Washington DC · WASHINGTON DC BUS TOURS

The 15 Best Bus & Trolley Tours in Washington DC

36 tours  ·  from $22 a head

A hop-on trolley solves the distance problem on the Mall. These 15 differ on route, stops, night loops and whether Arlington is included, so compare before you buy the day pass.

Washington DC Monuments by Moonlight Tour by Trolley - The Lincoln Memorial and its neighbors
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Washington DC Monuments by Moonlight Tour by Trolley

1.Washington DC Monuments by Moonlight Tour by Trolley

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,956 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $48Our pick

Ride an open-air trolley past the White House, Capitol, and Washington Monument, then walk at the Lincoln, FDR, and Martin Luther King, Jr. memorials. A live guide adds history, anecdotes, and ghost stories. Guides featured on past tours include Smiley, MJ, and Hollywood, though your guide is not guaranteed.

“Nice, everything is close. Very COLD outside. Tour guide was informative. Hotel was nice. Glad to see the restoration of the monuments and clean up of the park areas for the 250th celebration.”

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Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus with 18 Stops - The waterfront, Tidal Basin, and memorials
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Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus with 18 Stops

2.Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour by Open-top Bus with 18 Stops

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 3,848 reviews · 1 hour 50 minutes (approx.) · from $49

Ride an open-top Big Bus around Washington, DC, with 18 stops for the National Mall, museums, monuments, Union Station, and Arlington Cemetery. Choose a 1-, 2-, or 3-day pass, use the app to track buses, and listen to recorded commentary. Optional audio tours cover Arlington, the Tidal Basin, and Georgetown; a one-hour bike rental offer is also included.

“Overall a great way to get around the city. Plan on doing a good bit of walking once you get to a stop. No reason to huurry because there is always another bus coming. Due to a road race, buses didn't get started until noon which really shortened up the day and especially our time at Arlington.”

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Washington DC Hop-On Hop-off Trolley Tour with 15 Stops - The Wharf, Spy Museum, and the National Mall
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Washington DC Hop-On Hop-off Trolley Tour with 15 Stops

3.Washington DC Hop-On Hop-off Trolley Tour with 15 Stops

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 2,599 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $48

Ride a narrated trolley to 15 stops near Washington’s major museums and monuments, from Union Station to the Lincoln Memorial. You can hop off and reboard at your own pace, use the seven-language audio app, and choose an Arlington Cemetery add-on. Guides such as Joe Moe, Rooster, Birdie, and Everett are known for mixing local history with humor.

“Convenient, informative and entertaining. Drivers know their history and do not have to stick to a canned speech. Well worth it!”

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DC: Hop-On Hop-Off with 17 Stops plus Arlington Walking Tour - The Lincoln Memorial rewards a proper stop
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DC: Hop-On Hop-Off with 17 Stops plus Arlington Walking Tour

4.Hop-On Hop-Off with 17 Stops plus Arlington Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 2,238 reviews · from $49

Ride Big Bus’s open-top route past 17 DC stops, including the National Mall, White House and Lincoln Memorial, with recorded commentary in five languages. Hop off to explore, then, with a 48 or 72-hour ticket during its seasonal operating period, join a two-hour Arlington National Cemetery walking tour at 1pm.

“The bus driver made an extra stop for us called a requested stop to let us off right by the museum where we were going. Everyone was very helpful!”

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Washington DC: Monuments by Moonlight Nighttime Trolley Tour - Starting out: stories between the monuments
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Washington DC: Monuments by Moonlight Nighttime Trolley Tour

5.Monuments by Moonlight Nighttime Trolley Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,529 reviews · 2h 30m · from $48

Ride a stadium-seating trolley past the White House, Capitol, Washington Monument and National Mall, then walk at the Lincoln, Vietnam, Korean, FDR and MLK memorials. An English-speaking guide handles the history and stories. The Iwo Jima stop is currently replaced by the World War II Memorial because of a bridge closure.

“Sooner Steve was a great tour guide! The tour covers a lot of ground and the monuments are beautiful in the dark. Highly recommend!”

