Buckingham Palace & Afternoon Tea Sightseeing Tour with PG Tips

Buckingham Palace is the main event here. You get inside the King’s working London residence, see rooms such as the Throne Room and White Drawing Room, then finish with a self-guided audio tour through the palace and toward the gardens. That access is far more memorable than simply taking a photo outside the gates.

I like the efficient mix of London sightseeing and afternoon tea, especially for a first visit with limited time. I also like that the palace visit gives you freedom to move at your own pace, rather than keeping you beside a guide every minute. The main catch is the handoff: tea ends near Victoria Station, and you must walk to the palace for a fixed 4:15 PM entry. The tour is also not a formal palace-guided visit.

Key things to know before booking

• Buckingham Palace State Rooms: Enter rooms including the Throne Room and White Drawing Room, with an audio guide rather than a live palace guide.
• Tea bus route: See London sights such as the London Eye, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and St Paul’s Cathedral while enjoying freshly prepared afternoon tea.
• A split afternoon: The sightseeing and tea portion runs from 2:00 to about 3:30 PM, followed by the palace entry at 4:15 PM.
• Independent transfer: Walk about 10 to 15 minutes from Victoria Station to Buckingham Palace. No transfer is supplied.
• Value depends on your priorities: The price of $151.24 covers several experiences, but you pay a premium for convenience and the bundled format.
• Plan for crowds: The State Rooms can feel busy, and the palace route may require steady movement through the rooms.

What this Buckingham Palace afternoon looks like

This is really three experiences stitched together: a panoramic coach tour, afternoon tea on a tea bus, and a timed visit to Buckingham Palace. That makes it useful, but it also means the afternoon has a pause between the first portion and the palace entry.

Your day begins at 2:00 PM at Evan Evans Tours on Vauxhall Bridge Road. Arrive 30 minutes early. The first part ends near Victoria Station at about 3:30 PM, and your Buckingham Palace entry is scheduled for 4:15 PM.

That 45-minute gap is not wasted, but it is your responsibility. You walk from Victoria Station to Buckingham Palace, a trip of roughly 10 to 15 minutes. The extra time lets you find the correct entrance and deal with the palace security process, but do not wander far. This is a timed ticket, not an open-ended arrival.

The full experience lasts about four and a half hours. The tea bus itself is shorter than the overall booking, and the palace visit is taken independently after the sightseeing portion. Understanding that layout prevents the most common disappointment: expecting one continuous guided tour from the coach to the palace doors.

London landmarks from a moving tea bus

The sightseeing route gives you a broad first look at central London. You pass major sights including the London Eye, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and St Paul’s Cathedral. The format is panoramic, so think of this as an orientation ride rather than a stop-and-explore sightseeing tour.

That distinction matters. You can see a lot in a short time, but you do not get a separate visit inside each landmark. Tower Bridge, for example, is a good sight from the road, but this experience does not include the bridge exhibition. Big Ben and the London Eye work well as visual markers during the route, while St Paul’s Cathedral gives you a sense of London’s historic center.

I like this portion for first-time visitors who still need to get their bearings. It saves you from spending a separate morning on a hop-on, hop-off bus, then adds a meal to the ride. If you already know London well, the route may feel more like a pleasant backdrop for tea than a full sightseeing program.

The tour is live guided during the panoramic ride, and English is the stated language. No guide names are provided, so you should book this for the format and itinerary rather than for a particular presenter.

Afternoon tea with a London view

The tea bus serves freshly prepared afternoon tea along the route. Tea and coffee are included, and a branded souvenir travel cup is part of the package. A glass of prosecco is also listed among the inclusions, with prosecco available only to adults aged 18 and over.

Menus are seasonal and can change. If you have dietary needs, send them to the operator at least 72 hours ahead by emailing [email protected]. Do not wait until boarding, since last-minute changes may not be possible.

The bus has a toilet, which is a small but practical benefit during a meal and sightseeing ride. The serving setup is worth considering carefully. One piece of feedback found paper plates and cups disappointing for a palace-themed afternoon tea, while the supplied details describe the food as freshly prepared rather than promising fine-dining tableware.

So ask yourself what kind of tea you want. If you picture polished china, quiet hotel service, and a long formal sitting, this may not match that image. If you like the idea of eating while London rolls past the window, it is a more unusual way to fit tea into a busy day.

The tea bus is also not the best setting for lingering over every course. The sightseeing route continues, and the main purpose is to combine food and city views. The branded cup is a nice extra, but it does not change the fact that you are paying for a moving sightseeing experience, not only for the food.

Walking from Victoria Station to the palace

The coach portion finishes near Victoria Station, on Victoria Street, at approximately 3:30 PM. From there, walk to Buckingham Palace for the 4:15 PM State Rooms entry.

This is simple on paper, but the instructions deserve your attention. The transfer is not included, and you are not escorted to the palace entrance. Keep your confirmation details available and allow enough time to identify the correct access point. A timed entry leaves little room for a relaxed detour.

You should be comfortable walking at a moderate pace and standing in visitor areas. The activity recommends a moderate level of physical fitness. Children and babies under five are not permitted, so this suits older children, couples, and adults more than families with toddlers.

The end point is listed as Buckingham Palace, but the practical finish comes after the palace route and exit area. You should not plan a tight dinner reservation immediately afterward unless you have allowed extra time.

Inside the State Rooms at 4:15 PM

The palace visit is the strongest reason to book. Buckingham Palace is not just an ornate exterior. The State Rooms let you see where official royal events take place, including rooms such as the Throne Room and White Drawing Room.

