Big Bus Tours

Big Bus Tours (formerly Les Cars Rouges and The Big Bus Company), is the largest operator of open top bus sightseeing tours founded in May 2011 after "Les Cars Rouges" and the "Big Bus Company" merged. The company operates in 23 cities of 11 countries with more than 150 buses around the world. The United States is the country with the largest number of cities with Big Bus Tours service. Typically, Big Bus Tours use open top double-decker buses in burgundy and cream-coloured livery.

History


"Les Cars Rouges" was founded in 1990 by Abdallah El Azm in Paris, France. Over the course of the next two decades, it went on to operate in Paris, Rome, Washington DC, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Miami, and Istanbul. The "Big Bus Company" first started operating in London, England in June 1991 with four buses by the Maybury family. It later expanded to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Philadelphia, and so on.

"Les Cars Rouges" and "the Big Bus Company" merged in May 2011, and formed "Big Bus Tours". Les Cars Rouges was the larger of the two companies, but for international namesake purposes, the name "Big Bus" was retained.

In May 2007, the Abu Dhabi company the Al Fahim Group purchased a 30% shareholding.

In February 2015, the business was sold to Exponent Private Equity. In February 2016, Merlin Entertainments bought a 15% shareholding.

Overview of operation
Buses travel near major landmarks around the town or city it tours. Pre-recorded or live commentary about the landscape is provided through small headphones worn by each passenger. Users may leave the bus and board again without limit (hop-on, hop-off) at special bus stops on a circular route. In large cities, buses go on more than one route. In some cities (such as Hong Kong) some variants of the ride include travelling by boat.

Australia

 * Big Bus Sydney

Austria

 * The Big Bus Vienna

Poland

 * Big Bus Warsaw

China

 * Big Bus Beijing
 * Big bus Xi’an

Egypt

 * Big Bus Cairo
 * Big bus Luxor

France

 * Big Bus Paris

Germany

 * Big Bus Berlin
 * Big Bus Munich
 * Big bus Nuremberg

Greece

 * Big Bus Athens

Hong Kong
On 15 December 2008, The Big Bus Hong Kong was established. With the largest fleet of open-top buses in the city, it serves three sightseeing routes: Hong Kong Island (Red Tour), Kowloon (Blue Tour) and Stanley (Green Tour). The tour offers a wide range of packages which include free travel on the Peak Tram, entry to the Sky Terrace on Victoria Peak, a traditional Sampan ride, and a Star Ferry harbour tour.
 * Big Bus Hong Kong

Hungary

 * Big Bus Budapest

Italy

 * Big Bus Rome
 * Big bus Venice

India

 * Big Bus New Delhi
 * Big Bus Kolkata
 * Big Bus Shimla

Ireland
In August 2018, Big Bus Dublin was officially launched with the most up-to-date fleet in the city. It offers 2 separate tours: Red (city centre and Phoenix Park) and Blue (city center including Docklands, Glasnevin Cemetery and Croke Park Stadium).
 * Big Bus Dublin

Singapore

 * Big Bus Singapore (operates 3 routes) (established on 14 January 2011, using Scania K230UB double-decker buses)

Big Bus Tours bought over local sightseeing tour operator Duck & Hippo in September 2018.

Spain

 * Big Bus Madrid
 * Big Bus Cordoba
 * Big Bus Seville

Turkey

 * Big Bus Istanbul

Russia

 * Big Bus Moscow
 * Big Bus St Petersburg
 * Big Bus Volgograd

Norway

 * Big Bus Oslo
 * Big Bus Bergen

Mexico

 * Big Bus Mexico City

Malaysia

 * Big Bus Penang

United Kingdom
The Big Bus Tours London operates three routes with stops at these tourist destinations: Madame Tussauds, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, Westminster Bridge, London Eye, Covent Garden, St Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Harrods, Kensington Palace and Kensington Gardens.
 * Big Bus London
 * Big bus Edinburgh
 * Big Bus Manchester

United States

 * Big bus Boston, From 2023, officially launched in Boston, MA.
 * Big bus Charleston
 * Big Bus Chicago
 * Big bus Detroit
 * Big Bus Los Angeles
 * Big Bus New York
 * Big Bus Philadelphia
 * Big Bus Sacramento
 * Big Bus San Francisco
 * Big Bus St Louis
 * Big Bus Washington, D.C.
 * Big Bus Williamsburg, Virginia

Vietnam

 * Big Bus Ho Chi Minh City