Historic Boston Hop-On Hop-Off Narrated Trolley Tour
Badge of Excellence
Boston, USA
- 1 hour 20 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
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Overview
Explore the best of Boston on this hop-on hop-off trolley tour. Board at one of the stops, then hop off wherever you like, explore independently, and get back onto the trolley when you’re ready. Alternatively, ride the 2-hour loop in one go, listening to the informative commentary. Tickets are valid for one or two days, and while admission tickets aren’t included, enjoy discounts to some top Boston attractions.
- Flexibility to customize your itinerary to your own preferences
- Choose from 1- or 2-day (consecutive) pass options
- Ideal for first-time visitors seeking an overview
- Get a bonus self-guided walking tour via an app
What's Included
- 1 or 2 Day (consecutive days) Trolley Pass Options available at checkout
- Includes a bonus 9 GPS Self-Guided Walking Tour via App of area at trolley stops, a $24 Value FREE!
- 40% Off Old North Church
- 50% Off Sports Museum
- Foreign Language App: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese
- NEW: Live trolley tracking
- NEW: Find My Stop Google directions to stops so you NEVER GET LOST a $24 Value FREE!
- GratuitiesDrivers gratuities are not included, feel free to tip your drivers, tips are appreciated and customary should you enjoy the tour!
- Trolley Tour Only - This ticket does not include admission to any of the featured attractions.
Meeting and Pickup
Operating hours
Select your preferred tour option to see hours.
View tour option
Departure Point
- You may start this tour at any of the stops listed.
Itinerary
Historic Boston & Freedom Trail Sights Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley
9 Stops
37 Points of Interest
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes
Operating Schedule: Trolley Hours of Operation Daily 9:30am-4:30pm, 5:00pm weekends *Hop on Hop off tours depart approximately every 15-20 minutes.
1
206 Atlantic Ave
2
Commercial St @ Fleet St
3
Commercial St opp Hull St
4
115 Constitution Rd
5
186 Canal St
6
State Street at Congress Street
7
111 Boylston St
8
29 Beacon St
9
Summer St @ South Station - Red Line entrance
Points of interest passed by on this route
North End
Chinatown
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
Boston Common
Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Old South Church in Boston
CityView Trolley Tours
Quincy Market
The Paul Revere House
New England Aquarium
Marriott's Custom House
Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park
Copp's Hill Burying Ground
Old North Church & Historic Site
USS Constitution
Bunker Hill
TD Garden
USS Cassin Young
Old State House
Old South Meeting House
New England Holocaust Memorial
Haymarket
Boston Massacre Site
Central Burying Ground
Boston Common
Boston Public Garden
Park Street Church
Beacon Hill
Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial
Granary Burying Ground
King's Chapel
King's Chapel Burying Ground
Chinatown
Seaport District / South Boston Waterfront
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway
Bunker Hill Monument
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Hotel Pickup NOT included, trolleys depart from Atlantic Avenue, side of the building at 255 State St on day of travel.
- 2-Day Trolley Pass is valid for 2 Consecutive Days
- Included FREE, 9 GPS Self-Guided Walking Tours: Location-aware tours play stories automatically, the GPS Walking Tours are valid for four days so you can explore on your own after your tour day with the trolley.
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.4
based on 3,010 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Don’t do it. We purchased tickets on line 3 weeks previous. To get the trolley is a 15 min. Walk from cruise terminal. We had to wait in line 1 hr. And 45 minutes to board. We got off at one stop. Took us 40 minutes to get another trolley. We spent approximately 5 hours and got to see 1 site up close.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Verna,
We sincerely apologize that we did not deliver the level of service CityView is known for. Unfortunately, we experienced exceptionally heavy traffic throughout Boston for several hours, which created significant backups and resulted in delays at our trolley stops.
We truly appreciate your patience and understanding. On your next visit to Boston, please contact me directly at cityviewmike@gmail.com, and I would be happy to arrange complimentary tickets for you.
We hope to have another opportunity to provide you with the enjoyable CityView experience you deserve.
Sincerely,
Mike T
Trolley stops are not well marked and maps provided are worthless. Each stop is a long walk from points of interest. Our driver provided little information on sites as we passed by and spoke very quickly. Did not like the "jokes" he interjected, I guess trying to be funny, but it was in bad taste.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Laura,
We're sorry you had difficulty locating our trolley stops. All CityView stops are clearly identified with bright yellow stop signs featuring QR codes that link directly to our website.
Our website provides detailed tour routes, stop locations, and a convenient “Find My Stop” feature that launches Google Maps with GPS assistance to help guests easily locate our stops. Our brochure and mobile website includes street addresses and pictures of all the stops.
