Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Big Bus Tours New York's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

close

Find a Location

Big Bus Tours New York has 2 locations, listed below.

*This company may be headquartered in or have additional locations in another country. Please click on the country abbreviation in the search box below to change to a different country location.

BBB accredited

Near

Country

USUnited States

Please enter a valid location.

Filter

• 

  Big Bus Tours New York

  333 5th Ave New York, NY 10016-5131

• 

  Big Bus Tours New York

  723 7th Ave Fl 5 New York, NY 10019-7461

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hello, I booked a tour for my family for Nov ****** for **. I have booked with them before in multiple cities. These tours have always provided live tour guides. When i booked this tour there was no notifications of any changes. When i arrived on the bus they gave me a pair of headphones. After 10 minutes I noticed that there was no actual tour guide. I had to ask the driver and he said no theres no tour guide and told me to plug in the headphones. I was extremely disappointed but proceeded. The headphones kept cutting in and out the whole 30 minutes on that specific bus. So we decided to get off that bus at random because the bus drivers do not even tell you where you are or what the stop is. We get on the next bus and again, the headphones are consistently cutting in and out. So we switched seats, still no success. We get off the bus and in ********** and decide to eat lunch. We get back on ANOTHER bus after lunch and head towards time square (again no luck with the headphones and no tour) so when we get to time square i see many big bus employees harassing us trying to sell us yet another tour. When i spoke to the manager about what happened and that we would like a refund they quickly denied and said we could email customer service and even then we were not going to get our money back i have emailed them back and forth for days now and all they are willing to refund me is $60 out of the $200 we paid. I wasted a whole day in **, $200 and absolutely no tour or even an announcement of where we were Nd what stop was what and on three different buses. Tbey offered us another tour but i am not traveling again for a long time also if i do i dont want it to be with their company that doesnt provide the service they are advertising. Please i ask your to help me with this refund and possibly find a way to stop them from being able to do this.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/11/2024

  Thank you for taking the time to reach out and share your feedback with us. Im very sorry to hear about your experience with Big Bus Tours New York and understand your frustration. We appreciate you as a repeat customer, and we want to address your concerns directly.

  
  We have updated our tour format to an audio-guided experience, allowing us to offer a flexible and multilingual tour option for all our guests. Currently, our website and booking platforms reflect this change, and we no longer advertise live tour guides in ********. I apologize if this wasnt clear when you booked, as we want all our guests to have an accurate understanding of the experience.
  Were concerned to hear about the audio issues you encountered, as this is not the quality we strive to provide. Our team is actively addressing audio reliability to ensure every passenger can enjoy a seamless, informative tour. Ive shared your feedback with our technical team to prioritize improvements on these issues across our buses.
  Regarding your request for a full refund, I understand your disappointment given the difficulties you encountered. Ill reach out to our customer service team who has been handling your request to re-evaluate the refund amount and process your full amount. 
  Thank you again for sharing this valuable feedback. We hope to have the chance to offer you a better experience should you travel with us in the future.

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/11/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On November 2 & 3, 2024, I experienced a profoundly distressing Accessibility issue and non-compliant accessibility matter when attempting to book a bus tour with Big Bus Tours, and filed a formal Grievance with Big Bus Tours senior management -- a grievance which continues to go ignored and merits immediate resolution and action, prior to commencing further action to pursue resolution. To note, I have emailed Big Bus Tours ***************** and ***************** (including the **** *** **** ******) and have to date had not a single response to this ongoing and urgent matter.I request immediate contact from Big Bus Tours corporate management to resolve this matter, prior to commencing further consumer & civil action to ensure this matter's immediate resolution.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/12/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau of ***,
  
  We believe this complaint was posted to the wrong business as our *************' operation has/had no customer with the first and last name in the complaint forwarded.

  Thank you

  Big Bus Tours NEW YORK CITY 

   

   

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/12/2024

  This matter had to do with pre-booking accessibility & customer care grievance I did not yet receive any booking confirmation because my complaint occurred DURING the booking process.

   

  Kindly forward this grievance to the company urgently for resolution.

  Thank You kindly. 

