Planning · Bus vs boat
Big Bus, Tootbus and the Batobus river shuttle side by side: routes, official prices, winter hours, and the honest case for just taking the Métro.
Updated October 26, 2026 · Prices checked October 26, 2026 · Tour prices refresh daily
A hop-on hop-off pass in Paris is a ride, not a tour. Big Bus and Tootbus run open-top loops of about 2 hours 15 minutes past the Louvre, Notre-Dame, Orsay, the Champs-Élysées, Trocadéro and the Eiffel Tower. The Batobus does the same job on the Seine, with nine stops. None of the three rates 4 stars on Viator, and that tells you something about traffic, waits and recorded commentary.
Here is who a pass actually suits, how the three compare on official prices and winter hours, and when a €2.55 Métro ride does the job better. If the river is the point, start with our Seine river cruises guide instead.
N° 01Short on time
1erBest bus pass
Big Bus - France
The most-reviewed of the three, with a 10-stop loop, commentary in nine languages and options that add a Seine cruise or a 48-hour pass. Its rating sits just under 4, so treat it as transport with a soundtrack, not a tour.
Free cancellation
From$44.39
lowest listed option (24-hour pass)
2eBest value
Batobus
The cheapest of the three and the only one on the water: nine stops on the Seine from the Eiffel Tower to the Jardin des Plantes, with no traffic. It also rates just under 4: expect a shuttle, not a cruise.
Free cancellation
From$26.18
per person
3eBest for families
Tootbus
One-, two- or three-day passes and a kids’ audio channel in English and French. It is the lowest-rated of the three, so book it for the kids’ channel or a multi-day stay, not for the commentary.
Free cancellation
From$41.83
lowest listed option (1-day pass)
We may earn a commission when you book through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never decides our picks. Tour prices are Viator’s US-dollar from-prices, refreshed with ratings every day; they change by date, and Viator may show your local currency. How we make money.
N° 02Le verdict
For some visitors, yes. For most able-bodied adults with a free day, no. Central Paris is compact, the Métro is fast and cheap, and the bus sits in the same traffic as everyone else. Both bus operators warn of diversions and longer journeys during events, and Big Bus says its service may be suspended in very poor weather.
Our first-timer’s guide to Paris has more on planning a first trip.
N° 03Côte à côte
Official prices from each operator, checked October 26, 2026: Big Bus, Tootbus, Batobus and Île-de-France Mobilités for the Métro.
| Big Bus | Tootbus | Batobus | Métro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | Open-top double-decker | Open-top bus, electric or gas | Glass-covered boat, heated | Train |
| Route | Red route, 10 stops | Blue route, 10 stops | The Seine, 9 stops | The whole city |
| Full loop | About 2h15 | About 2h15 | About 1h45–2h | Not a loop |
| Commentary | Recorded, 9 languages | Recorded, 10 languages, kids’ channel | Web app, 5 languages | None |
| One day, adult | Discover (24h): from €39 promotional, €49 full | Paris Discovery (1 day): €49 list, €36.75 on a −25% promotion | 24h pass: €23 | Navigo Jour: €12.30, or €2.55 a ride |
| With a cruise | Essential (24h + 1-hour cruise): from €49 | Must See Paris: €63 list, €47.25 on promotion | It is the boat | n/a |
| Two days, adult | 48-Hour Ticket: from €49 | 2-day pass available | 48h pass: €27 | Two Navigo Jour |
| Child | 4–12; Essential from €29 | 4–12: Discovery €27 | 4–11: €13 (24h), €17 (48h) | Reduced ticket €1.30 |
| Under 4 | Free (3 and under) | Free (0–3) | Free, collect a ticket | n/a |
| Changes | Free date change | Free change or cancellation to 24h before | Non-refundable, non-changeable | n/a |
Big Bus and Tootbus prices are the lowest listed online and change with promotions; “from” means the lowest listed price. Big Bus also sells a 48-hour bus ticket with a 48-hour Batobus pass from €75.60 (€84 full), the same price Batobus lists for its Pass Duo Liberté. The Navigo Easy card that holds Métro tickets costs €2, one per traveler. Métro fares are valid to December 31, 2026. Source: Big Bus Paris tickets and passes.
N° 04À réserver
All three listings rate below 4 stars on Viator, across thousands of reviews. That is a warning about expectations, not a reason to avoid them. From-prices are the lowest listed option in US dollars, usually the shortest pass. Compare them with the official prices above before you book.
| Tour | Format | Length | Reviews | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bus Paris hop-on hop-offBig Bus - FranceFirst-timers who want an easy overview and a ride between sights Free cancellation | Bus · hop-on hop-off | 24–48 hour pass (loop about 2 hr 15 min) | 3.917,069 reviews | $44.39lowest listed option (24-hour pass) | Check |
| Tootbus Paris hop-on hop-offTootbusFamilies and anyone who wants a multi-day pass Free cancellation | Bus · hop-on hop-off | 1–3 day pass (loop about 2 hours) | 3.743,185 reviews | $41.83lowest listed option (1-day pass) | Check |
| Batobus Hop-On Hop-Off Pass (24 or 48 hours)BatobusUsing the river as transport between sights Free cancellation | Boat · ticket | 24- or 48-hr pass | 3.983,615 reviews | $26.18 | Check |
N° 05Les arrêts
The two bus loops overlap almost completely. What separates them is a stop or two, and where you get on.
