London buses / Coaches

London bus routes and services

You can pick up bus timetables and route maps from Travel Information Centres dotted around the city, or order them from 0207 371 0247. You can also visit tfl.gov.uk.

For more general information, and for up-to-the-minute info on current delays and cancellations, try telephoning 0207 222 1234.

Travelling on a London bus

Tourists and first-time travellers will likely be unaware of the various rules and regulations whilst travelling on a London bus, so here is a little list to get you by:

1. If you want the bus to stop, then stick a stationary hand out into the road as it approaches. Otherwise they might drive past.
2. If you are boarding a bus that takes money (see below), it is expected that you will have the correct fare ready. Expect the driver to grumble if you hand over a large note. For some strange reason, paying a two-pound fare with a ten-pound note is considered a big no-no!
3. Keep hold of your ticket until you get off, as inspectors may board the bus to check them.
4. When you want the bus to stop, make sure that you press the bell in plenty of time. If the bell doesn't sound, then it has probably already been pressed by somebody else – look for a lit ‘Bus stopping’ sign near the front.

Bus tickets and fares

Be warned that not all bus drivers sell tickets – some routes now require you to buy one before boarding the bus. The way that you can tell is by looking at the bus-stop sign – those with a yellow background have machines nearby where you can purchase a ticket.

If the machine is broken, then the driver is supposed to take you to the next stop where you can buy another ticket.

Children under 16-years of age, and those under 18 who are still in full-time education, currently travel for free – provided that they can show a valid photo card.

Find a bus route

View bus route timetables:

Find out which bus takes you to a train station:

Or find bus routes between two different stations:

Or find the closest bus stops to a particular place:

Oyster travel cards

An Oyster travel card is different from a paper ticket in that it can be constantly topped up with money. It also stays valid forever. You can therefore fill it up at the start of your holiday and use it whenever and wherever you want, topping it up as you go along.

All you have to do is touch it against the yellow reader at the front of the bus. Any remaining credit should flash up on the driver’s till.

Night buses

Night buses (prefixed by the letter ‘N’) run between midnight and 4.30AM. Most routes converge on Trafalgar Square, Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road, and only stop when you put your hand out.

Children normally travel for free during the day, but are expected to pay an adult fare after 10PM.

Sightseeing bus tours

There are numerous bus companies in London offering sightseeing tours. Here is a list of the most popular ones:

Big Bus Company: Telephone 0207 233 9533
Original London Sightseeing Tour: Telephone 0207 877 1722

Coaches to and from London

There are numerous coach companies that offer routes in and out of London:

National Express: Telephone 0870 580 8080, or visit nationalexpress.com
Megabus: Telephone 0900 160 0900, or visit megabus.com
Green Line: Telephone 0870 608 7261, or visit greenline.co.uk
Eurolines: Telephone 0870 514 3219, or visit eurolines.com