We encourage all our guests to explore www.cityviewtrolleys.com, where you'll find many helpful features designed to enhance your overall tour experience.
Our tour covers more than 80 points of interest, with stops at or very close to Boston's major historic landmarks and attractions, making it easy to explore the city's highlights at your own pace.
We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back to Boston for another visit!
Sincerely,
Mike T
Good stop locations and the narrations from the drivers were informative and entertaining. The wait times between stops was about right.
Lots of stops and signs at each stop. Nice to scan the code at the stops to see the time the next bus will arrive. Nice history narration from the drivers.
Too crowded on a Saturday. Had to wait 20 minutes to get on the first vehicle. Then we were afraid to get off because there was a line at every stop. We had planned on hopping on and off, but we finished the first loop and took an Uber to our destination.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Nancy,
CityViewTrolleys.com offers some of the most frequent trolley service in Boston. As posted on our website and communicated by our sales agents, our scheduled frequency is approximately every 15–20 minutes, and we maintained that service throughout the day.
We’re sorry if you were expecting more frequent service than our published schedule. We appreciate your feedback and hope this clarification is helpful.
Sincerely,
Mike T
We arrived in Boston by ship . I messaged for directions to the meeting place and no one returned that message. Then I tried calling and there was no one answering the phones. We cabbed into town and then went on the hunt for the kiosk and eventually found it. Then we were told our tickets were only good for one loop of the tour. Having that piece of info would have helped ahead of time. A bit disappointing however we did manage to see most of what we wanted.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Diane,
We’re sorry to hear that you were unable to find the information you were looking for. We provide comprehensive information about our tours and services on our website, cityviewtrolleys.com.
We encourage you to visit our website before your next trip to Boston so you can review the available information and plan your sightseeing experience accordingly.
We appreciate your feedback and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back.
Sincerely,
Mike T
We saw a majority of the sites we wanted to see in historical Boston. It was close to our hotel. Bus was easy to identify. Some drivers better than others.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you Leif, for sharing your comments. Based on your positive feedback, it sounds like you may have intended to leave us a higher star rating. 😊
We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us!
Sincerely,
Mike T
Our bad experience had more to do with the rain than with the tour. Waiting for a trolley to arrive left us completely soaked from the rain. We had to stand in the open while we waited. Then we didn’t want to hop off because we were afraid that we would have a long wait while standing in the rain again. You need to go when it’s not pouring rain.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Lynda,
We’re sorry to hear that you did not have the best experience touring Boston in the rain.
Our trolleys are fully enclosed and designed to provide a comfortable sightseeing experience in rainy weather. There are also many local outlets near our trolley stops where guests can purchase umbrellas if needed.
We encourage all guests to check the weather forecast before their visit and plan accordingly so they can make the most of their sightseeing experience.
We appreciate your feedback and hope you’ll give us another opportunity to provide you with a more enjoyable experience.
Sincerely,
Mike T
You can hop on/off, but can only do one complete round. I don't remember seeing this explained when purchasing. Our initial driver, Johnny Boston XIV, was knowledgeable and quite comical.
Long waits for seats on the bus. Anyone with any disabilities will be allowed to go to the front of the line along with the 7 or 8 people with them (even if you have people with you that are in pain, but not claiming a disability). We had several groups cut in front of us, and my brother and his wife were in obvious pain from waiting more than 1 1/2 hours for a seat.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Elizabeth,
We're sorry that you experienced a long wait, this certainty is not the norm and the first we hear of it. Our dispatches are very mindful and do an excellent job when it comes to adjusting frequency with traffic flow etc.
As far as line preferences, we do not have a policy on any groups having boarding priority, this seemed to occur at a Stop without any of our representatives present.
Sincerely,
Mike T
It was not good. We were told by our hotel and an employee of another tour company that you stopped in front of Cheers. We waited there almost 30 minutes then saw your bus turn down Beacon street in the opposite direction. Called your # and no one answered or called back. Since the only exact address we had was your stop 1 we walked 25 minutes to get there then all went well. You need to put the exact addresses of your stops on the info you send since it says you can catch the bus at the stops. Think I’ll use another company next time we tour a city.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Michelle,
We’re sorry to hear that you had difficulty planning your stops during your visit. Our trolley stops and their locations are clearly shown on our website, cityviewtrolleys.com, to help guests plan their sightseeing in advance.
For example, Cheers Bar is approximately a 3–4 minute walk from the nearest trolley stop.
We encourage you to use our website and map to plan your stops before your next visit to Boston. We have several resources available to help you make the most of your time with CityView.
We hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a better experience on your next visit.
Sincerely,
Mike T
Trolleys using recorded narration were not as informative or as fun as those where the driver was the narrator.
