Travelling through London – buses
A London bus is a famous image the world over. Whilst enjoying the view of London’s attractions, these buses will take you all over the capital. Most of the London buses are still red, but a few are painted in different colours. This is because bus routes are operated by a host of bus operating companies, some wanting to differentiate themselves by having a different colour.
With more than 17 000 bus stops, you’re never more than a 5 minute walk from one. Fares on the bus network are divided into 2 fare zones. Central London tickets are £2 (bought from machines before boarding) and outer London tickets are £1.20. Outside Zone 1 pay the bus driver (or conductor) or you show your Travelcard. You must have the correct ticket for your journey or you will pay a £10 penalty fare if caught. When you want to get off the bus, you just ring the bell once well in advance to let the driver know. If someone else has already rung the bell you don’t need to. An indicator panel on each floor of the bus will indicate that the bell has been rung.
Some bus stops are compulsory stops where buses have to stop, regardless of whether anyone wants to alight there. This is to smooth out gaps in traffic between buses. Most stops are request stops requiring you to ring the bell. Many buses have video cameras and two-way radios on board for everyone’s personal safety. Smoking is not allowed on any bus.
There are 2 types of buses in appearance. The old, classic Routemaster buses have their only doorway at the rear of the bus. A conductor on board deals with the customers. The driver is separated from everyone else. The new buses have their entry at the front of the bus where only the driver deals with customer’s fares. Another door toward the centre of the bus is the exit. A number displayed on the front of the bus, usually with a few names of places it passes by, indicates the bus route.
When the Tube closes after midnight an extensive system of night buses comes in to operation. These buses have a “N” at the front of the route number displayed. The route is similar to one followed by day, but usually not exactly. Most of the Night Buses pass through Trafalgar Square to serve the theatres, cinemas and entertainment areas. These buses treat all stops as a request stop. Fares are slightly higher than on normal day buses.