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How to use London Buses

Buses in London are plentiful and best of all, if you ride the buses instead of always taking the underground, you see more of the city. Some visitors to London are scared of using the buses, but there’s no need to be wary.

Another big benefit of taking the buses in London is that, apart from the London Cycle Hire Scheme , it’s the cheapest way to travel around London – £5.25 per day or £24.70 per week for unlimited travel all over London (there are no zones for bus travel).

London bus route maps

The simplified bus map (pdf)  shows London’s main tourist attractions and the most useful bus routes for visitors.

Bus spider maps show bus routes to and from a particular area.

Paper bus maps

Apparently, the paper bus maps will probably not be updated. TfL’s visitor centres might have some copies, but as some routes have changed paper bus maps should be used with caution.

London bus route planner

To find out how to reach a particular destination, use the TfL Journey Planner .

Type in your departure and arrival points. Click ‘Travel Options & Accessibility and deselect all options except ‘buses’. The planner gives you the route number, departure times and estimated journey time.

If you prefer to use an app, try Citymapper or  TfL Go

London bus times

Many buses in central London run 24-hours. If they don’t, special Night buses (prefixed with an ‘N’) start running after 11.30pm.

Buses in central London run frequently during the day and you normally won’t have to wait more than 5-10 minutes. For early departures or travel at night, check the timetables on the Transport for London website . There are timetables at bus stops as well.

Most bus stops have a screen telling you when the next bus is due to arrive.

You can also find live bus departures and arrivals on the TfL website, just type in a street, postcode, route number or bus stop code or via the TfL Go app

London bus stops

To find the location of a bus stop, use the TfL Bus Map . Type in an area, a place of interest, a street or a postcode and it shows you a map with the nearest bus stops. You can also use it to find bus stops on a particular bus route.

Each bus stop has a letter at the top of the flagpole. Look at the Destination Finder on the bus stop wall. If the same letter is listed next to where you’re going, you’re at the right stop. If you’re not, it tells you where to catch your bus.

A simpler way to find a bus stop is with an app. TfL Go or Citymapper finds your location and shows you the closest bus stops along with the times of the next buses from each stop.

The final destination of the bus and the bus number is displayed on the front and side of the bus. Check this before getting on. Not all buses travel the full route.

Knowing when to get off

Buses in central London have displays and announcements telling you the name of the next stop. You’ll also find journey time estimates at each bus stop. And if you’re still not sure, ask a fellow passenger. Londoners are very helpful when it comes to giving directions.

If you miss your stop, don’t worry, you won’t have far to walk. Distances between stops in central London are not that great.

Related pages

  • Bus tickets & passes
  • Sightseeing by local bus
  • London bus tours

Last checked: 21 February 2024

Getting around London

  • How to use the London underground
  • How to use London buses
  • London cycle hire scheme
  • Walking in London
  • London trains
  • London taxis & minicabs

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TfL to cut London's most punctual bus routes after 54 years where you don't have to board at the front doors

Ridership has plummeted on TfL's commuter-focused bus routes

  • 14:35, 5 APR 2023

Route 507 bus passes St Thomas' Hospital A&E and Evelina London Children's Hospital

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As part of major changes to Inner London's bus network following TfL's largest ever bus consultation exercise last year, commuter-focused bus routes 507 and 521 will be scrapped at the end of this month. The two routes currently link London's busiest National Rail station at Waterloo with Victoria station via the major Civil Service office area around Millbank (507) and London Bridge station via the major legal/financial office area around The City of London.

Route 507 (Waterloo-Victoria), which was first introduced on September 7, 1968, is currently TfL's most punctual and reliable route in its entire 620 route network according to the latest official data . Between September 17 and January 6, the average excess waiting time (delay) was just 18 seconds, with 92.8 per cent of buses arriving within 10 minutes at its stops. Similarly, route 521 (Waterloo-London Bridge), which was once London's most frequent route , and the first to go fully bendybus , performs well in service statistics with 92.9 per cent of buses arriving within 10 minutes at its stops.

