Cheap coaches to London

Bus to London

London is one of planet earth’s most iconic cities. Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the mighty River Thames and hipster-central Brick Lane are just some of its main sites. And, thanks to an extensive public transport system in and around the city, it can be cheaper than you think. In fact, at any given time, there are over 8000 scheduled buses operating on over 700 different routes across the city.

Buses have been a common mode of transport in London since 1829, when a horse-drawn omnibus service was introduced between the city of London and Paddington. Since then, the red London bus has become a common transport mode. As of 2021, there are around 675 bus routes to London from various destinations. Most companies that operate these routes work under London Buses, a subsidiary of Transport for London. London Victoria Coach Station is London’s largest bus station. The station is located in the central district of Victoria in the Westminster city. Bus route 18 is London’s most used route for people travelling on Hopper fares. This route runs to Euston Station to Harrow & Sunbury Road station, and most Hopper fare passengers prefer this route.

Which bus companies offer coaches to London?

London, as the UK’s main transport hub, is served by a huge number of coach companies. Flexibus, Eurolines, and National Express all regularly service London, with many thousands of coaches arriving and departing in London’s myriad terminals daily.

Bus companies to London

Numerous companies operate bus services in London. Uno, Tower Transit, Sullivan Buses, Metroline, London Soverign RATP, Arriva London, Abellio London, and Go-Ahead London are some of the leading bus services providers to London. Every bus service in London has its unique garage code and operating code. Go-Ahead Group is the biggest bus service in London by turnover. It is one of the subsidiaries created by London General Transport Services back in 1989. Go-Ahead Group has a large fleet of buses that connect people from all over the UK to London.

The bus service also offer transport to London from countries such as Ireland, Singapore, Norway, and Germany. Arriva London has been operating bus services from varous parts of UK to London since 1980. The bus service operates around 100 routes to the UK’s capital under contract to London Transport. Each year, Arriva London transports around 300 million passengers for millions of miles. Arriva London’s routes crisscross London from various places, including Coulsdon and Enfield. The company also offer transport to London from as far east as Dartford and Lakeside. Famous landmarks where Arriva London buses pass through include Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus, and Trafalgar Square.

London Map Tourists. Source: Shutterstock

Main bus stations in London

London is the UK’s main transportation hub. Its bus network is connected to over 20 cities in the United Kingdom, including Glasgow, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Birmingham. London also has international bus connections from cities such as Brno, Prague, Munich, and Krakow. Victoria Bus terminal is the main bus station in London. The terminal is located around 15min-drive from the city centre. Facilities available at the facility include kiosks, exchange office, coffee bar, luggage storage, ATM, fast food, and ATM.

Other facilities near the London coach station include hostels, hotels, and parking lots. The London’s main metro station is located less than a kilometer from London Victoria Coach Station. Golders Green Bus terminal is the second largest bus station in London. It is located about 6.70 miles (10.79 km) away from the city centre, which is around 35min-drive from the city centre. Amenities available at Golders Green bus terminal include coffee bar, kiosk, and toilet, special amenities for the disabled.

Onboard facilities to London

Red London coaches feature a range of facilities designed to make a travel convenient and comfortable. Your safety is important to London bus services. Arriva London and Go-Ahead Group have invested in security and safety systems to keep crime on London’s transport network as low as possible. All bus terminals and buses are fitted with CCTV to ensure the safety of passengers. Each passenger seat has an alarm for alerting the driver in case of an emergency.

Help points are also available on all bus terminals to keep passengers safe throughout their move. Red London buses have a low floor access to reduce the step-up. Most buses feature a seat that can swivel in to make it easier to get in and out. London bus stations, including Victoria Coach station have designated parking lots with wheelchair spaces. Other facilities available on Red London buses include guaranteed seats, spacious legroom, air conditioning, tracker, free charging pots and Wi-Fi, and a toilet.

London BigBen Girl. Source: Shutterstock

Bus tickets to London: useful to know

It goes without saying, London is one of the world’s premier destinations. Not only centre stage for global politics, fashion and music, it's also one of the world’s most historic capital cities and has over 2,000 years of history.

Alongside the main attractions, make sure you check out one of the many eclectic street markets, offering everything from crafts, vintage clothing through to street eats. When you book your coach ticket to London, buying an option with an included day pass for public transport can be a good option.

If you don’t have an Oyster Card a day pass can cover you for an unlimited number of trips across the city, and will usually include bus and underground travel. Your ticket price is usually dependent on which zones you travel in, so double check beforehand.

London bus tickets are cashless. The available payment options include contactless payment, Travelcard, and Oyster card. The launch of a new mobile phone app has revolutionized user experience on London buses. London buses have set a new trend with the introduction of an Android App that allows you to use a smartphone to touch in and out at a bus headed to London. London buses don’t offer a cash payment option.

All passengers are welcome to travel by London bus as long as they have a valid ticket. International passengers traveling to London need to present a valid ID or passport that corresponds to their bus ticket. You won’t be allowed to travel past any border point without an identity card or passport. Users of domestic lines need to present an identity card document to board bus London. Minors traveling alone or with an adult who isn’t their parent must present a parental authorization form. Buying bus tickets to London on Omio is easy and fast, and you can easily store all your bus tickets on your Omio account.

To London by bus-travel tips

Nothing excites than riding on a red double-decker bus as you watch some of the world’s most recognizable sights on top of the bus. London has one of the best transport networks in the world in terms of convenience, reliability, and safety. Bus services in London have worked hard to reduce jams and make their services as efficient as possible. London double-decker buses offer an opportunity to explore the city on different angles.

One way to save on a trip to London by bus is traveling during off-peak hours usually before 4:00 p.m. and after 9:30 p.m. on weekdays. Traffic jam is usually high in the morning and in the evening as locals head to work and go home. However, you can avoid the commuter rush by scheduling your weekday trip to London during off-peak hours. You will likely pay less by traveling outside of peak hours. Purchasing a weekly, monthly, or annual ticket can save you a few bucks. The best way to save on bus London is paying via an Oyster Card.

London remains one of the world’s most vibrant cities. There will always be an excuse or reason to tour the UK capital. The toughest part of a trip to London is deciding things to explore and what to miss out. One of the top reasons to visit London is the opportunity to visit Theatreland. It is the best places where you can enjoy watching a live West End show. A broad range of live performances are held at the theatre, so London has everyone covered.

Head to Portobello Road market or Oxford Street to have a taste of the local London. From there, visit Thames River, one of London’s most iconic elements. Make tours along the river as you enjoy nature. You can also visit any of the major sites along Thames River. Attractions in London have never failed to impress. The London Eye tower offers fantastic views of the city. Other iconic buildings in the streets of London include the Houses of Parliament, Westminster, and Madame Tussauds. London is home to the world's most prestigious football league. Some of the world's top clubs including Chelsea and Arsenal are located in London, so the city is never dull.