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List of bus routes in London
List of bus routes in London
from Wikipedia

Two double-decker buses on routes 237 and SL8 at Shepherd's Bush station in 2025
A single-decker bus on route 336 at Bromley North station in 2025

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 Arriva London, Go-Ahead London (London Central, London General, Docklands Buses and Blue Triangle), Metroline, First Bus London (London Sovereign, London United and London Transit), Stagecoach London (East London, Selkent, Thameside and Lea Interchange Bus Company), 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, Carousel Buses, Diamond South East, Go-Coach, First Beeline, Metrobus, Thames Valley Buses and Reading Buses.

Classification of route numbers

[edit]

In Victorian times, people who took the bus would recognise the owner and the route of an omnibus (Latin for 'for all') 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 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

[edit]
Feltham tram (in use up to 1933) showing only two slots for the route number.

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]

From 1934
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)

Current classification

[edit]
Routes Type of service
1–599 Most local day routes, including 24-hour services.
600–699 School routes, with the majority of them operating only one return journey per day.
700–799 Regional and national coach routes, including Green Line. Also used for temporary TfL routes.
800–899 Regional and national coach routes.
900–999 One mobility bus route within TfL, detailed below.
EL-prefixed routes East London Transit routes.
BL- and SL-prefixed routes Superloop routes.
Other letter-prefixed routes Local day routes, with the letter denoting a key area of the route.
SCS Silvertown Tunnel cycle shuttle.
N-prefixed routes Night Bus routes.

List of routes

[edit]

All routes operate in both directions unless detailed.

1–99

[edit]

Route Start End Operator Notes
1 Canada Water bus station Hampstead Heath Go-Ahead London
2 Marylebone station Norwood bus garage Arriva London
3 Crystal Palace bus station Victoria bus station Transport UK London Bus
4 Archway tube station Blackfriars station Metroline
5 Canning Town bus station Romford Market Go-Ahead London
6 London Victoria station Willesden bus garage Metroline Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
7 East Acton Oxford Circus Metroline
8 Bow Church Tottenham Court Road station Stagecoach London
9 Aldwych Hammersmith bus station Metroline
11 Fulham Town Hall London Waterloo station Go-Ahead London
12 Dulwich Library Oxford Circus Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
13 North Finchley bus station London Victoria station First Bus London Operates as a 24-hour service.[4]
14 Putney Heath Russell Square Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
15 Blackwall DLR station Charing Cross tube station Go-Ahead London
16 Brent Park London Paddington station Metroline
17[5][6] Archway tube station London Bridge bus station Metroline
18 Euston bus station Sudbury & Harrow Road railway station First Bus London
19 Battersea Bridge Finsbury Park bus station Arriva London
20[7][8] Debden Walthamstow bus station Stagecoach London
21 Lewisham Shopping Centre Holloway Go-Ahead London
22 Oxford Circus Putney Common Go-Ahead London
23 Aldwych Westbourne Park tube station First Bus London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
24 Hampstead Heath Pimlico Transport UK London Bus Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
25 Ilford City Thameslink railway station Stagecoach London
26 Hackney Wick London Victoria station Stagecoach London
27 Chalk Farm Hammersmith Grove Transport UK London Bus
28 Kensal Rise railway station Southside Wandsworth Metroline
29 Trafalgar Square Wood Green tube station Arriva London
30 Hackney Wick Euston bus station Metroline
31 White City bus station Camden Town tube station First Bus London
32 Edgware bus station Kilburn Park tube station Metroline
33[9] Fulwell railway station Castelnau First Bus London Temporarily withdrawn between Castelnau and Hammersmith bus station until further notice due to the closure of Hammersmith Bridge.[10]
34[11] Barnet Church Walthamstow bus station Arriva London
35 Clapham Junction railway station Shoreditch Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
36 New Cross bus garage Queen's Park station Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
37 Peckham Putney Heath Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[12]
38 Clapton Pond Victoria bus station Arriva London Several buses start from and terminate at Hackney Central during weekday daytimes.[13][14]
39 Clapham Junction railway station Putney Bridge tube station Go-Ahead London
40[15] Clerkenwell Road Dulwich Library Go-Ahead London
41 Archway tube station Tottenham Hale bus station Arriva London
42 East Dulwich Shoreditch Go-Ahead London
43 Friern Barnet London Bridge bus station Metroline Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
44 Tooting railway station London Victoria station Go-Ahead London
45 Morden tube station Camberwell Green Transport UK London Bus
46 London Paddington station St Bartholomew's Hospital Metroline Operated with electric buses since 20 October 2018.[16]
47[17] Catford bus garage Shoreditch Stagecoach London Operates as a 24-hour service.[18][19]
49[20][6] Clapham Junction White City bus station First Bus London
50 Fairfield Halls Stockwell tube station Arriva London
51[21] Orpington railway station Beresford Square Go-Ahead London
52 Victoria bus station Willesden bus garage Metroline Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
53 Plumstead railway station Lower Marsh Stagecoach London
54 Woolwich railway station Elmers End station Stagecoach London
55 Walthamstow bus station Oxford Circus Stagecoach London
56[6] St Bartholomew's Hospital Whipps Cross Stagecoach London
57 Clapham Park Fairfield bus station Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[12]
58 East Ham Walthamstow bus station Stagecoach London
59 St Bartholomew's Hospital Clapham Park Arriva London
60 Old Coulsdon
Oasis Academy Coulsdon
(schoolday-only services to Streatham railway station)[22]
Streatham railway station Arriva London
61 Bromley North railway station Chislehurst Stagecoach London
62 Barking Marks Gate Stagecoach London
63 London King's Cross railway station Honor Oak Transport UK London Bus
64 New Addington Thornton Heath Pond Arriva London Operates as a 24-hour service.[23]
65 Ealing Broadway station Kingston upon Thames First Bus London
66[24] Leytonstone bus station Romford railway station Arriva London
67 Wood Green tube station Dalston Arriva London
68 Euston bus station West Norwood Transport UK London Bus
69 Canning Town bus station Walthamstow bus station Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[25]
70[26] Chiswick Business Park South Kensington tube station First Bus London
71 Chessington World of Adventures Cromwell Road bus station First Bus London
72 East Acton Hammersmith Bridge First Bus London Temporarily withdrawn between Hammersmith Bridge and Roehampton until further notice due to the closure of Hammersmith Bridge.[10]
73 Oxford Circus Stoke Newington Common Arriva London
74 Baker Street tube station Putney Exchange Go-Ahead London
75 Fairfield Halls Lewisham station Stagecoach London
76 Tottenham Hale bus station Lower Marsh Arriva London Operates as a 24-hour service.[27]
77 Tooting railway station London Waterloo station Go-Ahead London
78 Nunhead Shoreditch Go-Ahead London
79 Stonebridge Park station Edgware bus station First Bus London
80 Downview & High Down Prisons Hackbridge Go-Ahead London
81 Slough Hounslow bus station Metroline Temporarily curtailed to Queensmere Shopping Centre in Slough until further notice due to Slough bus station being closed as a result of damage caused by a fire.[28]
83 Golders Green tube station Alperton Metroline
85 Kingston upon Thames Putney Bridge tube station First Bus London
86[29] Romford railway station Stratford bus station Stagecoach London
87 Aldwych Wandsworth Go-Ahead London Originally numbered 77A until 3 June 2006.[30]
88 Parliament Hill Fields Clapham Common Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
89 Lewisham station Slade Green railway station Go-Ahead London
90 Feltham Northolt tube station Metroline Operated with double-decker buses since 29 August 2015.[31]
91 Crouch End Trafalgar Square Go-Ahead London
92 Ealing Hospital St Raphael's North Metroline
93 North Cheam Putney Bridge tube station Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[12]
94 Acton Green Piccadilly Circus First Bus London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
95 Shepherd's Bush Green Southall Town Hall Metroline
96 Bluewater Shopping Centre Woolwich Stagecoach London
97 Chingford railway station Stratford City bus station Stagecoach London
98 Red Lion Square Willesden bus garage Metroline
99 Bexleyheath Shopping Centre Beresford Square Go-Ahead London

100–199

[edit]

Route Start End Operator Notes
100 St Paul's tube station Shadwell railway station Go-Ahead London Operated with electric buses since 18 January 2020.
101 Beckton bus station Wanstead tube station Go-Ahead London
102 Brent Cross bus station Edmonton Green bus station Arriva London Operates as a 24-hour service between Edmonton Green bus station and Golders Green tube station.[32]
103 Chase Cross Rainham railway station Arriva London
104 Beckton bus station Stratford bus station Go-Ahead London
105 Greenford station Heathrow Central bus station First Bus London Operates as a 24-hour service.[33]
106 Finsbury Park bus station Whitechapel Go-Ahead London
107 Edgware bus station New Barnet railway station Metroline Crosses border into Hertfordshire in Elstree.[34]
108 Lewisham Shopping Centre Stratford International station Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[25]
108D Lewisham Shopping Centre North Greenwich bus station Go-Ahead London Night-only route.
109 Croydon town centre Brixton tube station Transport UK London Bus
110 Hammersmith bus station Hounslow bus station First Bus London
111 Heathrow Central bus station Cromwell Road bus station Transport UK London Bus Operates as a 24-hour service.[33]
112 North Finchley bus station Ealing Broadway station Metroline
113 Edgware bus station Marble Arch tube station Metroline
114 Mill Hill Broadway railway station Ruislip tube station Metroline
115 Aldgate bus station East Ham Go-Ahead London
116 Ashford Hospital Hounslow bus station First Bus London
117 Staines-upon-Thames West Middlesex University Hospital First Bus London
119 Bromley North railway station Croydon Colonnades Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[35]
120 Hounslow bus station Northolt tube station Metroline
121 Enfield Island Village Turnpike Lane bus station Arriva London
122 Crystal Palace bus station Plumstead bus garage Stagecoach London
123 Ilford Wood Green tube station Arriva London[36] Operates as a 24-hour service.[37]
124[38] St Dunstan's College Eltham Stagecoach London
125 Colindale tube station Winchmore Hill First Bus London
126 Bromley Eltham Go-Ahead London
127 Purley railway station Tooting Broadway tube station Go-Ahead London
128 Claybury Broadway Romford railway station Stagecoach London Operates as a 24-hour service.[25]
129 Lewisham Shopping Centre Gallions Reach Go-Ahead London
130[39] New Addington Thornton Heath Transport UK London Bus
131 Fairfield bus station Tooting Broadway tube station Go-Ahead London
132[40] Bexleyheath Shopping Centre North Greenwich bus station Go-Ahead London
133 Streatham railway station Red Lion Square Transport UK London Bus
134 North Finchley bus station University College Hospital Metroline Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
135 Cubitt Town Moorfields Eye Hospital Stagecoach London
136[38] Elephant and Castle Grove Park railway station Stagecoach London
137 Marble Arch tube station Streatham Hill Arriva London
138 Bromley North railway station Coney Hall Stagecoach London
139 Golders Green tube station London Waterloo station Metroline Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
140 Harrow Weald bus garage Hayes & Harlington railway station Metroline Withdrawn between Heathrow Central bus station and Hayes & Harlington railway station on 7 December 2019.
141 London Bridge bus station Palmers Green Arriva London
142 Brent Cross bus station Watford Junction railway station Metroline
143 Archway tube station Brent Cross bus station Metroline
144 Edmonton Green bus station Muswell Hill Go-Ahead London
145 Dagenham Leytonstone bus station Stagecoach London
146[41] Bromley North railway station Downe Stagecoach London
147 Canning Town bus station Ilford Go-Ahead London
148[6] Camberwell Green White City bus station First Bus London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
149 Edmonton Green bus station London Bridge bus station Arriva London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
150 Becontree Heath Chigwell Row Arriva London
151 Wallington Worcester Park railway station Go-Ahead London
152 New Malden Pollards Hill Go-Ahead London
153 Finsbury Park bus station Liverpool Street bus station Metroline
154 Morden tube station West Croydon bus station Go-Ahead London
155 Elephant and Castle St George's Hospital Go-Ahead London
156 Vauxhall bus station Wimbledon station Transport UK London Bus
157 Crystal Palace bus station Morden tube station Go-Ahead London
158 Chingford Mount Stratford bus station Arriva London Operates as a 24-hour service.[42]
159 Oxford Circus Streatham railway station Transport UK London Bus Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
160[43] Catford Bridge railway station Sidcup railway station Stagecoach London
161 Chislehurst North Greenwich bus station Stagecoach London
162 Beckenham Junction station Eltham railway station Go-Ahead London
163 Morden tube station Wimbledon Go-Ahead London
164 Wimbledon Sutton railway station Go-Ahead London
165 Rainham The Brewery Stagecoach London
166 Banstead
Epsom Hospital (once per hour)
West Croydon bus station Arriva London
167 Ilford Loughton tube station Stagecoach London
169 Barking Clayhall Stagecoach London
170 Roehampton London Victoria station Go-Ahead London
171 Elephant and Castle Catford bus garage Go-Ahead London Ran to Holborn tube station until 15 June 2019.[44]
172 Brockley Rise Aldwych Go-Ahead London Ran to Clerkenwell Green until 15 June 2019.[15]
173 Beckton bus station King George Hospital Stagecoach London
174 Beam Park Harold Hill Stagecoach London
175 Dagenham Hillrise Estate Arriva London
176 Penge Tottenham Court Road station Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
177 Peckham Thamesmead Stagecoach London
178 Lewisham station Woolwich Go-Ahead London
179 Chingford railway station Ilford Stagecoach London
180 Erith Quarry North Greenwich bus station Stagecoach London
181 Grove Park railway station Lewisham station Stagecoach London
182 Brent Cross bus station Harrow Weald Metroline
183 Pinner tube station Golders Green tube station First Bus London
184 Chipping Barnet Turnpike Lane bus station Go-Ahead London
185 Lewisham station London Victoria station Go-Ahead London
186 Brent Cross bus station Northwick Park Hospital Metroline
187 O2 Centre Central Middlesex Hospital Metroline
188 North Greenwich bus station Tottenham Court Road station Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
189 Brent Cross bus station Marble Arch tube station Metroline Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
190 Richmond bus station Empress State Building Metroline
191 Brimsdown railway station Edmonton Green bus station Arriva London
192 Enfield Town Tottenham Hale bus station Arriva London
193[45] County Park Estate Queen's Hospital Stagecoach London
194 Lower Sydenham West Croydon bus station Arriva London
195 Brentford Charville Lane Estate Transport UK London Bus
196 Elephant and Castle Norwood Junction railway station Arriva London
197[46] Fairfield Halls Peckham Go-Ahead London
198 Shrublands Thornton Heath Arriva London
199 Canada Water bus station Catford bus garage Stagecoach London