The routes' good performances have not saved them from the axe as from Saturday April 29, they are being withdrawn. Route 507 is being replaced by a diversion of route C10 which will serve the section between Waterloo Station and Lambeth Bridge, and a diversion of route 3 which will serve the section between Lambeth Bridge and Victoria. Route 521 is being replaced by routes 59 and 133 which are each being diverted from their current northern termini. The 59 and 133 will both stop at the current 521's stops between Holborn Station and City Thameslink Station, providing an overlap where any through passengers can change. Route 133 will continue to run via Bank, unlike the 521 which uses Cannon Street, so passengers there will have to switch to bus route 17 (Archway-London Bridge).

READ MORE: ‘I went on TfL’s first Superloop bus and found out how it’s all going to work’

Route 521 boarding from the middle

One of the more unusual consequences of these services' withdrawal will be that all TfL bus passengers will now have to board from the front set of doors on all of its routes. Both the 507 and 521 received bendybuses in 2002, which had three sets of doors which were each equipped with Oyster card readers and supplemented by ticket machines at bus stops. This intended to speed up passengers boarding and alighting, reducing journey times overall. Following Boris Johnson's 2008 mayoral pledge to get rid of bendybuses , TfL tried to keep speedy boarding on these routes, replacing them with single deckers with more standing room than usual, and Oyster/contactless readers at the middle doors. Unlike the other routes which lost their bendybuses, TfL still permitted middle door boarding for these two.

During last year's consultation , respondents were opposed to the withdrawal of the two routes. However, passenger numbers have continued to plummet on the routes formerly known as 'Red Arrow', a sub-brand specifically aimed at Zone 1 commuters. According to TfL data, one million journeys were made on the 521 in the most recent financial year (2021/22). A decade ago (2011/12), it was four million, as the prevalence of homeworking has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Route 507 has seen an 81 per cent drop in passengers over the same time period, recording just 809,739 passengers last year.

Other changes taking place on Saturday April 29 involve routes 3, 6, 11 , 16, 23, 26, 59, 133, 332, 507, 521, C10, N11, N16, N26 and N32. Route 332 will be renumbered as 16 and N16 as N32. Some minor changes will also affect the stops served by routes 17, 24, 59, 139, 176, 211, 415, N3, N53, N109 and N343.

Love the Tube or London's transport with a passion? Sign up to MyLondon's London Underground newsletter for all the latest news, analysis and trivia here .

If you have a transport-related story you think MyLondon should be covering, email [email protected] .

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tfl journey planner bus 507

Tube Map - London Underground 4+

Tfl map and journey planner‪.‬, mapway limited.

  • #111 in Navigation
  • 4.7 • 16.4K Ratings
  • Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

Tube Map is the award-winning navigation app that includes the official TfL (Transport for London) Tube Map. Tube Map - London Underground works both on and offline and is the #1 Tube Map with over 22 million downloads! Key features: Uses the official TfL iconic Harry Beck London Underground map design. Includes additional map views for the TfL Night Tube and Rail Network. Plus a bonus map that we have created that is more geographical.  An easy to use journey planner that works with and without an internet connection. Check line status for delays, closures and service changes. See what time the next Tube is due with live departures from TfL. National Rail arrivals and departures. Journey planning made easy with real-time routing around closures and delays. Use step-by-step directions in the journey planner to find your way around London. Save your favourite routes for quick selection when on the go. Save your Home and Work stations for up to date station, line and route information. Find your closest Tube station wherever you are in London. Tube Map – London Underground Apple Watch app available. Line status widget Travel Guide Exclusive features also available; First & Last Tube Times, Tube Exits, Premium Line status widget and Priority Support. NEW - Remove advertising subscription With over 60 million downloads worldwide, there's a Mapway app for many of the busiest transport systems in the world including New York Subway, Paris Metro, Bus Times London and Berlin Subway. Plan. Route. Relax. Please note: whilst we endeavour to ensure that Line Status notifications are delivered in a timely manner we can’t guarantee this 100% of the time. There may be occasions when the functionality isn’t available due to technical reasons outside of our control. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Tube Map Premium available as an in-app subscription: 99p weekly, £3.99 monthly or £9.99 annually, or as a one-off purchase of £24.99. Prices may vary by location. Cancel at any time, for any reason. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, at the cost of your chosen price tier. Subscriptions can be managed and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings in your iTunes Account. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when a subscription to that publication is purchased, where applicable. Read our terms in full at https://www.mapway.com/terms-conditions/

Version 7.3.8

Thank you for downloading the app. We regularly update the app to make it better for you. This release includes an updated map and some bug fixes and improvements for you. To make sure you don’t miss a thing, just keep your updates turned on. Got a question? Tap Support in the About section in the app.

