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Thames cruises · speedboats

Speedboat tours on the Thames — London at 35 mph

A London speedboat ride is 20 to 90 minutes on an open RIB with a live guide, a slow look at the landmarks and then full throttle past Tower Bridge. Expect about £37–£80 a head, or from about £400 to hire a whole boat for twelve.

  • Updated
  • Prices and ratings checked 21 Oct 2026; they change daily.
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Price (adult)
~£37–£80
Classic ride
50 min, London Eye Pier
Top speed
up to 35 mph
Private boat (12)
from ~£399
Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0

Our verdict

Best overall

London: River Thames Speedboat Tour at Up to 30 Knots

Thames Rockets’ 50-minute ride from London Eye Pier — sightseeing to Tower Bridge, then flat out through Docklands with a comedian-guide. 4.9★ from 1,000+ reviews.

4.9★ · 1,043from £52 GetYourGuide →

Best with kids

Thames RIB Experience — Tower RIB Blast

Twenty minutes from Tower Millennium Pier for £37 an adult, £33 a child (13 and under). Short enough for younger children, long enough to get soaked.

Best private option

Hire the whole RIB for 12

Thames RIB Experience charters start at £399 for 20 minutes; Thames Rockets’ private Ultimate London Adventure is £595 — about £33–£50 a head when full.

Skip it if

You're pregnant, or need wheelchair space

Thames Rockets doesn’t allow expectant mothers on board at any stage, and has no wheelchair space — wheelchair users must be able to sit unaided.

How much does a speedboat ride in London cost?

A speed boat ride in London costs from about £37 for a 20-minute blast from Tower Pier to about £80 for a 90-minute run to the Thames Barrier. The classic choice — Thames Rockets’ 50-minute Ultimate London Adventure from London Eye Pier — is about £52 on GetYourGuide and from roughly £50–£60 direct. Children pay less on both operators. Hiring a whole boat for twelve costs from £399 to about £800.

Two operators run public speedboat trips on the central Thames. Thames Rockets boards at London Eye Pier (Boarding Gate 1) and is the one sold on GetYourGuide and Headout. Thames RIB Experience runs from Tower Millennium, Westminster and Embankment piers; the old Thamesjet web address now redirects to it.

Thames Rockets vs Thames RIB Experience

Thames RocketsThames RIB Experience
Boards atLondon Eye PierTower Millennium, Westminster or Embankment Pier
Shortest tripEarly Bird Blast, ~50–60 min, from £45.45Tower RIB Blast, 20 min, £37
Classic tripUltimate London Adventure, 50 min, ~£50–£60Canary Wharf Experience, 45 min, £57
Thames BarrierThames Barrier Voyage, 80–90 min, £79.95Thames Barrier Experience, 70 min, £74
Child price14 and under, e.g. £49.9513 and under, e.g. £33
CombosLondon Eye, Sea Life, the O2—
Private boat (12)from £595from £399 (20 min)
CommentaryLive actor-comedian guidesNot stated on its site
Our takeThe polished classic, best-reviewedCheaper short rides, more pier choice

Prices are each operator’s own “from” prices on 21 October 2026 and may rise at peak times. Thames RIB Experience was advertising 15% off all trips from 23 October to 1 November 2026.

Thames speedboat tours you can book now

London: River Thames Speedboat Tour at Up to 30 Knots

  • 4.9★ 1,043 reviews
  • 50 minutes

from £52

See on GetYourGuide

Thames River Speedboat Tour

  • 4.9★ 16 reviews

from £65per person

See on Headout

Prices and ratings checked 21 Oct 2026; they change daily.

Thames Rockets speedboat tour
PlatformFromRatingCheck price & dates
GetYourGuideLondon: River Thames Speedboat Tour at Up to 30 Knots£52 Lowest today4.9★ 1,043GetYourGuide →
HeadoutThames River Speedboat Tour£654.9★ 16Headout →

What the ride is like

The first part is sightseeing at a steady pace: Parliament, the South Bank, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Shard and the Tower, with the guide doing the talking. Once you’re under Tower Bridge, the engines open up and you go through the Docklands towards Canary Wharf at up to 35 mph, with sharp turns and spray. Then back again. The guide is half the experience — Thames Rockets describes its guides as professional actor-comedians.

Lifejackets are compulsory and you must stay seated unless the crew say otherwise. No food, drink or alcohol on board without permission. Arrive 15 minutes before departure with your e-ticket.

Which speedboat trip to choose

  • First-timers: the 50-minute Thames Rockets Ultimate London Adventure — the sightseeing and the speed in one go.
  • Younger children: a 20-minute Tower RIB Blast, or Thames Rockets’ Hamley Bear or Santa specials in season.
  • On a budget: Thames Rockets’ Early Bird Blast from £45.45, or the 20-minute Tower blast at £37.
  • Engineering fans: a Thames Barrier trip, which goes much further east than the sightseeing cruises.
  • Birthdays, stag and hen groups: a private RIB for twelve — from about £33 a head when full, on a date that suits you.

The London Eye Pier departure makes it easy to fit a ride around the Eye and the South Bank on a first day in London.

If you want the river at a calmer pace, see our Thames river cruises comparison. For the land-and-water combination people remember from the old duck boats, see what happened to London Duck Tours.

Questions people ask

How much is a speedboat ride on the Thames?
Thames Rockets lists its 50-minute Ultimate London Adventure from about £50–£60 an adult direct; on GetYourGuide it’s about £52. Thames RIB Experience charges £37 for a 20-minute Tower RIB Blast and £57 for 40–45 minutes, with lower child prices. Longer trips to the Thames Barrier cost about £74–£80. Prices are per person and can rise in peak periods.
How fast do Thames speedboats go?
Thames Rockets says its boats reach up to 35 mph once the engines open up past Tower Bridge; before that it’s a sightseeing pace. The GetYourGuide listing calls it up to 30 knots, which is about the same. Lifejackets are compulsory, and you must stay seated unless the crew tell you otherwise.
Will I get wet on a Thames speedboat?
Possibly. Thames Rockets warns that spray and water on deck are possible, supplies lifejackets that must be worn, and has waterproof jackets and ponchos on request. Dress for the weather — it’s colder on the water at speed — and keep phones in a zipped pocket.
What is the minimum age for Thames Rockets?
Thames Rockets says all ages are welcome on public trips, with children 14 and under accompanied by an adult. Thames RIB Experience sets a minimum weight of 15 kg. Charter passengers on Thames Rockets must be 18 or over, and there are strict adult-to-child ratios on private hires.
Do Thames speedboat tours run in the rain?
Yes, as long as it’s safe. Thames Rockets’ terms say bad weather isn’t a reason to change a booking; the skipper can cancel for safety, in which case you get a full refund. Departures need at least eight passengers or they’re rescheduled.
Can I cancel a Thames Rockets booking?
Booked direct, tickets are non-refundable. You can change the date with at least 24 hours’ notice in writing; within 24 hours a fee of up to 50% may apply. Platform listings set their own terms, so if you might need to cancel, check the policy on the GetYourGuide or Headout listing before you pay.

Sources

  1. Thames Rockets — trips, prices and terms (checked 21 Oct 2026)
  2. Thames Rockets — Ultimate London Adventure (checked 21 Oct 2026)
  3. Thames RIB Experience — trips and prices (thamesjet.com redirects here) (checked 21 Oct 2026)
  4. GetYourGuide — River Thames speedboat tour (partner feed)

Written and checked by the Private Tours London desk

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