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I Rode Every London Bus Route

Geoff Marshall・55 minutes read

An individual spent 45 days riding every London bus route from January to February 2024, meticulously planning, tracking, and documenting their journey, showcasing the extensive coverage and convenience of London's bus network. The narrator rode over 700 buses, exploring unique experiences and patterns on seats, while expressing newfound appreciation for buses and recommending always thanking bus drivers, especially when riding alone at night.

Insights

Riding every London bus route can lead to addictive adventures, fostering a fascination with lettered buses and enabling exploration of new areas in London, showcasing the city's diverse transport network.
The journey of riding London buses intricately involves meticulous planning, geotagging photos, tracking routes, and reviewing Oyster card data weekly, emphasizing the dedication required for this unique project and the importance of documenting experiences and interactions with bus drivers.

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Recent questions

How many bus routes are in London?
544

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Summary

00:00

"London Bus Route Challenge: 45 Days"

The individual has spent 45 days since January 1st riding a bit of every bus route in London.
The endeavor commenced on January 1st, with 543 bus routes in London, later increasing to 544.
Various individuals, including friends and bloggers, have previously completed this challenge.
The individual meticulously planned and tracked each bus route using a spreadsheet and a self-drawn map.
Essential resources for this project included the Mike Harris map of London and the London bus roots.net website.
Initially, the individual only took photos of buses before realizing the need to record videos of the journey.
The individual geotagged each bus photo to track their progress and locations visited.
Weekly, the individual reviewed their Oyster card data to ensure accuracy and completeness of their bus rides.
The project led the individual to explore new areas of London and develop a fascination with lettered buses.
Despite the challenge, the individual continued to create regular YouTube videos alongside the bus-riding project.

13:18

"London Bus Adventures: Routes, Fares, and Challenges"

London's least frequent buses include the 347 with four return trips a day, the 388 and 389 with five and six trips respectively, the 385 with six services, the R5 and R10 with six and seven trips each, the H3 with seven trips, the 375 and 549 with nine trips each.
Riding every London bus route can become addictive, leading to spontaneous bus-catching adventures even with friends.
The countdown system at bus stops relies on an old phone network, sometimes causing buses to disappear from the schedule.
A journey through various London bus routes can be draining and time-consuming, especially in the winter months, but can be managed by spreading it out over weekends or casually tracking routes.
A map detailing London bus hotspots can help cover 80% of all bus routes, with additional yellow spots covering 95%.
Bus fares in London include a standard £1.75 fare, a hopper fare allowing two journeys within 60 minutes for the price of one, and a daily cap at £5.25 after three journeys.
Utilizing an Oyster travel card can provide free unlimited bus journeys within certain zones, making it a cost-effective option for extensive bus travel.
The quest to ride all London buses can involve strategic mop-up points like Tooting Broadway Station, where multiple routes converge for efficient coverage.
Exploring bus routes in freezing temperatures, like at Addington Interchange, can be part of the adventure, with infrequent routes like the 359 adding to the challenge.
Keeping track of bus routes and experiences through photos can aid in organizing and strategizing future bus-riding endeavors, such as identifying single-decker and double-decker routes.

26:25

London Bus Adventures: Exploring Routes Beyond Limits

To catch the 464 bus to Biggin Hill, one must travel to New Addington, located at the end of the tram stop.
The 464 bus is considered a tricky route, requiring a journey outside London to reach.
Instead of the 464, the narrator boarded the 404 bus, enjoying the remote location it led to, including Crawford Crescent and the Cane Hill Water Tower.
Tube challenge days involved taking buses like the 384 and 307, with the U10 being a legendary bus due to its limited service.
During a tube challenge attempt, the narrator finally caught the U10 by timing their journey from Oxbridge to Kinam.
In Harrow, the narrator planned to catch all nine H buses at the bus station, leading to a discovery of 35 bus routes in the borough.
A lost Oyster card incident prompted the narrator to insert a note in their wallet, leading to a successful retrieval with the help of a kind bus passenger.
A cold day in Harrow led to a bus adventure at Golders Green, where the narrator rode the rare H3 bus and received recognition from the driver.
Riding a Routemaster bus at Trafalgar Square provided a unique experience, showcasing the continued operation of these iconic vehicles.
Buses are highlighted as a popular, affordable, and comprehensive mode of transport in London, connecting almost every part of the city within reach.

40:47

London Bus Routes: A Journey Through Commutes

The E5 bus route runs from South Top Blocks Estate to Tesco supermarket at Peral.
The 464 bus route goes through Biggin Hill, tackling a steep 15% gradient on Saltbox Hill.
The 464 bus route stops at Biggin Hill due to road works, with a connector bus to Tatsfield.
The top 10 London bus routes include the W5, 108, 18, 230, 465, 347, 375, 331, R5, and R10.
The 399 bus route transforms into the 389 and back, offering a scenic ride to Potter's Bar.
The narrator rode over 700 buses in six weeks, praising the professionalism and kindness of bus drivers.
The narrator recommends always thanking bus drivers, especially when riding alone at night.
The narrator details a routine of requesting stops, greeting the driver, and thanking them when exiting the bus.
The narrator explores various London bus routes, encountering unique experiences and patterns on seats.
The journey concludes with the narrator riding the 549 bus to South Woodford Station, marking the end of their bus route exploration from January to February 2024.

54:31

London's Bus Network: Extensive, Convenient, and Appreciated

London's bus network is praised for its extensive coverage and convenience, with plans for new buses and route changes to further enhance the system. The acknowledgment is extended to the bus drivers, planners, maintenance staff, and all involved in making Transport for London's bus network exceptional. The speaker expresses a newfound appreciation for buses and intends to utilize them more in the future, alongside their usual preference for trains and the tube. Night buses, totaling 62 in London, are mentioned, with a humorous note about potentially wearing bus pajamas if the speaker were to ride them.

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