"The ride was great. But our conversation with the driver was a big highlight. He was so friendly and informative."
2.5 Hours · Up to 6 · Hotel Pickup
London Christmas Lights Taxi Tour
A private black cab and a driver who is also a registered guide take you round the West End's Christmas lights after dark, with photo stops and refreshment stops on the way.
From
US$481
per group up to 6 (the whole cab, not per person; checked October 2026)
Free cancellation
- 5.0 / 5 27+ Reviews
- 2.5 hours Private Cab
- From 4 Nov Lights Switched On
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Christmas Lights Cab Tour Includes
A private cab for up to six, a licensed driver who is a registered guide, live commentary, photo and refreshment stops.
Highlights
- See many of London's sights from an iconic black cab
- Admire the city's illuminated Christmas decorations
- Plenty of Photos stops along the way
What's Included
- Licensed London taxi driver/registered tourist guide (Blue Badge, City of London, City of Westminster or Clerkenwell & Islington Guides)
- Live commentary on board
- Photo stops
- Refreshment stops
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in central London
Good to know: This tour is wheelchair accessible · There is an additional charge for pickup outside central London · Not Included: Food or hot drinks, Tips
How a Christmas Lights Cab Tour Works
Pick an evening after the switch-ons, get collected, and step out where the lights are best on foot.
Book After the Switch-Ons
In 2026 Carnaby's lights go on on 4 November, Regent Street's on 5 November, and Covent Garden's on 12 November, according to Londonist; Bond Street had not announced its date in October 2026. From mid-November every major display is lit.
Get Collected
Your driver collects you from your hotel in central London; pickup further out costs extra.
Ride the Lit Streets
The cab takes the streets still open to traffic, such as Regent Street, and stops where a display is best seen on foot, such as Carnaby and Covent Garden.
Back to Your Hotel
After 2.5 hours you are dropped back at your hotel. Food, hot drinks and tips are extra.
Photo Gallery
The Christmas Lights Cab Tour
Photos from the tour listing: the cab, the lit streets and the stops.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Instant confirmation; cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Which Christmas Lights Tour?
Three private cab tours and the shared bus, compared on price, time and what comes with them. Prices as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026.
| Feature | MOST REVIEWED Christmas Lights Tour in a Black Cab | Glass-Roof Cab Tour | Panoramic Electric Cab Tour | Christmas Lights Bus + Boat Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From (October 2026) | US$481 per cab, up to 6 | US$469 per cab, up to 6 | US$446 per cab, up to 6 | US$75 per person |
| Per person, full cab | about US$80 | about US$78 | about US$74 | the price is per person |
| Time | 2.5 hours | 3 to 4 hours | 3 hours | 1.5 hours |
| Vehicle | Black cab, private | Cab with a glass roof, private | Electric cab with a panoramic roof, private | Open-top bus, shared |
| Commentary | Licensed cab driver who is a registered guide | Certified tour guide | Professional guide and London cabbie | Audio commentary |
| Hotel pickup | Central London | Central London | Central London | No |
| Rating | 5.0 (27 reviews) | 5.0 (6 reviews) | 5.0 (2 reviews) | New listing |
| Check Availability | See the Glass-Roof Tour | See the Panoramic Tour | See the Bus Tour |
Other Christmas Lights Tours
More Ways to See the Lights
A glass-roof cab, an electric cab with a panoramic roof, shorter private routes and an afternoon tea version.
GLASS ROOFChristmas Lights Taxi Tour with Hotel Pickup
Three to four hours in a cab with a panoramic glass roof, so the lights are overhead as well as outside.
ELECTRIC CABLondon: Magical Christmas Lights Tour by Panoramic Black Cab
Three hours by electric cab with a panoramic roof and festive music: Regent Street, Carnaby, Covent Garden, Bond Street.
HOTEL PICKUPLondon: Christmas Lights Black Cab Tour with Hotel Pickup
London Sightseeing Taxi Tours' 3-hour Christmas lights route, from the operator of the most reviewed sightseeing cab tour.
3 HOURSLondon: Private Christmas Lights Taxi Tour
A private 3-hour lights tour with a qualified driver-guide who explains the history of the lights.