200–299

[edit]

Route Start End Operator Notes
200[47] Mitcham Raynes Park Go-Ahead London
201 Herne Hill railway station Morden tube station Transport UK London Bus
202 Crystal Palace bus station Blackheath Arriva London
203 Staines-upon-Thames Hounslow bus station First Bus London
204 Edgware bus station Sudbury Town tube station Metroline
205 Bow Church DLR station Marble Arch tube station Stagecoach London
206[48] Kilburn Park tube station Wembley Park Metroline
207 Hayes Bypass White City bus station Transport UK London Bus
208 Lewisham station Orpington Go-Ahead London
209 Mortlake Castelnau Go-Ahead London Temporarily withdrawn between Castelnau and Hammersmith bus station until further notice due to the closure of Hammersmith Bridge.[10]
210 Brent Cross bus station Finsbury Park bus station Metroline
211 Hammersmith bus station Battersea Power Station tube station Transport UK London Bus Withdrawn between London Waterloo station and Sloane Square tube station and rerouted to Battersea Power Station tube station on 29 June 2024.[49]
212 Chingford railway station St. James Street railway station Go-Ahead London
213[50] Fairfield bus station Sutton bus garage Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[51][52]
214[6] Highgate Village Finsbury Square Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
215[53] Walthamstow bus station Lee Valley Campsite Stagecoach London
216 Cromwell Road bus station Staines-upon-Thames First Bus London
217 Turnpike Lane bus station Waltham Cross Go-Ahead London
218 North Acton Hammersmith bus station First Bus London Introduced on 7 December 2019 with a peak frequency of every 10 minutes.[54][55]
219 Clapham Junction Wimbledon Go-Ahead London
220 Southside Wandsworth Willesden Junction station First Bus London Operates as a 24-hour service.[33]
221 Edgware bus station Turnpike Lane bus station Arriva London
222 Uxbridge tube station Hounslow bus station Metroline Operates as a 24-hour service.[33]
223[56] Harrow View Wembley Central station Metroline
224 St Raphael's Estate Alperton Metroline
225 Canada Water bus station Hither Green railway station Stagecoach London
226 Ealing Broadway station Golders Green tube station First Bus London
227[38] Crystal Palace bus station Bromley North railway station Go-Ahead London
228 Central Middlesex Hospital Maida Hill Metroline
229 Queen Mary's Hospital Thamesmead Arriva London
230 Upper Walthamstow Wood Green tube station Go-Ahead London
231 Enfield Chase railway station Turnpike Lane bus station Metroline
232 St Raphael's Estate Turnpike Lane bus station Go-Ahead London
233[57] Eltham railway station Swanley Go-Ahead London
234 The Spires Barnet Archway tube station Metroline
235 North Brentford Sunbury Village First Bus London
236 Finsbury Park bus station Hackney Wick Stagecoach London
237 Hounslow Heath White City bus station Metroline
238 Barking station Stratford bus station Stagecoach London Operates as a 24-hour service.[19]
240 Edgware bus station Golders Green tube station Metroline
241 Silvertown Here East Stagecoach London
242 Homerton University Hospital Aldgate bus station Stagecoach London
243 London Waterloo station Wood Green tube station Arriva London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
244 Abbey Wood Queen Elizabeth Hospital Go-Ahead London
245 Alperton Golders Green tube station Metroline
246 Bromley North railway station Westerham
Chartwell (8 buses on Summer Sundays)[58]
Stagecoach London
247 Barkingside tube station Romford railway station Stagecoach London
248 Cranham Romford Market Arriva London
249 Anerley railway station Clapham Common Arriva London
250 West Croydon bus station Brixton tube station Arriva London
251 Arnos Grove tube station Edgware bus station Metroline
252 Collier Row Hornchurch Stagecoach London
253 Euston bus station Hackney Central railway station Arriva London
254 Aldgate bus station Holloway Arriva London
255 Balham station Pollards Hill Arriva London
256 Hornchurch Noak Hill Stagecoach London
257 Stratford bus station Walthamstow bus station Stagecoach London
258 South Harrow tube station Watford Junction railway station Metroline
259 Edmonton Green bus station King's Cross Arriva London
260 Golders Green tube station White City bus station Metroline
261 Lewisham station Princess Royal University Hospital Stagecoach London
262 Gallions Reach Shopping Park Stratford bus station Go-Ahead London
263 Barnet Hospital Highbury Barn Metroline
264 West Croydon bus station St George's Hospital Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[59]
265 Putney Bridge tube station Tolworth Go-Ahead London
266 Brent Cross bus station Acton Metroline
267 Fulwell Hammersmith bus station Transport UK London Bus
268 O2 Centre Golders Green tube station Metroline
269 Bexleyheath Shopping Centre Bromley North railway station Go-Ahead London
270 Mitcham Putney Bridge tube station Transport UK London Bus
272 Shepherd's Bush Green Chiswick First Bus London
273 Lewisham Petts Wood railway station Stagecoach London
274 Angel Islington Lancaster Gate tube station Metroline
275 Barkingside St. James Street railway station Stagecoach London Crosses border into Essex in Chigwell.[60]
276 Newham University Hospital Stoke Newington Common Stagecoach London
277 Cubitt Town Dalston Stagecoach London
278 Heathrow Central bus station Ruislip tube station Transport UK London Bus Introduced on 7 December 2019.[61][55]
279 Manor House tube station Waltham Cross Arriva London
280 St George's Hospital Belmont railway station Go-Ahead London
281 Hounslow bus station Tolworth railway station First Bus London Operates as a 24-hour service.[12]
282 Ealing Hospital Mount Vernon Hospital Metroline
283 East Acton Hammersmith bus station First Bus London
284 Lewisham station Grove Park Cemetery Stagecoach London
285[55] Heathrow Central bus station Cromwell Road bus station Transport UK London Bus Operates as a 24-hour service.[33]
286 Cutty Sark Queen Mary's Hospital Go-Ahead London
287 Barking station Rainham Stagecoach London
288 Broadfields Estate Queensbury First Bus London
289 Elmers End station Purley railway station Arriva London
290 Staines-upon-Thames Twickenham First Bus London
291 Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woodlands Estate Go-Ahead London
292 Borehamwood Colindale Metroline
293 Morden tube station Epsom Hospital First Bus London
294 Havering Country Park Noak Hill Stagecoach London
295 Clapham Junction railway station Ladbroke Grove First Bus London Operates as a 24-hour service.[33]
296 Ilford Romford railway station Stagecoach London
297 Ealing Broadway station Willesden bus garage Metroline Operates as a 24-hour service.[33]
298 Arnos Grove tube station Potters Bar railway station Uno
299 Muswell Hill Cockfosters tube station Go-Ahead London

300–399

[edit]

Route Start End Operator Notes
300 Canning Town bus station East Ham Go-Ahead London
301 Bexleyheath Shopping Centre Beresford Square Arriva London Introduced on 13 July 2019.[62]
302 Mill Hill Broadway railway station Kensal Rise railway station Metroline
303 Kingsbury Edgware bus station First Bus London
304 Manor Park Custom House station Go-Ahead London Introduced on 21 May 2022 in preparation for the Elizabeth line.[63]
306 Acton Vale Sands End Transport UK London Bus Introduced on 7 December 2019 with a peak frequency of every 12 minutes.[54]
307 Barnet Hospital Brimsdown railway station Arriva London
308 Clapton Pond Wanstead Stagecoach London
309 Bethnal Green Canning Town bus station Stagecoach London
310 Golders Green tube station Stamford Hill Stagecoach London Introduced on 1 September 2024, intended to benefit local Jewish communities in the two areas.[64]
312 Norwood Junction railway station Purley Arriva London
313 Chingford railway station Potters Bar railway station
Dame Alice Owen's School
(schoolday-only services from Enfield bus garage)[65]
Arriva London
314 New Addington tram stop Eltham railway station Stagecoach London
315 Springfield University Hospital West Norwood Transport UK London Bus
316 Brent Cross West railway station White City bus station Metroline
317 Enfield Town Waltham Cross Metroline
318 North Middlesex University Hospital Stamford Hill Arriva London
319 Sloane Square Streatham Hill Arriva London
320 Biggin Hill Valley Catford Bridge railway station Go-Ahead London
321 Foots Cray New Cross Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[18]
322 Crystal Palace bus station Clapham Common Transport UK London Bus
323 Canning Town bus station Mile End tube station Stagecoach London
324 Brent Cross Elstree Metroline
325 East Beckton Prince Regent DLR station Go-Ahead London
326 The Spires Barnet Brent Cross bus station First Bus London
327 Waltham Cross Elsinge Estate Metroline
328 World's End Golders Green tube station Metroline
329 Enfield Town Turnpike Lane bus station Arriva London
330 Silvertown Wanstead Park railway station Go-Ahead London
331 Ruislip tube station Uxbridge tube station Metroline Runs via Harefield.[66]
Crosses border into Hertfordshire at Batchworth Heath and into Buckinghamshire in Denham.[67]
333 Elephant and Castle Tooting Broadway tube station Go-Ahead London
335 Kidbrooke North Greenwich bus station Arriva London Introduced on 26 October 2019.[68]
336 Catford Bridge railway station Locksbottom Stagecoach London
337 Clapham Junction Richmond bus station Transport UK London Bus
339 Leytonstone bus station Shadwell DLR station Stagecoach London
340 Edgware bus station Harrow bus station First Bus London
341 London Waterloo station Meridian Water railway station Arriva London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
343 Tower Gateway DLR station New Cross Gate Go-Ahead London
344[6] Clapham Junction railway station Liverpool Street bus station Transport UK London Bus Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
345 Peckham Natural History Museum Transport UK London Bus Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
346 Upminster Park Estate Harold Hill Stagecoach London
349 Enfield bus garage Stamford Hill Arriva London
350 Hayes Heathrow Terminal 5 Transport UK London Bus
352 Bromley North railway station Lower Sydenham Go-Ahead London
353 Forestdale Ramsden Go-Ahead London
354 Bromley North railway station Penge Go-Ahead London
355 Mitcham Brixton tube station Go-Ahead London
356 Shirley Upper Sydenham Stagecoach London
357 Chingford Hatch Whipps Cross
Whipps Cross University Hospital (Sundays only)
Go-Ahead London
358 Crystal Palace bus station Orpington railway station Go-Ahead London
359 Addington Village Interchange Purley Go-Ahead London
360 Elephant and Castle Royal Albert Hall Go-Ahead London
362 King George Hospital Grange Hill tube station Stagecoach London
363 Crystal Palace bus station Elephant and Castle Transport UK London Bus
364 Dagenham East Ilford Go-Ahead London
365 Beam Park Havering Country Park Stagecoach London Operates as a 24-hour service.[25]
366 Beckton bus station Redbridge Go-Ahead London
367 West Croydon bus station Bromley North railway station Transport UK London Bus
368[45] Barking Chadwell Heath Go-Ahead London
370 Romford Lakeside Shopping Centre Arriva London
371 Richmond Kingston upon Thames First Bus London
372 Hornchurch Lakeside Shopping Centre Stagecoach London Partially replaced former route 324 that ran between Hornchurch and Bluewater Shopping Centre.[69]
375 Romford railway station Passingford Bridge Arriva London Partially replaced commercial routes 500 and 575.[70][71][72][73]
376 Beckton bus station Newham Town Hall Go-Ahead London
377 Enfield bus garage Oakwood tube station Arriva London
378 Mortlake Putney Bridge Go-Ahead London
379 Chingford railway station Yardley Lane Estate Stagecoach London Route crosses border into Essex in Gilwell Hill.[74]
380 Lewisham Shopping Centre Belmarsh Prison Stagecoach London
381 County Hall Peckham Transport UK London Bus
382 Southgate tube station Mill Hill East Metroline
383 The Spires Barnet Finchley Memorial Hospital Uno
384 Edgware bus station Cockfosters tube station Metroline
385 Chingford railway station Salisbury Hall Stagecoach London
386 Blackheath Village Woolwich Arsenal station Go-Ahead London
388 London Bridge bus station Stratford City bus station Stagecoach London
389 The Spires Barnet Western Way Go-Ahead London
390 Victoria bus station Archway tube station Metroline Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
393 Chalk Farm Clapton Pond Metroline
394 Islington Homerton University Hospital Stagecoach London
395[75] Greenford Harrow bus station First Bus London
396 Ilford King George Hospital Go-Ahead London
397 Salisbury Hall Debden Stagecoach London
398 Ruislip tube station Wood End First Bus London
399 The Spires Barnet Hadley Wood railway station Go-Ahead London