  Business Response

  Date: 11/12/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau of ***,
  
  We believe this complaint was posted to the wrong business as our *************' operation has/had no customer with the first and last name in the complaint forwarded.
  Thank you
  Big Bus Tours NEW YORK CITY 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My family booked Big Bus tickets through Groupon on October 18th. We had a huge problem with our driver. I was not able to get his name, but I do have a photo that I can send you. We have taken big bus tours in many different cities over the years, and have always been satisfied. Unfortunately this driver does not understand that big bus rides are supposed to be "hop on, hop off". He drove so slowly that it would take the entire day to complete 1 lap. The fastest speed that we ever reached was half of the walking pace of the pedestrians on the sidewalk. During our ride, WE WERE PASSED BY 2 OTHER BIG BUSSES, as well as many other busses from other companies. It took well over ONE HOUR to go from the flatiron building stop to the NEXT stop in ****. To make matters worse, apparently the original Soho stop has been moved farther down the road. When we passed the original stop at a snails pace, we were extremely late for other activities we had booked, so we came down the stairs to get off the bus as soon as the driver would allow us to. We were stopped at a traffic light when this happened. Unfortunately HE BEGAN SCREAMING AT **, INCLUDING MY YOUNG DAUGHTER. He was mostly screaming nonsense, but he would not let us leave the bus, we were completely trapped. This driver's rate of speed was completely unacceptable, and not allowing passengers to exit after we were being held hostage by this idiot was unbelievable. We were late for other activities the rest of the day. We need to be refunded for this trip. And this confused, abusive driver should not be behind the wheel of a bus.We tried to resolve this issue with Big Bus tours customer support, which was a huge waste of my time. They refuse to issue a refund.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/11/2024

  Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience. Im very sorry to hear about the issues you encountered during your recent Big Bus tour. We want every guest to enjoy a smooth, safe, and pleasant experience with us, and I regret that this was not the case for you and your family.

  
  Big Bus drivers are required to adhere to authorized stops designated by the **************************** (***), which means they are not permitted to let passengers off the bus at any location outside of these stops. We understand this may have been frustrating given the timing of your plans, but this policy is in place for passenger safety. Additionally, our drivers are trained to navigate at a pace that allows for a comfortable sightseeing experience in ********* busy streets, though Im sorry that, on this occasion, you felt the pace was unreasonably slow.

  Regarding your interaction with the driver, we expect all our team members to handle guest interactions with professionalism and respect. Your feedback about this particular incident has been noted, and we will investigate this matter further to ensure it aligns with our standards of conduct and service.
  I apologize as well for the delay in resolving this with customer support. Due to the fact that you purchased your tickets through a 3rd ************* (Groupon) we do not have any of your payment information. Have you reached out to ******* already? Could you send me your ticket information to **************************************************************************************************************************;

  Thank you again for your feedback, which helps us improve our service and better serve our guests in the future.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/17/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On July 10, 2024 I purchased 2 tickets for the Big Bus Tour in ******** CIty for a total cost of $154. We boarded the first bus and within one minute was immediately feeling sick from the extreme heat on board. The air was easily over 90 degrees with no air flow. I asked the bus driver about why it was so hot on board and he stated the air conditioning was broken. He also stated the air conditioning wasn't working on most of the other buses. We had to immediately get off at the next stop. After cooling off, we tried to board another bus but asked the driver if the air conditioning was working before boarding. The driver said no that his bus also had no working air conditioning. I then immediately contacted the company asking for a full refund. With multiple communications, they will not give a full refund. The conditions on the bus are inhumane for customers and the drivers. I am asking for a full refund of the tickets that were never used due to the extremely high temperatures on the bus.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/19/2024

  Hello 

  We apologize for the inconvenience. Our company advertise and provide seats on our open-air double ****** buses.

  The refund has been processed and should appear shortly in your account 

  Sincerely 

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/31/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the ******* Sightseeing tour service in *************, which severely disrupted our travel plans and caused significant inconvenience. On May 19th at 10 AM, my sister, brother-in-law who came from ***** and I, who had travelled from ****** for a one-day visit to ******** before heading to ****** on May 20th, were approached by a male sales representative of Big BUS near time square when we were heading to The ***************************The salesperson convinced us to purchase a sightseeing package for $100 per person, promising it included tickets to the ************************** (MET) and a cruise to the Statue of Liberty at 2:00 pm. He also assured us that the bus service ran every five minutes and covered ten different scenes. Additionally, he mentioned that downloading their app would help us track the bus stop locations.However, the reality was far from what was promised. After finishing our visit to the museum around 1 PM, we had to wait 20 minutes for the bus, which then took almost an hour for a round trip in the ferry location. When we finally reached the location for the Statue of Liberty cruise, it was already past 2 PM, the last entry time for the day, and we missed the opportunity to visit. Furthermore, the app failed to load Big bus stop locations, making it impossible to find any ******* stops. The promised five-minute intervals were not adhered to, and by 5 PM, we couldn't use the service at all.As a result, we were unable to use the ******* services we had paid for, totaling $300 for the three of us. The salesperson misled us about the inclusion of the MET museum ticket and the waiting times for the bus, which ruined our entire ******** visit. Given these circumstances, we request a full refund of $300 for the unused and misrepresented services.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/31/2024

   

  We apologize for any misunderstanding, Refund will be provided shortly

  Regards 

  BBT

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/31/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
  The business can mail the check of refund to my corresponded address. thank you
  Sincerely,
  
  ********************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/28/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I spent $500 for 4 adults and 1 child tickets. The pass was to be good for 2 days. An agent at our initial pickup, scanned our electronic ticket and gave us a paper receipt. He never told us the electronic ticket would no longer work to get on the bus and that we needed to keep the paper receipt. We didnt keep the paper receipt and therefore wasnt allowed to board again. We basically paid $500 to get from *********** to the *********************.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/28/2024

  Hello 

  Boarding Passes are to be retain at all time , one ticket per passengers , customers and large group are free to explore independently. 