PRIVATELondon: Christmas Lights Private Taxi Tour
London City Taxi Tours' 3-hour Christmas lights tour with a professional London taxi driver-guide.
AFTERNOON TEALuxury Afternoon Tea and London Christmas Lights Taxi Tour
Festive afternoon tea at a five-star London hotel and the lights by black cab: four hours, priced per person.
The Guide
Seeing London's Christmas Lights by Cab in 2026
A cab tour is the warm, door-to-door way round the displays. This year one big street is off the route.
A Christmas lights taxi tour is a private evening in a black cab round London’s lit-up streets, and the most reviewed is SEE MORE TAXI TOURS’ Christmas Lights Tour in a Black Cab: 2.5 hours with hotel pickup, from US$481 for a cab of up to six (checked October 2026). That is about US$80 each when six share it. It is rated 5.0 out of 5 from 27 reviews, and its driver is a licensed London taxi driver who is also a registered tourist guide.
Reviewers from past Decembers single out the drivers: one called the conversation with the driver “a big highlight”, another said the guide “customized the experience for us”. The tour includes photo stops and refreshment stops; food and hot drinks are extra.
Check Christmas lights tour dates
When the lights are on in 2026
According to Londonist (October 2026), the main displays switch on as follows:
| Display | Switch-on, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Carnaby Street | 4 November, with a 90s theme |
| Regent Street and St James’s | 5 November |
| Covent Garden, with the tree in the Piazza | 12 November |
| Bond Street | Not yet announced |
| Oxford Street | not announced; Londonist expects early November |
Book from mid-November and every major display is lit.
What is different this year: Oxford Street
From 26 October 2026, almost a kilometre of Oxford Street, from Orchard Street to Great Portland Street, is closed to traffic, and taxis are diverted with the buses. Several Christmas tour listings were written before that and still name Oxford Street, such as the Magical Christmas Lights Tour. Expect to see Oxford Street’s lights from a cross street or on foot at a stop, not from the cab. Regent Street, which crosses it at Oxford Circus, is still open to traffic.
Which Christmas tour to book
Pick the evening that suits you:
Most reviewed
Christmas Lights Tour in a Black Cab
2.5 hours with a licensed driver who is also a registered guide, hotel pickup included.
Check dates →Lights overhead
Glass-Roof Christmas Lights Taxi Tour
Visit London Taxi Tours' 3 to 4 hours in a cab with a panoramic glass roof.
See this tour →One or two people
Christmas Lights Bus + Boat
A 90-minute open-top bus ride with audio commentary, plus a day on the Uber Boat.
See the bus tour →Prices and review counts as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026, not a quote.
The afternoon tea and Christmas lights tour is the indulgent version: festive afternoon tea at a five-star hotel, then the lights by black cab, four hours in all, priced per person from US$395 because the tea is included.
Practical points
- Dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes: you get out at the stops for photos.
- Group: one price for the cab and up to six people.
- Pickup: included in central London; the most reviewed tour charges extra for pickup outside central London.
- Access: every Christmas cab tour on this page is listed as wheelchair accessible.
- Cancelling: free up to 24 hours before.
For the rest of the year, the London taxi tours homepage compares the daytime and night cab tours, and the prices guide works out the cost per head for your group.
Guest Reviews
What Christmas Lights Tour Guests Say
5.0/5
from 27 verified guests
"Gordon was such an amazing guide! He customized the experience for us and we had a wonderful time! He was informative, engaging and witty throughout the entire experience. Highly recommend this activity while in London!"
"This was simply amazing! Our driver was incredibly personable and knowledgeable about the area and had several stories about the different buildings and parts of town. There is simply no way we could have seen even 1/3 of the things we saw had we went out on our own. We are less than half way through our trip and nothing is going to top this tour. HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who loves Christmas."
"nothing could be improved Steve the driver was excellent he was knowledgeable and so very personable. He was amazing best part of my 60th Birthday celebrations. Recommend everyone to do this tour."