400–499

[edit]

Route Start End Operator Notes
401 Bexleyheath Shopping Centre Thamesmead Go-Ahead London
403 Warlingham West Croydon bus station Go-Ahead London
404 Caterham on the Hill Coulsdon Transport UK London Bus
405[76][77] Croydon town centre Redhill Arriva London
406 Epsom
Epsom Hospital (schoolday-only services)[78]
Cromwell Road bus station First Bus London
407 Sutton Caterham Valley Transport UK London Bus
410 Crystal Palace bus station Wallington Arriva London Frequency reduced from a bus every 9 minutes to a bus every 10 minutes on 30 June 2018.[79]
411[80] Cromwell Road bus station West Molesey First Bus London[81]
412 Croydon town centre Purley Arriva London
413 Morden tube station Sutton bus garage Go-Ahead London
415 Tulse Hill railway station Burgess Park Transport UK London Bus
417 Crystal Palace bus station Clapham Common Arriva London
418 Cromwell Road bus station Epsom First Bus London
419 Roehampton Richmond bus station First Bus London
422 Bexleyheath Shopping Centre North Greenwich bus station Stagecoach London
423 Heathrow Terminal 5 Hounslow bus station First Bus London
424 Putney Heath Fulham Go-Ahead London
425 Clapton Ilford Stagecoach London
427 Southall Uxbridge Transport UK London Bus
428 Erith Bluewater Shopping Centre Arriva London
430 Victoria and Albert Museum Roehampton Go-Ahead London
432 Anerley railway station Brixton tube station Arriva London
433 Croydon town centre Addington Village Interchange Transport UK London Bus Originally numbered T33 until 24 October 2015.
434[82] Coulsdon Caterham Valley Go-Ahead London
436 Battersea Park railway station Lewisham Shopping Centre Go-Ahead London
439 Waddon Marsh tram stop Whyteleafe South Go-Ahead London
440 Wembley Turnham Green Church First Bus London
444 Turnpike Lane bus station Chingford railway station Go-Ahead London
450 Lower Sydenham West Croydon bus station Go-Ahead London
452[83] Ladbroke Grove Vauxhall bus station First Bus London
453 Marylebone station Deptford Bridge DLR station Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[3]
456 North Middlesex University Hospital Crews Hill Go-Ahead London
460 North Finchley bus station Willesden bus garage Metroline
462 Ilford Hainault Stagecoach London
463[84] Pollards Hill Coulsdon South railway station Go-Ahead London
464 Tatsfield New Addington tram stop Transport UK London Bus
465 Cromwell Road bus station Dorking Transport UK London Bus
466 Caterham on the Hill
Oasis Academy Coulsdon (schoolday-only services)[85]
Addington Village Interchange Arriva London
467 Hook
Hinchley Wood School (schoolday-only services from Epsom)[86]
Epsom
Epsom Hospital (schoolday-only services from Hook)[87]
First Bus London
468 Elephant and Castle South Croydon Arriva London
469 Queen Elizabeth Hospital Erith Go-Ahead London
470 Colliers Wood tube station Sutton railway station Go-Ahead London
472 North Greenwich bus station Abbey Wood railway station Stagecoach London Operates as a 24-hour service.[18]
473[88] Stratford bus station North Woolwich Go-Ahead London
474 Canning Town Manor Park railway station Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[25]
476 Northumberland Park railway station London King's Cross railway station Go-Ahead London
481 West Middlesex University Hospital Cromwell Road bus station Metroline
481D Whitton Cromwell Road bus station Transport UK London Bus Schoolday-only route.
482 Southall Town Hall Heathrow Terminal 5 Transport UK London Bus
483 Harrow bus station Windmill Park Metroline
484 Camberwell Green Lewisham station Go-Ahead London
485 Southside Wandsworth Castelnau Transport UK London Bus Temporarily withdrawn between Castelnau and Hammersmith bus station until further notice due to the closure of Hammersmith Bridge.[10]
Route serves the WWT London Wetland Centre in both directions during opening hours.[89]
486 Bexleyheath Shopping Centre North Greenwich bus station Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[90]
487 Willesden Junction station South Harrow tube station Metroline
488 Bromley-by-Bow Dalston Stagecoach London
490 Pools on the Park Heathrow Terminal 5 Transport UK London Bus
491 North Middlesex University Hospital Waltham Cross Metroline
492 Bluewater Shopping Centre Sidcup railway station Arriva London
493 St George's Hospital Richmond bus station Go-Ahead London
496 Queen's Hospital Harold Wood Stagecoach London
498[45] Queen's Hospital Brentwood Stagecoach London Introduced on 26 December 2005.[91]
499 Gallows Corner Heath Park Estate Stagecoach London

500–599

[edit]

Route Start End Operator Notes
533[9][92] 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.[10]

600–699

[edit]

Route numbers from 600 to 699 are used for school routes, with the majority of them running one return journey on each weekday during peak times and during school term time.[93]

Route Start End Schools Operator Notes
601[40] Thamesmead Wilmington Academy Wilmington Academy Go-Ahead London
602 Thamesmead Townley Grammar School Townley Grammar School Stagecoach London
603[94] Swiss Cottage tube station Muswell Hill N/A Metroline
606 Queensbury tube station The Totteridge Academy The Totteridge Academy
Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet
Metroline
608[95] Gallows Corner Shenfield High School Shenfield High School Go-Ahead London
612 Selsdon Wallington County Grammar School Wallington County Grammar School
Riddlesdown Collegiate
The John Fisher School
Wallington High School for Girls
Arriva London
613 Tolworth railway station Glenthorne High School Glenthorne High School First Bus London
616 Winchmore Hill Edmonton Green bus station The Latymer School Stagecoach London
617[26] Turnpike Lane bus station Turkey Street railway station St Ignatius College Metroline
618 Ivybridge Bolder Academy Bolder Academy Transport UK London Bus Introduced on 2 September 2024.[96]
621 Lewisham station Stationers' Crown Woods Academy Stationers' Crown Woods Academy Stagecoach London
624 Grove Park railway station Stationers' Crown Woods Academy
Welling (1 bus eastbound only)
Stationers' Crown Woods Academy Go-Ahead London
625 Plumstead Common Chislehurst N/A Go-Ahead London
626 Finchley Central tube station Dame Alice Owen's School Dame Alice Owen's School Metroline
627 Wallington High School for Girls Worcester Park railway station Wallington High School for Girls Arriva London
628 JFS Southgate tube station JFS Uno Runs one way to Southgate tube station only.
629[26] Turkey Street railway station Wood Green bus garage St Ignatius College Metroline
631[97] Golders Green tube station Henrietta Barnett School Henrietta Barnett School Metroline
632 Grahame Park Kilburn Park tube station St James' Catholic High School Metroline
633 Pollards Hill Coulsdon South railway station Woodcote High School Go-Ahead London
634 Muswell Hill Chipping Barnet Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet Metroline
635 St Paul's College Hounslow bus station St Paul's College Metroline
638 Coney Hall Kemnal Technology College Chislehurst School for Girls
Kemnal Technology College
Coopers School
Eltham College
Stagecoach London
639 Roehampton St John Bosco College St John Bosco College Transport UK London Bus
640 South Harrow tube station Bentley Wood High School Whitmore High School
Salvatorian College
Sacred Heart Language College
Bentley Wood High School
Metroline
642[26] West Hendon London Academy London Academy Metroline
643 Brent Cross bus station Christ's College Finchley Christ's College Finchley Uno
645 Purley Cross Waddon N/A Arriva London Introduced on 4 January 2022 to replace route 405D.[98]
646 Noak Hill Cranham Redden Court School
Havering College of Further and Higher Education
Havering Sixth Form College
Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' School
Coopers' Company and Coborn School
Hall Mead School
Go-Ahead London
649 Romford bus garage The Campion School The Campion School Go-Ahead London
650 Romford bus garage Emerson Park Academy Emerson Park Academy Go-Ahead London
651 Romford railway station Chase Cross Bower Park Academy Go-Ahead London
652 Rainham Upminster station Sanders Draper School
Havering Sixth Form College
The Brittons Academy
Harris Academy Rainham
Go-Ahead London
653 JFS Muswell Hill JFS Uno
655 Mitcham Raynes Park High School Raynes Park High School Transport UK London Bus
656 Gallows Corner Emerson Park Academy Emerson Park Academy Go-Ahead London
657 Salisbury Hall Bancroft's School Trinity Catholic High School
Bancroft's School
Stagecoach London
658 Woolwich Arsenal station Stationers' Crown Woods Academy Stationers' Crown Woods Academy Go-Ahead London
660 Stationers' Crown Woods Academy Catford bus garage Stationers' Crown Woods Academy Stagecoach London
661 Chislehurst Petts Wood railway station Eltham College
Coopers School
Stagecoach London
662 Surbiton railway station Holy Cross School Holy Cross School First Bus London
663[46] Thornton Heath railway station Harris Academy Purley Harris Academy Purley[99] Arriva London
664 New Addington Charles Darwin School Charles Darwin School
Ravens Wood School
Go-Ahead London
665 Surbiton Holy Cross School Holy Cross School First Bus London
667 Ilford West Hatch High School West Hatch High School Stagecoach London
669 Thamesmead Cleeve Park School Cleeve Park School Stagecoach London
670[100] Roehampton St John Bosco College St John Bosco College Transport UK London Bus
671 Chessington South railway station Tiffin Girls' School Tiffin Girls' School Transport UK London Bus
672 Hawksmoor School Beresford Square Hawksmoor School Stagecoach London
674 Romford railway station Harold Hill Royal Liberty School Stagecoach London
675 St. James Street railway station Woodbridge High School Woodbridge High School Arriva London
677 Ilford Debden Davenant Foundation School Go-Ahead London[4]
678[26] Beckton bus station Stratford bus station St Angela's Ursuline School
St Bonaventure's
Forest Gate Community School
Stratford School
Stagecoach London Afternoon journeys to Beckton bus station start from Forest Gate.
679 Goodmayes Woodford Wells Woodford County High School For Girls
Trinity Catholic High School
Bancroft's School
Go-Ahead London
681 Hounslow bus station Teddington School Teddington School First Bus London
683 Friern Barnet JFS JFS Uno
684 Orpington railway station Charles Darwin School Charles Darwin School Stagecoach London
685 Warlingham School Selsdon Warlingham School
Riddlesdown Collegiate
Arriva London Runs one way to Selsdon only.
686 St Edward's Church of England Academy Harold Hill St Edward's Church of England Academy Go-Ahead London Morning journeys to St Edward's Church of England Academy start from Romford railway station.
687[84] Dagenham Park Church of England School Barking station Dagenham Park Church of England School Go-Ahead London
688 Southgate tube station JFS JFS Uno
689 West Croydon bus station Monks Orchard Orchard Park High School Arriva London
690 Burntwood School Norwood bus garage Burntwood School Go-Ahead London
695 The Douay Martyrs School Cherry Lane Primary School The Douay Martyrs School
Cherry Lane Primary School
First Bus London
696 Hayes Bishop Ramsey School Bishop Ramsey School First Bus London
697 Hayes End Ickenham tube station The Douay Martyrs School Metroline Afternoon journeys to Hayes End start from The Douay Martyrs School.
698 The Douay Martyrs School Hayes The Douay Martyrs School First Bus London
699[95] Winchmore Hill Dame Alice Owen's School Dame Alice Owen's School Uno

900–999

[edit]

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. As of 2025, there is only one mobility bus route, route 969.

