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This is a list of Transport for London (TfL) contracted bus routes in London, England, as well as commercial services that enter the Greater London area (except coaches).
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Bus services in London are operated by Arriva London, Go-Ahead London (Blue Triangle, Docklands Buses, London Central and London General), Metroline, RATP Dev Transit London (London Sovereign, London United and London Transit), Stagecoach London (East London, Selkent and Thameside), Transport UK London Bus and Uno. TfL-sponsored operators run more than 500 services.
Examples of non TfL-sponsored operators include, but are not limited to: Arriva Herts & Essex, Arriva Southern Counties, Carousel Buses, Diamond South East, Go-Coach, First Beeline, Metrobus, Stagecoach South, Thames Valley Buses and Reading Buses.
In Victorian times, people who took the bus would recognise the owner and the route of an omnibus (Latin: "for everyone") only by its livery and its line name, with painted signs on the sides showing the two termini to indicate the route. Then, in 1906, George Samuel Dicks of the London Motor Omnibus Company decided that, as the line name 'Vanguard' had proved to be very popular, he would name all lines 'Vanguard' and number the company's five routes 1 through to 5. Other operators soon saw the advantage, in that a unique route number was easier for the travelling public to remember, and so the practice of using route numbers soon spread.[1]
Bus routes run by London Transport were grouped as follows.
The London Traffic Act 1924 imposed numbering known as the Bassom Scheme, named after Superintendent (later Chief Constable) Arthur Ernest Bassom of the Metropolitan Police who devised it. For many decades, variant and short workings used letter suffixes (e.g. "77B"). The numbers reflected the company that operated the route.
The numbering was revised in 1934 after London Transport was formed:[2]
Numbers | Service | |
---|---|---|
1–199 | "Central Area" red double-decker routes. | |
200–289 | "Central Area" red single-decker routes. | |
290–299 | "Central Area" night buses. | |
300–399 | "Country Area" north of the River Thames. | (Operated by London Country Bus Services after 1970) |
400–499 | "Country Area" south of the River Thames. | |
500–699 | Trolleybuses. | |
701–799 | Green Line Coaches. | |
800–899 | "Country Area" "New Towns" routes. | (LCBS after 1970) |
Route numbers | Type of service |
---|---|
1–599 | Most local day routes, including 24-hour services. |
600–699 | School services, with the majority of them operating only one return journey per day. |
700–799 | Regional and national coach services, including Green Line. Also used for temporary TfL routes. |
800–899 | Regional and national coach services. |
900–999 | One mobility buses route within TfL, detailed below. |
Other letter-prefixed routes | Local day routes, including 24-hour services, with the letter denoting a key area the bus travels through. |
EL-prefixed routes | East London Transit routes. |
SL-prefixed routes | Superloop routes. |
N-prefixed routes | Night Bus routes. |
All routes operate in both directions unless detailed.
Route | Start | End | Operator | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
533[10][114] | Hammersmith bus station | Castelnau | Go-Ahead London | A temporary route replacing routes 33, 72, 209 and 485 until further notice due to the closure of Hammersmith Bridge.[115] |
549 | Loughton tube station | South Woodford tube station | Stagecoach London | Frequency reduced from a bus every 67 minutes to a bus every 90 minutes on 12 March 2022.[116] To be withdrawn on 7 September 2024, being replaced by a restructured version of route W14.[117] |
Route numbers from 600 to 699 are used for school services, with the majority of them running one return journey on each weekday during peak times and during school term time.[118]
Route numbers from 900 to 999 represent mobility buses; these mostly provide a once-a-week return journey to a local shopping centre from relatively low-density neighbourhoods where there is no alternative route in the main bus network. The number of mobility buses routes has declined over the past few years because low-floor and wheelchair-accessible buses run on all London Buses routes.