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Big Bus DC: Monuments & Memorials Night Tour by Open-top Bus - Seats, Commentary and Comfort
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Big Bus DC: Monuments & Memorials Night Tour by Open-top Bus

6.Big Bus DC: Monuments & Memorials Night Tour by Open-top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,174 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $49

Ride an open-top double-decker bus past Washington’s major monuments and memorials on a roughly two-hour evening circuit. The tour includes a short Lincoln Memorial photo stop, with the route also listing the Iwo Jima Memorial. Commentary may be recorded or live, depending on the departure. Seats are first come, first served, and the tour returns to its starting point.

“The tour is good. We enjoyed seeing various monuments at night time. The driver slows down in sync with the audio. The management for this tour is awful. Time was changed multiple times. We did get email of the change but the message was bad. It stated the new time for a date range but it is NOT our date! When inquiring, no reply. The ticket we get a week before tour has all wrong information and they didn't bother to update. More importantly, the meeting place is not what it says on the ticket. It's also confusing where to board or whether you are required to go to redemption…”

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Arlington National Cemetery Hop-On Hop-Off Tour - Stop 1: Start at the Welcome Center
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Arlington National Cemetery Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

7.Arlington National Cemetery Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 744 reviews · 45 minutes (approx.) · from $21Best value

Ride a hop-on hop-off trolley through Arlington National Cemetery, with live English commentary and stops at major graves and memorials. The loop takes about 45 minutes if you stay aboard; hop off to visit sites on foot and catch a later trolley. Bring the required government-issued photo ID or passport for entry.

“Narrators are so knowledgeable. It's the best way to reach the iconic Kennedy graves & the tomb of the unknown soldier when temperatures are high. Stay at the tomb of the unknown soldier to see the changing of the guard & the wreath laying too. We were honoured to have visited on the 75th anniversary of the Korean war...a very humbling & moving laying of a wreath by the Koreans.”

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Washington, DC: Hop-On Hop-Off Old Town Trolley City Tour - Memorials along the Tidal Basin
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Washington, DC: Hop-On Hop-Off Old Town Trolley City Tour

8.Hop-On Hop-Off Old Town Trolley City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 647 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $48

Ride an open-window trolley through central Washington with a live English-speaking guide, then hop off at major sights such as the Capitol, Lincoln Memorial and White House. A one- or two-day pass includes GPS bus tracking and recorded commentary in seven languages. Add Arlington National Cemetery for a separate 45-minute weekday or one-hour weekend tram tour.

“The guides were friendly & knowledgeable, very enjoyable experience. Excellent way to see DC”

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Washington DC: Bus Tour to the Highlights of the Capital - The Capitol and the founding documents
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Washington DC: Bus Tour to the Highlights of the Capital

9.Bus Tour to the Highlights of the Capital

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 373 reviews · 4 hours · from $47

Start at the U.S. Navy Memorial for a four-hour, English-language loop past the Capitol, Smithsonian museums, and Washington Monument, with guided stops at major memorials. Guides such as Wil, Brittany, and Joie have led tours, though your guide will vary. The $47 fare includes bus transport and bottled water.

“Lori was very knowledgeable and easy to keep track of.”

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Hop-On Hop-Off 21 Stop Trolley Tour + Arlington Cemetery Tour - The Mall, the Tidal Basin and the memorials
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Hop-On Hop-Off 21 Stop Trolley Tour + Arlington Cemetery Tour

10.Hop-On Hop-Off 21 Stop Trolley Tour + Arlington Cemetery Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 369 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $59

Ride a narrated trolley past Washington’s landmark sights, hopping off at 21 stops that include the National Mall and Arlington National Cemetery. Trolleys arrive roughly every 30 minutes, though waits can vary. Drivers such as Rooster and Simone have earned particular praise, but guides are not assigned by name.

“Good info from the tour drivers. Easy to board. No long waits. Would use it again highly recommend especially if you are in a short visit”

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Washington DC: National Mall Night Bus Tour - From the White House to the Capitol
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Washington DC: National Mall Night Bus Tour

11.National Mall Night Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 313 reviews · 3 hours · from $55

Start at the U.S. Navy Memorial for a three-hour evening circuit of Washington’s monuments, including the Lincoln, Jefferson, and Martin Luther King Jr. memorials. You’ll ride with an English-speaking guide, stop for photos, and choose a climate-controlled bus or, when weather permits, a convertible open-top bus. Guides vary; past tours have featured Dion, Sam, George, and others.

