We will be in London for six nights in May. It will be our second trip. Last time we either walked or took the tube. This time we are staying in an apartment near Lambeth bridge which seems to be about 15 minutes walk to the tube. So I was thinking that taking a bus to Tower of London for example might be better. But how do you figure out which one and where to pick it up?
I feel so suburban asking this🧐
Get a bus map to figure out what you need to do. We found using the buses very easy in London and used the transit pass that works for both buses and the Tube.
Get the CityMapper app for London on your phone, and it will give you step-by-step directions from wherever you are for walking, bus, tube, or any combination of those options.
City Mapper!, City Mapper!, City Mapper! This app will have you navigating London like a pro.
I've stayed in an apartment near Lambeth bridge before (I wonder if it is the same one?) We would often take the bus to locations that weren't too far away or take a bus to either Westminster or Waterloo for the tube. There were frequent buses.
Walking to Westminster may take 10-15 minutes, but it a beautiful walk along the river.
Be mindful of traffic delays. I was stuck in traffic for 45 minutes on a Monday morning in the bus thinking I was getting to my destination in 10 minutes.
Google Maps works just fine too. Citymapper is better laid out and easier to read though.
Are you north or south of Lambeth Bridge? It could be a long but rewarding walk to The Tower of London if you've got the time or inclination.
A map? And an AP! Now why didn’t I think of that!!!
And the traffic is why I walked and took the tube exclusively last time (plus the fact that I didn’t figure out the bus🤣). But I have had some issues with my feet in last couple years and need a back up plan. So I appreciate the help.
And Carol now retired-it may well be the same apartment as I got the name from a recommendation from this board.
Lots of transit planning help, routes, prices etc. from the official site: https://tfl.gov.uk/
Google Maps offers somewhat similar help but with less concern about prices.
when you go to the TfL site linked just above you can click on Buses for specific detail but I prefer to click on Maps and then Bus Maps. You can get what is called a Spider Map (sorry if that sends shivers) in specific areas. It will show all the buses in that area with coloured lines so you can trace them on the spider. It also gives the name of specific stops. In areas with lots of bus stops TfL has given them all alphabetic names, and puts those on the top of the bus stop sign in large letters so you know which one to stand at, and references those in both the spider maps and in the detailed list of stops of each route. For the area of Lambeth Bridge south of the River I might use Lambeth North (the webpage lets you find the exact stops closest to your location). The Spider Map for Lambeth North is at https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/lambeth-north-a4-290423.pdf
Have a play.
Near Lambeth Bridge you have the 3 (yellow), the C10 (green, very convenient to many things), the 344 (red) and the 360 (grey).
If you follow the 344 across the middle focus area until it comes out can you see it heading northeast to London Bridge (next to Southwark (pronounced suth-ick) Cathedral and Borough Market south of the river and the Monument (to the Great Fire of 1666) just north of the river, and up into The City? That's where you can walk from to the Tower or catch another bus the short distance to the Tower.
I hope that helps. If you become familiar with the spider what you see on an app will make more sense and you can follow it as you sit on your throne at the front of the top deck and watch the world pass.
You can get the TFL app, but in December I just used Google maps and the bus options showed up when I clicked on directions and where I was going.
Nigel-thanks so much for the link! And the tutorial! I saw the spider maps yesterday but didn't know where to start. I like having a visual as opposed to relying completely on an App. And I like that there is something I can study before I arrive.
And jamimeelsabio and southern glad to know that goggle maps works as well. I have previously used goggle maps to figure out where to get off a bus when I was unfamiliar with what my destination looked like and it made a huge difference.
Apple Maps works in the same way and is very handy, especially if you have an Apple Watch. You can see the directions on the watch and you don’t have to have your phone out.
and CityMapper gives you real time traffic alerts, and updated time estimates. When we used it in NYC, it even told us which subway entrance was best.
We walk and use the bus or boat in London (I hate riding the Tube). I have a bus map of London, but also like to consult this simple diagram of the main bus routes in Central London:
https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/key-bus-routes-in-central-london.pdf
You can see that in your area near Lambeth Bridge (which is just off the map) the 59 and 159 run north-south along Kensington Road.
For the Tower of London, you could take either to the Lambeth North Tube stop, or stay on the bus to Aldwych and transfer there to the No. 15 which runs east-west between Trafalgar Square and the Tower of London, also serving St. Paul’s and the Strand, with access to Covent Garden. This is a very nice sightseeing route, fun to ride upstairs in a double-decker bus.
Another way to the Tower of London, if you can walk 1/3 of a mile, would be to cross Lambeth Bridge and take the pedestrian Thames Path upriver (turning left from the bridge) a short distance to Millbank Pier. You can catch a Thames Clipper/Uber Boat there and have a lovely scenic boat ride to the Tower pier. With no traffic issues.
https://www.thamesclippers.com/plan-your-journey/route-map
The apps work great for a quick answer, but it is nice to have the big picture too, so I like maps. I bought this one at a London souvenir shop a few years back. Now that I see what it sells for on Amazon, I will take good care of it! (But there are several on eBay for half the price).
