Travel Information for London  

London Buses Travel Information Guide

Travelling around in London can be daunting for the first time visitor.

There are a range of public transport options in the city, with good, well established rail, bus, taxi and underground connections. Services are frequent and affordable.

The Bus routes in London are managed by London Buses who licence a number of independent operating companies.

A Central London Bus Map can be viewed here showing route numbers and stops

The buses range from large double deck buses to small 30 seaters. In Central London you have to pre-purchase tickets, you cannot pay on board.

Tickets are available in a number of places such as local newsagents (convenience stores) and online via facilities such as the Oyster card. ( a system that enables you to pre pay and use a variety of bus and underground routes)

Most buses run from around 5 a.m. to about midnight. At other times there is a night bus service on many routes in the centre of London

Peak and Off Peak Travel Times

Londons Buses run on a peak and off peak system. Some ticket types are not valid during peak hours.

Peak hours are before 9 30.a.m. Monday to Friday. Off peak travel is generally cheaper.

Oyster Cards
Any Bus Pass, Travelcard or bus Saver ticket is valid for travel across the London bus network.
For services that cross the London boundary, these tickets are valid on the section of route
detailed below.

20 Arriva London Walthamstow Central Bus Station to Debden Broadway
Torrington Drive
80 London General Hackbridge Reynolds Close to Belmont High Down &
Downview
81 Transdev Hounslow Bus Station to Slough Bus Station
84 Metroline New Barnet Station to Potters Bar Cranborne Road
96 Stagecoach Woolwich High Street to Bluewater Park Shopping Centre
107 Metroline Edgware Station to New Barnet Station
116 Transdev Hounslow Bus Station to Ashford Hospital
117 Armchair West Middlesex Hospital to Staines Bus Station
142 Arriva the Shires & Essex Brent Cross Shopping Centre to Watford Junction Station
150 First London Becontree Heath Bus Station to Chigwell Row The
Maypole
166 Arriva London West Croydon Bus Station to Epsom General Hospital
167 Docklands Buses Ilford High Road to Debden Broadway Torrington Drive
203 Transdev Hounslow Bus Station to Staines Bus Station
215 First London Walthamstow Central Bus Station to Lee Valley Camp Site
216 Transdev Kingston Cromwell Road Bus Station to Staines Bus
Station
217 Metroline Turnpike Lane Station to Waltham Cross Bus Station
233 Metrobus Eltham Station to Swanley, Beechenlea Lane
235 Travel London Brentford County Court to Sunbury Village Three Fishes
246 Metrobus Bromley North Station to Westerham The
Green/Chartwell House
258 Arriva the Shires & Essex South Harrow Station to Watford Junction Station
275 Arriva London Walthamstow, St James Street Station to Barkingside
Tesco
279 Arriva London Manor House Station to Waltham Cross Bus Station
290 Transdev Twickenham Arragon Road to Staines Bus Station
292 London Transdev Colindale ASDA to Borehamwood Rossington Avenue
293 Quality Line Morden Station to Epsom General Hospital
298 Arriva London Arnos Grove Station to Potters Bar Cranborne Road
Industrial Area
310 Arriva the Shires & Essex Enfield Little Park Gardens to Waltham Cross Bus Station
313 Arriva London Chingford Station to Potters Bar Station or Dame Alice
Owen's School
317 Arriva London Enfield Little Park Gardens to Waltham Cross Bus Station
327 Arriva the Shires & Essex Elsinge Estate to Waltham Cross Bus Station
331 First London Uxbridge Station to Ruislip Station
347 Blue Triangle Romford Station to Ockendon Station
362 First London King George Hospital, Goodmayes to Grange Hill Station
370 Arriva Kent Thameside Romford Market to North Ockendon Home Farm Cottage
372 Blue Triangle Hornchurch Town Centre to Lakeside Shopping Centre
373 Arriva Kent Thameside Romford Market to Aveley Road White Post Wood
397 Arriva London South Chingford, Crooked Billet to Debden Broadway
402 Arriva Kent & Sussex Bromley North Station to Knockholt Pound 3 Horseshoes
403 Arriva London West Croydon Bus Station to Warlingham Sainsbury's
404 Quality Line Coulsdon Red Lion to Caterham-on-the-Hill Westway
Common
405 Metrobus West Croydon Bus Station to Redhill Bus Station
406 Transdev Kingston Cromwell Road Bus Station to Epsom General
Hospital
407 Arriva London Sutton Marshall’s Road to Caterham Station
411 Transdev Kingston Cromwell Road Bus Station to West Molesey
Central Avenue
418 Transdev Kingston Cromwell Road Bus Station to Epsom Clock
Tower
428 Arriva Kent Thameside Erith Bexley Road/Cross Street to Bluewater Park
Shopping Centre
434 Metrobus Coulsdon Ridgemount Avenue to Whyteleafe Station
Court Bushes Road
462 First London Ilford Hainault Street to Hainault The Lowe
464 Metrobus New Addington Parkway/King Henry’s Drive to Tatsfield
Old Ship
465 Travel London Kingston Cromwell Road Bus Station to Dorking South
Street
466 Metrobus Addington Village Interchange to Caterham-on-the-Hill
Westway Common
467 Transdev Hook Library to Epsom General Hospital
470 Quality Line Colliers Wood Station to Epsom Clock Tower
477 Arriva Kent Thameside Orpington Station to Crockenhill Road Crouch Farm
491 Arriva London North Middlesex Hospital to Waltham Cross Bus Station
492 Arriva Kent Thameside Sidcup Station to Bluewater Park Shopping Centre
498 Arriva Kent Thameside Romford Station to Brentwood Sainsbury’s
500 Arriva the Shires &
Essex/Trustline
Romford Station to Havering-atte-Bower Liberty Cottages
514 Travel London Kingston Hospital to Long Ditton Effingham Road/Ewell
Road
515 Travel London Kingston Cromwell Road Bus Station to Long Ditton
Effingham Road/Ewell Road
549 Docklands Buses South Woodford Station to Loughton Station
601 London Central Thamesmead Town Centre to Dartford Heath Wilmington
Hall School
608 East London Romford Station to Shenfield High School
612 Arriva London Hamsey Green Warlingham School to Selsdon Farley Road
614 Uno Queensbury Station to Barnet St Albans Road/Christ
Church
626 Metroline Finchley Central Station to Potters Bar Dame Alice Owen's
School
635 Armchair Brentford County Court to Sunbury St Paul’s School
641 Transdev Teddington School to West Molesey Central Avenue
667 Arriva London Illford High Road to Chigwell West Hatch School
699 First London Winchmore Hill Green Dragon Lane to Potters Bar Dame
Alice Owen's School
B15 Arriva Kent Thameside Eltham Station to Joydens Wood via Bexley Park
K3 Transdev Roehampton Vale ASDA to Esher High School
N279 Arriva London Trafalgar Square to Waltham Cross Bus Station
R5 Metrobus Orpington circular via Knockholt Pound, Cudham and
Halstead
R68 Travel London Kew Retail Park to Hampton Court Station
S1 Quality Line Mitcham Lower Green to Banstead Marks & Spencer
Oyster single fares, to pay as you go, are valid for travel across the London bus network, with
the exception of the following bus routes:
310, 370, 373, 402, 477, 500, 514, 515 and 614

