London Double Decker Bus Tours for £3.30 a Day
Regular London Bus Routes Offer the Best London Sightseeing Tours
Nov 8, 2009
At the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a big red double decker bus made a stately tour of the main stadium. London’s Olympic Organising Committee could think of no better symbol of the city which will host the Games in 2012.
Transport for London (TfL) has thousands of them. And TfL buses, especially the double deckers, offer a vastly cheaper and much more adventurous alternative to the organized London sightseeing tours taken by most visitors. A London bus map makes it all quite simple.
The First London Bus Route
The world’s first omnibus, born in 1829, was the brainchild of George Shillibeer. Drawn by three horses and seating twenty-two, it carried passengers between Paddington and the Bank of England for a fare of one shilling – equivalent to five pence today. It was an immediate success, and London bus routes soon covered the entire city.
The first double decker bus appeared in 1847. The upper deck was simply the roof, and those prepared to climb the metal ladder at the back paid half fare. In time, the ladder became a truncated spiral staircase, which was at least a lot safer. In 1898 the first motor bus appeared, and horse-drawn omnibuses were gone by 1912.
The most famous London bus of all, the Routemaster, arrived in 1956. Its defining feature was the large open platform at the back, which enabled passengers to jump on and off where they chose. With various modifications, the Routemaster lasted nearly fifty years. Londoners still remember it fondly.
Oyster Card Prices are Lower
As well as getting hold of a free London bus map, visitors who plan to use TfL buses in preference to specialist London sightseeing tours, must come to terms with a rather complex fare structure.
It is almost never advisable to buy tickets for single journeys, because, at £2 each, they are very expensive for anyone who contemplates making more than one trip. For those who mean to spend only a day on TfL buses, the one-day bus pass is good value at £3.80. Those intending to use buses for a week can buy a seven-day pass for £13.80.
The alternative is to acquire an Oyster card, available for a returnable deposit of £3. Oyster card prices are highly competitive: a single bus journey costs £1, and there is a daily price cap of £3.30, if only buses are used. The card is, however, also valid on the Tube (London's subway), where again it is a much cheaper alternative to buying a ticket for each journey. The daily price cap if the Tube is used as well as buses is £6.70.
Do-It-Yourself London Double Decker Bus Tours
Armed with a London bus map plus an Oyster card or bus pass, the visitor can go absolutely anywhere, but some London bus routes are of particular interest. The three below are given only as examples.
- Number 9. The 9 runs between Hammersmith and Aldwych, taking in Kensington High Street, Knightsbridge, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square and the Strand. Amongst many points of interest along the way are the Albert Hall, Harrods and the Savoy Hotel.
- Number 15. Running from Paddington to Blackwall, the 15 goes along Oxford Street then down Regent Street, before joining the route of the 9 between Piccadilly and Aldwych. Later it takes in Fleet Street and Tower Hill. Along the route of the 15 are Marble Arch, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London.
- Number 211. The route of the 211 takes it from Hammersmith to Waterloo. It goes along Fulham Broadway, the King’s Road in Chelsea, Victoria Street and Westminster Bridge. Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge football ground, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament are all on the route.
London Double Decker Bus Strategies
For those prepared to experiment with London bus routes, there are a few things worth knowing about TfL buses.
Upstairs is of course the best place to sit, with the front seats offering panoramic views of the road ahead. But these seats are very popular, and most people have to be satisfied with sitting further back. It is best to choose a seat with an undivided pane of glass to look through, and worth knowing that the heating system may take up some legroom on one side of the bus.
Finally, it is best to sit as near to the front as possible, since the noisiest people for some reason like to sit at the back. And never forget the first rule of London bus travel: loud people go far. In the unlikely event that boisterous passengers are making the journey irksome, it’s best just get off and wait for the next bus. It won’t be long.
Do-it-yourself London double decker bus tours are a lot of fun, and no one should be allowed to spoil it.
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