The red double decker is, after the flag and the phone box, the most exported image of Britain. It is also genuinely useful, and riding one is the cheapest sightseeing in London.
Why two decks
Pure practicality. British streets — especially London’s — are medieval in layout and narrow, and a longer bus simply would not turn the corners. Going upward rather than lengthways doubled capacity without lengthening the vehicle. The design has stuck for over a century.
The Routemaster
The classic bus, built between 1954 and 1968, and still what most people picture. Its defining feature was the open rear platform: no doors, a pole to swing on, and the ability to hop on or off wherever the traffic slowed. It carried a conductor who sold tickets from a machine round their neck while the bus was moving.
It was withdrawn from ordinary service in 2005 on safety and accessibility grounds, and Londoners have not entirely forgiven the decision. Two heritage routes — the 15 through the City, and seasonal services — still run originals.
Riding one today
- No cash. London buses have taken no cash at all since 2014. Tap a contactless card, phone or Oyster on the reader as you board. You do not tap off.
- Board at the front, leave in the middle.
- Press the bell once to request the next stop. Once. Pressing it repeatedly marks you out immediately.
- Fares are capped daily, and there is a free transfer window between buses.
The top deck
The front two seats upstairs are the best view in London and everybody knows it. You get a first-floor sweep over Trafalgar Square, past Parliament, along the river — the same route as the open-top tour buses, at a fraction of the price and with a roof. Routes 11, 15 and 24 are the traditional recommendations.
Outside London
Double deckers run all over Britain, and outside London they are not red. Every region has its own operator livery — green in parts of the South West, orange and white in Manchester, tartan-trimmed in Scotland. The assumption that all British buses are red is a London assumption, and one that amuses the rest of the country.