My favorite routes in London (Part 1/2-Buses)

Hello and welcome to the third blog that I have written.

Today, I will giving an opinion on my favorite routes starting off with the buses. Lets get started...

1.  London Buses 222 (Hounslow-Uxbridge)

The first route that I like is 222. 222 was operated by London United Ratp Group (French company) with Alexander Dennis Enviro 400s and a few Scania Omnicitys. It goes from Hounslow Bus Station-Uxbridge via Hounslow West, Cranford, Harlington Corner, Sipson Road, West Drayton and Cowley. From Hounslow West onwards to about Harlington Corner where bus routes 90, 111, 140 and 285 join, you can see airplanes land every minute at Heathrow which is quite nice. The driver was quite fast too since it was on an Enviro 400 and reached speeds of 47mph on Sipson Road.

 After passing through the suburbs of Sipson, West Drayton is seen served by GWR and TFL Rail (soon to be Crossrail) and the only terminating bus route, U1. Before reaching Uxbridge, Yiewsley and Cowley suburb areas were seen before approaching Belmont Road. Overall, I really enjoyed the route and did the return on the same day. Ever since September 2017, the route has been run by Metroline with Volvo B5LH Gemini 3s. However on some occasions, TEs and Gemini 1s had appeared but unfortunately this very rarely happens now. I have not ridden the 222 under Metroline since the takeover although, I could give it a try and see how it is. I recommend riding the route. 

2. London Buses 81 (Hounslow-Slough)

The second route that I like is 81. 81 is operated (at the time of post) by London United Ratp Group (French company) with Alexander Dennis 400s and some Scania Omnicitys. The route goes from Hounslow Bus Station-Slough via Hounslow West, Cranford, Harlington Corner, Bath Road, Harmondsworth, Longford, Colnbrook High Street, and Langley. There were some tight sections of the route near Longford which is intresting to see considering that a double decker bus could go through it. Once again, this was another amazing route and if you havent tried it do so.

3. London Buses 173 (King George Hospital-Beckton)

The third route is 173. 173 is operated by Arriva London (German company) with Alexander Dennis 200s (sometimes), 400s Wright Gemini 2 DLs (to be on the safe side, DW is easier) and Volvo B7TLs (VLAs). The route goes from King George Hospital-Beckton via Little Heath, Chadwell Heath Lane, Chadwell Heath, Becontree Heath, Dagenham Heathway, Ripple Road, and Newham Way. The Enviro 400s are not too bad but the DWs and VLAs are quite good. I am quite surprised how Barking managed to save VLA56 and VLA57 ( both Voith VLAS) from Norwood bus garage as I thought they would be gone. However, I believe VLA56 has been withdrawn. The frequency is alright too. So if you are searching for a thrashy route try the 173 and see what you might get out of it.

4. London Buses 205 (Bow Church-Paddington)

Next is 205. 205 is operated by Stagecoach London (British company) with Alexander Dennis E400Hs and some Enviro 400H MMCs. The route goes from Bow Church-Paddington via Bow Road, Mile End, Mile End Gate, Whitechapel, Aldgate East, Aldgate, Liverpool Street, Old Street, City Road, Angel, Islington, King's Cross St Pancras, Euston, Euston Square, Warren Street, Great Portland Street, Regents Park, Baker Street, Marylebone (rerouted away from the station as of 15th June 2019 onwards) and Edgware Road. Well my goodness what a route and allocation. The Enviro 400H are so good and acclerate perfectly. Once you past through Whitechapel and Aldgate you are properly inside the City of London. The buildings are district/business like and everywhere you see people going in and out to their destinations. Honestly, this route is awesome and these Enviro 400Hs are my favorite from Stagecoach. Again, another route to consider noting down.


Now that this is out of the way, here are some of routes that I haven't tried yet which could be intresting - and if you are interested then its worth taking note.

Routes that I haven't tried yet but considering

1. London Buses 265 (Putney Bridge-Tolworth)

265 is operated by London United Ratp Group (French company) with Enviro 200 MMCS. The route goes from Putney Bridge to Tolworth via Putney Church, Putney Common, Barnes, Barnes Common, Roehampton Lane, Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton, Alton East Estate, Roehampton Vale, Kingston Vale and New Malden. I have watched a full journey before on Youtube and it was quite quick. If you wish to watch this video click here. There is some good thrash sections of the route and when I clicked to view the full journey it was amazing. I feel as if the MMCS suit the route and definitely will be going on it soon.

