Public Transport in London-London Bus Network

London has an excellent bus network that is perfectly integrated with the tram and rail networks. The London buses have a double-decker format and are red in colour. London has a total of 8.000 buses that cover transportation across all the 33 boroughs of the London Metropolitan area of the Greater London.

An effective, convenient and affordable way to get around London is to use its dense network of bus services which operate 24 hours a day. A powerful incentive for travelling on London’s buses is that the experience provides a great deal of sight-seeing opportunities.

The Central London Bus Guide provides details of bus numbers, destinations, departure times, frequency of departure, fares and much more.

London’s buses operate throughout the night, though at a diminished frequency than regular daylight operations.  Trafalgar Square constitutes the major hub for night buses in London. Therefore, if you are not familiar with the route of your bus, you can just find your way to Trafalgar Square, where your concerns would be perfectly clarified. Unlike daytime buses which stop on designated stations, night buses stop only on request. Therefore, it’s imperative for the passenger to master their destination; and to be awake on the bus; otherwise, one can be taken to an entirely different destination.

For travel on London’s buses, there is a flat fare of £2.40 if you are paying by cash and £1.40 with a pre-paid Oyster card.  Most routes in central London require the passenger to acquire a bus ticket prior to boarding the bus. Ticket machines which sell single fares can usually be found next to the bus stops on these routes.

Bus passes are valid for the whole bus and tram network in London (unlike the Tube which charges fares according to concentric fare zones). With the Oyster's daily price cap system, the most you will be charged per day when using the Oyster pay as you go on bus and tram services is £4.40 (adult fare).

London Bus and Tram prices: The prices for London Bus and Tram Pass are as follows: 7 days (one week) = £ 19.60; 1 month = £ 75. 30, 1 year = £ 784.

All children under 16, plus 16-17 year olds living in London and in full-time education, can travel free on buses. You will need a photo card (not required for children under 5).

Freedom Passes provide free travel for wheelchair users, as well as for older and disabled persons. This service can be applied for on the Transport for London’s (TfL) website.

One can equally pay for one’s journey with the bus by contactless credit, debit or charge cards. If you have a credit, debit or charge card that has been issued in the UK and displays the contactless payment symbol, you should be able to use it on buses to pay for single journeys.

You just need to touch your card flat on the yellow card reader as you board a bus - exactly the same as when you use an Oyster card. (Note: if you keep your card and Oyster together in a wallet, it might not work as the reader will not know which card to charge).

London bus tours provide a unique opportunity to capture the full architectural splendour of London's famous streets and monuments. Tour guides offer historical background and interesting facts, with commentaries available in several languages. 

Are you considering visiting London and the U.K.? Then contact the London official visitor agency-Visit London and Partners at: 08701 566 366  visitorinfo@londonandpartners.com     

You can also contact the City of London Information Centre: Opposite St Paul's Cathedral:

City of London, Guildhall, PO Box 270, London, EC2P 2EJ     pro@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Telephone: 020 7606 3030

They can offer you credible, pursuable and realistic information and advice on the following fronts: Cheap flights to London, hotels in London, cheap hotels in London, boutique hotels in London, bed and breakfast in London, guest houses in London, holiday apartments in London, timeshare accommodation in London, youth hostels in London, transportation in London, bus tours in London, river tours in London, coach tours of the U.K., entertainment in London, tourist attractions in London etc.