11 cool facts about London’s iconic double-decker buses

A national symbol of England, the red double-decker bus is one of the first things every visitor to London can’t resist snapping a photo of. But why exactly is this public bus so iconic? Here are 11 cool facts about London’s double-decker buses you should know:

To Londoners, these striking double-decker buses are a part and parcel of daily life. Every day, over 7,500 London buses carry 6 million passengers on more than 700 different routes. A single double-decker bus can seat up to 100 passengers.

The idea of double-decker transport first arose in the late 19th century, even before motor vehicles were created. In 1827, George Shillibeer, an English coachbuilder, was commissioned by a Paris businessman to design a vehicle that was stable enough to carry a large number of passengers.

Following the popularity of the Paris omnibus service, Shillibeer then brought the design to London. By the late 1840s, these horse-drawn omnibuses began building an additional deck to accommodate even more passengers, as London’s narrow streets were unsuitable for an accordion-type bus.

Today, London’s double-decker buses are fully enclosed. But it wasn’t until the 1930s that buses started to come with roofs over the upper deck. Although open-toppers were preferred for unblocked views of the city, those sitting on the upper deck were often exposed to inclement weather and faced safety risks.

Luckily, you can still find open-top double-decker buses in London today. The famous double-decker tour bus, operated by Big Bus, allows you to choose between the open-air upper deck or covered lower deck, depending on the weather. On balmy summer nights, an open-top evening tour will let you explore London’s nightlife in comfort.

Why are London’s double-decker buses painted red? The answer dates back to the early 1900s, when the city’s transport system was operated by different companies. To stand out from its competitors, the London General Omnibus Company decided to paint its entire fleet red. When the public London Transport took over, it chose to keep the same iconic color. This is also the same shade of red used on the London Underground roundel and the Royal Mail postbox, which you can learn more about in the Postal Museum.

Although London’s buses are traditionally red, special colors have been rolled out for events such as the Queen’s Silver and Golden Jubilees. In the past, buses that traveled on the outskirts of the city were also painted green to fit in with their country settings.

After World War I, the London General Omnibus Company faced a shortage of buses as a large number of them were used to transport soldiers and weapons during the war. This, coupled with lackluster service, prompted the rise of other companies looking to challenge London General’s monopoly. These were known as “pirate” buses, and London’s roads turned into battlefields, where pirate and London General buses raced to pick up passengers.

The most well-known pirate bus was the Chocolate Express, which operated from 1922 to 1934. These buses were painted a chocolate brown, and you can still find one in the London Transport Museum today, which also immortalizes other vintage London buses.

In the past, London’s double-decker buses allowed people to get on and off the bus wherever and whenever they wanted, even while the bus was in motion. However, this eventually fell out of favor as buses would have to maintain a slower speed to allow passengers to catch them, and there were also safety concerns.

Today, you can safely hop on and off by joining these bus tours, where you can conveniently disembark and reboard a bus at different attractions.

Featuring a half-cab engine and open rear platform, the AEC Routemaster is one of the most familiar models of the London double-decker bus. It even inspired the New Routemaster, which is still operating in London today.

Given the Routemaster’s iconic status, Stagecoach London began running two “heritage” routes, where passengers could ride a Routemaster around tourist areas like the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Trafalgar Square. Unfortunately, the heritage buses were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, and were eventually axed in 2021.

Thankfully, you can still join a Vintage London Bus Tour and zoom past the city’s famous sights on a retro double-decker Routemaster.

According to local legend, one late night in the 1930s, a man driving along Cambridge Gardens in west London suddenly swerved because a double-decker bus had hurtled towards him, despite having no driver or passengers on board.

Over the years, more accidents occurred in the same area at the same time. All had eyewitness accounts of a speeding double-decker with no driver that seemingly vanished into thin air.

Last heard of in 1990, it’s unlikely that you’ll encounter this spooky bus. But if you’re looking for a thrill, the Ghost Bus Tour of London will take you on a journey through London’s dark history—you’ll even get to travel on an iconic 1960s Routemaster bus.

It’s said that Ian Fleming chose James Bond's code name “007” based on the bus that used to pass by his favorite pub. The James Bond movie Live and Let Die also featured the spy at the wheel of a Routemaster, after Roger Moore learned to drive a double-decker for the role.

London’s night buses, which have been around since 1913, inspired the “Knight Bus” in the Harry Potter series. It was even constructed out of Regent III double-deckers for the Prisoner of Azkaban movie. A talking double-decker, named Topper Deckington III, was featured in Cars 2.

In 2006, London found that transportation was responsible for around 20% of its carbon dioxide emissions. Hence, the city decided to convert its entire bus fleet to hybrid vehicles. In 2015, London began running a trial of the world’s first electric double-decker bus, which officially entered service in June 2021. By 2037, London hopes to run a fully zero-emission fleet of buses.

Ever dined on a bus? We’re not just talking about snacks at the back, but full-blown dining complete with tableware. Bustronome combines a bus ride with a gastronomic experience, taking you around iconic monuments as you tuck into gourmet food, prepared fresh onboard. You won’t even have to worry about spills as the silverware is magnetized to the table. And just in case, there’s even a bathroom on board. Tip: Don’t forget to look up—the glass roof offers stunning views as you pass by sights like Tower Bridge. Similarly, you can trundle past London’s landmarks while enjoying sandwiches and cakes on Brigit’s Afternoon Tea Bus.

More like this: