Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is a set of river bus services on the River Thames in London, England.
The company operates both commuter services between eastern and Central London and tourist services under licence from London River Services. At present they transport around 10,000 passengers daily on average.
Company Sean Collins co-founded Thames Clippers in 1999 with partner Alan Woods as Collins River Enterprises. Thames Clippers was then taken over in September 2006 by the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), who promised substantial investment into the company to upgrade the services and to provide a more frequent "hop-on-hop-off" between Central London and The O2, also owned by AEG.
In September 2003, Thames Clippers was awarded a ten-year contract to operate the service.Mayor awards Thames Clippers ten year riverbus service contract Transport for London 11 September 20023
In 2007 the company purchased six new catamarans to be used on the commuter service in order to carry a large number of passengers in a comfortable environment. In 2015 and 2017, a total of four new 'Hunt Class' catamarans were purchased for use primarily on the RB6 Service.Capital Clippers Ships Monthly March 2016 pages 42-45
In July 2020, the company announced a partnership with ride-sharing service Uber, which acquired naming rights to the ferry and rebranding the service as Uber Boat by Thames Clippers.
In April 2022, global private markets investment firm Northleaf Capital Partners acquired a majority interest in Uber Boat by Thames Clippers from AEG, promising to bring new investment.
Tickets Uber Boat by Thames Clippers operate under licence from Transport for London. The river boat service is now better integrated into the tube and bus ticketing network. From November 2009, Thames Clippers services started to accept Oyster pay as you go on all of its services, which also provides a discount on single and return fares. Contactless payment is also accepted.
A River Roamer ticket, valid for one day, is available from Thames Clippers which allows the holder to hop on and hop off along the banks of the Thames between Putney Pier and Barking Riverside Pier (including the Canary Wharf - Rotherhithe Ferry). An adult single trip fare changes depending on zones. There is a one third discount for holders of valid travelcards (excluding Family River Roamer tickets and fares for The O2 Express).
Special river service season tickets, valid for either 1 week, 1 month, or 1 year, are also available. Discounts for travelcard holders are also available on season tickets. Carnet tickets are also available via the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers tickets app.
Park and Glide tickets are also available which grant access to the car park at The O2, and the River Bus.
Commuter services RB1 During weekday peak times, the service runs from Westminster in the west to Barking Riverside in the east. During off-peak hours the service is extended to Battersea Power Station. Not all services stop at every pier. Stops from west to east:
Pier Zone Interchanges Service notesBattersea Power Station Central Battersea Power Station Off-peak only, served all day on weekends.Vauxhall (St George Wharf) Central Vauxhall Off-peak only, served all day on weekends.Millbank Central Off-peak only, served all day on weekends. Intermittent service timesWestminster Central Westminster Eastbound weekday peak services start hereLondon Eye (Waterloo) Central Waterloo Westbound weekday peak services terminate here, served on weekdays westbound only during peak hours. Intermittent service timesEmbankment Central Embankment Blackfriars Central Blackfriars Weekdays during peak hours only. Intermittent service timesBankside Central Blackfriars London Bridge City Central London Bridge Tower Central Tower Hill Tower Gateway Fenchurch Street Canary Wharf Central and East Canary Wharf Canary Wharf Canary Wharf Rotherhithe East Selected services stop hereGreenland (Surrey Quays) East Canada Water Masthouse Terrace East Mudchute Greenwich East Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich North Greenwich East North Greenwich Royal Wharf East West Silvertown Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) East Woolwich Arsenal Woolwich Barking Riverside East Barking Riverside
RB4
Thames Clippers operates the direct cross river Canary Wharf - Rotherhithe Ferry, between Canary Wharf Pier and Rotherhithe Pier at the DoubleTree Docklands in Rotherhithe. The service uses smaller boats than the commuter service but runs at a higher frequency of every 20 minutes and every 10 minutes during peak times. The ferry can be used by guests of the hotel free of charge as well as by passengers not staying at the hotel at a cost.
From March to April 2025, the ferry was temporarily shut down to rebuild the pier, as part of a UK government project to create the first electric cross-river ferry in London, using the new Orbit Clipper. During the works, replacement services ran from Canary Wharf Pier to Greenland (Surrey Quays) Pier. The new wheelchair accessible Rotherhithe Pier opened in April 2025, with the smaller Twinstar continuing to serve the route. The Orbit Clipper is still to be introduced.
Pier Zone Interchanges Canary Wharf Central and East Canary Wharf Canary Wharf Canary Wharf Rotherhithe East
RB6 Runs every day from Putney to Canary Wharf or North Greenwich, with some services extending to Barking Riverside. Not all services stop at every pier. Stops from west to east: Pier Zone Interchanges Service notesPutney West Putney Bridge Putney Wandsworth Riverside Quarter West Wandsworth Town St Mary's Wandsworth West Clapham Junction Chelsea Harbour West Imperial Wharf Cadogan West Intermittent service timesBattersea Power Station Central Battersea Power Station Vauxhall (St George Wharf) Central Vauxhall Millbank Central Off-peak only, served all day on weekends. Intermittent service timesWestminster Central Westminster London Eye (Waterloo) Central Waterloo Eastbound only. Intermittent service timesEmbankment Central Embankment Blackfriars Central Blackfriars Weekdays during peak hours only. Intermittent service timesBankside Central Blackfriars London Bridge City Central London Bridge Tower Central Tower Hill Tower Gateway Fenchurch Street Canary Wharf Central and East Canary Wharf Canary Wharf Canary Wharf Rotherhithe East Selected services stop hereGreenland (Surrey Quays) East Canada Water Masthouse Terrace East Mudchute Greenwich East Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich North Greenwich East North Greenwich Royal Wharf East West Silvertown Limited serviceWoolwich (Royal Arsenal) East Woolwich Arsenal Woolwich Limited serviceBarking Riverside East Barking Riverside Limited service
Trial service to Gravesend In September 2017, Thames Clippers ran a trial commuter service between Gravesend and Central London.On 4 November 2022, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers announced that they had completed the purchase of Gravesend Town Pier, with an aim to operating long-term River Bus services from the pier within the next 2–3 years.