Ten stops: Louvre-Pyramide (the Big Bus information center at 11 avenue de l’Opéra), Louvre–Pont des Arts, Notre-Dame, Musée d’Orsay, Champs-Élysées, Grand Palais, Trocadéro, Tour Eiffel (Quai Branly, by the north pillar), Champ de Mars and Opéra Garnier. Big Bus says its Trocadéro-area stop has moved to avenue d’Iéna, facing the Shangri-La hotel.
Tootbus is the former Open Tour Paris, renamed by its owner, RATP Dev. Its ten stops are Opéra–Grands Magasins (23 boulevard des Capucines), the Louvre, Notre-Dame, Panthéon–Luxembourg, Musée d’Orsay, Concorde, Champs-Élysées, Trocadéro, the Eiffel Tower and Pont Alexandre III–Invalides. The real differences: Tootbus has Panthéon–Luxembourg and Concorde, while Big Bus has the Grand Palais and the Champ de Mars.
Nine stops: Tour Eiffel, Invalides, Musée d’Orsay, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Notre-Dame, Jardin des Plantes, Hôtel de Ville, the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, about 15 minutes apart. The boats are glass-covered, heated and seat 180, with an open-air deck. There are no toilets on board. Large bags and suitcases are not allowed through the boarding security check.
The Batobus is a shuttle with a view, not a commentary cruise. For a one-hour cruise with live or recorded commentary, see Bateaux Mouches vs Bateaux Parisiens. If the Eiffel Tower is on your list, book the summit separately: Eiffel Tower tickets explains the options.
N° 06L’hiver
All three run through the winter, but days are short and the last loop leaves early. Times are as published by Big Bus, Tootbus and Batobus, and all three call them approximate.
| Operator | Period | Hours | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bus | Current schedule (no separate winter timetable published) | First bus 9:45am from stops 1, 8 and 10; last full loop 5:30pm from stop 1 | Every 10–20 minutes |
| Tootbus | Until November 1, 2026 | 9:30am–6:30pm from stop 1 (Opéra) | About every 15 minutes |
| Tootbus | November 2, 2026–January 3, 2027 | 9:30am–5pm from stop 1 (Opéra) | About every 15 minutes |
| Tootbus | January–March 2027 | Not yet published; last winter followed the same pattern | Check before you go |
| Batobus | Until November 1, 2026 | Daily 10am–7pm | About 15 minutes between stops |
| Batobus | November 2, 2026–March 31, 2027 | Monday–Thursday 10am–5pm; Friday–Sunday 10am–7pm | About 15 minutes between stops |
Batobus times are the first and last departures from the Eiffel Tower stop. Neither bus company says whether its top deck is covered in winter, so dress for an open deck. After dark, Big Bus runs a separate two-hour night tour, which is not hop-on hop-off, at 8:30pm from stop 1 since September 28, 2026. Tootbus runs a Christmas tour daily from November 23, 2026 to January 3, 2027 (except December 31) at 6pm, plus 8:15pm from December 7, from 23 boulevard des Capucines. Source: Tootbus Paris timetable.
N° 07Bon à savoir
01
The top deck is the whole point, and the lower deck feels like a city bus. Bring a layer and a hat: neither company promises a covered top deck, and it is exposed up there.
02
Get on at the first departure, before the traffic builds. In winter the last full Big Bus loop leaves at 5:30pm and Tootbus stops at 5pm, so a late start leaves you stranded halfway round.
03
Big Bus Essential adds a one-hour Seine cruise, and Tootbus Must See Paris adds a one-hour Vedettes de Paris cruise from Port de Suffren, valid for 15 days. Or pair a 48-hour Big Bus ticket with the Batobus: ride the bus one day and the river the next.
04
Both bus companies run online promotions that can beat the list price. The Batobus sells non-refundable tickets direct, so a resale ticket with free cancellation can be worth a small premium if your plans may change.
05
Big Bus multi-day tickets must be used on consecutive days. Tootbus passes run 24, 48 or 72 hours from first validation on board. Batobus hours count only while the boats are running.
06
Big events divert the buses and lengthen the loop. Big Bus closed for two days in September 2026 for the Pope’s visit. Both bus companies post service updates on their sites.
N° 08Good to know
It is worth it on a first day, with limited mobility, or with small children. For everyone else, the Métro is faster and far cheaper: a Navigo Jour is €12.30 for unlimited rides. All three hop-on hop-off products rate below 4 stars on Viator, so expect a ride with recorded commentary, not a guided tour.
They are close. Both run ten-stop loops of about 2 hours 15 minutes with recorded commentary. Big Bus has more reviews and a slightly higher rating; Tootbus adds a Panthéon–Luxembourg stop, a kids’ channel and passes of up to three days. Pick on price on the day you book.
Yes, daily. From November 2, 2026, Tootbus runs from 9:30am to 5pm, about every 15 minutes. Big Bus publishes a first bus at 9:45am and a last full loop at 5:30pm, every 10 to 20 minutes. Service can stop in very poor weather.
A hop-on hop-off river shuttle on the Seine, with nine stops from the Eiffel Tower to the Jardin des Plantes. A pass is €23 for 24 hours or €27 for 48 hours for adults. The boats are heated and glass-covered, with no toilets and no access for people with reduced mobility.
About 2 hours 15 minutes on Big Bus and Tootbus, longer in heavy traffic or during events. The Batobus takes about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours to complete its loop without getting off.
Not really. It is a shuttle with an audio-guide web app, and you will share it with people riding between stops. For a one-hour sightseeing cruise, compare the operators in our Seine river cruises guide.
Yes. Big Bus sells a 48-hour bus ticket with a 48-hour Batobus pass, and Batobus sells the same pairing as the Pass Duo Liberté, at €84 for adults and €49 for children. Big Bus lists it from €75.60 on promotion.
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