Portal:London transport

The London transport portal

London transport

The London transport system is one of the oldest and largest public transport systems in the world. Many components of its transport system, such as the double-decker bus, the Hackney Carriage black taxi and the London Underground, are internationally recognised symbols of London.

Most transport services in London are controlled by Transport for London (TfL), an executive agency of the Greater London Authority. TfL-controlled services include the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, the Elizabeth line, Buses and Trams, most of which accept payment by the Oyster card. TfL also administers the congestion charge zone and the low emission zone.

London has a comprehensive rail network with several major railway stations linking to the rest of the country. International travel is possible from St Pancras International which connects to mainland Europe through the Eurostar service, or from one of six international airports, including Heathrow or Gatwick.

The M25 is an orbital motorway which enables vehicles to avoid travelling through central London and is one of the busiest motorways in Europe.

More about transport in London


Underground	National Rail	Overground	Elizabeth line	DLR	Trams	Buses	River Services	Air

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Selected article
Battersea Bridge is a cast iron and granite five-span cantilever bridge crossing the River Thames. It links Battersea south of the river with Chelsea to the north and replaced a ferry service that had operated near the site since at least the middle of the 16th century. The first bridge was a toll bridge commissioned by John, Earl Spencer, who had acquired the rights to operate the ferry. Although a stone bridge was planned, difficulties in raising investment meant that a cheaper wooden bridge was built instead. Designed by Henry Holland, it was opened to pedestrians in November 1771 and to vehicles in 1772. The bridge was poorly designed and dangerous and, due to its location on a bend in the river, boats often collided with it. To reduce the dangers to shipping, two piers were removed and the sections of the bridge above them were strengthened. Despite its problems, the bridge was the last surviving wooden bridge on the Thames in London and was the subject of paintings by many significant artists such as J. M. W. Turner, John Sell Cotman and James McNeill Whistler. In 1879 the bridge was taken into public ownership, and in 1885 it was replaced with the existing bridge, designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette and built by John Mowlem & Co. The narrowest surviving road bridge over the Thames in London, it is one of London's least busy Thames bridges. (Full article...) All selected articles
Selected biography
Sir Joseph William Bazalgette, CB (28 March 1819 – 15 March 1891) was an English civil engineer. As chief engineer of London's Metropolitan Board of Works his major achievement was the creation (in response to the Great Stink of 1858) of a sewer network for central London which was instrumental in relieving the city from cholera epidemics, while beginning the cleansing of the River Thames. Bazelgette was also responsible for the design of the Albert, Victoria and Chelsea Embankments along the north and south sides of the River Thames and bridges over the Thames at Putney, Hammersmith and Battersea. He also prepared early proposals for Blackwall Tunnel and Tower Bridge. (Full article...) All Selected biographies
Did you know...
...that London Heathrow Airport is the world's busiest airport in terms of international passenger traffic? ...that 900 London buses were commandeered for use as troop transports on the Western Front during World War I? ...that an estimated half a million mice live on the Underground system, and can often be seen running around the tracks? ...that Underground Electric Railways Company of London chairman Sir Edgar Speyer was accused of being a German spy during World War I? ...that only 45 per cent of the London Underground is actually underground? More Did you know...
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Transport Buses Trains London England

