On Fri, 6 Feb 2004 14:16:37 +0000, Kat
wrote:

I'm fine at showing people best routes to use on the Underground but
does anyone have any ideas about the most useful ten/twenty bus routes
to learn?
The ones I know well are, 279, 253, 29, 8 (plus 25 and other local ones)

What a question - useful in what context? If you want alternatives to
the Tube then that gives you one list. If you want routes that might get
you somewhere useful or to an alternative station or line that's
something else again.

this website will help a great deal - www.londonbusroutes.net - and I
will admit to using it for checking my list. I lot of the entries came
from memory though (sad isn't it?).

The following is a long list. Depending on how insane you are feeling
you might wish to have a ride round on some of the more interesting
orbital routes as they can be a good alternative to sending people into
London on the Tube and back out again. Many of them run at high
frequencies and are very busy.

Radial and Central London routes (covers a lot of Tube Links)

1 Canada Water - Tottenham Court Rd (parallels Jubilee Line)
2 Norwood - Baker St (runs in via Brixton. Stockwell, Vauxhall,
Pimlico)
3 Crystal Palace - Oxford Circus (runs via Lambeth Palace and
Brixton)
6 Aldwych - Kensal Rise (Picc Cir, Oxford St, Edgware Rd, Maida
Vale)
7 Russell Sq - Westbourne Park
8 Bow - Victoria (via Bethnal Green and the City)
388 Hackney Wick - Mansion House (parallels the 8 and serves
Victoria Park)
9 Aldwych - Hammersmith (via Piccadilly, Knightsbridge, High St
Ken)
10 Kings Cross - Hammersmith (via Oxford St, Knightsbridge, High St
Ken)
11 Fulham - Liv St (via Victoria, Parl Sq, T Sq, Fleet St, St
Pauls, Bank)
12 Dulwich - Notting Hill Gate (via E&C, Westminster, T sq, Picc
Cir, Oxford St, Bayswater Rd)
13 Aldwych - Golders Green (via Picc C, Ox St, Baker St, Swiss
Cottage, Finchley Rd)
14 TCR - Putney (via Shaftesbury Av, Piccadilly, Harrods, South
Ken)
15 (also 115, 5 and 87) If you include the 87 and 5 then this runs
in from Romford via Becontree Heath, Barking, East Ham, Canning Town,
Stepney, Aldgate, Tower, St Pauls, Strand, Picc C, Oxo, Marble Arch,
Paddington
16 Victoria - Cricklewood (if you add on the 32 from Kilburn Park
you can get to Edgware via the full length of Edgware Road via Kilburn,
Cricklewood, Staples Corner, Hendon, Colindate, Burnt Oak)
18 Euston - Sudbury - follows Marylebone and then Harrow Road
19 Finsbury Park - Angel - Holborn - TCR - Picc C - Green Park -
Knightsbridge - Sloane Sq - Kings Rd - Battersea Bridge
21 Moorgate - Bank - London Bridge - Borough - Old Kent Rd - New
Cross - Lewisham
22 Picc C - Putney via Green Pk, Knightsbridge, Sloane Sq, Kings Rd
23 Liv St - bank - St Pauls - Aldwych - T Sq - Picc C - Ox Cir - M
Arch - Paddington - Westbourne Park
24 Hampstead Heath - Camden - Warren St - TCR - Leic Sq - T Sq,
Whitehall - Victoria - Pimlico
25 / 86 Oxford C - TCR - Holborn - Bank / Tower - Aldgate - Mile End -
