List of bus routes in London
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). Bus services in London are operated by Abellio London, Arriva London, HCT Group, Go-Ahead London (Blue Triangle, Docklands Buses, London Central, and London General), Metroline, RATP Group (London Sovereign, London United and London Transit) Stagecoach London (East London, Selkent, and Thameside), Sullivan Buses, Tower Transit, and Uno. TfL-sponsored operators run more than 500 services.
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Non-TfL-sponsored operators include Arriva Shires & Essex, Arriva Southern Counties, Carousel Buses, Diamond South East, Go-Coach, First Berkshire & The Thames Valley, Metrobus, Southdown PSV, Stagecoach South and Trustybus.
Classification of route numbers
In Victorian times, passengers could 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]
Historic classification

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:
| Route number | Former type of service |
|---|---|
| 1–199 | "Central Area" red double-decker services |
| 200–289 | "Central Area" red single-decker services |
| 290–299 | "Central Area" night routes |
| 300–399 | "Country Area" north of the River Thames (rural services were operated by London Country Bus Services after 1970) |
| 400–499 | "Country Area" south of the River Thames (rural services were operated by London Country Bus Services after 1970) |
| 500–699 | Trolleybuses |
| 701–799 | Green Line Coaches |
| 800–899 | "Country Area New Towns" routes |
Current classification
| Route Number | Type of service |
|---|---|
| 1–599 | Most local day routes, including 24-hour services |
| 600–699 | School services, normally operating only one return journey per day* |
| 700–899 | Regional and national coach services |
| 900–999 | One mobility service within TfL, detailed below |
| N-prefixed routes | Night routes |
| X-prefixed routes | Express routes |
| Other letter-prefixed routes | Local day routes, including 24-hour services, with the letter(s) denoting a key area the bus travels through. |
List of routes
All routes operate in both directions unless detailed.
1–99
100–199
200–299
300–399
400–499
500–599
| Route | Start | End | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 507 | Victoria bus station | Waterloo station | London General |
| 521 | London Bridge station | Waterloo station | London General |
| 533 | Hammersmith | Castelnau | Metroline |
| 549 | Loughton | South Woodford | Stagecoach London |
600–699
The majority of buses numbered between 600 and 699 are school services, running once on each weekday peak period during school term time.[21] The exception to this is route 607, a limited stop express route.
700–799
One miscellaneous circular route runs from Morden to Rose Hill Roundabout and back via the 118 and 280 routes as a result of the collapse of Bishopsford Bridge in Morden.
| Route | Start | End | Operator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 733 | Oval tube station | Finsbury Square | Temporary route starting 15 January 2022 created due to a closure of the Northern line.[23] |
900–999
Route numbers from 900 to 999 represent Mobility Buses; these 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 because low-floor and wheelchair-accessible buses run on all London Buses routes.
| Route | Start | End | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 969 | Whitton, Gladstone Avenue | Roehampton Vale | Abellio London |
Letter prefixes
Night only routes (N-prefixed)
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.[24]
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, and the N550 and N551 (which provide night service on parts of the DLR network) have no corresponding daytime routes.[24]
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.
Non-TfL bus routes in Greater London
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 (the exception being 812, which runs entirely within the boundary). 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.
Former routes
| Route | Start | End | Withdrawal date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5[62][63] | Shepherd's Bush Green | Ladbroke Grove | May 1954 |
| 9H[64] | Kensington High Street | Trafalgar Square | 25 July 2014[65] |
| 10[66] | Hammersmith | Kings Cross | 24 November 2018[67] |
| 15H | Tower Hill | Trafalgar Square | 14 November 2020 (last day of operation 29 September 2019)[68] |
| 48[69] | London Bridge | Walthamstow | 12 October 2019[70] |
| 82[71] | North Finchley | Victoria | 1 April 2017[72] |
| 305[73] | Kingsbury | Edgware | 24 August 2018 |
| 391[74] | Richmond | Hammersmith bus station | 1 December 2020 |
| 648 | Romford | Cranham | 24 July 2021 |
| RV1[75] | Covent Garden | Tower Gateway station | 14 June 2019[76] |
| C2[77] | Parliament Hill Fields | Regent Street | 29 March 2019[78] |
| W10[79] | Enfield Town | Crews Hill station | 12 March 2021[80] |
| 718 | Morden | Morden | December 2021 |
Temporary routes
There are three special TfL express routes which only run during the Notting Hill Carnival: 2X, 36X and 205X.[81]
The route 65X runs yearly to and from Mela Festival. Link to: Mela Festival
See also
- Category: London bus operators
References
- Charles Klapper (1984) The Golden Age of Buses Archived 5 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Page 64. Routledge, London ISBN 0-7102-0232-6, ISBN 978-0-7102-0232-1.
