NYC Bus ToursBig Bus Empire State Building Circle Line Combo
The big bus empire state building circle line combo is one ticket from Big Bus Tours New York that bundles four sightseeing products for $99 per person. You get 48 hours on the open-top Downtown and Uptown loops, admission to the Empire State Building 86th-floor observation deck, a 2-hour night tour with a live English-speaking guide, and a Circle Line cruise of either 60 or 90 minutes. The parts may be taken on separate days inside the 48 hours, so planning matters. This page explains what the price covers, how the pieces fit together, and who should book something else. Travellers who only want the bus can compare it with the plain Big Bus New York pass from $62, and the wider hop-on hop-off NYC market is laid out on the comparison page. Compare it with the other New York bus tours.
About This Tour
Big Bus Tours New York sells this listing on GetYourGuide, where it holds a 4.4 rating from 205 reviews. The ticket activates in the Big Bus app and runs for 48 hours from first use. You redeem it at M&M's New York at 1600 Broadway, which is Big Bus Stop 1 in Times Square. The four parts are the Downtown Loop, the Uptown Loop, the night tour and the Circle Line cruise, plus the Empire State Building deck entry. Cruise and Empire State dates and times are chosen with staff at redemption or in advance through the Big Bus web or app. The buses are wheelchair accessible, and strollers must be folded and stowed on the lower deck.
The 48-hour window is the number to plan around. Some reviewers ran out of time for the cruise, so block out the deck visit and the boat early rather than leaving them for the last day. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later.
$99 per person, all taxes and fees included
48 hours from first activation, the activities may be taken on separate days inside that window
M&M's New York, 1600 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, which is Big Bus Stop 1
Digital commentary in 6 languages on the hop-on hop-off buses, a live English-speaking guide on the 2-hour night tour and aboard the Circle Line cruise
Unlimited hop-on hop-off on both loops, plus one night tour, one cruise and one Empire State 86th-floor entry
Food, drinks, tips and anything outside the four bundled activities are not included, hotel pickup is not offered
Check Dates and Availability
Pick a date and see live seats for this Big Bus bundle from GetYourGuide.
Quick answer What the $99 combo includes
This Big Bus empire state building circle line combo costs $99 per person and bundles a 48-hour hop-on hop-off pass, Empire State Building 86th-floor entry, a 2-hour live-guided night tour and a Circle Line cruise of 60 or 90 minutes. It rates 4.4 from 205 reviews on GetYourGuide.
Key takeaways
- Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start, and reserve now pay later is available.
- Plan the Empire State deck and the cruise inside the 48 hours, cruise seats are first come, first served and the listing asks you to arrive 30 minutes early.
- Only want the bus? The plain Big Bus New York pass starts at $62.
- See how every pass stacks up in the full hop-on hop-off NYC comparison.
What the Ticket Actually Covers
The $99 from-price bundles four activities, and the listing says all taxes and fees are included. Here is each line and what it buys.
Included and Excluded
The four inclusions come straight from the listing. The Empire State Building 86th-floor observation deck admission is the only attraction entry in the price. The Circle Line cruise is either the 60-minute Liberty Midtown Cruise or the 90-minute Landmarks Cruise from Pier 83 at 42nd Street in Hudson River Park, which is the Circle Line Sightseeing stop on the Downtown Loop. Boats have an onboard cafe and full bar, restrooms, indoor seating with large windows and outdoor deck space, and a live English guide plus audio guides in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean and Japanese. Food, drinks, tips and anything else in the city are paid on the day. Hotel pickup is not offered and luggage is not allowed on board.
One honest note on timing. The listing says valid 2 days from first activation and also that tours may be taken on separate days, and some reviewers ran out of time for the cruise. Fix it by scheduling the deck and the boat on day one, leaving the loops for the remaining time. The free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start is your safety net if plans change.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 48-hour hop-on hop-off pass | Downtown and Uptown loops, unlimited use | Digital commentary in 6 languages, live bus tracking in the Big Bus app |
| Night tour | One seat on the 2-hour tour | Live English-speaking guide, departs Times Square at 7:00 PM or 8:00 PM |
| Empire State Building | 86th-floor observation deck admission | Date and time chosen at redemption or online |
| Circle Line cruise | One cruise, 60 or 90 minutes | Liberty Midtown or Landmarks, from Pier 83, arrive 30 minutes early |
| Food and drinks | No | Onboard cafe and bar on the boat are paid on the day |
| Hotel pickup | No | Redeem at M&M's New York, 1600 Broadway |
How the Price Compares
At $99 this costs more than the plain Big Bus pass from $62, and the premium buys attraction entry, the night tour and the boat in one ticket. The same operator sells a version without Empire State entry, and other operators bundle differently. The figures below come from each tour's listing on its booking platform.
| Ticket | Price | Validity | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bus with Empire State and Circle Line (this tour) | $99 | 48 hours | Empire State 86th floor, night tour, Circle Line cruise |
| Big Bus New York | from $62 | 1 to 3 days | Night tour on 48 and 72-hour tickets, Circle Line on 72 hours |
| TopView NYC | from $75 | 48 to 96 hours | Night tour and Brooklyn route, no attraction entry |
| Half-Day Luxury Bus Tour of NYC Highlights | $68 | 4 hours | Live-guided coach with a 10-minute Empire State photo stop, no deck entry |
Sources: MTA congestion pricing, NYC Tourism
The Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan. Photo: Luca Bravo lucabravo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Route, Stop by Stop
You build your own day from four parts. Here is how each runs and where you get off.
