The Number 23 bus near its starting point

Route 23 is one of hundreds of public routes on the London Bus network. It is also one of the most interesting from a tourist point of view since its journey takes in many of the popular London landmarks.

The locals who use this route probably don’t take too much notice of what’s passing them by outside the window. But for those visiting London, it can be an inexpensive way of getting around places of interest rather than piling into a tourist bus on a guided tour.


Route 23 was one of the last of the London bus routes to relinquish its famous Routemaster buses. They were great. There was a conductor who came round to sell you tickets, but even better, the back of the bus was open, making it easy to hop on and off whenever the bus stopped. Alas, health and safety thought better and now London streets are dominated by new modern red buses. While the new buses certainly make life easier for those in a wheelchair or for parents with pushchairs, passengers must often sit in traffic jams until their stop is reached, even if it is a few feet away.

The bus service begins at Westbourne Park bus station and travels through Ladbroke Grove, Paddington, Oxford Circus, Aldwych and finally terminates at Liverpool Street station. The entire journey can usually be completed in around one and a half hours, roadworks permitting! The service runs 24 hours so you can take in the sights day and night.

If you’re lucky enough to be one of the first on the bus, you have the opportunity of sitting on the top deck, right at the front – the best seat in the house. From this viewpoint you have panoramic views of the streets in London. It gives you a chance to gain some perspective of where you are going which is something you simply can’t do when travelling on the underground.

On leaving the bus depot, it trundles through Westbourne Park, stopping at a large Sainsbury supermarket in Ladbroke Grove. No, it’s not very touristy, but it’s convenient for shoppers laden down with groceries. Travelling down Ladbroke Grove isn’t particularly interesting either. It’s somewhat dingy and tatty down the North Kensington end and the bus turns off before it reaches the tall and elegant houses in the posh Holland Park area.

Now the sights become more interesting. Shortly after turning off Ladbroke Grove the bus crosses over the famous Portobello market. This street market is one of the most popular in London and on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays is filled with market traders selling everything from fruit and veg, clothes and  home-made jewellery to second hand bikes and antiques. There’s something for everyone here.

Past Portobello Road the bus travels down Westbourne Grove. Here you’ll find plenty of boutique and designer style shops, organic food shops and cafes. Oh, and a Post Office. Keep going and you’re heading through the bottom end of Bayswater. There are a multitude of places to eat along here with cuisines of every description along with the Whiteleys shopping centre.

Then it’s onto Paddington. The bus stops right outside the famous London hospital of St. Mary’s. Staff here were among some of the first on the scene helping out the victims of the 7/7 bombings at Edgeware Road station just along the road. As you leave Paddington, the bus turns onto Edgeware Road and down to Marble Arch, the entrance to Hyde Park. From here you can admire the Arch while you’re waiting at the traffic lights. Then the bus turns onto Oxford Street, London’s main shopping street.

Oxford Street is undoubtedly the slowest part of the journey. In fact, it’s often quicker to hop off the bus and walk if this is your destination. Here it’s wall to wall red buses and black cabs. Cars don’t really get a look in. But, from a viewpoint on the top deck of the bus, you can gaze in amazement at the throngs of shoppers, heaving and weaving their way past the shops. The bus trundles along past Bond Street and its exclusive jewellers then it takes a right turn and heads down Regent Street.

Regent Street is home to Hamleys, London’s largest and most famous toy store. In fact, the bus stops right outside. At the end of Regent Street you can take in the sights of Piccadilly Circus as the bus negotiates the roundabout to enter the Haymarket. From here the bus goes around Trafalgar Square with the famous Nelsons Column as well as the fountain and millions of pigeons. There aren’t quite so many pigeons now as you aren’t supposed to feed them. Tourist attractions include the National Gallery to the north and Whitehall to the south. After that it’s onto Aldwych, where you’ll find many of London’s famous theaters such as Her Majesty’s, the Lyceum, Savoy and Adelphi to name a few.

Route 23 finally ventures into the City of London which is the main financial district, often referred to as the Square Mile.  The bus passes by the majestic Royal Courts of Justice, where major trials take place and is often seen in the background on news items on TV. Then it’s up Ludgate Hill and past beautiful St Pauls cathedral.

Then it makes its way down to Bank. Here you can see the Bank of England and the Royal Exchange which stands in the centre of the London’s financial district. All around this area you’ll find crowded with city workers eating their lunches while sitting on the steps because there’s really nowhere else to sit if you want some sunshine. And finally, the bus makes its way down towards its destination of Liverpool Street, right next to the main line railway station.

The bus inevitably takes longer than the underground, having to negotiate bus stops, traffic lights and road works. But if you can do this, it usually makes for a far more pleasant journey than the alternative of travelling like a tinned sardine on the tube network. However, if you’re in a hurry to get somewhere, travelling on London’s roads isn’t the way to do it unless you’re on a bike.

So, if you’re ever in London and want to see some of the tourist sights, why not take a trip on route 23 rather than pay extra for the special tourist buses. It’s a great way to see London in your own time to suit your schedule. And when you’ve done that, there are plenty more routes all offering their unique guide to the streets of London.