- Central London Night Bus Map Archived 13 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London
- Bus Service Changes 11 March to 16 April 2017 Transport for London 24 March 2017
- South-West London Bus Map Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London 9 January 2016
- South-East London Bus Map Archived 13 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London 12 September 2015
- Changes to night buses from 12 September 2015 Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London
- Proposed changes to bus services in New Addington and Forestdale Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London
- East London Bus Map Archived 22 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London
- Bus service proposal: routes 76 and N76 Archived 8 November 2021 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London
- North London Bus Map Archived 8 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London
- Night buses in West London Archived 13 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London
- Buses from Bromley North and Market Square Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London 12 September 2015
- Dougall, Emily (29 August 2018). "Large TfL tender round sees Arriva scoop new service". CBW. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- Lydall, Ross (17 August 2016). "Eight new night bus routes to open as Night Tube launches in London". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- Night buses in South West London Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London 9 January 2016
- Buses from Sutton Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London 12 September 2015
- Night buses in south London Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London 29 March 2014
- Marius, Callum (7 November 2021). "London bus route ending in middle of nowhere with passengers left on roundabout". MyLondon. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- "Concern over plan to cut bus route". East London and West Essex Guardian Series. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- Short Hops Buses issue 765 December 2018 page 23
- "Travel guidance for schools". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
The majority of our schoolday-only routes (routes generally numbered 600-699)
- "New bus route to run from Purley to Thornton Heath". Croydon Advertiser. Archived from the original on 28 April 2015.
- "London Underground: Key parts of Northern line to close for four months". ITV News. 5 November 2021. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- Wallis, Philip (2013). London's Night Buses 1984-2013 (2 ed.). London: Capital Transport Publishing. ISBN 978-1854143723.
- "Route 3: Orpington to Sevenoaks". Go-Coach.
- "Route Timetables". First Berkshire & The Thames Valley. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 8: Mount Vernon Hospital to Abbots Langley". Arriva Shires & Essex. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Routes 10/10A/10S: Dedworth to Heathrow Airport". Courtney Buses. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Country routes 84, 242 & PB1". Metroline. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Routes 101/102: Uxbridge to High Wycombe". Carousel Buses. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Routes 104/105: Uxbridge to Chesham and High Wycombe". Carousel Buses. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 269: Brentwood to Grays". Nibs Buses. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Sullivan busses 355" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- "Route 409: Selsdon to East Grinstead". Southdown PSV. Archived from the original on 23 November 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- "Route 420: Sutton to Crawley". Metrobus. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- "Route 429: West Kingsdown to Dartford". Go-Coach. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- "Route 442: Staines to Heathrow Airport". Carlone Buses. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 458: Kingston to Staines". Hallmark Buses. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 459: Heathrow Airport to Iver". Courtney Buses. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 461: Kingston to St Peters Hospital". Falcon Buses. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 477: Orpington to Bluewater". Arriva Southern Counties. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- "Route 513: Kingston to Downside". Repton Coaches. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 514: Kingston to Weybridge". Falcon Buses. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 515: Kingston to Hersham". Falcon Buses. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 555: Heathrow Airport to Whiteley Village". Hallmark Buses. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 581: Uxbridge to Beaconsfield". Carousel Buses. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Routes 610/611/612: Enfield to Luton". UNO. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- Marius, Callum (21 July 2021). "I went on London's fastest bus route and it's like riding a magic carpet". MyLondon. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- "Routes 614/644: Queensbury to Hatfield". UNO. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 668: Ashtead to North Cheam" (PDF). Surrey County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 695: Oxted to Westerham". Southdown PSV. Archived from the original on 23 November 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 715: Kingston to Guildford". Stagecoach South East. Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 724: Harlow to Heathrow Airport". Arriva Shires & Essex. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 812: Hoxton to Clerkenwell". HCT Group. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route 820: Sutton to Redhill". Metrobus. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Free shuttle service connect stations to Here East". Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (Mayor of London). 15 May 2017. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- "Route 866: Coulsdon to Banstead" (PDF). Metrobus, April 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- "Route E16: Epsom to Worcester Park". Falcon Buses. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route Timetables". Red Eagle Buses. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "School Route Timetables". Go-Coach. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "Route Z2: Canning Town to Tilbury". Ensignbus. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- "New bus route run at a loss". West London Observer. 5 February 1954. p. 5.
- "Bus route 5 to be withdrawn". West London Observer. 14 May 1954. p. 5.
- Axe to fall on Routemaster route Bus & Coach Professional 30 January 2014
- RMs to be withdrawn from London's route 9 Coach & Bus Week issue 1122 29 January 2014 page 19
- 10 Transport for London
- Permanent Bus Changes Transport for London
- ""TfL confirms heritage Routemasters won't return"". Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- 48 Transport for London
- News in Brief Coach & Bus Week issue 1415 15 October 2019 page 10
- 82 Transport for London
- Controversial Finchley Road changes to go ahead Buses issue 745 April 2017 page 22
- Marius, Callum (29 June 2021). "All the London bus routes which disappeared in the past 5 years". MyLondon. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- Skoulding, Lucy (9 December 2020). "The big changes coming to London's bus routes in major TfL shake-up". MyLondon. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- RV1 Transport for London
- Permanent Bus Changes 12 April 2019 to 30 June 2019 Transport for London
- C2 Transport for London
- Two central London routes to be withdrawn Buses issue 763 October 2018 page 22
- W10 Transport for London
- New route 456 replacing route W10 - 13 March 2021 Transport for London
- Stations and buses near the carnival route Archived 29 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine Transport for London
Bibliography
- Atkin, Michael. "THIS SCEPTRED ISLE", The Guardian
- Carr, Ken, The London Bus Guide. Boreham: Visions International Entertainment, 2011. ISBN 978-0-9570058-0-8.