A guide to buses in London
Key London bus information
- London buses are all cashless, so you need an Oyster card, Travelcard or contactless payment card to ride.
- The bus fare in London is £1.75, and a day of bus-only travel will cost a maximum of £5.25.
- You can make unlimited free transfers to other buses and trams within one hour of touching in for your first journey.
- Night buses operate after the Tube network closes and before daytime bus services begin.
- For a different perspective on the capital, try a London tour by bus.
London’s bus route network covers the entire city with a 24-hour service. Read on to find out all you need to know about bus travel in London.
How to pay for a London bus
London buses are card only, so you cannot buy a ticket with cash.
Accepted payment types
Use a Visitor Oyster card*, an Oyster card, a Travelcard, a contactless payment card or a mobile device to pay your fare.
For contactless payment cards issued outside the UK, check with your bank to find out whether transaction fees or other charges apply.
Bus fares
Unlike the Tube zone fare system, a single London bus journey costs £1.75 no matter how far you go. You can even take multiple buses within one hour at no extra charge thanks to the Hopper fare.
No matter how many buses or trams you take in a day, it will never cost you more than a total of £5.25 – just make sure you use the same payment card for every journey.
How to pay
Paying your London bus fare is easy. Simply touch your Oyster card, contactless payment card or mobile device on the yellow card reader as you board the bus or show the driver your paper Travelcard. To avoid card clash, make sure to only touch one card on the yellow reader and keep your other cards separate.
If you don’t have enough credit on your Visitor Oyster card or Oyster card, you will be able to make one more journey on a bus before needing to top up.
For more information about London bus fares, see the Transport for London website.
Still not sure which travel ticket you need to buy? Unclear on how to use your Visitor Oyster card? Read our Oyster FAQs section.
Getting around London by bus and tram
Parts of south London, from Wimbledon through to Croydon, Beckenham and New Addington, are served by London Trams.
Pick up a One-Day Bus & Tram Pass and you can travel on the Transport for London bus and tram network for £6 no matter how many bus or tram journeys you take. Day passes are valid until 4.29am the following day to cover any late-night journeys.
2025 London bus and tram pass prices (standard adult fares)
- Seven days: £24.70
- One month: £94.90
- One year: £988
Check the TfL website for more bus fare information.
Plan your route: London bus maps and timetables
Check out the London bus maps section on our Free London travel maps page or get travel advice from a TfL Visitor Centre.
Plan your bus route online with Transport for London's Journey Planner.
For all London bus maps and timetables, visit TfL’s website.
Late-night travel: London's night buses
Many of London's bus routes run all night. Several London bus routes offer a 24-hour service, or look for the "N" in front of a bus number – this letter indicates a bus that covers the period between the close of the Tube network and the start of daytime bus services.
If you're not familiar with the routes, head to Trafalgar Square (the hub for night buses) or check the information board at any bus stop. London bus services are less frequent during the night.
London bus accessibility: everything you need to know
All 8,500 London buses are low-floor vehicles, and bus travel is free for wheelchair and mobility scooter users. If you have a Disabled Person's Freedom Pass, you can travel for free anytime. If you have an English National Concessionary Pass, you can use it on London buses from 9am Monday to Friday and anytime on weekends and bank holidays.
Low-floor buses are accessible to everyone including those using wheelchairs, baby buggies (prams/strollers), assistance dogs and passengers with other mobility requirements. Every bus also has a retractable ramp.
All London buses have room for one person using a wheelchair. Buses can accommodate wheelchairs up to 70cm (28 inches) wide by 120cm (47 inches) long. Wheelchair users have priority over everyone else for use of the wheelchair space. There is no limit to the number of assistance dogs allowed on the bus, as long as there is space.
See Transport for London's accessibility guide for more details.
Concessions and discounts: who travels for less
There are a number of ways to save money on your bus and tram journeys in London:
- Children under the age of 11 travel free.
- Discounts are available for children, students and concessions.
- Freedom Passes provide free travel for wheelchair users, as well as for older people and travellers with disabilities.
- If you're from outside London and have a bus pass issued by another English council, you can use it to travel free on buses displaying the red roundel.
Find out about all the discounts and concessions on London's bus and tram network.
How to use a London bus like a local
Here are some useful tips about how to stop a bus in London and general bus travel etiquette:
- In most cases, buses stop only at designated bus stops. They do not stop on request between bus stops.
- To ask the driver to let you off at the next bus stop, press one of the red buttons which can be found on the upright metal posts throughout the bus. You will probably hear a bell and see a lit sign appear at the front of the bus that says "bus stopping".
- On some routes in outer London, buses operate on a "hail and ride" basis, with no fixed bus stops. Press the red button to signal to the driver and you can then get off at any safe point along the route – you will be informed when a bus is in a "hail and ride" area.
Find out more about using bus services in London with TfL's guide to using buses in London.
Sightseeing with a twist: London bus tours
Hop on a London bus tour for the perfect opportunity to appreciate the full architectural splendour of London's famous streets and monuments. Tour guides offer historical background and interesting facts with commentary available in several languages. For something a little different, try a themed bus tour, an afternoon tea bus tour or an eerie evening ghost bus tour.
Some regular bus routes are good for sightseeing, too – try route 9 for London's museums and palaces, route 17 for heritage sites and pubs, or route 35 for a tour of London's markets. Check out top sights from an iconic red London bus with these landmark-packed TfL bus itineraries.
Discover the history of London buses
The first London buses started in 1829, although back then they were horse powered. You can discover the evolution of the bus up to the modern electric vehicles at the London Transport Museum.
Arriving in London by coach: what to know
Coaches are a great option for cheap travel to London from almost anywhere in the UK or Europe. Read about coaches to London.
Find out more about getting around London and how to navigate the city using other public transport options, including the city's famous Tube network, with our comprehensive traveller information section.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the cheapest way to travel by bus in London?
The cheapest way to travel by bus in London is to pay as you go, using a contactless card or device, an Oyster card or a Visitor Oyster card. Pay as you go is cheaper than buying single tickets and you get daily and weekly capping.
Which bus routes are best for sightseeing?
One of the best bus routes for sightseeing in London is route 11, which passes by must-see London attractions including St Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Route 139 is another top choice for sightseeing, with London sights including Waterloo Bridge, the South Bank, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street and Regent Street.
Are London buses cheaper than a Tube?
Yes, London buses are cheaper than riding the Tube. Unlike the Tube zone fare system, London bus rides cost a flat fare of £1.75 per single journey, no matter how far you go. You can also take multiple buses within one hour at no extra charge.
What is the most scenic London bus route?
There are several London bus routes that go through scenic parts of the capital. As well as routes 11 and 139 mentioned above, route 9 offers a pretty scenic ride, passing through royal palaces including St James's Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace, as well as fascinating museums such as the London Transport Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Design Museum. The route also includes other famous London landmarks, such as Somerset House and Hyde Park.