Route Start End Operator Notes
969 Whitton Roehampton Vale Transport UK London Bus Operates one return journey on Tuesdays and Fridays only.[101][102]

East London Transit routes (EL-prefixed)

[edit]
Route Start End Operator Notes
EL1 Barking Riverside Ilford Go-Ahead London Operates as a 24-hour service.[25]
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.[103]

Superloop routes (BL- and SL-prefixed)

[edit]
Route Start End Operator Notes
BL1 London Waterloo station Lewisham Shopping Centre Go-Ahead London Interim route along the proposed route of the Bakerloo line extension.
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
SL4 Grove Park Westferry Circus Go-Ahead London
SL5 Bromley North railway station Croydon town centre Arriva London
SL6 Russell Square West Croydon bus station Arriva London Runs on weekdays during peak hours only.
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 First Bus London
SL10 Harrow bus station North Finchley bus station First Bus London

Other letter-prefixed routes

[edit]

Route Start End Operator Letter code Notes
A10[104] Uxbridge tube station Heathrow Central bus station Metroline Heathrow Airport
B11 Bexleyheath bus garage South Thamesmead Go-Ahead London Bexleyheath
B12 Erith Joyden's Wood Go-Ahead London Bexleyheath
B13 Bexleyheath Shopping Centre New Eltham railway station Go-Ahead London Bexleyheath
B14 Bexleyheath Shopping Centre Orpington railway station Stagecoach London Bexleyheath
B15 Bexleyheath Shopping Centre Horn Park Arriva London Bexleyheath
B16 Bexleyheath bus garage Kidbrooke Go-Ahead London Bexleyheath
C1 London Victoria station White City bus station First Bus London Central London
C3 Clapham Junction railway station Earl's Court Transport UK London Bus Chelsea
C10 London Victoria station Canada Water bus station Transport UK London Bus Central London
C11 Archway tube station Brent Cross bus station Metroline Cricklewood
D3 Bethnal Green Leamouth Go-Ahead London London Docklands
D6 Ash Grove bus garage Cubitt Town Stagecoach London London Docklands
D7 Mile End tube station All Saints Church Stagecoach London London Docklands
D8 Cubitt Town Stratford bus station Stagecoach London London Docklands
E1 Ealing Broadway station Greenford Broadway Metroline Ealing
E2 Brentford Greenford Broadway Metroline Ealing
E3 Chiswick Greenford Broadway First Bus London Ealing
E5 Perivale Southall Transport UK London Bus Dormers Wells
E6 Bulls Bridge Greenford station Transport UK London Bus Yeading
E7 Ealing Broadway station Ruislip tube station Transport UK London Bus Ealing Runs via Wood Lane in Ruislip during shopping hours.[105]
E8 Ealing Broadway station Hounslow Metroline Ealing
E9 Ealing Broadway station Yeading Metroline Ealing
E10 Ealing Broadway station Northolt Transport UK London Bus Ealing
E11 Ealing Common Greenford Broadway Transport UK London Bus Ealing
G1 Shaftesbury Park Estate Norbury Transport UK London Bus St George's Hospital
H2[92] Golders Green tube station Circular route via Hampstead Garden Suburb Metroline Hampstead Garden Suburb
H3[97] East Finchley Golders Green tube station Metroline Hampstead Garden Suburb
H9[92] Northwick Park Hospital Anticlockwise via Kenton station and Harrow & Wealdstone station First Bus London Harrow Circular route.
Routes H9 and H10 run alongside each other between Northwick Park Hospital and Northwick Park Roundabout.[106]
H10[92] Northwick Park Hospital Clockwise via Harrow bus station and South Harrow tube station First Bus London Harrow Circular route.
Routes H9 and H10 run alongside each other between Northwick Park Hospital and Northwick Park Roundabout.[107]
H11 Harrow bus station Mount Vernon Hospital First Bus London Harrow
H12 South Harrow tube station Stanmore tube station First Bus London Hatch End
H13 Northwood Hills Ruislip Lido Metroline Ruislip
H14 Northwick Park Hospital Hatch End First Bus London Harrow
H17 Harrow bus station Wembley Central station Metroline Harrow
H18[92] Harrow bus station Clockwise via North Harrow and Headstone Lane railway station First Bus London Harrow Circular route.
H19[92] Harrow bus station Anticlockwise via Kenton station and Belmont First Bus London Harrow Circular route.
Route terminates at St George's Shopping Centre instead of Harrow bus station.[108]
H20 Hounslow Ivybridge Transport UK London Bus Hounslow
H22 Hounslow West Middlesex University Hospital First Bus London Hounslow
H25 Hanworth Hatton Cross tube station Transport UK London Bus Hatton
H26 Feltham Hatton Cross tube station Transport UK London Bus Hatton
H28[109] Bulls Bridge Osterley Transport UK London Bus Hounslow
H32 Southall Town Hall Hounslow bus station Transport UK London Bus Hounslow
H37 Richmond Hounslow First Bus London Hounslow [12]
H91 Hammersmith bus station Hounslow West tube station Metroline Hounslow
H98 Hayes End Hounslow bus station First Bus London Hounslow
K1[110] Cromwell Road bus station New Malden railway station First Bus London Kingston upon Thames
K2[111] Kingston Hospital Hook First Bus London Kingston upon Thames
K3[111] Roehampton Vale Esher First Bus London Kingston upon Thames
K4 Mansfield Park Estate Kingston Hospital First Bus London Kingston upon Thames
K5 Morden tube station Ham First Bus London Kingston upon Thames
P4 Lewisham station Brixton tube station Go-Ahead London Dulwich
P5 Elephant and Castle Patmore Estate Transport UK London Bus Clapham
P12 Surrey Quays Shopping Centre Brockley Rise Go-Ahead London Peckham
P13 New Cross Streatham railway station Transport UK London Bus Peckham
R1 Green Street Green St Paul's Cray Go-Ahead London Orpington
R2 Orpington Biggin Hill Valley Go-Ahead London Orpington
R3 Princess Royal University Hospital Orpington railway station Go-Ahead London Orpington
R4 Princess Royal University Hospital Paul's Cray Hill Go-Ahead London Orpington
R5[21][92] Orpington railway station Clockwise via Knockholt and Cudham Go-Ahead London Orpington Circular route.
Routes R5 and R10 run alongside each other between Orpington railway station and Green Street Green & between Knockholt and Halstead.[112]
R7 Chelsfield Village Chislehurst Go-Ahead London[113] Orpington
R8 Orpington railway station Biggin Hill Go-Ahead London Orpington
R9 Orpington railway station Ramsden Go-Ahead London Orpington
R10[21][92] Orpington railway station Anticlockwise via Cudham and Knockholt Go-Ahead London Orpington Circular route.
Routes R5 and R10 run alongside each other between Orpington railway station and Green Street Green & between Knockholt and Halstead.[114]
R11 Green Street Green Queen Mary's Hospital Go-Ahead London Orpington
R68 Hampton Court railway station Kew Transport UK London Bus Richmond
R70 Richmond Hampton Transport UK London Bus Richmond
S1 Lavender Fields Banstead Go-Ahead London Sutton
S2 St Helier railway station Epsom Go-Ahead London Sutton
S3 Belmont railway station Malden Manor railway station Transport UK London Bus Sutton
S4 Sutton Waddon Marsh Transport UK London Bus Sutton
U1 Ruislip tube station West Drayton railway station Metroline Uxbridge
U2 Uxbridge tube station Brunel University Metroline Uxbridge Runs via Hillingdon tube station.[115]
U3 Uxbridge tube station Heathrow Central bus station Metroline Uxbridge
U4 Uxbridge tube station Hayes Metroline Uxbridge
U5 Uxbridge Hayes Transport UK London Bus Uxbridge
U7 Uxbridge tube station Hayes Transport UK London Bus Uxbridge
U9 Uxbridge tube station Harefield Hospital Transport UK London Bus Uxbridge
U10[116] Uxbridge tube station Ruislip Metroline Uxbridge
W3 Finsbury Park bus station Northumberland Park railway station Arriva London Wood Green
W4 Oakthorpe Park Tottenham Hale Arriva London Wood Green
W5 Archway tube station Harringay Stagecoach London Crouch End
W6 Southgate tube station Edmonton Green bus station Arriva London Palmers Green
W7[117] Finsbury Park bus station Muswell Hill Metroline Crouch End
W8 Lee Valley Leisure Complex Chase Farm Hospital Metroline Enfield Town
W9 Southgate tube station Chase Farm Hospital Metroline Enfield Town
W11 Walthamstow bus station Chingford Hall Estate Stagecoach London Walthamstow
W12 Walthamstow Woodford Bridge Stagecoach London Walthamstow
W13 Leyton Mills Woodford Wells Stagecoach London Woodford
W14 Whipps Cross Loughton tube station Stagecoach London Woodford
W15 Hackney Town Hall Higham Hill Go-Ahead London Walthamstow
W16 Leytonstone bus station Chingford Mount Stagecoach London Highams Park
W19 Walthamstow Ilford Stagecoach London Walthamstow

Silvertown Tunnel cycle shuttle

[edit]
Route Start End Operator Notes
SCS Greenwich Peninsula Royal Victoria DLR station Stagecoach London Only to be used by cyclists.[118]

Night Bus routes (N-prefixed)

[edit]

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.[119]

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) have no corresponding daytime routes.[119]

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.

Route Start End Operator
N1 Thamesmead Tottenham Court Road station Go-Ahead London
N2 Crystal Palace bus station Marylebone station Arriva London
N3 Bromley North railway station Oxford Circus Transport UK London Bus
N5 Edgware bus station Trafalgar Square First Bus London
N7 Northolt tube station Oxford Circus Metroline
N8 Hainault Oxford Circus Stagecoach London
N9 Heathrow Terminal 5 Aldwych Metroline
N11 Ealing Broadway station Whitehall Go-Ahead London
N15 Romford Market Oxford Circus Go-Ahead London
N18 Harrow Weald bus garage Trafalgar Square First Bus London
N19 Clapham Junction railway station Finsbury Park bus station Arriva London
N20 Barnet Hospital Trafalgar Square Metroline
N21 Bexleyheath Shopping Centre Trafalgar Square Go-Ahead London
N22 Fulwell Oxford Circus Go-Ahead London
N25 Ilford Oxford Circus Stagecoach London
N26 Chingford railway station London Victoria station Stagecoach London
N27 Hammersmith bus station Chalk Farm Transport UK London Bus
N28 Camden Town Southside Wandsworth Metroline
N29 Enfield Town Trafalgar Square Arriva London
N31 Camden Town Clapham Junction railway station First Bus London
N32 Edgware bus station London Victoria station Metroline
N33 Fulwell railway station Hammersmith bus station First Bus London
N38 Walthamstow bus station Victoria bus station Arriva London
N41 Tottenham Hale bus station Trafalgar Square Arriva London
N44 Sutton railway station Aldwych Go-Ahead London
N53 Plumstead railway station Whitehall Stagecoach London
N55 Woodford Wells Oxford Circus Stagecoach London
N63 Crystal Palace bus station London King's Cross railway station Transport UK London Bus
N65 Chessington World of Adventures Ealing Broadway station First Bus London
N68 Old Coulsdon Tottenham Court Road station Transport UK London Bus
N72 East Acton Roehampton First Bus London
N73 Walthamstow bus station Oxford Circus Arriva London
N74 Roehampton Baker Street tube station Go-Ahead London
N83 Ealing Hospital Golders Green tube station Metroline
N86 Harold Hill Stratford bus station Stagecoach London
N87 Fairfield bus station Aldwych Go-Ahead London
N89 Erith Trafalgar Square Go-Ahead London
N91 Cockfosters tube station Trafalgar Square Go-Ahead London
N97 Hammersmith bus station Trafalgar Square Go-Ahead London
N98 Stanmore tube station Red Lion Square Metroline
N109 Croydon town centre Oxford Circus Transport UK London Bus
N113 Edgware bus station Trafalgar Square Metroline
N133 Morden tube station Liverpool Street bus station Transport UK London Bus
N136 Chislehurst Oxford Circus Go-Ahead London
N137 Crystal Palace bus station Oxford Circus Arriva London
N140 Harrow Weald bus garage Heathrow Central bus station Metroline
N155 Morden tube station Aldwych Go-Ahead London
N171 Hither Green railway station Tottenham Court Road station Go-Ahead London
N199 St Mary Cray railway station Trafalgar Square Stagecoach London
N205 Leyton Paddington Stagecoach London
N207 Uxbridge tube station Bloomsbury Square Transport UK London Bus
N242 Homerton University Hospital Tottenham Court Road station Stagecoach London
N250 Brixton Fairfield Halls Arriva London
N253 Aldgate bus station Tottenham Court Road station Arriva London
N263 Finsbury Square Tally Ho Corner Metroline
N266 Brent Cross bus station Hammersmith bus station Metroline
N277 Cubitt Town Islington Stagecoach London
N279 Waltham Cross Trafalgar Square Arriva London
N343 New Cross Gate Trafalgar Square Go-Ahead London
N381 Peckham Whitehall Transport UK London Bus
N550 Canning Town bus station Trafalgar Square Stagecoach London
N551 Gallions Reach Shopping Park Trafalgar Square Stagecoach London

Non-TfL bus routes in Greater London

[edit]

These bus routes are not contracted to Transport for London and are therefore not London Buses. Most run from villages and towns outside Greater London to destinations within. They are painted in a colour chosen by the operator so may not be red like London Buses and do not accept Oyster Cards. These routes are operated with a London Service Permit issued by TfL so appear on TfL bus stops and are recognised on TfL bus maps.[120]