Stratford - Manor Park - Ilford. 86 overlaps from Stratford and then on
via Seven Kings, Goodmayes, Chadwell Heath to Romford
26 Waterloo - Aldwych - St Pauls - Bank - Liv St - Hackney Rd -
Hackney Wick
27 Chalk Farm - Camden Town - Warren St - Baker St - Edgware Rd -
Paddington - Notting Hill Gate - High St Ken - Hammersmith - Turnham
Green
29 Palmers Green - Wood Green - Turnpike Lane - Green Lanes - Manor
House - Finsbury Park - Holloway - Camden Town - Warren St - TCR - Leic
Sq - T Sq (the bus equivalent of the Piccadilly Line) If you add on
the 329 north of Turnpike Lane you can run through to Enfield Town
30 Hackney Wick - Hackney - Dalston - Highbury & Islington - Angel
- Kings Cross - Euston - Warren St - Baker St - Marble Arch
35 Shoreditch - Liv St - London Bridge - Elephant - Camberwell -
Brixton - Clapham Common - Clapham Junction
36 / 436 Queens Park - Paddington - Marble Arch - Victoria -
Vauxhall - Oval - Camberwell - Peckham - New Cross - Lewisham
38 Clapton - Hackney Central - Dalston - Essex Road - Angel - Mount
Pleasant - Holborn - TCR - Picc C - Green Park - Victoria
43 Friern Barnet - Archway - Holloway - Highbury - Angel - Old St -
Moorgate - Bank - London Bridge
47 Catford - Lewisham - Deptford - Surrey Quays - Canada Water -
Jamaica Rd - London Bridge - Liverpool St - Shoreditch
48 London Bridge - Monument - Liv St - Shoreditch - Hackney Rd -
Hackney Central - Clapton - Leyton Bakers Arms - Walthamstow Central
52 Victoria - HPC - High St Ken - Notting Hill Gate - ladbroke
Grove - Kensal Rise
53 / 453 Marylebone - G P St - Oxford Circus - Picc C - T Sq -
Whitehall - Westminster Bridge - Elephant - Old Kent Rd - New Cross -
Deptford - Charlton - Woolwich - Plumstead
55 Oxford Circus - TCR - holborn - Clerkenwell - Old St -
Shoreditch - Hackney Rd - Hackney Central - Clapton - Lea Bridge Rd -
Leyton Bakers Arms
56 Whipps Cross - Lea Bridge Rd - Clapton - Hackney Downs - Dalston
- Essex Road - Angel - Barbican - Barts Hospital
63 Kings Cross - Farringdon - Ludgate Cir - Blackfriars - Elephant
- Old Kent Road - Peckham - Honor Oak
67 Wood Green - St Anns - Stamford Hill - Stoke Newington - Dalston
- Shoreditch - Aldgate
168 / 68 / 468 - Hampstead Heath - Camden town - Euston - Russell Sq -
Holborn - Aldwych - Waterloo - Elephant - Camberwell - Herne Hill -
Norwood - Thornton Heath - Croydon - South Croydon
73 Seven Sisters - Stamford Hill - Stoke Newington - newington
Green - Essex Road - Angel - Kings Cross - Euston - TCR - Oxo - Bond St
- Marble Arch - HPC - Victoria
74 Baker St - Marble Arch - HPC - Knightsbridge - South Ken - Earls
Ct - West Brompton - Putney
76 Seven Sisters - Stamford Hill - Stoke Newington - Dalston - Old
St - Moorgate - Bank - St Pauls - Fleet St - Aldwych - Waterloo
77 Waterloo - St Thomas Hosp - Vauxhall - Wandsworth Rd - Clapham
Junction - Earlsfield - Tooting Broadway - Tooting NR Stn
77A Aldwych - T Sq - Parl Sq - Tate Britain - Vauxhall - Wandsworth