Route | Start | End | Operator | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
969 | Whitton | Roehampton Vale | Transport UK London Bus | Operates one return journey on Tuesdays and Fridays only.[125][126] |
Route | Start | End | Operator | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
EL1 | Barking Riverside | Ilford | Go-Ahead London | Operates as a 24-hour service.[29] Originally numbered 369 until 20 February 2010. |
EL2 | Becontree Heath | Dagenham Dock | Go-Ahead London | |
EL3 | Barking Riverside | Little Heath | Go-Ahead London | Originally numbered 387 until 18 February 2017.[141] |
Route | Start | End | Operator | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SL1 | North Finchley bus station | Walthamstow bus station | Arriva London | ||
SL2 | Walthamstow bus station | North Woolwich | Arriva London | ||
SL3 | Thamesmead | Bromley North railway station | Stagecoach London | ||
SL5 | Bromley North railway station | Croydon | Arriva London | ||
SL6 | Russell Square | West Croydon bus station | Go-Ahead London | Runs non-stop between Waterloo and West Norwood. Runs only on weekdays during peak hours only. Runs towards Russell Square in the morning peak, and runs towards West Croydon bus station in the evening peak. | |
SL7 | West Croydon bus station | Heathrow Central bus station | Go-Ahead London | ||
SL8 | Uxbridge tube station | White City bus station | Metroline | ||
SL9 | Heathrow Central bus station | Harrow bus station | RATP Dev Transit London | ||
SL10 | Harrow bus station | North Finchley bus station | RATP Dev Transit London |
Night Bus routes are often related to the day numerical equivalent, normally running the same route but with an extension at either end of the service. This is normally to provide a night service to destinations served by tube or train during the day.[142]
However, there are a few N-prefixed route numbers that have no relation to their daytime equivalents: the N5, N20, and N97 all operate in a different part of London to their respective day routes. Also, the N550 and N551 (which provide night service on parts of the DLR network), and the N271 (whose daytime service was withdrawn on 4 February 2023) have no corresponding daytime routes.[142]
There are also 24-hour routes, which run day and night but usually with a lower frequency during the night hours. The vast majority run the same route at all times. With the introduction of the Night Tube, some day routes have been extended to run during Friday and Saturday nights to serve the stations.
These bus routes are not contracted to TfL and are therefore not 'London Buses', all but three run from villages and towns outside Greater London to destinations within. They are painted in a colour chosen by the operator, so are not necessarily red like London Buses, and most of them do not accept Oyster cards. These routes are operated with a London Service Permit issued by TfL so they are recognised by TfL bus maps and appear on TfL bus stops.[143]
Route | Start | End | Withdrawal date(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
9H[189] | Kensington High Street | Trafalgar Square | 25 July 2014[190] | Heritage route that used AEC Routemaster buses. |
10[191] | Hammersmith bus station | London King's Cross railway station | 24 November 2018[192] | Partially replaced by route 23. |
15H | Tower Hill tube station | Trafalgar Square | 14 November 2020[193] | Heritage route that used AEC Routemaster buses. |
48[194] | London Bridge bus station | Walthamstow bus station | 12 October 2019[195] | Replaced by routes 26, 55 and 388. |
77A | Aldwych | Wandsworth | 3 June 2006 | Renumbered 87.[196] |
82[197] | North Finchley bus station | Victoria bus station | 1 April 2017[198] | Replaced by route 13. |
87 | Barking | Romford Market | 25 March 2006 | Replaced by an extension of route 5. |
129 | Claybury Broadway | Becontree Heath | 26 June 2004 | Replaced by revised versions of routes 128 and 150. |
143D | Christ's College Finchley | Archway tube station | 4 February 2023 | Ran schoolday journeys only. |
168 | Hampstead Heath | Old Kent Road | 30 September 2023 | Replaced by route 1.[199] |
239 | London Victoria station | Clapham Junction | 16 February 2008 | Replaced by route 170. |
271 | Finsbury Square | Highgate Village | 4 February 2023 | Replaced by routes 21, 263 and N271. |
305 | Edgware bus station | Kingsbury | 1 September 2018 | Replaced by route 303. |
332 | Brent Park | London Paddington station | 29 April 2023 | Replaced by route 16.[200] |