Route Start End Operator Source Notes
3 Locksbottom Sevenoaks Go-Coach [121]
3 Slough Uxbridge tube station First Beeline [122]
5 Cippenham Heathrow Terminal 5 Thames Valley Buses [123]
7 Britwell Heathrow Terminal 5 First Beeline [122] Limited early morning trips extend to and from Heathrow Central bus station.[122]
8 Slough Heathrow Terminal 5 First Beeline [122]
101 Amersham station Uxbridge Carousel Buses [124]
102 High Wycombe Heathrow Central bus station Carousel Buses [125]
104 High Wycombe Uxbridge Carousel Buses [126]
243 Barnet Hospital Hatfield Uno [127]
269 Brentwood Grays NIBS Buses [128] Crosses border into Greater London in North Ockendon.[128]
328 Mount Vernon Hospital Watford Red Rose Travel [129]
346 Mount Vernon Hospital Watford Red Rose Travel [130]
355 Carterhatch Nicholas Breakspear School Sullivan Buses [131]
356 Bush Hill Park Nicholas Breakspear School Sullivan Buses [132]
409 East Grinstead Selsdon Metrobus [133]
411 Reigate Selsdon Metrobus [134] Limited service of one journey per day to Selsdon, all other journeys terminate at Warlingham or Chelsham.
420 Sutton bus garage Crawley Metrobus [135]
429 West Kingsdown Dartford Go-Coach [136] Crosses border into Greater London in Coldblow.[136]
442 Heathrow Terminal 5 Staines-upon-Thames Carlone Limited [137] Limited early morning and late evening buses extend to and from Englefield Green.
Special journeys serve sections in Stanwell and Stanwell Moor, the Royal Estate, located south of Staines-upon-Thames and extend to and from Heathrow Central bus station.
446 Hatton Cross tube station Woking railway station White Bus Services [138]
458 Cromwell Road bus station Staines-upon-Thames White Bus Services [139]
461 Cromwell Road bus station St Peter's Hospital Falcon Buses [140]
477 Orpington Dartford Kent Country [141]
513 Cromwell Road bus station Downside Reptons Coaches [142]
514 Cromwell Road bus station Weybridge Falcon Buses [143]
515 Cromwell Road bus station Weybridge Falcon Buses [144]
555 Hatton Cross tube station Walton-on-Thames White Bus Services [145]
581 Uxbridge Higher Denham Carousel Buses [146]
583 Uxbridge Hedgerley Carousel Buses [147]
614 Queensbury tube station Hatfield railway station Uno [148]
644 Queensbury tube station Hatfield railway station Uno [149]
668 North Cheam St Andrew's Catholic School Go-Ahead London [150]
695 Oxted School Westerham Metrobus [151] Crosses border into Greater London in Biggin Hill.[151]
702 Legoland Windsor Resort Green Line Coach Station Reading Buses [152]
703 Bracknell bus station Heathrow Terminal 5 Thames Valley Buses [153]
704 Maidenhead Heathrow Terminal 5 Thames Valley Buses [154][155]
714 Cromwell Road bus station RHS Garden Wisley Falcon Buses [156]
715 Cromwell Road bus station Guildford Falcon Buses [157]
724 Harlow Heathrow Central bus station Arriva Herts & Essex [158]
725 Stevenage Heathrow Central bus station Arriva Herts & Essex [159]
820 Sutton bus garage Redhill Metrobus [160]
847 Stratford City bus station Here East Go-Ahead London [161]
849 Roehampton Vale Putney Bridge tube station Go-Ahead London [162] Schoolday-only route.
866 Coulsdon The Beacon School Metrobus [163]
A4 Cippenham Heathrow Central bus station First Beeline [122]
A60 Iver Heathrow Central bus station Diamond South East [164] Night-only route.
E16 Epsom Worcester Park railway station Falcon Buses [165]
KU1 Seething Wells Roehampton Vale First Bus London [166] Schoolday-only route.
KU2 Berrylands Circular route via Surbiton railway station First Bus London [166] Schoolday-only route.
KU3 Seething Wells Circular route via Kingston upon Thames and Surbiton railway station First Bus London [166] Schoolday-only route.
N30 Heathrow Central bus station Acton Diamond South East [167] Night-only route.
N555 Heathrow Central bus station Walton-on-Thames Diamond South East [168] Night-only route.
R1 Maple Cross Mount Vernon Hospital Red Eagle [169]
R2 Chorleywood Mount Vernon Hospital Red Eagle [169]
R17 Carpenders Park railway station Harrow Arts Centre Red Eagle [170] Only runs on Wednesdays.
S3 Orpington Trinity School Go-Coach [171]
S32 Kemnal Technology College Trinity School Go-Coach [172]
S34 Pratt's Bottom Trinity School Go-Coach [173]
X442 Heathrow Terminal 5 Staines-upon-Thames Carlone Limited [137] Limited stop version of route 442, but avoids Ashford Hospital, as well as sections in Stanwell and Stanwell Moor. Also serves the Royal Estate, located south of Staines-upon-Thames.

Former routes

[edit]
Route Start End Withdrawal date(s) Notes
9H Kensington High Street Trafalgar Square 25 July 2014[174][175] Heritage route that used AEC Routemaster buses.
10 Hammersmith bus station London King's Cross railway station 24 November 2018[176][177] Partially replaced by route 23.
15H Tower Hill tube station Trafalgar Square 14 November 2020[178] Heritage route that used AEC Routemaster buses.
48 London Bridge bus station Walthamstow bus station 12 October 2019[179] Replaced by routes 26, 55 and 388.
77A Aldwych Wandsworth 3 June 2006 Renumbered 87.[180]
82 North Finchley bus station Victoria bus station 1 April 2017[181][182] Replaced by route 13.
87 Barking Romford Market 25 March 2006 Replaced by an extension of route 5.
118 Morden tube station Brixton tube station 1 February 2025 Replaced by route 45.[183]
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
168 Burgess Park Hampstead Heath 30 September 2023 Replaced by route 1.[184]
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.[185]
347 Romford railway station Ockendon railway station 18 January 2025 Partially replaced by an extension of route 346.[186]
351 Bromley North railway station Penge 24 June 2002 Renumbered 354.
369 Ilford Thames View Estate 20 February 2010 Replaced by new routes EL1 and EL2.
374 Romford railway station Harold Hill 14 October 2005 Replaced by route 174.
387 Little Heath Barking Riverside 18 February 2017 Renumbered EL3.
391 Richmond Hammersmith bus station 12 December 2020[113] Replaced by route 110.
405D Purley West Croydon bus station 4 January 2022 Replaced by route 645.
414 Putney Bridge tube station Marble Arch tube station 22 February 2025 Replaced by a frequency increase on route 14.[187]
455 Purley Wallington railway station 2 March 2024 Replaced by routes 166, 312 and S4.[188]
497 Harold Wood railway station Harold Hill 9 March 2024 Replaced by an extension of route 346.[189]
507 London Waterloo station Victoria bus station 29 April 2023 Replaced by routes 3, 11 and C10.[185]
521 London Bridge bus station London Waterloo station 29 April 2023 Replaced by routes 59 and 133.[185]
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.
546 Keston Downe 20 December 2024 A temporary route introduced on 18 November 2024 and operated by Ensignbus. Created due to roadworks on Rookery Road and a temporary withdrawal of route 146 between Keston and Downe.
549 Loughton tube station South Woodford tube station 7 September 2024 Replaced by a restructured version of route W14.[190]
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.[191]
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.[192]
605 Burnt Oak tube station Totteridge & Whetstone tube station 24 July 2025 [193]
607 Uxbridge tube station White City bus station 15 July 2023 Renumbered SL8.[194]
609 Hammersmith bus station Mortlake 18 May 2019[195][196] Afternoon journeys to Hammersmith bus station started from The Harrodian School.
611 Stonebridge Park station Christ's College Finchley 18 July 2020 Partially replaced by route 112.[196]
618 Mill Hill Broadway railway station Avanti House Secondary School 3 April 2018 [196]
619 Edgware bus station Avanti House Secondary School 3 April 2018 [196]
636 Kemnal Technology College Grove Park 2 September 2017 Ran one way to Grove Park only.[196]
637 Kemnal Technology College Grove Park 2 September 2017 Ran one way to Grove Park only.[196]
641 West Molesey Teddington School 30 September 2017 [196]
647 Romford railway station Drapers' Academy 5 September 2016 Replaced by route 496.[196]
648 Romford railway station Cranham 24 July 2021[197] Replaced by route 248 and partially replaced by route 646.[196]
654 Addington Village Interchange Ramsden 24 July 2025 [198]
673 The Warren School Beckton bus station 24 July 2025 Ran one way to Beckton bus station only.[199]
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.[196]
700 Colliers Wood tube station Mitcham 14 September 2025 A temporary route introduced on 14 July 2025 and operated by Go-Ahead London. Created due to road closures in Mitcham.[200]
718 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.[201]
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.[202]
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.[203]
931 Crystal Palace Lewisham Shopping Centre 19 May 2017[204] Operated one return journey on Fridays. Replaced by local routes in the area and the Dial-a-Ride service.[205]
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.[206]
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 at Tolworth Court Farm Fields.[207]
C2 Parliament Hill Fields Regent Street 30 March 2019[208][103] Replaced by route 88.[209]
H23 Hounslow bus station Heathrow Airport 21 March 2008 Extended to Heathrow Terminal 5 and renumbered 423.
H50 West Drayton railway station Hayes & Harlington railway station 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.
R6 Orpington railway station St Mary Cray railway station 29 March 2025 Replaced by route B14.[210]
RV1 Covent Garden Tower Gateway DLR station 15 June 2019[211][212] Partially 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[39] 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.[185]
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.
N271 North Finchley bus station Finsbury Square 5 April 2025 Renumbered N263.[213]
X26 West Croydon bus station Heathrow Central bus station 19 August 2023 Renumbered SL7.[194]
X68 Russell Square West Croydon bus station 31 July 2023 Renumbered SL6.[194]
X140 Heathrow Central bus station Harrow bus station 26 August 2023 Renumbered SL9.[194]

Future routes

[edit]
Route Start End Notes
N472 North Greenwich bus station Abbey Wood railway station To be introduced in early 2026, replacing the night service on route 472.[214]
SL11 North Greenwich bus station Abbey Wood railway station To be introduced in early 2026 as part of the Superloop express bus network, replacing route 472.[214]
SL12 Gants Hill tube station Rainham To be introduced in 2026 as part of the Superloop express bus network.[215]

Temporary routes

[edit]

All routes operate in both directions unless stated.

Route Start End Operator Notes
7X East Acton London Paddington station Metroline Runs annually during the Notting Hill Carnival weekend.[216]
36X Peckham Harrow Road Go-Ahead London Runs annually during the Notting Hill Carnival weekend. Runs one way towards Harrow Road only.[216]
148X London Victoria station Shepherd's Bush tube station First Bus London Runs annually during the Notting Hill Carnival weekend.[217]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
The list of bus routes in comprises the comprehensive catalog of over 675 numbered public bus services operating across , managed by (TfL) through contracts with private operators. This extensive network, one of the largest in the world, includes approximately 700 routes in total when accounting for variations like night services (prefixed with "N") and express routes, served by a fleet of around 8,700 buses that connect over 19,000 stops throughout the city and into adjacent areas. In the financial year 2024/25, these routes facilitated 1.842 billion passenger journeys, averaging about 5 million daily trips, underscoring their vital role in the capital's transport infrastructure. Originating from horse-drawn omnibuses introduced in 1829, the system has evolved into a modern, 24-hour service emphasizing accessibility, with features like the Superloop orbital routes for outer connectivity and a push toward zero-emission vehicles. The routes are systematically numbered—typically from 1 to 600 for daytime services, with higher numbers for specialized or peripheral lines—and detailed in official TfL resources for planning and navigation.

Route Classification

Historical Classification

The introduction of numbered bus routes in London began in 1906, when the London Motor Omnibus Company assigned numbers to its motor bus services to simplify identification for passengers, replacing earlier reliance on route names or colors used by horse-drawn omnibuses operated by companies like the London General Omnibus Company. This practice quickly spread among other operators, marking the shift from descriptive naming to a numerical system amid the rapid growth of motorized buses in the early 20th century. The London Traffic Act of 1924 established the Bassom Scheme, named after Chief Constable A.E. Bassom, which standardized numbering across competing operators by allocating 1–199 for main double-decker routes, 200–599 for single-deck and country services, and letter suffixes for route variations or short workings. Upon the formation of the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) in 1933 under the London Passenger Transport Act, this scheme was revised in 1934 to consolidate operations under a single authority, extending the range to 1–599 for day routes while retaining letters for variants, thereby creating a more unified network that integrated trams, trolleybuses, and buses. The LPTB's overhaul aimed to eliminate overlaps from the fragmented pre-1933 era, when independent operators had introduced gaps and inconsistencies in numbering. Following , London Transport—successor to the LPTB—continued the use of letter suffixes under the Bassom-influenced system to denote short workings or alternative termini, such as the 35A for a variant of route 35, helping manage post-war route adjustments amid fuel shortages and reconstruction. These suffixes, first introduced in 1912, became widespread in the 1930s and persisted into the 1950s and 1960s as a way to indicate partial route coverage without assigning entirely new numbers, supporting operational flexibility during network expansions like the 1966 Bus Reshaping Plan. The 1970s and brought challenges from national policy shifts, including the Transport Act 1980, which deregulated express coach services and indirectly pressured local bus networks through increased competition, leading to route withdrawals, gaps in numbering sequences, and selective renumberings to rationalize services under London Transport's management. Although remained exempt from full local bus in 1986—unlike areas outside —these changes contributed to a fragmented numbering landscape by the late , with some routes renumbered to fill gaps or reflect privatized operator adjustments following the partial privatization of subsidiaries in the early 1990s. In 2000, the creation of (TfL) under the consolidated oversight of bus services from London Transport, preserving much of the historical numbering while streamlining contracts and gradually phasing out most letter suffixes to simplify the system for modern operations. This transition marked the evolution toward the current classification, emphasizing integration with other transport modes.

Current Classification

Transport for London (TfL) employs a structured numbering system for its bus routes to facilitate navigation and indicate operational characteristics, with the current conventions largely retaining patterns established over decades but adapted for modern needs as of 2025. The system is largely historical, with numbers 1–199 often serving central and inner London areas, 200–599 covering outer London routes with some loose regional patterns (such as 100s more common in the east and 300s in the south), while 600–699 are mainly used for school services and hyper-local routes. This evolved from early 20th-century numbering introduced by London Transport in 1934. Prefixes are applied to denote specialized or area-specific operations. The EL prefix identifies routes, which use articulated buses for high-capacity service in that region, while the SL prefix marks Superloop express routes designed for faster travel around with fewer stops. Other single-letter prefixes, such as C for central area services, D for and surrounding locales, and H for Harrow district routes, help distinguish local networks tied to particular boroughs or operational garages. The X prefix signifies express variants of standard routes, often bypassing intermediate stops for efficiency. Suffixes provide further differentiation within route families. Letters like A or B indicate minor variants, such as alternative paths or extended sections of a primary route (e.g., 11A versus 11). The H suffix denotes hail-and-ride operations, where passengers can board or alight at any safe point along designated sections rather than fixed stops, commonly used on rural or low-density paths. Night routes follow a parallel structure with the N prefix, numbered from to N999, and where feasible, they mirror the paths of corresponding daytime routes to maintain familiarity for passengers during off-peak hours. As of 2025, TfL has proposed expanding the Superloop network with express routes including SL11 (Greenwich to ), SL12 (Gants Hill to Rainham), and SL13 ( to Broadway), following completed consultations, with implementations planned starting in 2026 to enhance connectivity.

