New bus route Londoners will want to avoid as it could be rammed …

After decades of loyal service, TfL bus route 11 has been re-routed from Saturday (April 29) meaning it’s no longer the best London bus route for sightseeing. Its revised route means it now runs between Fulham Broadway and Waterloo, not to Liverpool Street. Its former section past dozens of London sightseeing attractions has now passed to route 26, which now runs between Victoria and Hackney [1] Wick.

As London’s classic red TfL bus [2] routes undercut sightseeing buses substantially on price (GBP1.75 versus GBP30), they are are popular for visitors and Londoners alike looking for a more authentic, affordable “dupe” or hack to the conventional tour. They might not have the accompanying commentary but they are more frequent and all accessible, with wheelchair ramps and low-floor boarding. Route 26 runs every up to ten minutes [3] throughout the day.

The 26 now no longer serves Waterloo or the South Bank, but now serves the former section of the 11 between Aldwych and Victoria instead. Passengers who used to use the 11 through the former section can change to the 26 at the same bus stops it continues to serve along Victoria Street. St Paul’s is an absolute must-see (Image: Sylvain SONNET/Getty Images)

From Victoria, the 26 directly passes or stops within sight of:

Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Abbey
Houses of Parliament / Big Ben
Downing Street
Whitehall / Horse Guard’s Parade
Trafalgar Square
Strand / Covent Garden
Aldwych / Royal Courts of Justice
Fleet Street / Chancery Lane
St Paul’s Cathedral
Bank of England
Liverpool Street / Spitalfields Market
Shoreditch
Columbia Road Flower Market
Cambridge Heath / Regents Canal, Museum of Curiosities
Hackney Wick / Victoria Park

Remember TfL buses do not accept cash, so you’ll need to buy an Oyster card for GBP7 or use a contactless payment card.

Other routes which are popular for sightseeing include London’s oldest route (the 24 [5] : Hampstead Heath-Pimlico) and the 139 [6] (Waterloo-Golders Green). Route 11 continues to serve some attractions on its revised Fulham Broadway-Waterloo route including Fulham (near Stamford Bridge football ground), King’s Road, Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament / Big Ben and Leake Street Arches. Want more from MyLondon?

References

^ Hackney (www.mylondon.news)
^ TfL bus (www.mylondon.news)
^ up to ten minutes (www.mylondon.news)
^ Meet the London Transport Museum boss who’s leaving after 28 years, an OBE and a very special tribute (www.mylondon.news)
^ London’s oldest route (the 24 (www.mylondon.news)
^ the 139 (www.mylondon.news)
^ here. (www.mylondon.news)