Best London bus routes for sightseeing?

[FormerlySpeckledyHen]

I’ve never been on a London bus, always the tube . What recommendations do you have please?

The 15 is a good one - you can go from Trafalgar Square to the Tower of London.

I recently did the 11 from Fulham Broadway to Liverpool Street station. It went past Westminster abbey, downing Street, Trafalgar Square etc. It also went past a load of home interior shops in Chelsea/Fulham which I enjoyed looking at. Cost something like £1.65 for an adult. Kids free.

Think I'll try the 15 next time I go.

91 from King's Cross to London Bridge.

Thank you all. Any more?

The number 12. Best to go from south to north. It goes over Westminster Bridge so you get great views of The Thames, the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Whitehall, Horseguards, you go past the entance to Downing street, then past the entance to the Mall (the long road that leads down to Buckingham Palace) Trafalgar Square, Regent Street and ends near Oxford Circus.

I realize that it's more expensive, but you could do a hop on hop off bus tour, and listen to the commentary on the sights.

MN is amazing. It reads my mind. I am going to London with my DSis and 9 year old daughter and was going to ask the same thing.

When I took DD 10 years ago they still had a routemaster on one route, but not sure which.

Friends husband who s a London bus driver.

The 11 is known as the tourist bus.

I love seeing London from the top deck of a bus!

88 is good. It’s my local bus and I often take it just for the views.

No. 15 is the one that sometimes had a Routemaster. Don't know if it still does.

The Thames Clipper down to Greenwich is another good trip.

I'd say wherever you want to go, just pick bus only on TFL journey planner.

I love staring out of the window looking at the shops, people, architecture.

The 15 does still have a routmaster, but not all of them.

You can see all the old busses in the Transport Museam in Covent Garden if that’s your thing.

So many great options to choose from now, thank you all so much.

My FIL owns an old Routemaster bus and has a business running it for weddings, proms etc.

Just to add, when we took the 11 we rode it from fullham Broadway which is the beginning of the route. We were the only people who got on so had the front seat in the top deck. It got much busier as it got towards Victoria.

If you are going into town for a special occasion, you could splash out on the Afternoon tea tour bus! We liked it better than tea at the Ritz...

Thank you - that is a great tip.

I was also going suggest the 11
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This is rather off topic but Sandi Toksvig wrote a book called Between The Stops which is a combination of memoir and what she sees from the No. 12 bus. It’s really good.

I used to live on the 12 route in the 90s and in the summer one of the buses was open top. No idea if this is still a thing though!

The 11 Fulham to Liverpool Street- Get on at Victoria. goes past Westminster abbey-houses parliament up Whitehall- past Downing Street- along strand , old Bailey, st Pauls, the city

88 goes from Camden Town to Clapham Common but do the north of the river bit- down regent street, Piccadilly Circus , Trafalgar Square, Whitehall/house parliament/westminter abbey, my house, Tate Britain and then crosses vauxhall bridge which is a great bridge for views down the river. Get off at Vauxhall bus station and dozens of routes from there- 87 takes you back to Aldwych with a similar route but along the river to the houses of Parliament

The 390 status at Victoria, goes past lots of war memorials and public sculpture, Hyde Park, Marble Arch and you can then get off at Oxford Street.

38 from Victoria

Thank you all so very much. Lots of options, just need to find the best combination from my starting point at Paddington.

Obramaestra will look out for ‘my house’ 😃

ChessieFL the book looks good.

Number 11 definitely!

Fulham
Worlds End
Kings Road
Sloane Square
Victoria St
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Abbey
Parliament square
Horseguards
Trafalgar Square
Charing Cross
Bottom of Covent Garden
St Paul's
Old Bailey
Liverpool St