The Grand Staircase, Marble Room, artwork, furniture, and royal portraits are part of the visual appeal. The building feels especially striking because it remains a working palace, not simply a preserved historic house. You get a close look at the scale and formality of royal rooms that you normally encounter only in photographs or on television.

The palace portion is self-guided. You receive an audio guide or handheld commentary and move through the rooms on your own. I like that arrangement because you can set your own pace and listen to the material without staying with a group. Several details in the palace are easy to miss, so the audio commentary gives useful context about the rooms and collections.

There is a tradeoff. The audio system may require you to restart or select the next room manually, and room numbers can be small. Pay attention to the numbering system and keep the device ready as you move from one room to another. If you prefer a human guide who answers questions as you go, this will feel less personal.

The route can also become crowded. At busy times, you may need to keep moving as more people enter behind you. There are not many places to sit and pause, so do not expect to settle in front of each room for a long period.

Photography is not permitted in the State Rooms. That can be frustrating when you reach the grand interiors, but it also means you should plan to enjoy the details in the moment rather than treating the visit as a photo stop.

The palace route, café, gardens, and gift shop

The visit usually takes around two hours, though your pace will affect that. The route ends near the Garden Café and gift shop, with views toward the palace gardens.

Be clear about the garden access. Seeing the gardens from the palace route does not mean you can freely wander through all of them. A separate garden visit may be available at an extra cost, and it appears that this needs to be booked with the palace visit rather than added casually at the end.

The café can be a useful place to sit after the State Rooms, and the gift shop gives you time to browse before leaving. Do not confuse this with the afternoon tea included earlier. The tea bus meal is part of the combined tour, while anything purchased at the palace café is separate.

The palace itself is well maintained, and its art and furnishings carry most of the experience. You do not need to be a royal enthusiast to enjoy the rooms, but the visit works best if you like architecture, decorative arts, British political history, or the small details of how formal homes operate.

Is $151.24 good value?

At $151.24 per person, this is not a cheap way to see Buckingham Palace. The price includes the palace admission, live guided panoramic sightseeing, freshly prepared afternoon tea, tea and coffee, a souvenir cup, and a glass of prosecco for adults.

The value comes from combining several separate London costs and decisions into one afternoon. You do not have to arrange a sightseeing bus, reserve afternoon tea elsewhere, and secure a timed palace ticket on your own. For a short stay, that convenience may be worth the premium.

The value is weaker if you mainly want Buckingham Palace. In that case, compare the cost of buying official State Rooms admission directly through the Royal Collection Trust, then decide if the coach route and tea justify the extra money. The combined tour is not a replacement for a simple palace ticket.

It is also important to know what you are not buying. You are not getting hotel pickup, transport between Victoria and the palace, a live guide inside the State Rooms, or unrestricted garden access. You are paying for a compact, prearranged package with a timed palace entry.

Who should book this tour?

This suits you if you have one afternoon in London and want several classic experiences without building the schedule yourself. First-time visitors may especially like the route because it links major sights with a meal and a visit to one of the city’s most famous buildings.

It also suits anyone who prefers self-guided museum visits. The palace audio guide lets you move independently, and you can spend more time on the rooms that interest you most, within the flow of the route.

You may want a different plan if you dislike crowds, want a quiet formal tea, or expect a guide to stay with you throughout the palace visit. The experience has a maximum group size of 52 for the wider activity, and the State Rooms can feel crowded even after the coach group separates.

People with strict schedules should also note the fixed timing. The tea bus starts at 2:00 PM, ends around 3:30 PM, and the palace entry is at 4:15 PM. You need to arrive at the starting point by 1:30 PM, manage the walk to the palace, and keep the afternoon moving.

Booking and cancellation details

The experience is offered in English and confirmation is sent when you book. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations made inside that 24-hour window are not accepted for a refund. The operator also requires a minimum number of bookings, so if that minimum is not reached, you should be offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Should you book the Buckingham Palace tea tour?

Book it if you want Buckingham Palace State Rooms plus a London overview and afternoon tea in one planned block. The palace interiors are the real payoff, and the flexible audio visit is a good match for people who like to explore at their own speed.

Skip it if you only want palace admission, dislike group sightseeing, or expect a traditional tea service with fine tableware. For the best experience, arrive early, warn the operator about dietary needs at least 72 hours ahead, keep the 4:15 PM palace entry in mind, and treat the coach ride as an introduction rather than a full visit to each landmark.

FAQ

What time does the tour start?

The Afternoon Tea Sightseeing Tour starts at 2:00 PM from Evan Evans Tours, 258 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1BS. You should arrive 30 minutes before departure.

When do I enter Buckingham Palace?

Your Buckingham Palace State Rooms entry is scheduled for 4:15 PM. The tea and sightseeing portion finishes near Victoria Station at about 3:30 PM.

Do I need to walk from Victoria Station to Buckingham Palace?

Yes. The transfer is not provided. The walk takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Is the Buckingham Palace visit guided?

The State Rooms visit is taken independently with an audio guide or handheld commentary. The London sightseeing portion includes a live guided panoramic tour.

Is afternoon tea included?

Yes. Freshly prepared afternoon tea, a selection of teas and coffees, and a branded souvenir travel cup are included. A glass of prosecco is also listed, but prosecco is available only to adults aged 18 and over.

Can children under five join?

No. Children and babies under the age of five are not permitted on this experience.