  Bus Tickets do have clear mentions they must be retained at all times, and subject to control on board.

  Please provide the initial booking reference , or original voucher, so that we can process a refund 

  Sincerely 

  Management 

   

   

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/01/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

  I have attached a screenshot of the pass sent to me and added to apple wallet.  Hopefully this will be enough for them to process the refund.  The tickets were bought in the name of ************************* and the receipt was sent to *******************

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************
  
  
  
  
   
  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/07/2024

  thank you - the refund will be processed today and usually takes a couple of business days to appear on the customers statement 

  Regards, 

  BBTNY 

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/14/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/29/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Ive used Big Bus Tours several times in different cities in this past year without issues, however I purchased 4 adult tickets for 2 days in *** and the wait times each time for each stop easily over an hour. We spent over 30 minutes at a stop on a bus that never showed and then became ***** minute wait! We never even got the opportunity to check in. I asked for a refund and they refused and gave me a credit and said I would have no issue the next day using the bus, but again today 45-60minute plus waits and at multiple stops never even live times given with no buses around on the map that again were well over their promised 20 minutes and no chance to even get on and explore the city. I then reached out via their chat again with no response back today, essentially allowing them to pocket $400 without any explanation or response! I leave the city tomorrow morning and dont live anywhere near any other BB tours.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/29/2024

  Customer is largely exaggerating in order to get a refund. Company is experiencing a problem with arrival time on the app. 

  but the bus service is running as normal. Oddly, no other customers complaint ..... *********** will provide a refund in order to avoid the chargebacks ...

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/30/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved. Though why would even bother waiting at a bus stop or walking to one if there apps and times are not working properly, that is not an over exaggeration.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/02/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We paid for two adult tickets while traveling in ********. Spent time site swing and following the app which never picked up where it said it would. Two occasions we missed the bus. Just pointless. The dont follow their own instructions.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/02/2023

  We understand the customer did not enjoy the tour, although we can see the tickets being redeemed and used ... Refund has been applied ...

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/06/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased 4 tickets for the Red Loop Downtown tour for $180 via Big Bus Tours New York at around 10AM on 6/28/2022 at the ************ through their Concierge Vouchers system. I walked with my family to the first stop on the loop arriving around 10:30AM and waited for over an hour to try and board a bus in a line that was 3 blocks long and barely moving. We finally took a city bus to a different Big Bus Tour stop further down the line, and 1 or 2 buses passed us without even stopping. Finally a bus allowed us to board, but upon seeing the print outs we were issued by Hilton, the driver screamed in my face to get off and go back to the first stop and get a "real ticket." Bewildered and totally shocked, we explained all the problems we had had, and he begrudgingly allowed us to stay on but refused to let us up to the top of the double ****** bus. Since the bus was wrapped with advertisements you could barely see out the windows, it was hot that day yet there was no air conditioning, and the smell of fuel was so strong inside the bus that myself and my 6yo got nauseous so we got off at the next stop anyhow! Every other tourist site we visited in *** on this trip had a limited number of tickets available for purchase on any given day and/or time and would often sell out. I wish Big Bus Tours would have never sold us tickets in the first place if they were so obviously overbooked that day. Similarly, if there is a specific type of ticket you need beyond the Concierge Vouchers, they should explain that to customers at the point of purchase. I've tried contacting the company for a refund but there's no phone number, email or online form on their website. I am requesting a refund because their irresponsible and misleading service led to our incredibly negative experience, including losing $180 dollars, having to rearrange the transportation and schedule for our entire day on the fly, and being screamed at and my son and I feeling sick to our stomach.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/07/2022

  Good morning 

   

  I am terribly sorry to read about your experience,

  Please provide a proof of purchase or reservation number and i will organize the refund immediately. 

   

  Sincerely 

  ******* 

   

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/07/2022

  I no longer have the voucher print outs but this is the information from my credit card statement. The tickets were purchased through ********************, **. Thank you and please let me know if you need additional information.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/08/2022

  Thank you for providing the proof of purchase, we will process the refund by check today 

  
  

  Regards

  *******

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/21/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Purchased tickets thru Big Bus Tours ($241.74) to go to *********** We had previously purchased tour tickets. The museum wouldnt except the email. Called Big Bus Tours and they said sorry their office was closed and we couldnt get our tickets or money back. I just simply want a refund.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/21/2022

  We are sorry for the inconvenience and issuing the refund today,

   

  Regards 

  ** ***** 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/22/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved as long as they refund the money. 
  
  ***********************************************