Rd - Clapham Junction - Wandsworth
82 North Finchley - Golders Green - Finchley Rd - Swiss Cottage -
St Johns Wood - Baker St - Marble Arch - HPC - Victoria
88 Camden Town - Warren St - G P St - Oxo - Picc C - T Sq - Parl Sq
- Marsham St - Vauxhall - Stockwell - Clapham North - Clapham Common
91 Crouch End - Hornsey - Holloway - Caledonian Rd - Kings Cross -
Euston - Russell Sq - Holborn - Aldwych - T Sq
94 Acton Green - Shepherds Bush - Notting Hill Gate - Marble Arch -
Oxo - Picc Circus
98 Willesden - Kilburn High Rd - Edgware Road - Marble Arch - Oxo -
TCR - Holborn (Red Lion Sq)
113 Edgware - Mill Hill - Hendon - A41 - Finchley Road - Swiss
Cottage - St Johns Wood - Baker St - Marble Arch (Selfridges) - Oxo
133 Streatham - Brixton - Kennington - Oval - Elephant - London
Bridge - Bank - Liv St
134 North Finchley - Friern Barnet - Muswell Hill - Highgate -
Archway - Tufnell Park - Kentish Town - Camden Town - Warren St - TCR
137 Streatham - Clapham Common - Chelsea Bridge - Sloane Sq -
Knightsbridge - HPC - Marble Arch - Oxo
139 Waterloo - Strand - T Sq - Picc C - Oxo - Baker St - Lisson
Grove - Abbey Rd - West Hampstead
141 Wood Green - Turnpike Lane - Manor House - Newington Green -
Hoxton - Old St - Moorgate - Bank - London Bridge
148 Shepherds Bush - Notting Hill Gate - Marble Arch - HPC -
Victoria - Westminster - Elephant and Castle -
149 London Bridge - Liv St - Shoreditch - Dalston - Stoke Newington
- Stamford Hill - Seven Sisters - Edmonton Green - Ponders End
155 Elephant & Castle - Stockwell - Clapham - Balham - Tooting
159 Marble Arch - Oxo - Picc C - T Sq - Westminster Bridge - Lambeth
North - Kennington - Oval - Brixton - Streatham
171 Holborn - Aldwych - Waterloo - Elephant - Camberwell Green -
Peckham - New Cross - Crofton Park - Catford
172 St Pauls - Fleet St - Aldwych - Waterloo - Elephant - new Cross
- Crofton Park
176 Penge - Sydenham - Forest Hill - East Dulwich - Camberwell -
Elephant - Waterloo - Aldwych - T Sq - C X Road - TCR - Oxo
185 Lewisham - Catford - Forest Hill - East Dulwich - Denmark Hill -
Camberwell - Oval - Vauxhall - Victoria
189 Oxo - Baker St - Lisson Grove - Abbey Road - Kilburn High Road -
Cricklewood - North Cricklewood - Brent Cross Shopping Centre
205 Paddington - Edgware Rd - Marylebone - baker St - Warren St Stn
- Euston - Kings Cross - Angel - Old St - Moorgate - Liv St - Aldgate -
Whitechapel (The North side of the Circle Line bus route)
242 TCR - Holborn - St Pauls - Bank - Liv St - Dalston - Hackney
Central - Clapton Park - Homerton Hospital
243 Wood Green - Bruce Grove - Seven Sisters - Stamford Hill - Stoke
Newington - Shoreditch - Old Street - Clerkenwell - Holborn - Aldwych -
Waterloo
259 Edmonton Green - Seven Sisters - Manor House - Finsbury Park -
Holloway - Caledonian Road - Kings Cross
341 Northumberland Park - Seven Sisters - West Green - Manor House -
Newington Green - Essex Road - Angel - Mount Pleasant - Holborn Circus -
Aldwych - Waterloo