One round trip. No online msp to find the stsrting point. Their competitors offer offon all day with more stops
Drivers not good either
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Jeff,
CityView offers one of the most comprehensive trolley maps available on our website, cityviewtrolleys.com. We’re sorry if you had difficulty locating it, but the link is clearly visible on our homepage.
In an effort to keep our prices among the lowest in the industry, unlimited loops are available as an upgrade at Trolley Stop #1. However, we do not generally encourage this option because we have created a complimentary GPS Self-Guided Walking Tour App for all of our trolley stops.
The app helps guests explore Boston’s historic neighborhoods, discover hidden gems, and make the most of their time while touring with us.
We appreciate your feedback and hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely,
Mike T
Our tour guide , Joey, was very helpful and knowledgeable of the city and history. We stayed on his bus for a complete tour and then changed to 2 others who were informative as well.
The trolley was a great way to explore the city! It allowed us to jump off at points of interest and then hop back on to the next stop and explore more of the city.
We could not get a hold of this company! No communication on where to start our journey. We had to pay for another hop on hop off! Throughout the day we saw one City View shuttle, the entire day. Asking for a refund because our tickets were not used.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Renee,
We're sorry to hear that you had difficulty finding the information you were looking for. We make every effort to provide comprehensive information on our website to help guests plan their visit.
Please visit cityviewtrolleys.com, where you'll find information on our tours, hours of operation, live vehicle tracking, "Find My Stop" feature, complimentary GPS Self-Guided Walking Tour App, and much more.
We hope you'll take another look at the resources available on our website, and we appreciate your feedback.
Sincerely,
Mike T
Buyer beware ..if you purchase a 2-day pass
Not until you validate the ticket are you told
It's one round trip ..this is only stated in their literature for the one day ticket. so you have to get off at every stop for each day ..once you get back to stop one ..you're done!!! So if you found the tour driver interesting and wanted to stay on for the whole route .. when you get to stop one ..you're done . Also you just can't start at any stop need to start at stop one.
Operators comment" you won't find a satisfaction guarantee anyplace on our website"
Not a truer word could be spoken !
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Denis,
We’re sorry to hear that you assumed your tickets were valid for unlimited tours. Our ticketing structure is designed to help us regulate capacity and prevent overcrowding, overflow, and long waiting times at our trolley stops.
Although our prices are the lowest in Boston, we do offer an $18 upgrade that allows guests to take multiple trips throughout the day. Our brochures also provide a wealth of information to help guests determine which stops they may want to hop off at and explore.
Additionally, we have created a complimentary GPS Self-Guided Walking Tour App for each of our trolley stops. This allows guests to maximize their time and discover many of the hidden gems throughout Boston’s historic neighborhoods while making the most efficient use of their trolley tickets.
I also understand that our manager on duty permitted you to use your tickets for unlimited rides that day as a courtesy. We hope you were able to take advantage of that accommodation and enjoy the opportunity to hop on and off to explore Boston.
We appreciate your feedback and hope this helps clarify how our ticketing and tour options are designed to work.
Sincerely,
Mike T
The ride did encompass many of the historical sights but there was limited pre-recorded narrative.
The driver did far too much casual chit-chat that was offensive, corny, and with too much emphasis on Italian slang and stereotypes although he was Italian himself. He also drove off the prescribed course and ran into a fire hydrant. I am from the west coast and my friend is from Vermont and his performance did not present a professional positive image of Boston.
I have been on many hop-on/hop-off tours that have been informative and professional. This driver did not present a good image of your company.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Hi Helen,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. This certainly is not the level of service we provide, and we will look into what occurred and take the appropriate corrective action.
If you visit Boston again, please feel free to email me directly at cityviewmike@gmail.com. I would welcome the opportunity to provide you with the experience we strive to deliver.
Truly,
Mike T
All the drivers were informative as well as entertaining. Especially Hugo, who was a hoot. It was very easy to hop on & off at the various locations. And "find my trolley" was perfect to know when to head back.
feels a bit phoned in compared to other available tours; the ride was nice, the tracker is helpful, but the actual tour is lackluster
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Hi Kaelei,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I would appreciate the opportunity to learn more about your experience in greater detail. Please feel free to email me directly at cityviewmukw@gmail.com with any additional information you can provide.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Mike T
You are on a tour of the history of Boston. and sports trivia . I asked about newer buildings and got a political talk about who runs the country. No suggestions for restaurants ,bars No explanation how hop on hop off works. I spent $67 ticket and people got on and driver said I don't care if you have a ticket. No explanation about Newbury St. Extremely disappointed.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Hi Debora,
Unfortunately, based on the description of the tour and the ticket price you mentioned, it appears that your experience was with one of our competitors rather than with CityView.