369 | Ilford | Thames View Estate | 20 February 2010 | Replaced by new routes EL1 and EL2. |
387 | Little Heath | Barking Riverside | 18 February 2017 | Renumbered EL3. |
391[136] | Richmond | Hammersmith bus station | 12 December 2020 | Replaced by route 110. |
405D | Purley | West Croydon bus station | 4 January 2022 | Replaced by route 645. |
455 | Purley | Wallington railway station | 2 March 2024 | Replaced by routes 166, 312 and S4.[201] |
497 | Harold Wood railway station | Harold Hill | 9 March 2024 | Replaced by an extension of route 346.[202] |
507 | London Waterloo station | Victoria bus station | 29 April 2023 | Replaced by routes 3, 11 and C10.[203] |
521 | London Bridge bus station | London Waterloo station | 29 April 2023 | Replaced by routes 59 and 133.[204] |
530 | Holloway | Angel tube station | 29 October 2017 | A temporary route introduced on 16 August 2017 and operated by Go-Ahead London. Created due to works on Upper Street. Ran one way to Angel tube station only. |
541 | Prince Regent DLR station | Keir Hardie Estate | 1 June 2012 31 March 2013 30 October 2015 19 February 2016 |
A temporary route introduced on 3 May 2011, 1 October 2012, 14 September 2013 and 15 February 2016 and operated by Stagecoach London (3 May 2011 until 1 June 2012 and 1 October 2012 until 31 March 2013) and Go-Ahead London (14 September 2013 until 30 October 2015 and 15 February 2015 until 19 February 2016). Created multiple times due to a temporary withdrawal of route 241 between Canning Town bus station and Prince Regent DLR station. |
558 | Seven Sisters station | Chingford Mount | 28 August 2015 | A temporary route introduced on 10 August 2015 and operated by Metroline. Created due to a closure of the Victoria line between Seven Sisters and Walthamstow Central stations.[205] |
588 | Hackney Wick | Stratford City bus station | 14 December 2013 | A temporary route introduced on 13 July 2013 and operated by Stagecoach London. Was the first bus route to operate through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.[206] |
607 | Uxbridge tube station | White City bus station | 15 July 2023 | Renumbered SL8.[207] |
609 | The Harrodian School | Hammersmith bus station | 18 May 2019[208] | Morning journeys from Hammersmith bus station terminated at Mortlake. |
611 | Stonebridge Park station | Christ's College Finchley | 18 July 2020 | Partly replaced by route 112. |
618 | Mill Hill Broadway railway station | Avanti House Secondary School | 3 April 2018 | |
619 | Edgware bus station | Avanti House Secondary School | 3 April 2018 | |
636 | Kemnal Technology College | Grove Park | 2 September 2017 | Ran one way to Grove Park only. |
637 | Kemnal Technology College | Grove Park | 2 September 2017 | Ran one way to Grove Park only. |
641 | West Molesey | Teddington School | 30 September 2017 | |
648[209] | Romford railway station | Cranham | 24 July 2021 | Replaced by route 248 and partially replaced by route 646.[210] |
689 | Norwood bus garage | Burntwood School | 30 July 2011 | Replaced by route 690. |
692 | Dame Alice Owen's School | Southgate tube station | 2 September 2023 | Ran one way to Southgate tube station only. |
718 (2019-21) | Morden tube station | Rosehill | 5 December 2021 | A temporary route introduced on 30 November 2019 and operated by Go-Ahead London. Created due to a closure of Bishopsford Road Bridge.[211] |
718 (2022-24) | Harrow & Wealdstone station | Queen's Park station | 23 December 2022 25 August 2023 30 October 2023 27 December 2023 17 February 2024 |
A temporary route introduced on 17 December 2022, 23 July 2023, 28 October 2023, 26 December 2023 and 17 February 2024 and operated by Abellio London (17 December 2022 until 23 December 2022, 23 July 2023 until 17 August 2023 and 29 October 2023 until 30 October 2023), Metroline (28 October 2023 until 29 October 2023 and on 17 February 2024 alongside Sullivan Buses) and Sullivan Buses (26 December 2023 until 27 December 2023 and on 17 February 2024 alongside Metroline). Created multiple times due to engineering works on the Watford DC line.[212] |
719 | Wembley Park tube station | Queen's Park station | 22 December 2022 28 July 2023 17 August 2023 |
A temporary route introduced on 17 December 2022, 24 July 2023 and 14 August 2023 and operated by Metroline. Created multiple times due to engineering works on the Watford DC line.[213] |
720 | Harrow bus station | Watford Junction railway station | 23 December 2022 25 August 2023 30 October 2023 11 December 2023 18 February 2024 28 April 2024 |
