Here at Secret London, one thing we certainly haven’t kept particularly under wraps is the rather sizeable soft spot that we have for the various vehicles that whizz us around our city. From trains, trams, and taxis to bikes, boats, and buses; we’re pretty darn lucky to have one of the best and biggest transport networks in the world. So if you’re even a tiny bit as enthusiastic about it as we are, I come bearing some wheely great news for you.
The London Bus Museum has recently released the 2026 dates of their highly-popular heritage days. And the first of the year will be taking place on Saturday, March 14. For one day only, a fleet of vintage London buses will be journeying through the streets of the city, and you hop aboard one of them for a trip back in time – without having to pay a penny.
The London Bus Museum’s Route 38 Heritage Day
The free heritage bus rides in question come courtesy of the legendary London Bus Museum. The museum house’s the largest collection of historic London buses in the world, and so they’re pretty well-equipped for the event. From 10am until 5pm on March 14, a fleet of vintage red buses (dating from the 1950s to the 1970s) will be running in both directions along the iconic Number 38 bus route – completely fare-free.
Route 38 has been ferrying folk between Victoria and Hackney for well over a century, having first operated in June 1912. The vintage buses on route will mostly be Routemasters dating from the late 1950s and their predecessor, the RT-type. But there will also be some slightly more modern and privately-owned buses involved, too.
Open-platform buses (complete with a real conductor) will be running ever 10 minutes or so between Victoria and Hackney Station, and some of the buses will then continue on to Clapton Pond. You need not book a space to ride on one of these buses; you can just turn up at a number 38 bus stop, hail one down, and hop aboard. If you’re particularly lucky, you might even be given an old-school bus ticket from the conductor. It is worth noting, however, that the regular number 38 daily service will still be operation on the day, and normal fares will apply on these services.
You can find out more about the London Bus Museum’s Route 38 Heritage Day here.