We would greatly appreciate it if you would kindly remove the review from our listing and, if possible, post it to the tour company you actually experienced. This will help ensure that your feedback reaches the appropriate company and that our guests are not inadvertently misled.
Thank you for your understanding and consideration.
All the best,
Mike T
A great way to see many of Boston’s major sites in a convenient and relaxing way, especially if you want to limit the amount of walking. The trolleys run frequently, making it easy to hop off and explore and then continue your tour when you’re ready. The narration provides helpful information and history along the way, making this a great option for first-time visitors or anyone looking for an easy way to see the city.
When visiting Boston the sites are further apart than you think. The hop on and hop off helped close the gaps.
Love that i can scan QR code to see where the trolleys are located. The vehicle is comfortable and frequency of pickup was great, didn’t wait long at all for next trolley. Hugo was very a very entertaining guide and Jack from Dorcester was excellent as well with all of his facts and trivia. Thanks to both these great guides
Great way to see lots of Boston historical sites. The fact that you could also get off and back on the trolley worked great also for sites you wanted to spend more time at,
The tour attendant was excellent at the #1 kiosk. He was very helpful in checking me in even when my tour ticket was hard to come by. The driver was funny and was the highlight of the trip. Lots of interesting sights, but my physical condition didn't allow me to walk around to better enjoy any of the stops.
You know, the microphone wasn’t very clear, so it was difficult to understand what they were saying. I really don’t like that. I feel like I’m not getting much useful information, so I don’t think I’ll do that kind of tour again. Also, because the bus is open on the top, the wind and outside noise make it even harder to hear the guide. Overall, it wasn’t a very good experience for me.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Hi Shahna,
Hearing that the top of the bus was completely open, I believe you may have ridden with one of our competitors rather than with CityView. Our trolleys are open-air, but the roof is enclosed and only the sides are open.
Fully open-top buses can be quite noisy and windy, which is not what we consider the ideal sightseeing experience. Our trolleys are designed to provide the open-air experience while offering a more comfortable environment for enjoying the sights and narration.
We hope you'll visit Boston again and give us the opportunity to show you the CityView experience.
Sincerely,
Mike T
We did the 2 day hop on and off and the first day road the entire 9 stops before deciding where to get off. We didn't have any problems but were asked at what stop we would be getting off at next. No big deal. The driver makes the experience. Some just play the recorded tour and others narrate the tour themselves. Unfortunately the last driver we had our second day decided to stop the trolly to scold us because we needed to live in the moment and not look at the map (that they give you) to decide where we needed to get off and discuss our plans. He thought it was much more important to tell us some historical facts then inject his opinion on politics and state of the country. He didn't care because it was maybe his last day because he is a school teacher and had to go back and teach the kids how to think for themselves. Then did trivia instead of the tour but our map was the problem..... we just got off at the next stop because we couldn't stand him.
The other drivers we had were great! One driver cost this tour 1 star though.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Hi Tom,
Please accept our apologies for this unfortunate blip in your experience. We have not previously received a complaint of this nature, but we will certainly address the matter with the driver and take steps to ensure it is not repeated.
That said, we're pleased to hear that you enjoyed the other aspects of your tour, and we truly appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us.
Sincerely,
Mike T
It was not a hop on and hop off, all day as it is advertised. Once you make a complete loop, you have to get off. Being from out of town, We wanted to make the loop and decide where to spend our time for the day but the format forced us to get off at every stop to make sure we didn’t miss anything.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Hi Stacey,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
We're sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. While we do not advertise or offer unlimited trolley rides, we understand how that expectation may have arisen, as we do offer upgrades for an additional small cost at our kiosks.
We previously offered unlimited rides but found that the model created overcrowding, long lines, extended wait times, and a diminished experience for our guests. As a result, we redesigned our tour experience to provide a more comfortable and enjoyable service for everyone.
To enhance the value of our tour, we also offer a complimentary GPS Self-Guided Walking Tour App at each trolley stop. The app is designed to encourage guests to hop off and explore Boston's hidden gems at their own pace, while providing easy navigation back to the nearest trolley stop to continue their journey.
We hope you'll have the opportunity to visit Boston again, download the app, and experience how well it complements the trolley tour.
Sincerely,
Mike T
I did this experience with my daughter, brother and mom. It was great for three of us, for my mom less so. She can’t walk very far so she mostly stayed in the trolly. However when she got hungry we got off and did not realize that the walk to the stop would be so far. (The driver was nice enough to let us off in between stops closer to a place to eat). There are no benches at the stops which would have been nice for her. The stops were too far apart.
So my suggestion is don’t get off the trolly if walking is an issue and bring snacks.
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up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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