London Route 9 runs from Hammersmith in West London to Aldwych in Central London. The route is served by a new Routemaster bus, an updated version of the classic red double-decker bus.
The route takes you to several iconic London landmarks such as Trafalgar Square, the Royal Albert Hall, and Kensington Palace.
Take a look at the full list of London bus routes for sightseeing.
An Oyster card or day trip card makes all London buses (and tubes and trains) a hop-on, hop-off service.
London bus number 9
Time needed: about an hour
Start: Hammersmith Bus Station
Finish: Aldwych
OK, get on the bus and try to get a seat up at the front for the best views. In a few minutes you’ll be on High Street Kensington and there are plenty of shopping opportunities.
Just off the main road is 18 Stafford Terrace, although you won’t be able to see it from the bus. There is also the wonderful Kensington Roof Gardens at the top right, but I don’t think you can see it from the bus either. However, it is worth calling ahead to see if the gardens are open, as they are free to visit.
Within 5 minutes you should reach the bus stop for Kensington Palace. (Note that the bus stop is actually before you can see the palace.) If you stay on the bus, you will see Kensington Palace on your left and Kensington Gardens.
A few more minutes and you will see the Royal Albert Hall on your right and the Albert Memorial on your left.
Then look right again for an old landmark. It’s on Kensington Road (the road the bus is on), near the junction with Exhibition Road, outside the Royal Geographical Society.
After this junction, the park on your left changes from Kensington Gardens to Hyde Park, although it doesn’t really look any different.
As you continue on Kensington Road, you will soon pass Kensington Barracks on your left, the home of the domestic cavalry.
Shortly after, the bus arrives in Knightsbridge with Harvey Nichols ahead and to the right, but don’t miss a quick look back and right down Brompton Road to see Harrods.
At Hyde Park Corner there is Wellington Arch in the middle of the roundabout and after the bus stop on the left is Aspley House, once called Number One London.
On the island of Hyde Park Corner you can also see the New Zealand War Memorial. They are 16 bronze ‘standards’ in the shape of a cross on a grassy slope. It commemorates the enduring ties between New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
The bus now passes Piccadilly and the original Hard Rock Cafe is on the left. In the store you can also visit The Vault full of rock memorabilia.
The area on your left is Mayfair and on your right is Green Park, which has Buckingham Palace on the other side, but you won’t be able to see through. As the bus continues down Piccadilly, look for the living wall of the Athenaeum Hotel on your left.
At the Green Park Tube Station bus stop you can see The Ritz Hotel on the right.
Look down the street and you can see the Eros statue in Piccadilly Circus. Apparently he is the Greek god Anteros, the brother of Eros, but no one calls him that.
Right after The Ritz, there’s The Wolseley, which was once a car showroom, but is now a charming restaurant.
The bus then turns right onto St James’s Street and has St. James’s Palace right at the end. On the left, look for JJ Fox, who has a Cigar Museum in his basement, and Lock & Co Hatters, which was founded in 1676.
The bus leaves to the left along Pall Mall and the dome you can see ahead is not St Paul’s, it is the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square.
Quickly look right at Waterloo Place to see the Duke of York’s Column before the bus reaches Trafalgar Square and proceed to the south end of the square. Look to your left to see Nelson’s Column, the fountains, and the National Gallery along the north side.
The bus trip continues along Strand Station and Charing Cross will be on your right. Notice the Eleanor Cross in the station yard.
After the Southampton Street / Covent Garden bus stop (Covent Garden is on your left) prepare to see The Savoy Hotel on your right. Look ahead for The Savoy Theater signs that can be seen from the Strand, but the hotel is running late.
Before the bus reaches Aldwych, take a quick look at Waterloo Bridge and then Aldwych / Drury Lane is the last stop.
From here you can go to Somerset House and see the courtyard fountains if it’s summer or the ice rink if it’s winter. There is also the Courtauld Gallery and other regular exhibitions.
Across Aldwych, near the junction of Surrey Street and Strand, you can see the most famous disused tube station, Aldwych Station, and see London’s Roman Baths. You could walk into town from here along Fleet Street, but most people will probably want to head to Covent Garden, so from the bus stop, walk down Drury Lane and turn left onto Russell Street to get to Square.
