A fleet of Vintage London buses will be returning to the capital this weekend – and you’ll be able to ride one for free

Travel back in time (and to Hackney)

Hermione Blandford's avatar
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Traditional Routemaster bus at Piccadilly, London, EnglandTraditional Routemaster bus at Piccadilly, London, England. (Photo by: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
(Image credit: Education Images / Getty Images)

If you thought you knew London transport like the back of a map, think again. Fully embracing the retro style wave sweeping everything from films to catwalks, London is hopping on the trend, with a fleet of vintage hop-on buses.

Not content with your old trains, trams, taxis, bikes, and boats, the old-school buses will be turning to the capital this weekend. Courtesy of the London Bus Museum, the throwback comes as part of the Museum’s beloved heritage days. The first of 2026’s series lands on 14th March, with the buses pounding the city’s pavements (okay, streets) for one day only. The best part? You can hop on one without having to pay a thing – and not because they can’t accept contactless.

Routemaster bus and cyclist, London, UKA traditional red Route master London bus used for tours of London passes a cyclist. London, England, UK. (Photo by: Andy Soloman/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

(Image credit: Andy Soloman / Getty Images)

Perhaps the only bad news is that it will be a single bus route that takes the time machine back to the 50s. Route 38, which runs between Victoria and Hackney, is this year’s chosen bus, running fare-free from 10am until 5pm.

First running in June 1912, the route has carted literal billions of people across the city in, er, style. The open-platform buses will come with a real-life conductor and run every 10 minutes between Victoria and Hackney station.

In true traditional style, you don’t need to book to get a spot; simply flag down the iconic red rectangle when you see one passing. If you’re lucky, you might even get an old-school bus ticket.

London Bus Museum route

(Image credit: London Bus Museum)

Most of the vehicles taking part will be the iconic Routemaster, the classic red double-decker that once dominated London’s streets during the 1950s and 1960s. The event will also feature RT-type buses, the Routemaster’s predecessor. In the 1950s, these vehicles collectively formed the world's largest standardised bus fleet.

There’s no need to book tickets or reserve a seat in advance. Instead, passengers can simply wait at any regular Route 38 bus stop, stick out a hand as the bus approaches and hop aboard, just like Londoners would have done back in the day. Passengers should note that the vintage vehicles were built long before modern accessibility standards. As a result, they can't accommodate wheelchairs, and most modern buggies are too large to fit under the stairs. However, conductors will do their best to assist passengers where possible. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, provided they are kept on a lead and do not occupy seats.

If you want to learn more about the history of the route itself, you can read more about the bus route on the London Bus Museum website.

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Hermione Blandford
Hermione Blandford
Content Editor

Hermione Blandford is the Content Editor for Shortlist’s social media which means you can usually find her scrolling through Instagram and calling it work, or stopping random people in the street and accosting them with a mini mic. She has previously worked in food and drink PR for brands including Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Gordon's, The Singleton, Lagavulin and Don Julio which means she is a self confessed expert in spicy margaritas and pints, regularly popping into the pub in the name of research.

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