2. London Buses 135 (Crossharbour-Old Street)

135 is operated by Go Ahead London (British company) with Volvo B5LHs formed of an Enviro 400 MMC body. It goes from Crossharbour Asda, to Old Street Station via Mudchute, Eastferry Road, Westferry Road (DLR station), Heron Quay, Canary Wharf, Westferry Road, Westferry, Limehouse, Aldgate East, Aldgate, Liverpool Street and Shoreditch High Street. I have heard good things about this route especially being very scenic around the Canary Wharf areas and the vehicle allocation. Now I have actually seen this route before in Aldgate and the vehicles do suit it I must say. This route will be quite cool to try...

3. London Buses N86 (Stratford-Harold Hill)

 The final route iam looking to try is N86. N86 is operated by Stagecoach London (British company) with Alexander Dennis Enviro 400s. Compared to the daytime 86 which runs from Stratford to Romford, N86 goes via the same routing but is extended to Harold Hill, Dagnam Park Square. The route passes the following areas: Forest Gate, Woodgrange Park, Manor Park, Ilford, Seven Kings, Chadwell Heath, Romford, Gallows Corner and Hilldene Avenue. This route only runs at night and is one of the many night bus routes not to be allocated with hybrid buses which most are due to the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) in Central London. Also, this would be my first time trying a night bus route since I haven't ridden on one before so I will see how it goes!

I understand it has been a while since I have written blogs but I will be writing alot more since it is the summer break so expect more soon!

Thank you for reading this blog, have a good day and happy riding! :)

How to get around London using Transport (Part 2)

Hello and welcome back to the second blog of getting around London. In the previous blog, I was mentioning about the use of oyster cards on buses. Today Iam going to be doing it on trains.

How Oyster Cards Work (Trains)

Just like on buses, you can use a contactless payment card, travelcard, ticket or an oyster card on trains too.

When entering the train station, there will be barriers with a yellow card reader beside it. Make sure you tap in for you to enter. There is also a green display that will show saying 'enter' and the amount of money that is there currently. However, you will need to tap out in order to exit the station. If you are having difficulties tapping in and out ask a member of staff and they can assist. Again the credit on your card will not expire. Although, tickets can expire by the start and end date that has been given whether its for a day/week or month. Put your ticket through (when going in/out) and remember to take it, the gate will not open otherwise.

An example of a travelcard. This can be valid for all zones, including stations outside London.

Unlike buses, some national rail services going outside London, will contain a first class section. You must not sit within that section unless you have booked a ticket. However some services can contain a declassified section (e.g. Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern) on some branches only. If you are unsure watch this video below and it will give you an idea:

The advantage of this is that it can contain power sockets for devices, comfy seats than the ones in standard class, much more quieter making you feel more at ease and it would be quicker for you alight at stations.

On Transport For London train services however there is no first class sections on any lines. You may board on any section of the train.

I hope you have enjoyed this second blog and have discovered another way to travel around outside/ within London. So admire the view you never know what you might see that could interest you!


Thanks for reading this blog, have a good day and happy riding! :)

How to get around London using Transport (Part 1)

Hello and welcome to a blog on getting around London using its transport. If you need assistance on how to get around London let me be your guide. In this blog, I will be talking about the use of Oyster cards including how to topup on London's Buses. But first, here is a bit about the company running the transport in London.

All tube trains, buses and trams are operated by a company called Transport For London (TFL). They are responsible of bringing passengers a reliable service that they can use across London. There are six bus companies, 1 tram line and 15 train lines that are working together to get people to the popular places that they enjoy visiting and stay at.

How Oyster Cards Work (London Buses)

When boarding the bus, cash will not be accepted. Instead you will have to use a Contactless payment card, Travelcard, or an Oyster card.

So, Oyster cards how do they work? Well it only costs £1.50 if you are travelling on one bus. If you are going on any other buses, then you will need to top up money on your oyster. There are lots of newsagents that have oyster cards just ask the shopkeeper for one. Ensure that you tap in at the start of your journey for the green light to appear. Tapping out is not required when alighting for your stop on London Buses. The credit on your Oyster card does not expire it stays the same until you next board a bus. If the credit isn't enough when tapped, then an emergency fare will be given make sure the voucher is taken. In other circumstances, it will show a red light meaning that you cannot board the service. There is also a Hopper Fare that the Mayor of London introduced where you can board unlimited journeys within an hour for £1.50. Just ensure that you tap using the same card. Here is an adult oyster card:

The same applies for 11-18 Oyster cards. Although, children that are within or under that age can travel for free across and the money does not decrease except for use on trains (trains in the next blog). The best way to find out this information is by visiting the TFL website as there is a guide on Freedom Passes (disabled users only), Travelcards and more.

Other than that, you can sit back and enjoy the views and sights in London. And that is how oyster cards can be used on London Buses. £1.50 isn't much, but its worth it compared to other areas outside London that charge more.

I hope this blog was helpful and in the next one I will be talking about how you can use Oyster cards on trains.

Thank you for reading this blog, have a good day and happy riding! :)