London Bus
Ride London's iconic red double-decker buses for just £1.75 — scenic routes past Big Ben, St Paul's and the Tower on the world's most famous bus network
Ride London's iconic red double-decker buses for just £1.75 — scenic routes past Big Ben, St Paul's and the Tower on the world's most famous bus network
The red double-decker is as much a London symbol as Big Ben or a black cab. TfL runs roughly 700 routes carrying six million passengers daily — several pass every major landmark, making them the cheapest sightseeing option in the city.
A journey costs £1.75 by contactless or Oyster, and the Hopper fare lets you change buses within one hour for that price. Grab the front seat upstairs and you will see more in an hour than most visitors manage in a week.
Route 11 is widely considered the finest sightseeing bus in London. It departs from Fulham Broadway, passing Westminster Cathedral, Parliament Square, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, the Strand and on to St Paul's Cathedral — a cavalcade of landmarks for £1.75.
Route 15 follows a similarly scenic path from Trafalgar Square via Fleet Street, the Old Bailey, St Paul's and the Tower of London. Other rewarding options include the 24 from Pimlico to Hampstead Heath via Westminster and Camden Town. Routes are subject to TfL timetable changes, so check before planning a journey around a particular bus.
Sitting on the top deck puts you above the traffic at the level of first-floor windows, with views into side streets, churchyards and garden squares you would miss at pavement level. The front seats offer a panoramic windscreen view closer to a cinema screen than a transport window.
Board via the front door and tap your contactless card or Oyster on the yellow reader — no need to tap out. The Hopper fare, introduced in 2016, lets you change buses as often as you like within one hour for a single £1.75 fare. All buses are step-free, with wheelchair and pushchair space on the lower deck and audio announcements at every stop.
Horse-drawn omnibuses appeared on London streets in 1829, operated by George Shillibeer from Paddington to the Bank of England. By the early 1900s motor buses had taken over, and the London General Omnibus Company painted its fleet red to stand out from competitors — a colour that stuck.
The AEC Routemaster, introduced in 1956, became the most beloved London bus ever built. Its open rear platform let passengers hop on and off between stops, and it remained in service for nearly 50 years until December 2005. The New Routemaster, designed by Heatherwick Studio from 2012, serves as its modern heir, with a three-door layout and wraparound rear window now familiar across central London.
You cannot pay cash on London buses — use a contactless bank card, Oyster card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The Hopper fare is applied automatically.
The front seats on the upper deck give you the best panoramic view through the full-width windscreen. Arrive early at the terminus stop to grab them before other passengers.
Tap in with the same card and you can change buses as many times as you like within one hour for a single £1.75 fare. It is applied automatically — no need to do anything special.
The TfL Go app shows live bus positions and predicted arrival times at every stop. It is far more reliable than standing at a bus stop watching the countdown display.
Board at Fulham Broadway and ride the full route east to Liverpool Street. You will pass more famous landmarks in 70 minutes than most paid tours manage in half a day.
Buses between 7:30am and 9:30am and between 5pm and 7pm are packed with commuters. For a comfortable sightseeing ride, travel mid-morning or at the weekend when top-deck seats are easier to claim.
London Travel Writer · 12+ years covering UK attractions and tourism
Last reviewed: March 5, 2026