"We had a fantastic tour on 23rd Dec at 4pm. Our guide was Gordon and he was kind enough to arrange pick up at Waterloo Station meaning my older parents did not have to make a difficult journey to meet the cab. He had a glass roof to his taxi which was great for a full view of the lights. He was chatty and interesting, and took us on a tour seeing all the main lights (Battersea power station, Chelsea, kings Road, Elizabeth street, Oxford street, new Bond Street, carnaby street, regent street -I’ve probably missed some out but you get the gist). We stopped a number of times so we could get out to take photos. We really enjoyed our trip, very Christmassy and unusual! Thank you!"
"Phenomenal experience. Our guide Kevin was extremely knowledgeable, kind and accommodating."
"Our guide Mick made the Christmas Lights Tour in the Black Cab a very special experience. He is a real personable person and was not only able to show us the most beautiful Christmas lights in London, but also gave us lots of interesting information in the great atmosphere of a Black Cab - thank you very much - it was great!"
"Mick was incredibly informative and accommodating. Will be doing it again!"
Read all 27 verified reviews
See All ReviewsLondon's Christmas Lights, From a Black Cab
SEE MORE TAXI TOURS' Christmas Lights Tour in a Black Cab spends 2.5 hours on London's lit-up streets with a licensed taxi driver who is also a registered tourist guide, with hotel pickup in central London. Rated 5.0 from 27 reviews, from US$481 for a cab of up to six as of October 2026, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Starting from US$481 per group up to 6 (the whole cab, not per person; checked October 2026).
Check Christmas Tour DatesCan't Make These Dates?
Browse More Available Options
Find a tour that fits your schedule. Check each listing's cancellation terms: some dates are non-refundable.
Christmas Lights Taxi Tour FAQ
What people ask before booking a Christmas lights tour by black cab.
By cab, the most reviewed is the Christmas Lights Tour in a Black Cab: 2.5 hours, 5.0 from 27 reviews, from US$481 for a cab of up to six (October 2026). Its driver is a licensed London taxi driver who is also a registered tourist guide. The Christmas Lights Taxi Tour from Visit London Taxi Tours runs 3 to 4 hours in a cab with a glass roof, from US$469.
Yes: the Christmas Lights Tour (Bus) + Hop-On Hop-Off Boat is a 90-minute open-top bus ride with audio commentary at a fixed time, sold with a one-day Uber Boat pass, from US$75 a person. It is the cheaper choice for one or two people; a cab tour is private, collects you from your hotel and stops where you like, at a price for the whole cab.
Carnaby on 4 November, Regent Street and St James's on 5 November, and Covent Garden on 12 November, according to Londonist (October 2026); Bond Street had not announced its date. Oxford Street had not announced a date. A tour booked from mid-November sees every major display lit.
Not the main stretch: from 26 October 2026 Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street is closed to traffic, taxis included. Listings written before that, such as the Magical Christmas Lights Tour, still name Oxford Street; expect to see its lights from a cross street or on foot at a stop. Regent Street is still open to traffic.
Regent Street's angels, Carnaby's displays and the tree in the Covent Garden Piazza are the displays the Christmas cab tours here name most often. The Magical Christmas Lights Tour also lists Bond Street, St James's and Mayfair. Which is best is taste; a private cab lets you linger at the one you like.
From 2.5 hours on the Christmas Lights Tour in a Black Cab to 3 to 4 hours on the Visit London Taxi Tours one, with pickup and drop-off included in central London. The time runs from the pickup, so a hotel further out means less time among the lights.
From US$402 to US$529 for the whole cab of up to six on GetYourGuide in October 2026, so about US$67 to US$88 each in a full cab. The afternoon tea and Christmas lights tour is priced per person instead, from US$395, because it includes the tea.
Warm clothes and comfortable shoes: you ride in the cab between the displays, but you get out for photos at the stops. The Magical Christmas Lights Tour asks for exactly that in its listing. An umbrella is worth packing; London in December is often wet.
The cab is: every licensed London taxi is wheelchair accessible, and the listings on this page are marked wheelchair accessible. Ask the operator about the stops on foot, such as Carnaby Street, before booking. Children count towards the six-person cap.
Still have questions? Email us at info@london-taxi-tours.com