Selected pictures

Image 1The Circle routes of Victorian London, comprising the Inner Circle, Middle Circle, Outer Circle and Super Outer Circle.
Image 2Southern approach to the Rotherhithe Tunnel that runs under the River Thames in east London between Rotherhithe and Limehouse.
Image 3Rail, road and river traffic, seen from the London Eye.
Image 4Woolwich Ferry boats "John Burns" and "James Newman" on the River Thames, 2012.
Image 5Thames Clippers service catamaran on the River Thames.
Image 6Arguably the best-preserved disused station building in London, this is the former Alexandra Palace station on the GNR Highgate branch (closed in 1954). It is now in use as a community centre (CUFOS).
Image 7Victoria line 2009 Stock train at Euston.
Image 8Eurostar Class 373 trains at St Pancras station.
Image 9The western departures concourse of King's Cross railway station.
Image 10Stockwell bus garage, Stockwell, a Grade II* listed building.
Image 11The newly constructed junction of the Westway (A40) and the West Cross Route (A3220) at White City, circa 1970. Continuation of the West Cross Route northwards under the roundabout was cancelled leaving two short unused stubs for the slip roads that would have been provided for traffic joining or leaving the northern section.
Image 12Original stations on the Metropolitan Railway from The Illustrated London News, 27 December 1862.
Image 13London Overground Class 378 train on the East London Line in Hoxton.
Image 14Hornsey Lane Bridge, Archway, more commonly known as "Suicide Bridge".
Image 15Camden Lock or Hampstead Road Lock in Camden Town, north London is the only twin lock on the Regent's Canal.
Image 16The south façade of King's Cross railway station London terminus of the East Coast Main Line.
Image 17View of Old London Bridge, circa 1632 by Claude de Jongh.
Image 18TX4 London Taxi at Heathrow Airport.
Image 19Tram 2548 calls at Arena tram stop. This is one of the trams on the Tramlink network centred on Croydon in south London.
Image 20Sailing ships at West India Docks on the Isle of Dogs in 1810. The docks opened in 1802 and closed in 1980 and have since been redeveloped as the Canary Wharf development.
Image 21London General Omnibus Company B-type bus B340 built in 1911 by AEC. One of a number of London buses purchased by the British military during World War I, this vehicle was operated on the Western Front.
Image 22Qantas Boeing 747-400 about to land at Heathrow Airport, seen beyond the roofs of Myrtle Avenue, Hounslow.
Image 23A Hansom cab at Somerset House.
Image 24Duck tour converted DUKW amphibious vehicle exiting the River Thames.
Image 25Hammersmith Bridge, opened in 1887, crosses the River Thames in west London.
Image 26Vauxhall Bridge across the River Thames opened in 1906 and features sculptures by F. W. Pomeroy.
Image 27London Underground A60 Stock (left) and 1938 Stock (right) trains showing the difference in the sizes of the two types of rolling stock operated on the system. A60 stock trains operated on the surface and sub-surface sections of the Metropolitan line from 1961 to 2012 and 1938 Stock operated on various deep level tube lines from 1938 to 1988.
Image 28Ruislip Lido Railway's 12-inch (300 mm) gauge locomotive "Mad Bess" hauling a passenger train.
Image 29Day (left) and Night (right) sculptures by Sir Jacob Epstein on the London Underground's headquarters at 55 Broadway.
Image 30Tower Bridge; a bascule bridge across the River Thames.
Image 31Helicopter landing at London Heliport, a jetty constructed in the River Thames in Battersea.
Image 32London Underground Battery-electric locomotive L16 designed to operate over tracks where the traction current is turned off for maintenance work.
Image 33The New Routemaster built by Wrightbus has three entrances, two staircases and is designed to be reminiscent of the Routemaster.
Image 34Escalators at Westminster Underground station descend between beams and columns of the station box to reach the deep-level Jubilee line platforms.
Image 35Clapham Common Underground station north and south-bound platforms on the Northern line.
Image 36An air raid shelter in a London Underground station during The Blitz.
Image 37A tram of the London United Tramways at Boston Road, Hanwell, circa 1910.
Image 38Central London Railway poster, published in 1905.
Image 3955 Broadway, headquarters of the UERL and its successors, is a Grade I listed building in Westminster designed by Charles Holden.
Image 40Archer statue by Eric Aumonier at East Finchley Underground station.
Image 41Albert Bridge, opened in 1873, crosses the River Thames between Chelsea and Battersea.
Image 42Gondolas of the Emirates Air Line cable car cross the River Thames from Greenwich Peninsula to Royal Docks.
Image 43The original Hampton Court Bridge in 1753, the first of four on the site.
Image 44Preserved AEC Routemaster coaches in London Transport Green Line livery.
Image 45Planes waiting at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 4.
Image 46The multi-level junction between the M23 and M25 motorways near Merstham in Surrey. The M23 passes over the M25 with bridges carrying interchange slip roads for the two motorways in between.
Image 47Shaftesbury Avenue from Piccadilly Circus, in the West End of London, 1949.
Image 48"Boris Bikes" from the Santander Cycles hire scheme waiting for use at a docking station in Victoria.
Image 49Early style tube roundel in mosaic at Maida Vale Underground station.