Ratings and Reviews

16.4K Ratings

Great app for London Tube travel

Just got back from our first trip to London and using this app made getting around London to see the sights via the tube so much easier. It can show you the nearest tube station to your location and all you do it put in the location of the station you will be starting from and where you want to go and it does the rest. Gives you what t train to take and tells you what stop to get off. If you have to switch trains, it tells you the stop you get off ti switch the train and the next train to take and what stop for your final destination. This was great and the tube is so nice to use to travel around London. Highly recommended to anyone going there and planning ti use the tube. Much, much less expensive than a taxi.

Developer Response ,

Hi. Many thanks for the five stars and comprehensive review. Best regards, Team Mapway

Huge Timesaver

I used this app extensively on our recent trip to London. The route feature tells you exactly which lines to take and where to change lines. For a small fee it even can tell you which exit to take and whether to try to sit near the front or middle of the train (the fee was well worth it in my opinion). I did not find the adverts overly distracting. A cool feature is that once you've plugged in your route, you can switch over to a familiar Underground map and it will highlight your stations so you know where you are in the city/system. 5 stars from me. I downloaded another paid London map app that was worthless but this app is fantastic. Thank you for making my trip much, much easier!
We have loved reading your comments thanks so much for the review!

Forget the map - get this app!

Simply stated, unless you are very familiar with the London "tube", this app is a must have! No need to puzzle over maps, or ask guidance from an English-challenged employee. Just open the app, go to route planner, and enter your beginning & ending stations. It'll show you the lines and changes to get there! You can even put a location like "Hard Rock Cafe" in for your destination, and it will route you to the nearest station! The only catch is you must have cell service and be willing to use it. Just make sure you get a good plan on your phone!

App Privacy

The developer, Mapway Limited , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

  • Identifiers

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

  • Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese

  • Premium Yearly + Trial $9.99
  • Premium Monthly $3.99
  • Premium Yearly $9.99
  • Premium Weekly $1.99
  • Premium Lifetime $24.99
  • Remove Ads Yearly $7.99
  • Developer Website
  • App Support
  • Privacy Policy

tfl journey planner bus 507

Family Sharing

Some in‑app purchases, including subscriptions, may be shareable with your family group when family sharing is enabled., more by this developer.

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IMAGES

  1. TFL Journey Planner

    tfl journey planner bus 507

  2. Using TfL Go for step-free journeys

    tfl journey planner bus 507

  3. Plan a journey

    tfl journey planner bus 507

  4. Journey Planner

    tfl journey planner bus 507

  5. Transport For London Journey Planner Buses

    tfl journey planner bus 507

  6. London For Transport Journey Planner

    tfl journey planner bus 507

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COMMENTS

  1. Plan a journey

    TfL fares frozen until March 2025. Find out more about fares. Plan your journey across the TfL network. Journey planner for Bus, Tube, London Overground, DLR, Elizabeth line, National Rail, Tram, River Bus, IFS Cloud Cable Car, Coach.

  2. Buses

    Find a bus stop or route. For live bus arrivals, status and timetables. ... TfL Customer Services 9th Floor 5 Endeavour Square London E20 1JN . About TfL. Help & contacts; About TfL; Careers; Publications & reports; ... Journeys Plan a journey and favourite it for quick access in the future.

  3. Bus schedules

    Bus schedules. Bus schedules are in PDF format and are on average about 50-100kb in size. Search for a bus route number to find schedules for that route.

  4. TfL Go: Live Tube, Bus & Rail 4+

    The app is built around our iconic Tube map. To get started: • Touch the map or search to plan your journey. • See the status of all lines. • Check how busy each London Underground station is right now. • Re-route as you travel - we'll suggest alternatives. • Switch to the step-free map for accessible journeys.

  5. TfL Go: Live Tube, Bus & Rail

    The app is built around our iconic Tube map. To get started: • Touch the map or search to plan your journey. • See the status of all lines. • Re-route as you travel - we'll suggest alternatives. • Switch to the step-free map for accessible journeys. • Find out when your next train, bus or tram is due. • Look up which platform your ...