“Reid was very informative. Amazing experience. Would definitely recommend this tour. We loved the evening tour.”

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The DC Cherry Blossom Bus Tour with Tidal Basin Guided Walk - Walking the Tidal Basin beneath the cherry trees
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The DC Cherry Blossom Bus Tour with Tidal Basin Guided Walk

12.The DC Cherry Blossom Bus Tour with Tidal Basin Guided Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 151 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $59

Meet at the US Navy Memorial at 10:00 am for a four-hour bus tour of DC landmarks and cherry blossom spots, including a guided walk at the Tidal Basin. You’ll travel by air-conditioned bus, hear stories from an English-speaking guide, and stop for photos. Guides vary; names on recent tours have included Derek, Joey, Dion, and Sam.

“The tour hit a lot of great sites with just enough time to see everything without feeling rushed. The tour guide was fun and knowledgeable. And the cherry blossoms were just as beautiful as we had hoped.”

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Day or Night National Mall Bus Tour with Arlington Cemetery Walk - Arlington House, Audie Murphy and other memorials
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Day or Night National Mall Bus Tour with Arlington Cemetery Walk

13.Day or Night National Mall Bus Tour with Arlington Cemetery Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 117 reviews · 2 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $55

Spend two hours walking Arlington National Cemetery with a guide, seeing Kennedy’s grave, Arlington House and the Changing of the Guard. For a broader DC visit, choose the optional three-hour bus tour, with stops at major sights such as the White House, the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. Expect a moving, moderately strenuous visit.

“One of the best trips I have been on our guides Lynwood & Chris were so helpful, the best part for me was Arlington cemetery, it’s just unbelievable to see , changing of the guard was spectacular. The tour covered so many places of interest , the White House pentagon but to name a few . I would record this tour for anyone who busts Washington .”

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Washington DC Night-Time City Bus Tour with Optional Mount Vernon - Capitol views and the memorial circuit
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Washington DC Night-Time City Bus Tour with Optional Mount Vernon

14.Washington DC Night-Time City Bus Tour with Optional Mount Vernon

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 107 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $59

Ride with a driver-guide from the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill to see Washington’s illuminated monuments and memorials. The 3-to-4-hour tour includes stops at the Lincoln, Vietnam Veterans, and Korean War memorials, plus the White House area and Capitol. Guides have included Simon, Bobby, and Charles, but who leads your tour can vary. An upgrade adds Mount Vernon before the night tour.

“This was an excellent and thorough tour, entertaining, informative, comfortable, worth the time and money. Have recommended it to others and would do it again.”

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Open-Top or Glass-Top National Mall Bus Tour Plus Seasonal Cruise - Lincoln, Vietnam and Korea: time to look closely
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Open-Top or Glass-Top National Mall Bus Tour Plus Seasonal Cruise

15.Open-Top or Glass-Top National Mall Bus Tour Plus Seasonal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 100 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $129Top rated

Start at the U.S. Navy Memorial at 10 a.m. for a six-hour tour in an open-top or glass-top van, with a live guide, memorial stops and bottled water. From April through September, the schedule includes a Potomac cruise and Georgetown time. Winter plans differ, so check the seasonal itinerary before booking.

“Great, informative and clear commentary. The monuments were wonderful and all we expected them to be. Were blessed with a beautiful autumn day so the colours provided an added bonus”

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New in Washington DC Bus Tours

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★ 4.5Executive Bus Private Day & Night Custom Tours of Washington DC18 reviews
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Vineyard and Winery Bus Tour from Metro DCFrom $10962 reviews
★ 4.5DC Combo: Narrated Scenic Boat Cruise & National Mall Bus TourFrom $8932 reviews
★ 4.9National Mall&Memorials Guided E-Trolley TourFrom $4539 reviews
★ 4.5US Capitol Entry plus City Bus Tour & Arlington Cemetery WalkFrom $17538 reviews
★ 4.1Hop-on Hop-off, Arlington Walking Tour, and Night TourFrom $7536 reviews
★ 3.8Arlington Cemetery Walk with National Mall Night Bus TourFrom $6548 reviews
★ 4.5Narrated Boat Cruise & DC Bus Tour with 10 Stops, Entry TicketsFrom $8761 reviews

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