The old Routemaster buses are definitely a design icon of London transport. They are the buses where you could jump on and off at the back. There was a ticket inspector to sell you a ticket onboard (from a machine they had hung round their neck), and the driver was tucked away in a cab at the front.
Unfortunately they went out of general service at the end of 2005 as they were not accessible to all (most new buses have lower floors and wider door opening for wheelchairs and baby strollers).
Don't despair that you missed your opportunity to ride on one of these design classics, because they've been saved on two Heritage routes: routes 9 and 15. All the buses being used on these routes date from 1960-1964, although they have been refurbished with engines that meet Euro II emissions standards, and have been repainted in 1960s London bus style.
Heritage Routemasters run every 15 minutes, every day between about 09:30 and 18:30. Standard bus fares apply.
Heritage Route 9
- Royal Albert Hall (Westbound only)
- Knightbridge
- Piccadilly Circus
- Trafalgar Square
- Charing Cross
- Strand
- Aldwych
Heritage Route 15
- Trafalgar Square
- Charing Cross
- Strand
- Fleet Street
- St Paul’s Cathedral
- Monument
- Tower Hill