  6. London Buses

    To find out how to reach a particular destination, use the TfL Journey Planner. Type in your departure and arrival points. Click 'Travel Options & Accessibility and deselect all options except 'buses'. The planner gives you the route number, departure times and estimated journey time. If you prefer to use an app, try Citymapper or TfL Go.

  7. Oyster online

    Contactless. Oyster cards. Official online shop for Oyster card. Order your Travelcard or Bus & Tram Pass, top up Oyster pay as you go, or view your journeys.

  8. TfL Go app

    Or call 0343 222 1234 ( charges may apply) or textphone 0800 112 3456. We'll share our open data with other transport apps that you might already be using. Plan your London journey safely and securely. See maps and live times for London Underground, London Overground and other rail and bus services, plus check cycling routes.

  9. TfL Go: Live Tube, Bus & Rail 4+

    The app is built around our iconic Tube map. To get started: • Touch the map or search to plan your journey. • See the status of all lines. • Check how busy each London Underground station is right now. • Re-route as you travel - we'll suggest alternatives. • Switch to the step-free map for accessible journeys.

  10. Khimki to Moscow (State)

    There are 5 ways to get from Khimki to Moscow (State) by subway, night bus, rideshare, taxi or car. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.

  11. Plan a journey

    TfL fares frozen until March 2025. Find out more about fares. Plan your journey across the TfL network. Journey planner for Bus, Tube, London Overground, DLR, Elizabeth line, National Rail, Tram, River Bus, IFS Cloud Cable Car, Coach.

  12. TfL to cut London's most punctual bus route after 54 years

    Route 507 (Waterloo-Victoria), which was first introduced on September 7, 1968, is currently TfL's most punctual and reliable route in its entire 620 route network according to the latest official data. Between September 17 and January 6, the average excess waiting time (delay) was just 18 seconds, with 92.8 per cent of buses arriving within 10 ...

  13. TfL Go: Live Tube, Bus & Rail 4+

    ‎Travel confidently around London with maps and live travel updates on our official TfL app. Check live arrival times for Tube, London Overground, DLR, Elizabeth line and Thameslink trains as well as Trams and IFS Cloud Cable Car. Make step-free journeys and look up station facilities. See on the map…

  14. - Transport for London

    Travelling by Bus Tube National Rail DLR London Overground Elizabeth line River Bus Tram IFS Cloud Cable Car Coach. Show me. The fastest routesRoutes with fewest changesRoutes with least walking. Access options. Preferences. 5 mins 10 mins 15 mins 20 mins 25 mins 30 mins 35 mins 40 mins 45 mins 50 mins 55 mins 60 mins. Search outside London.

  15. Tube Map

    Tube Map is the award-winning navigation app that includes the official TfL (Transport for London) Tube Map. Tube Map - London Underground works both on and offline and is the #1 Tube Map with over 22 million downloads! Key features: Uses the official TfL iconic Harry Beck London Underground map design. Includes additional map views for the TfL ...

  16. 4 ways to travel via night bus, rideshare, taxi, and car

    Moscow Public Transport operates a vehicle from Rodionovo to Okhotny Ryad every 30 minutes. Tickets cost RUB 55 - RUB 57 and the journey takes 28 min. Bus operators. Moscow Public Transport. Other operators. BlaBlaCar. Taxi from Khimki to Moscow.

  17. - Transport for London

    Transport for London. Search the site. Fares; Help & contacts; Maps; Plan a journey; Status updates; ... Bus spider maps. Bus spider maps; Nearby Find your nearest stop; Key routes in central London. PDF 2.69MB. ... Journeys Plan a journey and favourite it for quick access in the future.

  18. TfL seeks views on reshaping the central and inner London bus network

    Changes would be made to the 77 and 507 to improve access to Waterloo station and replace parts of routes 11 and 211. Currently, 19 per cent of journeys made on central London bus routes involve a change of bus. Under its proposals, TfL expects the proportion of customers who would need to change buses to increase to around 24 per cent.

  19. Central London bus changes

    Central London bus changes. On Saturday 29 April 2023 we changed some bus routes in and around central London. This will help us better match demand, deliver value for money and allow us to invest in outer London. The changes in central London affect routes 3, 6 (24 hour), 11, 16, 23 (24 hour), 26, 59, 133, 332, 507, 521, C10, N11, N16, N26 and ...