When London’s Silvertown Tunnel opened last year, it was a double bill of good news for Londoners. It was a boon for those travelling across South East and East London, providing cross-river connections in a sometimes tricky-to-navigate area. And the opening was also accompanied by the news of free bus journeys along routes that used the tunnel. And now, we’ll be able to enjoy those free bus journeys for even longer.
Originally, TfL announced that those travelling on bus routes SL4, 108 and 129, would be able to enjoy free bus travel until April 7, 2026. Even if you weren’t on the bus when it travelled through the tunnel, the bus routes remained free. And now, TfL has extended those free bus journeys into the middle of 2026.
Pay-as-you-go travel is free on these routes through to Sunday, May 26 2026. (And we’re crossing our fingers that it’ll be extended once again near that date!
Free bus journeys
You can travel across the following bus routes for free:
- Superloop SL4
- 129 route (which now goes through the Silvertown Tunnel)
- 108 route
However, it’s worth noting that you can’t simply stroll aboard. You still have to tap on with a valid “contactless card, mobile or watch, or valid Oyster card”. Your form of payment needs to be valid for travel and have credit.
Journeys along the routes are free even if they don’t utilise the new Silvertown Tunnel.
The cycle shuttle service will also remain free for the foreseeable future.
Free DLR travel
When TfL announced the free bus journeys last year, they also announced that there would be free travel between certain DLR stations. If your journey was between, or included, Greenwich/Cutty Sark and Island Gardens, or Woolwich Arsenal and King George V, you would receive a refund on your fare.
Alongside the extension of the free bus journeys, TfL has also extended the refunded DLR journeys until May 26. Journeys will be automatically refunded within 14 days of travel. If you used an Oyster for your journey, you will need to tap a yellow reader within four days of the refund being issued to claim it.