If you have any comments regarding bus services in London please contact:

London Buses Customer Services
84 Eccleston Square
London SW1V 1PX
Customer Service Centre
Telephone: 0845 300 7000
Textphone: 020 7918 4435
(lines open 0800-2000 Mondays-Fridays, except public holidays)
email: customerservices@tfl-buses.co.uk

For further details, see: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/fares-tickets/2008

Where To Purchase Your Ticket

In most of Central London you cannot pay on the bus, you have to pre-purchase your ticket. Outside Central London it is still possible to pay the driver.
You simply show your ticket to the driver as you board. The whole idea is to make boarding of passengers faster and journey times quicker.
You can pre-purchase your tickets from:

A ticket machine by the bus stop (Takes coins only up to £2 and doesn't give change) Not all machines dispense Day Bus Pass tickets
Underground / Tube stations and London Travel Information Centres
Over 3,000 ticket outlets including newsagents with a prominent sign displayed
Using a travel pass like London Day Bus Pass, Travelcard or Oystercard Smartcard, the preferred option

The London bus network is divided into zones.

For adult single cash fares, the London bus network is divided into two separate areas: Central London (Zone 1) and the rest of London. For child single cash fares, a flat fare applies.

For Bus Passes, the London bus network is divided into four zones - 1, 2, 3 and 4. The Bus Pass you hold must be valid for all the zones you travel in, as shown on the ticket.

Any Travelcard or LT Card is valid for travel across the entire London bus network.

Passengers should ensure they always have a valid ticket when travelling on London buses. On-the-spot £10 penalty fares are payable by anyone caught travelling without a valid ticket, Saver Ticket stub, Bus Pass or Travelcard. When you want to get off ring the bell just once as the bus approaches the bus stop you require. Never get on or off a Routemaster bus unless it is standing at a bus stop. If you are not sure what stop you want ask the driver or conductor.