A temporary route introduced on 17 December 2022, 23 July 2023, 28 October 2023, 10 December 2023, 17 February 2024 and 27 April 2024 and operated by Sullivan Buses. Created multiple times due to engineering works on the Watford DC line.[214] |
728 | Fulham Town Hall | Southside Wandsworth | 2 October 2023 | A temporary route introduced on 24 July 2023 and operated by Abellio London. Created due to a closure of Wandsworth Bridge.[215] |
733 | Oval tube station | Finsbury Square | 13 May 2022 | A temporary route introduced on 15 January 2022 and operated by Tower Transit. Created due to a closure of the Northern line between Moorgate and Oval stations.[216] |
931[217] | Crystal Palace | Lewisham Shopping Centre | 19 May 2017 | Operated one return journey on Fridays. Replaced by local routes in the area and the Dial-a-Ride service.[218] |
953 | Scrattons Eco Park | Romford | 7 November 2012 | Operated two return journeys on Wednesdays. Replaced by local routes in the area and the Dial-a-Ride service.[219] |
965 | Riverhill | Kingston upon Thames | 12 October 2018 | Operated one return journey on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only. Replaced by the Dial-a-Ride service. Crossed border into Surrey on Worcester Park Road.[220] |
C2[221][141] | Parliament Hill Fields | Regent Street | 30 March 2019[222] | Replaced by route 88. |
H50 | West Drayton railway station | Circular via Stockley Park | 21 March 2008 | Extended to Heathrow Terminal 5 and renumbered 350. |
PR1 | Willesden Junction station | Ealing Broadway station | 23 March 2007 | Replaced by routes 226 and PR2. |
PR2 | Willesden Junction station | Wembley Park | 14 October 2011 | Replaced by route 206. |
RV1[223] | Covent Garden | Tower Gateway DLR station | 15 June 2019[224] | Partly replaced by route 343. |
S2 | Stratford bus station | Clapton | 5 July 2008 | Replaced by routes 425 and 488. |
S5 | Wallington | Mitcham Common | 1 March 2002 | Replaced by a revised version of route 463. |
T31 | New Addington | Forestdale | 24 October 2015[47] | Replaced by changes to routes 64, 130 and 353. |
T32 | New Addington tram stop | Addington Village Interchange | Replaced by changes to routes 64 and 130. | |
T33 | West Croydon bus station | Addington Village Interchange | Renumbered 433. | |
W10 | Crews Hill | Enfield Town | 13 March 2021 | Replaced by route 456. |
N10 | Richmond | London King's Cross railway station | 29 January 2010 | Replaced by routes 10 and 33. |
N13 | North Finchley bus station | Aldwych | 1 April 2017 | Replaced by a 24-hour service on route 13. |
N16 | Edgware bus station | London Victoria station | 29 April 2023 | Renumbered N32.[225] |
N35 | Clapham Junction railway station | Tottenham Court Road station | 30 April 2016 | Replaced by a 24-hour service on route 35. |
N36 | Queen's Park station | Grove Park railway station | 9 February 2008 | Replaced by a new 24-hour service on route 36 and a new route N136 between Oxford Circus and Grove Park railway station. |
N47 | Trafalgar Square | St Mary Cray railway station | 12 September 2015 | Replaced by new route N199 and a 24-hour service on route 47. |
N64 | New Addington | Thornton Heath Pond | 24 October 2015 | Replaced by a 24-hour service on route 64. |
N76 | Northumberland Park railway station | Lower Marsh | 8 November 2014 | Withdrawn between Tottenham and Northumberland Park railway station and renumbered 76. |
N93 | Putney Bridge tube station | North Cheam | 3 April 2004 | Incorporated into the main service of route 93. |
N159 | Marble Arch tube station | New Addington | 27 August 2010 | Replaced by routes 159, N64 and N109. |
X26 | West Croydon bus station | Heathrow Central bus station | 19 August 2023 | Renumbered SL7.[226] |
X68 | Russell Square | West Croydon bus station | 31 July 2023 | Renumbered SL6.[227] |
X140 | Heathrow Central bus station | Harrow bus station | 26 August 2023 | Renumbered SL9.[228] |
Route | Start | End | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
310 | Golders Green tube station | Stamford Hill | To be introduced on 31 August 2024 in response to campaigns from local Jewish communities.[229][230] | |
618 | Ivybridge | Osterley | To be introduced on 2 September 2024.[231] | |
SL4 | Westferry Circus | Grove Park railway station | To be introduced in 2025 when the Silvertown Tunnel opens as part of the Superloop network of orbital express bus routes.[232] To run non-stop between Leamouth and Sun in the Sands. |
There are two special Transport for London express routes that run annually during the Notting Hill Carnival. These are:[233]
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