Buses are a quick and convenient way to travel around London , providing plenty of sightseeing opportunities en route. London has over 17,000 bus stops. Privatised in 1994, London 's bus services are under the Transport for London umbrella.

Information

There are 28 local guides available free of charge to areas as farflung as Harrow , Romford and Hounslow. Known as Journey Planners, they encorporate all forms of public transport for the specified area, including bus routes. Most visitors, however, will find the CentralLondon bus guide sufficient, which is essentially a map and is available from travel information centres. If you can't get to a centre, ring +44 (0)20 7371 0247 to have one sent or write to London Buses (CDL), Freepost Lon7503, London SE16 4BR. For general information on London buses call +44 (0)20 7222 1234 (24 hrs). For more information on how services are running, phone Travelcheck on +44 (0)20 7222 1200.

Night Buses

Trafalgar Square is the focus of two-thirds of the more than 60 night bus routes (prefixed with the letter 'N') that come on duty when the tube shuts down and the daytime buses return to the barn. If you're not familiar with the routes, head to Trafalgar Square or check any of the bus-stop information boards. Night buses run from about midnight to 0700, with most routes laying on around three buses per hour.

Networks & Useful Routes

One of the best ways to explore London is to buy a Travelcard and jump on a bus. Some of the most useful bus routes include the following:

No 24

This busis especially good for travelling north to south (or vice versa). Beginning at South End Green in Hampstead Heath, it travels through Camden and along Gower St to Tottenham Court Rd. From there it goes down Charing Cross Rd , past Leicester Square to Trafalgar Square , then along Whitehall , past the Palace of Westminster , Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral. It reaches Victoria station and then carries on to Pimlico, which is handy for the Tate Britain.

No 19

This is another north-south route worth trying, and is now a Routemaster bus. It departs from Finsbury Park tube station, travels down Upper St in Islington, through Clerkenwell, Holborn and Bloomsbury , then goes along New Oxford St and down Charing Cross Rd and Shaftsbury Ave to Piccadilly. It then travels along the northern edge of Green Park to Hyde Park Corner, before carrying on down Sloane St and along King's Rd. If you get off at the southern end of Battersea Bridge , you'll be well placed for Battersea Park .

No 8

From east to west, or the reverse, this route comes from Bow in east London, then goes along Bethnal Green Rd and passes the markets at Spitalfields and Petticoat Lane, Liverpool Street station, the City, the Guildhall and the Old Bailey. It then crosses Holborn and enters Oxford St, travelling past Oxford Circus and turning down New Bond St to Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner and Victoria.

Nos 9 & 10

These are also good bus routes, leaving Hammersmith and going through Kensington and Knightsbridge, passing the Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall and Harrods before reaching Hyde Park Corner. The No 9 then goes along Piccadilly to Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square before carrying on down the Strand to Aldwych (good for Covent Garden), where it terminates. The No 10 heads northwards from Hyde Park Corner to Marble Arch and heads down Oxford St and then up Tottenham Court Rd to Euston, King's Cross and eventually Archway tube station.

No 11

This route is generally recognised as a good sightseeing route, taking passengers past St Paul's Cathedral, along the Strand, past Trafalgar Square, and then on to Westminster.

Fares

Though the bus network is divided into four zones, this only affects holders of passes valid for a week or longer. Single-journey bus tickets cost £1 within central London (Zone 1) or for entering from anywhere in London . Night bus fares are now the same as day fares. Children aged five to 15 pay a uniform 40p. Travelcards are valid on buses. Stationlink buses cost adult/child 70/40p though Travelcards, including those for Zone 1, are also valid. Travelcards are now valid on all night buses. Daily bus passes are valid for the whole network.

Since 2003, new plans to increase the speed of buses have meant that drivers in central London no longer sell tickets. You must buy before you board, using the machines next to all bus stops. These do not give change, so you'll need exact money, although they do sell daily bus passes. However, on routes within Zone 1 with a conductor (i.e. any route where you board at the back of the bus), you can still purchase on board.

Travel Passes and Discount Fares

A Saver ticket (£4.20) is a book of six bus tickets valid on all buses, including those in central London and night buses. They are transferable but valid for one journey only. If you plan to use only buses during your stay in London , you can buy a One Day Bus Pass valid throughout London for £2.50/1 (adult/child). Unlike the one-day Travelcards, these are valid before 9.30am . All-zone weekly/monthly passes are also available for £9.50/36.50 (adult) and £4/15.40 (child).

Travelling with a Disability

At the end of October 2004, 94% of the total bus fleet of 8,000 was wheelchair accessible. They have a low flat floor to make travel easier for the elderly and disabled customers as well as those with pushchairs. With the exception of Routemasters, 100% of London Buses should be wheelchair accessible by October 2005.

The wheelchair-accessible Stationlink buses (Tel: +44 (0)20 7941 4600), which have a ramp operated by the driver, follow a similar route to that of the tube's Circle Line, joining up the mainline stations. Routes 205 and 705 operate from Paddington, Euston, St Pancras and King's Cross to Liverpool Street , London Bridge, Waterloo and Victoria . People with mobility problems and those with heavy luggage may find this easier to use than the tube, although it operates only once an hour.

Call +44 (0)20 7222 1234 or Minicom +44 (0)20 7918 3015 for more information