Key Orbital / Suburban Routes / Some East London favourites

28 Westbourne Park - Notting Hill Gate - High St Ken - West
Kensington - Fulham - Wandsworth
31 Camden Town - Chalk Farm - Swiss Cottage - West Hampstead -
Kilburn - Westbourne Park - Notting Hill Gate
37 Peckham - East Dulwich - Brixton - Clapham Common - Clapham
Junction - Wandsworth - Putney
41 Archway - Hornsey - Turnpike Lane - West Green - Seven Sisters -
Tottenham Hale
49 Shepherds Bush - Holland Park - High St Ken - South Ken -
Chelsea - Battersea Bridge - Battersea - Clapham Junction
57 Streatham - tooting - Wimbledon - Raynes Park - Kingston
66 Leytonstone - Wanstead - Redbridge - Gants Hill - Newbury Park -
A12 - Romford
69 Walthamstow Central - Bakers Arms - Leyton Stn - Maryland -
Stratford - Plaistow - Canning Town - London City Airport
83 Ealing Hospital - Ealing Broadway - Hanger Lane - Alperton -
kingsbury - Hendon - Golders Green
96 Woolwich - Bexleyheath - Bluewater
97 Leyton Tube - Bakers Arms - Walthamstow Central - Crooked Billet
(dog stadium) - Chingford Mount - Chingford Station
101 Wanstead - Aldersbrook - Manor Park - East Ham - Beckton -
Cyprus - North Woolwich
102 Edmonton Green - Silver St - Palmers Green - Bounds Green -
Muswell Hill - East Finchley - Golders Green - North Cricklewood - Brent
Cross Shopping Centre
106 Finsbury Park - Stoke Newington - Clapton - Hackney - Bethnal
Green - Whitechapel
108 Stratford - Bow Church - Bromley by Bow - Blackwall Tunnel -
North Greenwich - Charlton - Blackheath - Lewisham
112 Ealing Broadway - Hanger Lane - North Circ Rd - Ikea - Staples
Corner - Brent Cross Shopping Centre
114 Mill Hill - Burnt Oak - Queensbury - Kenton - Harrow - South
Harrow - South Ruislip - Ruislip. Useful as it skips across the top of
lots of tube lines.
123 Ilford - gants Hill - South Woodford North Circ - Forest rd -
Blackhorse Rd Tube - Tottenham Hale - Seven Sisters - Bruce Grove -
Turnpike Lane - Wood Green
140 Harrow Weald - harrow and Wealdstone - Harrow on the Hill -
South Harrow - Northolt - Yeading - Hayes and Harlington - Heathrow
142 Brent Cross - Hendon - Colindale - Edgware - Stanmore - Watford
Junction
144 Edmonton Green - Wood Green - Turnpike Lane - Hornsey - Muswell
Hill
145 Leytonstone - Wanstead - Redbridge - Ilford - South Park Drive -
Becontree - Dagenham
183 Pinner - harrow - Kenton - Kingsbury - Hendon - Golders Green
184 Turnpike Lane - Wood Green - Arnos Grove - Barnet
207 Uxbridge - Hayes - Southall - Hanwell - Ealing Broadway - Acton
- Shepherds Bush
208 Lewisham - Catford - Bromley - Orpington
209 Hammersmith - Barnes - Mortlake
210 Finsbury park - Hornsey - Archway - Highgate Village - Golders
Green - Brent Cross Shopping Centre
220 Willesden Junction - White City - Shepherds Bush - Hammersmith -
Putney - Wandsworth
221 Turnpike Lane - Wood Green - Bounds Green - New Southgate -
Friern Barnet - North Finchley - Mill Hill East - Edgware
227 Crystal Palace - Penge - Beckenham - Bromley
230 Upper Walthamstow - Bakers Arms - Walthamstow Central -
Blackhorse Rd - Tottenham Hale - Seven Sisters - West Green - Turnpike
Lane - Wood Green
232 Turnpike Lane - Wood Green - Palmers Green - Arnos Grove - North
Circ Road - Brent Cross Shopping Centre - Ikea
235/7 Sunbury - Feltham - Hounslow Heath - Hounslow - Isleworth -
Brentford - Turnham Green - Shepherds Bush
236 Finsbury park - Newington Green - Dalston - Hackney - Hackney
Wick
253 Euston - Camden Town - Holloway - Finsbury Park - Manor House -
Stamford Hill - Clapton - Hackney Central
254 Holloway - Finsbury Park - Manor House - Stamford Hill - Clapton
- Hackney Central - Bethnal Green - Whitechapel - Aldgate
257 Walthamstow Central - Whipps Cross - Leytonstone Station -
harrow green - Maryland - Stratford
276 Newham General Hosp - Canning Town - West Ham Stn - Stratford -
Hackney Wick - Hackney Central - Stoke Newington
277 Highbury & Islington - Dalston - Hackney - Victoria Park - Mile
End - Limehouse - Canary Wharf - Leamouth
279 Waltham Cross - Ponders End - Edmonton Green - Seven Sisters -
Manor House - Finsbury Park - Holloway
295 Ladbroke Grove - Shepherds Bush - Hammersmith - Fulham -
Wandsworth Bridge - Clapham Junction
328 Golders Green - West Hampstead - Kilburn - Westbourne Park -
Notting Hill Gate - High St Ken - Earls Court - Chelsea
345 South Kensington - Chelsea - Battersea - Clapham Junction -
Clapham Common - Clapham North - Stockwell - Brixton - Camberwell Green
- Peckham
726 Bromley - Beckenham - Addiscombe - Croydon - Sutton - Cheam -
New Malden - Kingston - Hampton Ct - Feltham - Heathrow Airport
W3 Northumberland Park Stn - White Hart Lane - Wood Green -
Alexandra Palace - Hornsey - Stroud Green - Finsbury Park
W7 Finsbury Park - Stroud Green - Crouch End - Muswell Hill
W15 Cogan Av Est - Walthamstow Central - Whipps Cross Hosp -
Leytonstone Stn - Leyton Station - Hackney Wick - homerton Hosp -
Hackney Central Stn

HTH
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!