Good old red buses are great for shopping trips and sightseeing in central London. I often use the buses to get around in London for my leisure activities, e.g., shopping, going to cinema, etc. However, do avoid the rush hours about 8am - 9.30am and 5pm - 6pm on weekdays. In any case, bus rides are cheaper than the Tube. For a single journey including central London (Zone 1), the fare is £1; for any journey outside central London, it is 70p. Children (5-15 years) pay a fixed fare of 40p. If you are going to many places by bus, there are cheaper ways to pay for your bus journey.
One-Day Bus Pass: It costs only £2 and provides you unlimited travel on London buses on the day of purchase. It can be used on Night buses as well (until 4.30am the following day).
Saver Tickets: A book of six Saver bus tickets costs £3.90 (65p per single ticket). They can be used on all London buses including Night buses and do not have expiry date; just detach half of the ticket and hand it to the bus driver or conductor.
These Passes and Saver tickets can be purchased from newsagents in London displaying the sign ‘Buy Your Travelcards & Bus Passes Here’ or from London Travel Information Centres (e.g., in Victoria Station). London Underground stations also sell Bus Passes.
If you have missed the last bus and the Tube stations are closed after midnight, the only mean of affordable public transport is Night bus. They are just normal buses run on major bus routes from midnight to 7am and have an N-prefixed route number. The fare is £1.50 for central London, £1 for outer London only. A Travelcard purchased on the previous day can now be used on Night buses up to 4.30am.
Remember to pick up a useful leaflet ‘Travelling in London’ from Tube stations. It includes a central London map showing the major bus routes and main tourist attractions. It also has a list of London Travel Information Centres. More detailed bus maps ‘Central London Bus Guide’ and ‘Night Bus Guide’ can be obtained from the centres. You can also call the 24 hour helpline ‘London Travel Information’ for information and advice: 020 7222 1234 (Outside UK: 44 20 7222 1234).
NB Certain special bus services do not accept Travelcards, Bus Passes or Saver tickets.
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