Downtown Loop (Red)
The Downtown Loop has 13 stops with a full circuit of about 90 minutes and a bus every 30 minutes. Service starts at Stop 1, M&M's World on 7th Ave and W 48th St, with the first bus at 9:00 AM and the last full circuit at 4:30 PM. The stops in order are M&M's World, One Times Square, Empire State Building/KoreaTown, Flatiron District, SoHo, Chinatown/Little Italy, Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street/Statue of Liberty, Trinity Church, World Trade Center, Chelsea/Pier 57, Hudson Yards and Circle Line Sightseeing.
The Empire State stop is on 5th Ave and W 32nd St, so you can ride straight there for your deck time. Commentary is pre-recorded digital audio.
Uptown Loop (Blue)
The Uptown Loop has 7 stops with a circuit of about 75 minutes and a bus every 60 minutes. It starts at Stop 14, Hope Sculpture on 7th Ave and W 53rd St, first bus at 10:00 AM and last bus at 4:00 PM. Stops are Hope Sculpture, One Times Square, Rockefeller Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park Zoo, Columbus Circle and Carnegie Hall.
Reviewers say this route is slow in traffic and one needed over 2 hours, so do not count on it for a fixed appointment. Pre-recorded commentary runs in 6 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Italian.
Night Tour
The 2-hour night tour has a live English-speaking guide and departs Times Square at 7:00 PM or 8:00 PM depending on the departure you pick. The route shows the city lit up and crosses the Manhattan Bridge for skyline views and the Brooklyn waterfront. Big Bus's own night ticket page lists 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM departures while its service page lists a single 7:00 PM tour, so confirm your departure time in the app.
Between the holiday season dates of 3 December to 4 January the night tour is replaced by the Holiday Lights Night Tour, so you would ride that version instead.
Circle Line Cruise
The cruise leaves from Circle Line at Pier 83, 42nd Street in Hudson River Park, which is the Circle Line Sightseeing stop on the Downtown Loop. Choose the 60-minute Liberty Midtown Cruise or the 90-minute Landmarks Cruise. You see the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and more from the water.
Seats are first come, first served and the listing asks you to arrive 30 minutes before departure. The boat has indoor seating with large windows, an outdoor deck, restrooms, a cafe and a full bar, so weather is less of a problem than on the bus.
Empire State Building
Entry is to the 86th-floor observation deck, with 360 degree views over Manhattan. The visit time is chosen by you, booked at redemption with staff or in advance through the Big Bus web or app. The closest bus stop is Empire State Building/KoreaTown on 5th Ave and W 32nd St on the Downtown Loop.
The listing says the ticket skips the ticket line, and you choose the visit time yourself.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The bundle suits first-timers who want the big four in one purchase. These travellers should book differently.
Travellers Who Should Look Elsewhere
If you only want the bus loops, Big Bus New York sells the same two loops from $62 with a 1 to 3 day ticket, and you skip paying for the deck and the boat. If a live guide matters more than flexibility, the Half-Day Luxury Bus Tour of NYC Highlights is a 4-hour closed coach with a live English guide and five photo stops including a 10-minute Empire State Building stop, for $68. If you want a guided night experience, the Open-Top Double-Decker NYC Night Bus Tour runs 90 minutes with a live guide at 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM for $69.
Access limits to weigh. The buses are wheelchair accessible but the upper deck may not be reachable, so wheelchair users ride the lower deck. Strollers must be folded and stowed. The open top deck is exposed in rain and cold, and the pre-recorded day loops have no live guide. There is no stated minimum age, but passengers under 15 must be accompanied by someone over 15 and children 2 and under travel free. Groups of 20 or more get operator discounts. Cruise seats are first come, first served.
Getting to the Start and What to Add
You redeem at M&M's New York at 1600 Broadway, Big Bus Stop 1, in the Times Square district that runs from 40th to 53rd Street between 6th and 8th Avenues. Arrive early on your first day, since the 48-hour clock starts when you activate in the app.
Before You Board
Download the Big Bus Tours app before you arrive, tap Add Booking and enter the reference, then press Activate on the day to start the 48 hours. The app also shows live bus arrival times. No pickup window is stated, so arrive at the stop with time to spare, and be at Pier 83 30 minutes before any cruise.
Times Square draws about 330,000 daily visitors, so the sidewalks around 1600 Broadway are slow going at any hour.
