/ Shutterstock.com

If you buy your ticket online, you will then receive a voucher that you can save on your mobile phone. You must exchange this for a paper ticket at Pier 41 before travelling.

Hop-on/Hop-off: Places of interest

In addition to the Golden Gate Bridge, the Californian city has numerous other sights to offer. You can reach most of them on a city tour with the hop-on hop-off bus:

  • Golden Gate Bridge
  • Lombard Street
  • Alcatraz Island
  • Painted Ladies
  • Fisherman's Wharf
  • Museum of Modern Art
  • Pier 39
  • Golden Gate Park
  • Chinatown
  • Coit Tower

Simply get off at the nearest bus stop, visit a place of interest and then continue your journey. The Big Bus buses run every 15 minutes, so you won't have to wait long.

Even if there is not a bus stop for every attraction, you can reach all of them by bus. Sometimes a short walk is necessary.

Only the prison island of Alcatraz is not accessible by hop-on hop-off bus. We recommend purchasing a combined ticket here. This allows you to travel on the hop-on hop-off bus and includes a ticket for the ferry and admission to Alcatraz.

Is a San Francisco city tour worthwhile?

Amidst the rolling hills and dazzling skyline of San Francisco, a hop-on hop-off tour with the distinctive red double-decker buses offers a convenient and flexible way to explore the diversity and beauty of the city on America's west coast.

Some of the city's sights are a long way from each other. With the hop-on hop-off bus, you can easily reach almost all the sights without having to walk long distances or worry about finding a suitable means of transport. You can hop on and off at any stop and explore the city at your own pace. The routes are carefully planned and adapted to the needs of travellers. So you are guaranteed not to miss any important sights.

The characteristic red double-decker buses used for the hop-on hop-off service in San Francisco not only offer comfortable transport, but also an elevated view of the city. From the upper level, visitors have a breathtaking view of landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and the San Francisco skyline.

Hop-on/hop-off bus
© AboutLife / Shutterstock.com

Another advantage is the informative audio commentary system on board the buses. You receive interesting background information on the sights during the city tour. This helps to deepen visitors' cultural and historical understanding.

The hop-on hop-off service makes it possible to discover the unique atmosphere of this fascinating metropolis at your own pace. The buses are the ideal solution for visitors who want to see as much of San Francisco as possible in a short space of time.

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