From 27 July 2024 to 29 September 2024, Thames Clippers will run the service again.
Visitor/tourist services Tate to Tate The Tate to Tate is a ticketed leisure service between the Tate Modern at Bankside Pier and the Tate Britain at Millbank Pier. Passengers travel on the RB1 service on weekdays and the RB2 at weekends. Tickets can be purchased from the Tate galleries in addition to standard options.
The O2 Express The O2 Express is an express service from North Greenwich Pier calling at London Bridge City Pier, London Eye (Waterloo) Pier and Battersea Power Station Pier. The service also provides private charters.
Fleet Thames Clippers operates a fleet of 25 vessels.
Name Length Passengers Type Builder Built Acquired Image+ Saturn Clipper 230 Hunt Class Mk IV Wight Shipyard 2026 2026 Orbit Clipper 150 Passenger RO-RO Wight ShipyardThames Clipper Ships Monthly February 2026 page 10 2024 2025 Mars Clipper 230 Hunt Class Mk IV Wight ShipyardThird hybrid vessel for Thames operations Ships Monthly November 2024 2023 2023 Celestial Clipper 230 Hunt Class Mk IV Wight Shipyard 2023 2023 Earth Clipper 230 Hunt Class Mk IV Wight ShipyardHybrid craft for the Thames Ships Monthly October 2023 page 11 2023 2023 Venus Clipper 220 Hunt Class Mk III Wight Shipyard 2018 2019 Jupiter Clipper 172 Hunt Class Mk II Wight Shipyard 2017 2017 Mercury Clipper 172 Hunt Class Mk II Wight Shipyard 2017 2017 Galaxy Clipper 150 Hunt Class Mk I IncatIntroducing Galaxy Clipper & Neptune Clipper Incat 2015 2015 Neptune Clipper 150 Hunt Class Mk I Incat 2015 2015 Aurora Clipper 220 River Runner 200 Mk IIB 'Typhoon Class' BSC MarineProject Summary - Thames Clippers Brisbane Ship Constructions 30 November 2007 2008 2008 Meteor Clipper 220 River Runner 200 Mk IIB 'Typhoon class' BSC Marine 2008 2008 Cyclone Clipper 220 River Runner 200 Mk IIB 'Typhoon Class' BSC Marine 2007 2007 Monsoon Clipper 220 River Runner 200 Mk IIB 'Typhoon Class' BSC Marine 2007 2007 Tornado Clipper 220 River Runner 200 Mk IIB 'Typhoon Class' BSC Marine 2007 2007 Typhoon Clipper 220 River Runner 200 Mk IIB 'Typhoon Class' BSC Marine 2007 2007 Hurricane Clipper 220 River Runner 200 MkII NQEARiver Runner Vessels NQEA 2001 2001 Moon Clipper 138 River Runner 150 Mk II NQEA 2001 2005 Sun Clipper 138 River Runner 150 Mk II NQEA 2001 2005 Sky Clipper 62 FBM Hydrocat FBM 1992 1999 Star Clipper 62 FBM Hydrocat FBM 1992 1999 Storm Clipper 62 FBM Hydrocat FBM 1992 1999 Twinstar Clipper 120 Class V ? 1976 2004 Comet Clipper 12 Executive Launch ? ? 2019 Orion Clipper 12 Executive Launch ? ? 2016
Accidents On 2 May 2004, a woman was killed while waiting for a boat after she was hit by a mooring bollard which had come loose from the Star Clipper at St. Katharine's Pier.
On 4 October 2011 at 7pm, the Moon Clipper hit the Tower Millennium Pier when it was carrying about 50 people. Four people were injured.
On 31 December 2014, Moon Clipper hit a moored vessel, Mercuria, while running light back to Trinity Buoy Wharf. The vessel was then repaired, and returned to service on 5 February 2015.
On 5 December 2016, the Typhoon Clipper collided with the work-boat Alison, resulting in the sinking of the work-boat. The two crew members on the work-boat were taken to hospital.
On 20 September 2022, the Moon Clipper had an engine fire while working on the RB6 service to Putney. No one was hurt, but the vessel was evacuated, and spent a few months in dry-dock being repaired.
Piers
Thames Clippers serves at least 24 piers in London, five of which they own, including St Mary's Wandsworth Pier and Gravesend Town Pier, which they purchased from Gravesham Borough Council in 2022.
Expansion A Policy Exchange report from 2010 advocated significant expansion in river services on the Thames. The aim of the report is to lead to a "river tube line" being created which would lead to easing of current congestion on London's transport systems, and better quality of travel, at a significantly cheaper price than other options. Opponents note that the river capacity, especially at low tide could mean a reduction of tourist boats (especially at peak commuter times), and turn the Thames into an urban highway which would be detrimental to London. To be feasible, the report calls for better management of river traffic, improved interchange with other public transport modes and expansion of key piers.
The Mayor of London is responsible for the River Concordat group, which is made-up of over forty different organisations including Thames Clippers. The publication, By the River, sets out the strategic vision for improving river transport on the Thames.