What to Add on Your Own
The ticket skips some classic sights, and the city's own transit fills gaps cheaply. The MTA local bus and subway fare is $3 with one free transfer within two hours, the express bus is $7.25, and OMNY caps charges at $35 over 7 days on subway and local bus. The Staten Island Ferry is free and takes about 25 minutes between St. George and Whitehall.
The M15 runs up First and Second Avenues between South Ferry and East Harlem, and the M4 climbs 5th Ave and Madison Ave to The Cloisters, covering ground the loops never reach. Read more in the hop on hop off NYC guide and the hop on hop off NYC map guide.
A Sample Day on the Combo
The listing fixes few times, so this sample shows how the parts slot together inside the 48 hours.
-
Start
Activate and redeem
Open the ticket in the Big Bus app and press Activate, then redeem at M&M's New York, 1600 Broadway. The 48-hour clock starts now.
-
Next
Ride the Downtown Loop
Board the Red route at Stop 1. The full circuit takes about 90 minutes with a bus every 30 minutes. Hop off at 5th Ave and W 32nd St for the Empire State Building.
-
Mid morning
Empire State Building 86th floor
Use the admission included in the ticket, with your chosen time slot. Visit time is set by you, so allow as long as you want on the deck.
-
Afternoon
Cruise from Pier 83
Ride the loop to the Circle Line Sightseeing stop and arrive 30 minutes before departure. Choose the 60-minute Liberty Midtown Cruise or the 90-minute Landmarks Cruise, first come first served seating.
-
Evening
Night tour at 7:00 PM or 8:00 PM
Return to Times Square for the 2-hour live-guided night tour, which crosses the Manhattan Bridge for skyline and Brooklyn waterfront views.
-
Day two
Uptown Loop at your pace
Pick up the Blue route at Hope Sculpture, 7th Ave and W 53rd St, first bus 10:00 AM and last bus 4:00 PM, a circuit of about 75 minutes. Hop off at the Met, Central Park Zoo or Columbus Circle.
-
Last stop
Loop back to Stop 1
Ride either loop back toward M&M's New York and end where you started.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of this bundle against the alternatives.
What we genuinely like
- Four products in one ticket at $99, with all taxes and fees included
- Empire State Building 86th-floor admission is in the price
- Live English-speaking guide on both the 2-hour night tour and the cruise, while the loops have audio in 6 languages
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start and reserve now pay later
- Big Bus app stores the ticket, activates it and tracks buses live
The honest downsides
- Everything must fit inside 48 hours from activation, and some reviewers ran out of time for the cruise
- The Uptown Loop is slow in traffic, one reviewer needed over 2 hours for a circuit rated at about 75 minutes
- Day loop commentary is pre-recorded, no live guide outside the night tour and cruise
- Cruise seats are first come, first served with a 30 minute early arrival request
- Hotel pickup, food, drinks and tips are not included, and luggage is not allowed on board
Who it's NOT for: Travellers who only want the bus loops or a live-guided single-day tour, who should check Big Bus New York or the Half-Day Luxury Bus Tour of NYC Highlights instead.
Questions About This Combo
How long is this Big Bus ticket valid?
48 hours from first activation, and the activities may be taken on separate days within that window, so plan the Empire State deck and the cruise early. See the full breakdown in what the ticket covers.
Where do I start the tour?
You redeem at M&M's New York, 1600 Broadway, which is Big Bus Stop 1 in Times Square. The wider stop layout is in the hop on hop off NYC map guide.
Is the Empire State Building entry included in the $99?
Yes, the 86th-floor observation deck admission is included, with date and time chosen at redemption or online. Compare the inclusions line by line in what the ticket covers.
Which Circle Line cruise do I get?
One cruise, either the 60-minute Liberty Midtown Cruise or the 90-minute Landmarks Cruise, leaving Pier 83 at 42nd Street with first come, first served seating. See the route, stop by stop.
Is there a cheaper Big Bus option without the attractions?
Yes, Big Bus New York sells the same loops from $62 on a 1 to 3 day ticket, with the night tour on 48 and 72-hour tickets and the cruise on 72 hours.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
The buses are wheelchair accessible and Big Bus says 100 percent of its New York fleet has lifts, but passengers with mobility impairments may not be able to reach the upper deck. Details are under who this tour rules out.
What if it rains on the open-top bus?
The listing does not state a weather policy, and the top deck is open to the air. If bad weather worries you, a closed coach such as the Half-Day Luxury Bus Tour of NYC Highlights keeps you indoors.
What Travelers Said
We enjoyed the Hudson River cruise out to the Statue of Liberty. The tour guide provided a very interesting commentary and the trip was enjoyable and informative
driver were all excellent. they need air conditioning as well as people
Had an amazing time in NYC, the hop on/off buses really helped on the first few days to get bearings. The cruise was awesome very knowledgeable guide, and we loved the Empire State Building. Overall great experience️
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
We may earn a commission if you book through one of our links, at no extra cost to you. Full affiliate disclosure