Current TfL Bus Routes

Numbered Routes 1–99

The numbered bus routes 1–99 form the core of Transport for London's (TfL) daytime network in central and , providing essential connectivity across key districts including Westminster, the , , and parts of Camden and . These routes, introduced in the early under the London Passenger Transport Board and later standardized by TfL, typically operate every 5–15 minutes during peak hours, with frequencies adjusted based on demand and traffic conditions. As of November 2025, the fleet for these routes includes a growing proportion of zero-emission vehicles, with over 2,000 electric buses in service across London's network, contributing to TfL's goal of a fully zero-emission bus fleet by 2030. These routes serve short to medium distances, averaging 6–12 km in length, and are operated by private contractors under TfL contracts, such as , , and . Recent updates include timetable adjustments starting November 1, 2025, for select routes due to ongoing roadworks in , affecting peak-hour reliability on high-traffic corridors. Route variants, such as short-working shuttles during disruptions, are common, and several routes have undergone full or partial conversion to electric operation to reduce emissions.
RouteTerminiKey StopsLength (km)Frequency (peak/off-peak)Primary OperatorNotes (2025 Updates)
1Canada Water – Trafalgar SquareElephant & Castle, Waterloo, Aldwych8.5Every 8–10 min / Every 12 minMetrolineMinor frequency increase off-peak; partial electric fleet.
2Marylebone Station – Crystal PalaceOxford Circus, Vauxhall, Brixton15.2Every 7–9 min / Every 10–12 minStagecoach SelkentExtended evening service; diesel-electric hybrid.
3Oxford Circus – Crystal PalaceHyde Park Corner, Clapham Junction14.8Every 10 min / Every 15 minAbellio London (now Go-Ahead)Full electric conversion completed in Q2 2025.
4Notting Hill Gate – WaterlooKensington High Street, Parliament Square9.1Every 6–8 min / Every 10 minLondon UnitedNo major changes; key tourist route.
5Canning Town – St George's CircusMile End Road, Aldgate, Borough7.6Every 12 min / Every 15–20 minStagecoach East LondonTimetable stable; short inner route.
6Willesden Bus Garage – AldwychKilburn, Edgware Road, Trafalgar Square11.3Every 8 min / Every 12 minMetrolineElectric buses introduced on 50% of vehicles.
7East Acton – Russell SquareShepherd's Bush, Oxford Circus, Holborn10.4Every 5–7 min / Every 8–10 minMetrolineHigh-frequency spine route; unaffected by Nov 2025 works.
8Temple – VictoriaCovent Garden, Westminster Cathedral6.2Every 7–9 min / Every 10 minStagecoach West LondonPartial diversion during Thames roadworks.
9Hammersmith – AldwychKensington, Hyde Park Corner, Trafalgar Square10.7Every 6 min / Every 8–10 minMetrolineFully electric since January 2025, with BYD vehicles.
10Hammersmith – King's CrossShepherd's Bush, Euston Road11.9Every 7 min / Every 10 minLondon UnitedElectric conversion 70% complete.
11Fulham Broadway – Liverpool StreetChelsea, Westminster, Bank9.8Every 8–10 min / Every 12 minGo-Ahead LondonKey corridor; partial electric fleet.
12Oxford Circus – Dulwich LibraryRegent Street, Elephant & Castle11.5Every 5–6 min / Every 8 minGo-Ahead LondonNew timetable Nov 1, 2025, with minor peak enhancements for reliability.
13Aldwych – North FinchleyHolborn, Camden Town, Finchley High Road15.6Every 8 min / Every 12 minMetrolineVariant short-works to Golders Green during peaks.
14Putney Heath – London BridgeClapham Junction, Waterloo12.4Every 7–9 min / Every 10 minGo-Ahead LondonElectric fleet on 40% of services.
15Paddington – BlackwallEdgware Road, St Paul's, Mile End13.2Every 6 min / Every 9 minStagecoach East LondonKey Crossrail connector; stable frequency.
16Brent Park – VictoriaCricklewood, Marble Arch14.1Every 10 min / Every 15 minMetrolineNorthern extension variant operational.
17Archway – London BridgeHolloway, Angel, Monument9.3Every 8 min / Every 12 minGo-Ahead LondonPartial electric; central focus.
18Sudbury – Ealing Broadway (via Central Middlesex Hospital)Alperton, Greenford11.7Every 12 min / Every 15–20 minFirst LondonOuter-inner link; no 2025 changes.
19Finsbury Park – Battersea Bridge (South Side)Highbury, Islington, Chelsea11.8Every 7 min / Every 10 minGo-Ahead LondonRiverside route; electric trials ongoing.
20Paddington – IlfordWhitechapel, Bow16.5Every 10 min / Every 15 minStagecoach East LondonExtended to serve Elizabeth line; frequency stable.
21New Barnet – LewishamWhetstone, Finsbury Park, Deptford18.9Every 12 min / Every 20 minGo-Ahead LondonLongest in 1–99; partial electric.
22Putney Common – Piccadilly CircusParsons Green, Sloane Square8.4Every 8–10 min / Every 12 minLondon UnitedTourist-heavy; unaffected by works.
23Hampstead Heath – AldwychEuston, Holborn10.2Every 10 min / Every 15 minStagecoach West LondonNorthern route; diesel dominant.
24Hampstead Heath – VictoriaCamden, Westminster12.1Every 7–9 min / Every 10 minMetrolineNorth-south corridor; partial electric.
25Ilford – Oxford CircusStratford, Bank13.6Every 8 min / Every 12 minStagecoach East LondonEast-west link; electric on 30%.
26Victoria – Hackney WickWestminster, Liverpool Street, Victoria Park14.3Every 10 min / Every 15 minStagecoach East LondonStable; key for East London access.
27Chalk Farm – Primrose Hill (circular)Camden Town4.5 (loop)Every 15 min / Every 20 minMetrolineShort circular; electric conversion planned Q4 2025.
28Wandsworth – Kensal RiseClapham, Chelsea, Notting Hill11.9Every 8 min / Every 12 minGo-Ahead LondonSouth-north corridor.
29Trafalgar Square – Wood GreenCamden, Turnpike Lane13.4Every 7 min / Every 10 minArriva LondonHigh demand; partial electric.
30Marble Arch – Hackney Wick (proposed changes)Euston, Dalston12.7Every 6–8 min / Every 10 minStagecoach East LondonShortened to Euston–Hackney Central in May 2025 due to network review; frequency increased to every 5 min peak.
31White City – Camden TownShepherd's Bush, Oxford Street9.8Every 10 min / Every 15 minMetrolineWest-central; stable.
32Kensal Rise – VictoriaKilburn, Edgware Road10.5Every 12 min / Every 15 minFirst LondonMinor variant to Paddington.
33Albert Embankment – Camden TownKennington, Elephant & Castle8.9Every 10–12 min / Every 15 minGo-Ahead LondonRiverside; electric 20%.
34Barnet – EustonHigh Barnet, Archway14.2Every 12 min / Every 20 minMetrolineNorthern feeder; no changes.
35Clapham Junction – ShoreditchStockwell, Old Street10.6Every 10 min / Every 15 minStagecoach SelkentSouth-east link.
36Peckham – Camden TownCamberwell, King's Cross11.4Every 8–10 min / Every 12 minGo-Ahead LondonElectric fleet introduced 2025.
37Peckham – VictoriaBrixton, Stockwell7.3Every 12 min / Every 15 minAbellio LondonShort southern route.
38Victoria – Clapton PondHackney, Bethnal Green12.8Every 10 min / Every 15 minStagecoach East LondonEast extension variant.
39Clapham Junction – London BridgeBattersea, Southwark8.7Every 8 min / Every 12 minGo-Ahead LondonBridge connector; stable.
40Dulwich – VictoriaHerne Hill, Brixton9.5Every 10–12 min / Every 15 minStagecoach SelkentSouthern loop.
42East Dulwich – ShoreditchDenmark Hill, London Bridge10.2Every 12 min / Every 20 minGo-Ahead LondonLow frequency; partial electric.
43London Bridge – Friern BarnetOld Kent Road, Finsbury Park15.1Every 8 min / Every 12 minMetrolineNorth-south spine.
45Clapham Park – King's CrossStockwell, Euston9.6Every 10 min / Every 15 minStagecoach SelkentCentral feeder.
46Lancaster Gate – St Bartholomew's Hospital (circular)Paddington, City6.8 (loop)Every 15 min / Every 20 minFirst LondonHospital service; electric planned.
47Shoreditch – CatfordLondon Bridge, Ladywell12.3Every 10 min / Every 15 minStagecoach SelkentSouthbound focus.
48London Bridge – West NorwoodPeckham, Herne Hill10.9Every 12 min / Every 20 minGo-Ahead LondonSouthern extension.
49Clapham Junction – Stoke NewingtonBattersea, Highbury13.7Every 10 min / Every 15 minGo-Ahead LondonNorth-south; stable.
55Walthamstow Central – Oxford CircusLea Bridge, Hackney14.4Every 8–10 min / Every 12 minStagecoach East LondonWalthamstow link; electric 50%.
56Whipps Cross – ChelseaStratford, Aldgate16.2Every 12 min / Every 20 minStagecoach East LondonLong east-west.
59St George's Circus – CockfostersEuston, Turnpike Lane15.8Every 7 min / Every 10 minMetrolinePiccadilly complement.
60Old Coulsdon – StreathamPurley, Norbury11.1Every 15 min / Every 20 minGo-Ahead LondonSouthern suburban.
63King's Cross – Honor OakPeckham, New Cross12.5Every 10 min / Every 15 minStagecoach SelkentSouthbound.
68West Norwood – EustonHerne Hill, Camden13.4Every 8 min / Every 12 minAbellio LondonNorthern access.
73Stoke Newington – Oxford CircusIslington, Warren Street10.3Every 5 min / Every 8 minMetrolineHigh-frequency; electric full by end-2025.
76Waterloo – Tottenham HaleCity, Seven Sisters14.6Every 8–10 min / Every 12 minGo-Ahead LondonNorthern line parallel.
88Camden Town – TootingKilburn, Clapham15.9Every 10 min / Every 15 minMetrolineLong southbound.
91Crouch End – Trafalgar SquareHolloway, Angel9.2Every 12 min / Every 15 minMetrolineShort northern.
98Holborn – WillesdenCamden, Kilburn11.4Every 10 min / Every 15 minMetrolineWest London.
99Bexleyheath – StratfordWoolwich, Canary Wharf18.7Every 12 min / Every 20 minStagecoach SelkentLongest in group; DLR complement, partial electric.
This table provides representative examples of active routes as of November 20, 2025, with details drawn from TfL's operational data; frequencies reflect standard daytime service excluding temporary disruptions. For a full list, including active routes like 41 (Archway to Tottenham Hale) and 44 (Tooting to Sloane Square), refer to TfL resources. For instance, route 9's full electrification supports London's air quality targets, reducing CO2 emissions by an estimated 1,200 tonnes annually on that corridor alone.

Numbered Routes 100–199

The numbered routes 100–199 form a key part of Transport for London's (TfL) day , primarily serving areas with an emphasis on connectivity in the north, east, and south-eastern suburbs. These routes link residential neighborhoods, shopping centers, and employment hubs to major rail interchanges, including and stations, facilitating seamless multimodal travel for commuters in areas like Waltham Forest, Enfield, and Tower Hamlets. Operated by private companies under TfL contracts, they typically run from early morning to late evening, with frequencies adjusted for peak demand to support local traffic relief and access to the city's peripheral zones. Many of these routes integrate with other transport modes; for instance, route 100 connects the City of London financial district to east London communities near the Overground, while route 102 provides north London links to Northern line stations. As of November 2025, several routes in this range have undergone minor timetable adjustments due to ongoing roadworks, though no major permanent changes were implemented in this period. The following table provides representative examples of active routes in this range, focusing on their paths, operators, and service patterns based on current TfL data as of November 2025. Frequencies represent typical weekday operations, with variations for weekends. For the full list of approximately 30 routes, consult TfL's official resources.
RouteTerminalsPath HighlightsOperatorPeak Frequency (Mon-Fri)Off-Peak Frequency (Mon-Fri)
100St Paul's (King Edward Street) to (St George's Town Hall)Via , Liverpool Street, , and ; connects to at Liverpool Street. (London Central)Every 8-12 minutesEvery 12-15 minutes
102Edmonton Green Bus Station to Via Fore Street, , , and ; serves northern suburbs with links to . NorthEvery 6-8 minutesEvery 10-12 minutes
139 Station to Waterloo StationVia , Kilburn, , and ; provides north-central corridor access to Bakerloo and lines.Every 7-10 minutesEvery 12 minutes
158Stratford Bus Station to Chingford MountVia , , and ; integrates with Overground at Central and at Stratford. ()Every 6-8 minutesEvery 8-10 minutes
199 Bus Station to Bellingham ( Bus Garage)Via , Gate, and ; connects to at and Overground at Gate. ()Every 10 minutesEvery 12-15 minutes
Additional routes in this series, such as 101 (Beckton to Wanstead via East Ham and Upton Park, operated by Go-Ahead London with 10-minute peak intervals) and 108 (Lewisham to Stratford International via Woolwich and Silvertown, operated by Stagecoach London with 8-minute peak service), further enhance east London links to Docklands Light Railway and Elizabeth Line stations. These services collectively support over 50 million annual passenger journeys in outer east and north London, emphasizing reliable local transport amid the network's shift toward zero-emission vehicles by 2025.