And of course it could be out of date for some areas, so I always confirm with the TFL website.
For some reason I have never used the bus system in London - this is a good primer for me too! Thank you!!
Lola-thank you so much, especially for the explicit directions on how to take a boat to Tower of London. I had thought it might be fun, especially for my niece who is traveling with us, but had not been able to figure out where to pick it up.
I can walk probably 5 miles. But in London that goes quickly so trying to be smart.
No one has mentioned this yet, so I will.
If you use the Oyster card, tap in on the pad when you get on the bus, but do not tap out when you exit the bus.
For the Thames Clipper/Uber river boats mentioned by Lola, tap in on the pad with Oyster when you get on the boat. Tap out when you exit the boat.
I'm glad Lola mentioned the boats. If she hadn't, I would have, as they are my favorite form of transportation in London. You get such great views of London from the river.
It's especially interesting between Tower Pier (behind the Tower of London) and Greenwich.
You can buy a Greater London bus map for £2 from www.busmap.co.uk and it supports Charity.
Thanks for that! The shipping to the US is only £2 so I bought one, always happy to support a charity.
They also offer a digital download option for only £1.
Rick's book and Google Maps gave me the bus info I needed. I enjoyed the ride and thought it all worked well, however as noted if there's traffic, you will be stuck in it unless the bus lane is open. You'll see the sights though. the Tube is great and fun but you only see tile walls.
bus maps used to be free from TfL and bus info points.
If you have Google Pay (and I think Apple Pay) you can just tap your phone on the kiosk inside the bus to pay for your ride.
In many parts of the UK now you can't even get printed bus timetables let a!one maps. A post covid thing.
I think you may still be able to get free maps in London if you ask at the big bus stations like North Greenwich, Harrow or Walthamstow, as examples.
Thanks so much for this post and all the responses and links! I’ll be in London at the end of April and staying near Lambeth North so this is all very helpful.
Listen to GerryM above... Google Maps and CityMapper both work fine. Bus is better, unless you are in a great big hurry, then the tube is faster - depends how far you really want to go. You will get so good at the Google Maps bus thing, that locals will be asking you for directions and bus times. It is easier than you might think.
If you use the Oyster card, tap in on the pad when you get on the bus, but do not tap out when you exit the bus.
The only place you can tap in is at the front of the bus, by the driver. Those that rode buses a few years ago will recall the tap pad on the poles inside the bus. They're gone now and you'll need to tap in as you enter by the driver. The centre and rear (if it has one) doors of the bus are exit only and the front door is entrance only.
The the name of the next stop is appears on a screen inside the bus and a recorded voice announcement plays. Remember to ring the bell if you'd like to get off at the next stop. The bell buttons are on the poles inside the bus. Someone else will probably have pushed it already, and the screen shows "Bus Stopping". No need to push it again, but most people do anyway. I usually start moving from my seat before the bus has stopped but that might not be for everyone, if you're not accustomed to walking around a moving bus. The driver will be looking for any signs of people moving towards the doors on CCTV at a stop. Don't dawdle, but don't panic.
Don't be complacent about holding on if you're standing while the bus is moving. I find that standing with my strong foot to the front of the bus (goofy or regular if you've ridden a skateboard, surfboard or snowboard) and holding on is the way to go for easiest balance. Applies for standing on the tube too.
Queueing at bus stops isn't really necessary. Most stops serve several routes, so a single queue would be pointless. Many people will have an approximation of who arrived at the bus stop first though. It's always going to be preferable to give priority to those with mobility issues or with strollers etc.
Catching a bus on the correct route going the wrong direction is a common pitfall. The bus will always have its final destination as well as a number. You have to know what the destination of the bus going the correct direction is if it's not obvious from the road layout. Every stop has a letter of the alphabet designation which all your mapping will refer to.
Thanks Gerry. My sister lives in Chicago and is quite proficient with buses. I thought I had learned well and was directing a visiting friend. All was well until I realized I had gotten us on the right bus but going in the wrong direction!!! A little knowledge truly is a dangerous thing.
Only stops at major intersection points have letter designations, even in Central London, such as railway stations. In between stops do not.
If mapping gives all stops letter designations it is wrong, and dangerously so.
Only stops at major intersection points have letter designations, even in Central London, such as railway stations. In between stops do not.
I stand corrected. I mention it because it's often a way of double checking you're standing at the bus stop on the correct side of the road for where you want to go when there's a stop of the same name going both directions.
If mapping gives all stops letter designations it is wrong, and dangerously so.
I think it's safe to assume that stops which do not actually have a letter would not be given one willy nilly by Google or Citymapper. It looks like the factual error was on my part, so the danger involved is minimal thankfully.
