The DIY way to see London from the river
If you’re looking for a different way to get around London and maybe even do a little bit of sightseeing then the Uber boat by Thames Clippers is definitely worth a try!
It’s a relatively low cost but fun to see London especially if you want to see some of the sights from the viewpoint of the beautiful river Thames – it makes part of a great day trip out and this is exactly what we did one weekend and so here is the lowdown you can follow to make the most of your cruise on the Thames if you’re thinking of taking a trip.
To avoid the crowds and to make sure that we got a great seat on the boat, we headed up to the first stop on the ride which is Barking Riverside. Note that this is in North London and so if you’re coming from South London, you’ll likely want to start at the other end of the route which is in Putney. This way you’ll have the pick of seats (sit at the front if you can, facing the direction of travel!). Once you get to Barking riverside, we just followed the signs for the Uber boat, which is a really beautiful path on the Riverside with a lovely view out onto the Thames. I have to say it was quite nice to see this side of London, something which I don’t really see. When we arrived, the boat was just making its way in from the previous journey and so we waited for it to park up and purchased our tickets at the machine at the dock. You can use contactless to pay for a single ticket, and I paid around £12. I believe you can also use an Oyster card to pay and so just tap in and out when boarding and alighting. As I said, we got there early, so we had our choice of seats. It really does get super busy and the earlier you can get on the boat up the route the better.
In terms of facilities on board, it is well set up with toilets on board and the seats are amazingly comfortable, in multiple rows of three. One of the other great things about riding the Uber boat is that it’s also got a fully stocked bar. They’ve got a great selection of cold drinks, hot drinks, soft drinks and even sell a selection of alcohol on board and so maybe if it’s a little bit later in the day (or in the morning if that floats your boat!) than when we went you can get a bit of Prosecco, wine or a gin and tonic. There’s also some food on board available to buy with a selection of sandwiches, crisps and pastries – essentially there’s enough to keep you going! It took us about an hour to get into London and it got busy as you can see if you take a look at our TikTok review and so stocking up on snacks if you’re on for the duration is a good idea. If it is a nice day you can also stand at the back of the boat, outdoors for more of a thrilling ride!
As for the journey itself, here’s the drawback of taking this boat vs a sightseeing tour cruise. There are multiple stops. Uber boat acts as a commuting service for some and so it does stop on many occasions with people boarding and alighting. If this doesn’t seem like something you’d enjoy and you’re looking for a smoother, more leisurely ride then you’ll probably prefer an alternative boat ride.
Even if you’ve lived in London for a while or if you’re visiting as a tourist for a few days, it is a great, low key way to see the sights of London. There isn’t any commentary as you’d find on the tourist boats and as mentioned above, quite a few stops en route but I like to think of this as an affordable, DIY option to seeing London from the river. Grab a drink, sit back and enjoy the ride. Happy sailing!
Watch our video review of our trip on the Uber boat
Looking for a hotel in London? Take a look at our review of The Ampersand Hotel, South Kensington, London.
No Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.