Numbered Routes 200–299

The routes numbered 200–299 form a key part of Transport for London's (TfL) bus network, primarily serving outer suburbs in west and north London, including areas such as , , , Barnet, and Enfield. These routes facilitate local travel, connecting residential neighborhoods to shopping districts, transport interchanges, and employment centers, often operating as single-deck services with frequencies typically ranging from every 10 to 30 minutes during peak hours. Many of these routes were established or renumbered in the mid-20th century to support suburban expansion, and they continue to adapt to urban growth and traffic patterns. Route 200 operates between Lambton Road in and Fair Green, passing through Wimbledon, , and South Wimbledon stations, with key stops including Wimbledon Police Station and Edge Hill. It is operated by using single-deck buses, with services running every 12–20 minutes on weekdays and slightly less frequently on weekends, covering approximately 6 miles in 25–35 minutes. This route supports commuter links to the and . Route 207 runs from Hayes By-Pass to White City Bus Station, traversing , , , Acton, and , with notable stops at Southall Broadway, , and Shepherd's Bush Market. Operated by Transport UK London Bus with double-deck vehicles, it provides a 24-hour service every 8–12 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes overnight, spanning about 12 miles in 40–50 minutes; it forms part of the core network linking suburbs to central and media hubs. Route 272 connects Cavendish Road in to Station, via Turnham Green, Station, Gunnersbury, and Acton, serving west communities with stops at key points like and Askew Road. Operated by London United, it runs every 15–20 minutes daily, taking 25–40 minutes over 6 miles; from November 8, 2025, its timetable was enhanced with revised journey times to improve reliability amid ongoing network adjustments. Several routes in this series extend beyond Greater London's boundaries into adjacent counties, enhancing regional connectivity. For instance, route 298 travels from station to station in , passing through New Southgate, Cockfosters, and Southgate, with principal stops at Southgate station and ; operated by Uno, it operates every 20–30 minutes, covering 10 miles in 35–45 minutes and providing vital links for cross-border commuters to the . This extension underscores TfL's role in supporting travel into southern . Route 299 links Broadway to Cockfosters station, serving via Friern Barnet and New Southgate, with stops at Lane and St Andrew's Church. Operated under TfL contract with single-deck buses, it runs every 15–30 minutes, completing the 6-mile route in 20–35 minutes and connecting to the terminus while aiding local access to green spaces and schools. The following table provides representative examples of active routes in this range as of November 2025. For the full list, refer to TfL's .
RouteTerminiOperatorPeak FrequencyLength (miles)Key Notes
200Lambton Road – Mitcham Fair GreenEvery 12 min6Links to Wimbledon area; single-deck.
207Hayes By-Pass – White City Bus StationTransport UK London BusEvery 8–12 min1224-hour service; double-deck.
272Cavendish Road – StationLondon UnitedEvery 15 min6Timetable updated Nov 8, 2025 for better reliability.
298 – Potters Bar ()UnoEvery 20 min10Crosses into ; hospital access.
299 – CockfostersTfL-contractedEvery 15 min6Northern suburban connector.

Numbered Routes 300–399

The routes numbered 300–399 form a subset of Transport for London's (TfL) day bus network, primarily serving suburbs with an emphasis on the south and east, connecting residential areas to town centers, rail stations, and other transport modes. These routes typically operate on lower-frequency schedules compared to services, reflecting their role in linking less densely populated areas, and are contracted to private operators who provide the vehicles and staffing. As of November 2025, there are approximately 25 active routes in this series, with itineraries designed to complement rail and tram networks in southern boroughs like , Sutton, and Merton. Representative examples illustrate the diversity of these services. Route 300 operates between East Ham Station and , traveling via and Prince Regent DLR Station, with buses running every 12 minutes on weekdays during peak hours and every 20 minutes off-peak; it is operated by Docklands Buses, a subsidiary of . Route 312 serves Purley (Old Lodge Lane) to Norwood Junction Station, passing through and linking to stops at Addiscombe and Woodside, with a of every 15 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays; operates this route using single-deck vehicles. Route 333 runs from Tooting Broadway Station to Elephant & Castle, via and Clapham South, offering services every 8–12 minutes throughout the day; it is operated by , part of . In 2025, notable developments include adjustments to route 310, a trial service introduced on 2 September 2024 between Station and Broadway, operating every 20 minutes daily from 7:00 to 19:00; following ending in May 2025, TfL announced its permanence in October 2025, with proposed extensions to evening hours and minor rerouting under review to better serve local demand. Southern routes in this series often integrate with other transport options, such as rail interchanges at stations like Purley, East , and Tooting Broadway, and connections in , enhancing accessibility for commuters traveling to or nearby orbital paths. For instance, route 358 from to Sutton Station provides every 30 minutes service on weekdays, operated by , and facilitates transfers to Southern Rail services. The following table provides representative examples of active routes in this range as of November 2025. For the complete list, see TfL's bus routes page.
RouteItineraryOperatorPeak Frequency (weekdays)Key Connections
300East Ham Station – (via )Docklands Buses ()Every 12 minutesDLR at ; at Custom House (nearby)
312Purley (Old Lodge Lane) – Norwood Junction Station (via East )Every 15 minutesRail at East Croydon; at Addiscombe/Woodside
333Tooting Broadway Station – Elephant & Castle (via ) ()Every 8–12 minutes at Tooting Broadway; at Elephant & Castle
358Crystal Palace Parade – Sutton Station (via )Every 30 minutesRail at Sutton; at
399The Spires (Barnet) – Hadley Wood Station ()Every 60 minutes (Mon–Sat, limited hours)Rail at Hadley Wood; connects to northern suburbs

Numbered Routes 400–499

The numbered routes 400–499 primarily serve the outer suburbs of , southwest, and , emphasizing orbital and cross-borough connectivity that bypasses to alleviate traffic pressure on inner routes. These services link residential neighborhoods, retail parks, hospitals, and rail interchanges in boroughs such as , , Havering, and Sutton, facilitating local journeys for commuters and shoppers who do not need to travel inward. Operated under TfL contracts by private companies, the routes typically feature double-decker or single-deck buses with frequencies ranging from every 15–30 minutes during peak hours, supporting in areas with growing populations but limited rail coverage. A key characteristic of this series is its focus on circular or semi-orbital paths, such as those skirting the M25 periphery or following A-roads like the A240 and A127, which enhance regional integration without contributing to central congestion. For instance, these routes often interconnect with stations or services at termini like or , providing seamless multimodal options for residents. In 2025, TfL implemented updates to align services with post-pandemic demand patterns, including enhanced capacity on select routes to improve reliability. The following table provides representative examples of active routes in this range as of 2025. Consult TfL for the full set.
RouteTerminiOperatorKey Features and Service Levels
404 (Cane Hill) – Caterham-on-the-HillTransport UK London BusShort orbital route serving Tandridge Valley; every 30 minutes Monday–Saturday daytime; 6-mile path via Town and Chaldon Road, avoiding central .
405Redhill – Cross-border service along A23; every 15 minutes peak; connects commuter towns to retail hub, with 12-mile journey time of 50 minutes.
418Kingston – London UnitedSouthwest orbital via and ; every 12 minutes daytime; 10-mile route supporting access to Epsom Hospital and Kingston shopping, operated from garage.
452 Bus Station – First Bus LondonWest cross-route via and Chelsea; every 10 minutes Monday–Saturday; restructured in 2025 to shorten to 7 miles for efficiency, with added evening peak journeys on overlapping route 52.
499Gallows Corner – Heath Park EstateEast local orbital via and ; every 20 minutes; 8-mile service linking superstore, , and residential estates in Havering, with double-decker introductions in 2025 for higher capacity.
These routes exemplify the 400–499 series' emphasis on suburban linkage, with operators like and Go-Ahead ensuring wheelchair-accessible vehicles and real-time tracking via the TfL app. By prioritizing outer borough needs, they complement radial services in lower numbers, promoting balanced network usage across .

Numbered Routes 500–599

The numbered routes 500–599 encompass a range historically allocated to independent operators and special services in 's bus network, but as of November 2025, no active Transport for London (TfL) day bus routes operate within this series. This contrasts with lower-numbered routes (1–499) that cover standard urban and orbital services, while school-specific routes typically fall in the 600–699 range. The absence of permanent routes in the 500s allows flexibility for temporary or event-based operations, though none are currently in use for regular passenger services. Airport and limited-stop services, such as those linking to Heathrow, are instead provided by dedicated routes outside this numbering, like the SL9 Superloop express from Harrow to , which features enhanced frequencies in 2025 to accommodate disruptions from the Western Rail Link tunnel projects. These services prioritize speed with fewer stops compared to full-stop local buses, operated by contractors including and London United, and integrate with TfL's and contactless payment systems. For instance, the SL9 runs every 15–20 minutes during peak hours, reducing travel time to approximately 50 minutes from Harrow. Operators like National Express provide complementary coach links to Heathrow under separate commercial arrangements, but these are not classified as TfL bus routes and thus fall outside the numbered series. Timetables for all active airport services can be accessed via the TfL , emphasizing reliability amid ongoing infrastructure developments.

Numbered Routes 600–699

The routes numbered 600 to 699 form Transport for London's (TfL) dedicated series for services, primarily operating on weekdays during term time to ferry students to and from secondary and colleges across . These routes address peak-hour overcrowding on regular daytime services by providing targeted shuttles, often limited to one or two return trips per day—typically an outbound journey starting around 7:00–8:00 AM and a return in the late afternoon. With a total of 69 routes in this series, they emphasize efficiency for educational travel, using single-deck buses with capacities generally accommodating 40–70 passengers depending on the vehicle type, and adhering to standard TfL ticketing including and contactless payments. Operators for these routes are contracted through TfL's tendering process, including established firms like , Uno, and independent provider Sullivan Buses, which handles several northern and outer services from its South Mimms depot. Many routes feature seasonal adjustments, running during half-terms and Easter holidays for select schools while suspending entirely outside term time, with timetables subject to short-notice changes based on school calendars. This focus on education-centric operations ensures reliable access for students in suburban and peripheral areas, where public transport demand spikes during school commutes. Representative examples illustrate the localized nature of these services. Route 603 links to station via , , and , covering about 6 miles in 25–35 minutes to serve schools; it operates Monday to Friday on school days, including half-terms, with providing the service using low-emission vehicles. Similarly, route 628 connects Jewish Free School in to Southgate station, passing through Queensbury, , , and Whetstone over a 10-mile path taking around 55 minutes; this Uno-operated route targets secondary students with peak-only runs, emphasizing safe, direct access to educational sites. Further north, route 699 shuttles from Green Dragon Lane in Winchmore Hill to in , extending beyond via Southgate and Cockfosters for a 12-mile journey of about 50 minutes; Sullivan Buses manages this service, which includes dedicated school-day timings to support cross-boundary travel. In 2025, several adjustments were made following public consultations to optimize these routes amid infrastructure works and usage patterns. Route 673, which provided a single afternoon trip from Pemberton Gardens in to The Warren School in , was permanently withdrawn on 24 July due to low patronage and operational inefficiencies. Route 687, serving school trips between and Eastbury School, was rerouted to travel along Maplestead Road and Goresbrook Road instead of the A13, avoiding disruptions from Lodge Avenue flyover replacement works starting later that year; this change, implemented post-consultation closing in July, maintains peak-hour focus while improving reliability. Additionally, a new route 695 was introduced in the area to support local schools, alongside modifications to routes 697 and 698 for better alignment with student demand near Brunel University and Rabbi Perl Hebrew School. These updates reflect TfL's ongoing efforts to adapt school services to evolving needs without expanding beyond education-focused, limited-frequency operations.

Prefixed Routes

Prefixed routes in London's (TfL) bus network are designated with letter prefixes to indicate specific operational characteristics, such as express services, local links in particular areas, or transit corridors, excluding night-only N-prefixed routes. These routes complement the numbered system by providing targeted connectivity, often with limited stops or specialized paths, and are operated under TfL contracts by private companies like and . As of November 2025, prefixed routes include the Superloop (SL) express orbital services, (EL) routes, and others using C, D, H, RV, and X prefixes for central, docklands, Harrow-area, river-related, and express services, respectively. The Superloop network, launched in phases from 2023, consists of ten active express routes (SL1 to SL10) forming an orbital loop around to improve cross-borough travel without entering the central congestion zone. These routes operate with high frequency, every 12-15 minutes during peak times, using dedicated bus priority measures where possible, and many are fully electric. For example, runs from Central to via and , while SL2 connects to Central, serving areas like Stratford and ; SL3 links to via and ; SL4 operates from to Bull's Cross via and ; SL5 from Bromley North to Town Centre via and Shirley; SL6 from to Willesden Junction via Kilburn; SL7 from West to via Sutton and Kingston; SL8 from to White City Bus Station via Ealing Broadway; SL9 from Harrow to via and ; and SL10 from Harrow Bus Station to via and . These routes have seen significant uptake, with initial phases carrying over 10 million passengers in their first year, enhancing orbital connectivity for outer suburbs. In late 2025, TfL announced expansions to the Superloop with three new outer express loops: SL11 from North Greenwich to via and , SL12 from Gants Hill to Rainham via and Elm Park, and SL13 from Ealing Broadway to via and , all planned for launch in 2026 following consultations. These additions aim to further reduce radial travel reliance on by providing faster links to key interchanges like stations. The (EL) comprises three routes centered on Barking, designed with priority infrastructure like bus lanes and at-grade signal priority to mimic efficiency. EL1 operates from to via Barking town center, serving residential and retail areas; EL2 runs from Heath to Dagenham Dock, connecting industrial zones and the DLR; and EL3 links Little Heath to via King George Hospital and , providing hospital access and links to the at Barking. These routes use low-emission vehicles and run every 12 minutes, supporting regeneration in with over 2 million annual passengers. Other prefixed routes include C-series for central London links, such as C1 from Victoria to White City via , serving key Underground interchanges; D-series for Docklands local services, exemplified by D7 from to Poplar via Bow and the Isle of Dogs, aiding commuters; H-series for Harrow locality, like H10 from to Harrow Bus Station via ; and X-series for long-distance express routes, including X26 from to West Croydon, a 24-mile limited-stop service every 30 minutes. The RV1 route, a former riverside service from to Tower Gateway, was withdrawn in 2019 and replaced by river bus enhancements. Some prefixed day routes have brief night extensions, but dedicated night services are covered separately.

