If you are looking for something a little different for you and your family to do this Easter, why not head down to the River Thames and set sail on one of the regular River Bus services or take advantage of the raft of River Tours available.

River Bus services will be operating a regular service throughout the holidays, running from the early morning until the early evening, providing easy access to some of London's finest attractions including the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, the Tower of London and the London Eye.

A wide range of River Tours are also available, offering afternoon tea, dining and so much more. 

So whether you are looking for a gentle leisurely cruise down the river, taking in the sights of London from a different perspective, or a high speed RIB tour which offers an adrenaline filled experience on one of the fastest boats on the Thames, the river really has something for everyone.

Full details of the services are provided in the recently published spring and summer guide for London River Services, available at some central London piers, London Underground Stations and Transport for London (TfL) Travel Information Kiosks or at www.tfl.gov.uk/river.

Andy Thompson, General Manager of London River Services, said: `Make Easter extra special for your family this year and enjoy London's most famous highway. 

`A range of services stretch from Hampton Court in the west to Woolwich in the east, and offer everything from fast commuter services, to dinner cruises to sightseeing trips on high-speed boats.'

TfL and the Mayor of London are committed to making the most of the River Thames and to this end launched a 'River Action Plan' last year that will see £10m invested, with the ambitious aim of increasing the number of people travelling on the river from 6.5 million to 12 million by 2020. 

The plan sets out a range of improvements to piers and passenger information. 

TfL is seeking to better promote river services and work more collaboratively with partners such as boat operators and London & Partners. 

As part of this plan TfL has already delivered real-time next boat information to the majority of the piers served by River Bus services, allowing passengers to time their arrival at a pier to catch the next service.

  • The London River Services spring/summer River Bus and River Tours guides are available at: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/river
  • London River Services is responsible for managing eight piers on the river: Westminster, Festival, Embankment, Millbank, Blackfriars, Bankside, Tower and Greenwich.
  • All London River Services piers allow step-free access from the shore to the boat, allowing easy access for mobility impaired passengers.  Most river boats are accessible - passengers should contact boat operators for comprehensive accessibility information when planning their journeys.  The relevant contact information is included in the new guide and is available at www.tfl.gov.uk/river. 
  • The fast River Bus service, RB1, operates all day every day from Embankment Pier and London Eye Pier to The O2 at North Greenwich, with some continuing to Woolwich Arsenal.  The last boat back into central London from North Greenwich is at 22.20 daily although services run later on event nights at The O2.  
  • Passengers with a valid Travelcard get a third off the price of most river services.  Passengers with Oyster pay as you go get 10 per cent off the Thames Clipper standard adult fare, with the exception of journeys on The O2 Express service and the Putney to Blackfriars service (RB6).
  • London River Services is keen to ensure the continued growth and development of river services and to see that all riverboat services are integrated, where practicable, with London's other public transport services.