Canal boat trips from Camden Lock to Little Venice

Short version: two operators run between Camden Lock and Little Venice. The London Waterbus Company is from £17 one way and wants you to book online. Jason's Trip is £19 one way, £25 return, and takes walk-ons. Both take about 45 minutes. Neither stops at London Zoo.

The zoo stop that no longer exists

Plenty of older listings still promise a zoo landing. Ignore them. The London Waterbus Company's own site says: “We do not stop at London Zoo.” The boats do pass through the zoo grounds, and you can see some enclosures from the water, including Lord Snowdon's aviary towering over the canal. You just cannot get off. To visit the zoo, get off at Camden and walk, which the operator puts at about 15 minutes.

London Waterbus Company

Boats leave from West Yard, Camden Lock Market, NW1 8AF, and from Brownings Pool at Little Venice. The trip takes about 45 minutes, depending on canal traffic and tunnel waits. There are two kinds of boat:

• The Classic: a historic narrowboat with live English-language commentary.
• The Comfort Cruiser: a wider boat with an onboard bar, refreshments and music, but no commentary.

One-way prices on the operator's site: adult (17 to 59) £17, child (4 to 16) £14, student (17+) £14, senior (60+) £14. Infants aged 0 to 3 go free, but the ticket has to be added alongside an adult, student or senior ticket.

Camden Council's directory lists online booking with live availability as required for all Waterbus services, so book ahead. Arrive 10 minutes before departure, because check-in closes 5 minutes before. Departure times sit in the booking widget on the London Waterbus Company site, so check the live times for your day. Details on the two boats are on its Regent's Canal page.

Jason's Trip

Jason's bills itself as the original Regent's Canal tour, running since 1951. The boat is an old traditional canal boat, originally a cargo vessel. At Little Venice it moors opposite 42 Blomfield Road, by the Westbourne Terrace road bridge. At the Camden end it leaves from Camden Lock, West Yard.

The 2026 season runs 6 April to 29 October. According to London Drum, the timetable is:

• From Little Venice: 10:30, 12:30 and 14:30 daily, plus 16:30 on Saturdays and Sundays from June to August.
• From Camden Lock: 11:15, 13:15 and 15:15 daily, plus 17:15 on Saturdays and Sundays from June to August.

Prices are £19 single and £25 return for adults, and £15 single and £20 return for concessions. Under-4s are free. The return works out cheaper than two singles, so if you are coming back the same way, buy it. Jason's takes cards, cash and the Go City London Pass, and you pay at the boat.

The operator says reservations are not necessary and seats are held for walk-on customers, but it also says to arrive early. The boat is small, and London Drum's listing suggests booking through the operator's reservation page is wise. On a summer weekend, do that. The full timetable is on Jason's site.

Commentary runs from Little Venice to Camden only, covering canal history from 1800 to the present. Going the other way, you get the view and no talking.

Which one to pick

• You want a story: go Little Venice to Camden on Jason's, or take the Waterbus Classic.
• You want a drink and music on board: the Waterbus Comfort Cruiser has the bar.
• You want the cheapest single: the Waterbus at £17.
• You want a return and no booking: Jason's at £25, with the early arrival caveat.

What you will pass

Going from Little Venice, the route takes in the Edwardian and Regency streets around the triangular pool, the Maida Hill Tunnel (about 272 yards long, according to a 2012 blog), Regent's Park, London Zoo and the aviary, then Primrose Hill, before arriving at Camden Lock. Both boats use the tunnel. Little Venice is the point where the Regent's Canal meets the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union, near Paddington station.

Getting off at Camden

You land at Camden Lock, a short stroll from the market's street food, clothes and vinyl. Go via Camden Lock after your trip and the stalls are right there. Check the live times before you set off, because tunnel waits and canal traffic can nudge the timings.