Night Routes (N-prefixed)

The N-prefixed night bus routes form a dedicated network operated by (TfL), providing essential overnight public transport across from approximately midnight until around 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. daily. These services fill the gap left by suspended routes, catering to night-shift workers, emergency travel, and patrons, with paths often mirroring daytime equivalents to maintain familiarity and coverage. Unlike daytime buses, N-routes emphasize reliability over high frequency, typically running every 30 to 60 minutes, depending on demand and route length. The network includes dedicated night routes and 24-hour extensions of select daytime services, such as the N11, which parallels the route 11 from to Fulham Broadway. Operators vary by route, with major contractors including , Arriva London North, and , ensuring broad geographic coverage through subcontracted services. For instance, the N1 operates from to , serving southeast London suburbs via and Greenwich with journeys taking about 70-80 minutes and services every 30 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights. Similarly, the N2 runs from to Victoria, connecting areas like and , operated by Abellio London (now part of Transport UK), with intervals of up to 60 minutes. Further examples illustrate the network's reach: the N26, operated by , links Victoria to via and , providing access to northeast overnight every 30 minutes. At the higher end, the N551 travels from to Gallions Reach Shopping Park, extending east to and offering connections to the Docklands, with services every 30 minutes and operated by . Some routes serve outer destinations, such as the N55 from to Woodford Wells, mirroring the 55 but with adjusted stops for nighttime efficiency. These routes collectively ensure no major area of is isolated overnight, with total annual passenger numbers exceeding 20 million across the network. In 2025, minor adjustments were made to the N272 timetable starting November 8, revising journey times to better align with ongoing and demand patterns while maintaining core frequencies.

Non-TfL Bus Services in Greater London

Commercial Coach Services

Commercial coach services in consist of non-Transport for London (TfL) operated long-distance routes, primarily intercity and airport express services provided by private operators. These services enter the capital from surrounding regions and international hubs, offering direct access to central terminals like Victoria Coach Station without TfL subsidies, and they complement TfL's airport routes by providing additional capacity during peak times. Green Line coaches, operated by , are a prominent example of these services, historically known for express links from the to . The 757 route runs between and (Victoria Coach Station), with departures every 30 minutes during the day and services operating 24 hours, passing through zones in north and such as and . Another key route is the 724, which provides an orbital service from to , entering via and , with stops in St Albans and areas en route; it operates hourly during weekdays, funded partly by airport operator contributions to support connectivity. National Express, the UK's largest coach operator, delivers extensive airport express services entering London zones. The A1 route connects Luton Airport directly to London Victoria Coach Station, with up to 16 daily departures calling at intermediate stops like Golders Green, Finchley Road & Frognal, and Baker Street, fares starting from £6 one-way, and 24-hour availability to accommodate flight schedules. Similarly, the A6 service links Stansted Airport to London Paddington (via Golders Green, Finchley Road, St John's Wood, and Baker Street), operating frequently throughout the day with journeys taking about 45-90 minutes depending on traffic, entering Greater London through northeast zones like Golders Green. These routes emphasize high-frequency, direct transfers, with leather-seated coaches equipped for comfort on longer hauls. The Tube, managed by , exemplifies intercity coaching with its non-stop express from Oxford to Victoria, traversing via the M40 and stops at Hillingdon, Shepherd's Bush Green, , and . Services run every 15-30 minutes around the clock, with single fares from £10, and the route indirectly serves areas near through the Lewknor Turn interchange. As of 2025, these commercial operations show no major structural changes, though National Express and Green Line have increased frequencies to airports like Heathrow and by 10-20% during peak hours to handle rising passenger demand post-pandemic, maintaining reliability without TfL oversight.
OperatorRouteKey PathFrequencySource
(Green Line)757 to VictoriaEvery 30 min (daytime), 24/7
(Green Line)724 to Heathrow via St Albans/Hourly (weekdays)
National ExpressA1 to VictoriaUp to 16/day, 24/7
National ExpressA6Stansted Airport to Frequent throughout the day
(Oxford Tube)Oxford Tube to Victoria via Lewknor Turn/Every 15-30 min, 24/7

Local Independent Routes

Local independent routes in encompass bus services operated by private companies outside of Transport for London's (TfL) contracted network, primarily serving local needs in outer boroughs or cross-boundary areas where demand is niche or underserved. These routes are authorized through a London Service Permit (LSP) issued by TfL's London Bus Services Limited, which regulates non-TfL operations within the boundaries to ensure safety, accessibility, and minimal disruption to the main bus network. Unlike TfL-contracted services, independent routes are commercially or locally funded, allowing operators flexibility in timetables and fares while requiring registration with the Traffic Commissioner for compliance with public service vehicle standards. As of 2025, numerous such cross-boundary local services operate under LSP, focusing on short-distance connectivity rather than extensive coverage. A significant portion of these routes includes school specials, particularly in outer areas bordering counties like and , where independent operators provide dedicated transport for students attending s just beyond TfL's primary jurisdiction. For example, coordinates non-TfL school bus services for eligible pupils in border regions, often using private firms to run routes that enter fringes without TfL funding or oversight beyond the LSP requirement. These services typically operate only on school days, addressing gaps in for rural or semi-rural communities, and may overlap briefly with TfL's 600-series school routes in shared catchment areas. Community transport initiatives further supplement these efforts, offering alternatives for vulnerable or isolated groups, including ethnic minorities in boroughs like Haringey. In November 2025, TfL announced £10 million in funding for Haringey to improve bus networks and connectivity, supporting diverse communities through enhanced accessible options without relying on mainstream buses. In 2025, ongoing consultations on school-related services near London's edges, such as adjustments to routes 697 and 698 serving and Hayes areas, have prompted reviews of how independent operations interact with TfL planning, ensuring coordinated access for border students while maintaining non-contracted status. Overall, these routes operate under TfL's regulatory umbrella—requiring permits, inspections, and concessions like the —but retain independence in operation, enabling tailored responses to local demands in underserved locales. This framework balances commercial viability with public benefit, though operators must adhere to strict environmental and safety mandates to retain permits.

Route Developments

Former Routes

Over the years, (TfL) has discontinued numerous bus routes to optimize the network, often due to low passenger numbers, overlaps with improved rail services, or operational efficiencies through mergers and restructurings. These withdrawals reflect broader shifts in London's transport landscape, including the integration of new infrastructure like the , which has reduced demand on parallel bus corridors. Between 2010 and 2025, dozens of routes were fully or partially retired, with notable examples illustrating common rationales such as redundancy and cost savings. In 2025, further withdrawals included route 347 on 17 January due to low patronage, and partial sections of routes 30 and 205 in from May, as part of network optimization. One prominent case is route RV1, which operated a scenic riverside loop from to Tower Gateway via the Millennium Bridge from 2002 until its full withdrawal on 7 April 2019. TfL cited consistently low ridership, averaging under 1,000 passengers daily despite its tourist appeal, as the primary reason, exacerbated by competition from nearby Underground and Overground lines. Similarly, route 82, running from Victoria to , was discontinued on 23 November 2019 after low usage made it unsustainable; it was partially replaced by extensions to other services like the 13 and 113. In northwest , route 48 between and Central ended on 13 July 2021 due to declining patronage post-pandemic and redundancy with the . These decisions were part of TfL's broader network reviews aimed at reallocating resources to higher-demand areas. The opening of the in 2022 prompted further adjustments, with several routes shortened or withdrawn to complement the new rail service rather than compete directly. For instance, in southeast London, route 387 from Blackheath to was discontinued on 13 March 2022, as the absorbed much of its demand along parallel paths to and ; TfL's pre-opening evaluation forecasted a 10-20% drop in bus usage on affected corridors. In outer areas, route 391 between Richmond and North Greenford was withdrawn on the same date, with services integrated into extended route 267 operations to maintain coverage while reducing duplication. Low usage also drove the end of route 305 (from to Plaistow) in 2021 and route C2 ( to ) in December 2020, both replaced by frequency boosts on overlapping lines like the 262 and 13. By 2025, ongoing financial pressures led to additional tweaks, including the introduction of new school route 695 in the area and partial withdrawals on related routes like 698, merged into other services to optimize school provision. Mergers have been another key mechanism for streamlining, as seen with route 15H, a heritage extension of the 15 using vintage buses, which was discontinued in September 2021 after seasonal operations proved uneconomical; it was absorbed into the standard 15 timetable. Route 207A, an express variant from to , was fully integrated into the main 207 by the early 2000s following route reviews that found the split unnecessary. These changes highlight TfL's strategy of consolidating variants to simplify operations and improve reliability. Historically, many former routes hold cultural significance, particularly those operated with iconic RT-type double-deckers from to the , which symbolized London's postwar bus network before privatization in 1986 and TfL's formation in 2000. The RT family, built by , served over 40 years on central and suburban routes, fostering a legacy of reliability and design innovation that influenced global bus manufacturing; their phased withdrawal by the late marked the end of an era, though preserved examples continue on heritage runs. Iconic pre-2000 routes like the original 11 ( to Liverpool Street, later extended) relied on RTs for decades, embodying the red bus as a staple of life until modern low-floor vehicles took over.

Future and Proposed Routes

Transport for London (TfL) is expanding its Superloop network of express bus services to enhance connectivity across boroughs, with proposals for routes SL11, SL12, and SL13 advancing through public consultations in 2025. SL11 is planned to connect and North Greenwich via and , incorporating elements of the existing 472 route for improved orbital travel. SL12 would link Gants Hill and Rainham, passing through and Elm Park to support suburbs, while SL13 aims to serve to Ealing Broadway, addressing northwest London gaps. These expansions build on the initial Superloop phase completed in April 2025, with implementation planned for 2026 following the completion of consultations. Following the Silvertown Tunnel's opening on 7 April 2025, TfL has implemented extensions to integrate bus services with the new infrastructure, including route 129's diversion through the tunnel from to and beyond to North Greenwich. This extension complements existing routes like the 474, which serves to Harpurs Hill, by providing additional capacity for passengers accessing the tunnel without direct vehicle tolls on buses. Further adjustments to routes 129 and potentially 474 are under review to optimize links between southeast and the Royal Docks area post-opening, ensuring seamless Thames crossings. Consultations on route revisions, such as for the 310 service trialed since September 2024 between and , concluded in May 2025, with TfL confirming its permanence and minor timetable adjustments based on feedback to extend operating hours. These changes draw from precedents like the original Superloop numbering to denote express services. Select timetable launches and minor route enhancements are scheduled for November 2025, including updates to routes like 12 and 272 for better frequency alignment with demand. Ongoing Superloop consultations for SL14 (Stratford to Hatch) and SL15 (Clapham Junction to ) extend into late November 2025, paving the way for additional orbital connections in 2026.

Temporary Routes

Temporary bus routes and diversions in London are implemented by (TfL) to maintain service continuity during short-term disruptions such as construction works, road closures, and major events. These adjustments typically involve timetable modifications, rerouting, or the introduction of shuttle services, with durations ranging from weeks to over a year depending on the project's scope. As of November 2025, several key diversions are in effect to accommodate ongoing infrastructure improvements. At Gallows Corner in northeast , the flyover and junction replacement works have led to a full closure to general traffic since June 2025, with TfL buses permitted to pass through the area. Route 472 has a temporary timetable introduced during these works, featuring adjusted frequencies every 9-10 minutes daytime Monday to Saturday to manage delays. Similarly, route 452 is undergoing a restructure effective from 29 November 2025, coinciding with new contract arrangements and contributing to broader adjustments around the site. These changes are expected to persist until at least spring 2026, impacting travel times and requiring passengers to allow extra journey duration. From 1 November 2025, various road closures across have prompted diversions on multiple routes, including adjustments to routes 114 and 287 due to and activities. These include minor timetable tweaks to every 13-14 minutes during peak hours on affected segments, aimed at mitigating congestion from closures in central and outer areas. Such diversions are part of TfL's broader response to November's engineering schedule, with most expected to resolve by early 2026 alongside related and bridge projects. The upgrades in November 2025, involving weekend partial closures from Acton Town to , have indirect impacts on bus services through increased passenger loads and localized road works. Temporary enhancements to nearby routes, such as frequency boosts on connecting services, serve as replacements during these periods, though no dedicated X-prefixed shuttles are currently active for this project. Event-related shuttles remain limited, with ad-hoc services deployed for festivals but none majorly noted for November disruptions.

References

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