London bus strike August 2026: routes, dates and alternatives

File photo from November 2015: Aubrey Morandarte via Wikimedia Commons.jpg), licensed under CC BY 2.0. Route 149 is on the current strike list. The photograph shows normal service, not the August 2026 walkout.

Arriva London North drivers are due to strike on 26 dates between August 14 and October 20, 2026. During each walkout, Transport for London expects little or no service on 42 named routes, including two Superloop routes, two school services and four night buses. Most of London's bus network is not on strike, but nearby buses, Tube and rail services can be busier.

The short answer: find your route in the 42-route list, then open TfL bus status and Journey Planner immediately before leaving. Do not replace an affected bus with the Piccadilly line until you have checked its planned closures. Several closure dates overlap the strike.

This guide was checked at 12:45pm British Summer Time on August 14. The first walkout was in progress and due to end at 4:30am on August 15. Strike action can be suspended, extended or changed, so the live TfL page remains the final check.

London bus strike dates in 2026

Each published window starts at 4am on the first date and ends at 4:30am on the last date. A route can remain unsettled just before or after those times while buses and drivers return to position.

The closure details come from TfL's Piccadilly line upgrade schedule. That schedule can also change. Check it again before any airport or late-night journey.

Which London bus routes are affected?

The current list contains 42 services. Earlier reports used different totals while the route list was still developing, so use the TfL strike page and route status rather than an old screenshot.

Ordinary bus routes

19, 29, 34, 41, 66, 67, 76, 102, 121, 141, 149, 150, 158, 175, 191, 192, 217, 221, 243, 248, 254, 259, 279, 307, 313, 329, 341, 349, 370, 375, 377, W3, W4 and W6.

School services

616 and 675.

Superloop routes

SL1 and SL2.

Night buses

N19, N29, N41 and N279.

The affected garages are Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Grays, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham and Wood Green. The routes reach parts of north, east and central London, plus Essex. A central destination does not prove that every bus serving it is affected, and a north London route does not prove that it is run by Arriva London North.

Route 91 is a useful example. A traveler asked about it in the current London discussion, but it is not on the strike list. TfL's bus operator directory lists route 91 under London General. It can still be delayed by traffic or extra demand, so check its own status rather than treating it as guaranteed.

How do you check whether your bus is running?

Search by route number, not only by the stop name. One stop may serve an affected Arriva route and another operator's service at the same time.

1. Find the route number in the list above.
2. Open TfL bus status and search that number.
3. Check the stop you plan to use, not only the route's normal endpoints.
4. Build a complete alternative in Journey Planner.
5. Recheck the first bus, every interchange and the final walk shortly before departure.
6. Save the alternative route and destination address offline.

A live arrival countdown is useful only when a bus is actually operating. If the route is on the strike list, do not wait indefinitely because an old timetable still appears in a map app.

What are the best alternatives during the strike?

There is no single substitute for all 42 routes. The practical alternative depends on the exact boarding point, destination, time, luggage and step-free needs.

Do not copy a station-by-station alternative from a general news story. It may begin several stops away from you, miss an inaccessible interchange or depend on another closed line. Let the current planner use your actual origin and destination, then inspect every leg.

Walking can solve a short gap, but August heat changes what is reasonable. Carry water, avoid sending someone along an unfamiliar road after dark and do not turn a missed bus into a rushed road crossing. Cycling works only for someone already comfortable with the route and traffic.

Which Piccadilly line closures clash with the bus strike?

The most difficult overlap is in north London. TfL plans to close the Piccadilly line from Cockfosters to Uxbridge on August 18 to 20 and again on August 25 to 27. Those closures include stations that might otherwise look like natural alternatives for Enfield, Southgate, Wood Green, Turnpike Lane, Manor House and Finsbury Park journeys.

The September 18 Night Tube closure and September 19 to 20 daytime closure affect the western side of the line. The October 16 to 18 closure affects the Heathrow and Uxbridge branches. The bus strike windows cover part of each period.

Run Journey Planner for the exact date and time. A route calculated for Monday may be wrong on Tuesday when the engineering closure begins.

How should airport travelers plan?

Treat the airport service and the London connection as two separate checks. A Heathrow train can be running while the bus from a hotel to its station has little or no service. The reverse can also happen.

For Heathrow on the overlapping Piccadilly closure dates, do not make the Piccadilly line your only plan. Ask Journey Planner for a current route and compare the complete cost, luggage handling, walking distance and step-free access before choosing another rail, coach, taxi or minicab option.

For London City, Stansted, Luton or Gatwick, check the named airport rail or coach operator first, then check how you will reach its London stop. The Arriva strike does not automatically cancel a separate airport operator, but it can remove the first or last bus in the journey.

Leave a larger buffer than the ordinary estimate. A flight or advance rail ticket will not necessarily wait because a local bus is on strike. If the journey uses separate tickets, ask each operator what it will do before buying a replacement.

Will Oyster, contactless or a rail ticket work on the alternative?

Oyster and contactless can be used on much of the TfL network, but the fare can change when the replacement uses another mode or travels through different zones. A bus ticket or National Rail ticket is not automatically valid on every alternative simply because a strike is in progress.

Check the fare and ticket acceptance before boarding. Keep screenshots of a cancellation, staff advice and any extra ticket you are told to buy. TfL's refunds and replacements page explains its normal claim routes, but the facts of the journey still determine whether a refund is due.

How can an accessible journey be protected?

Start with TfL's accessible journey planner, then inspect current lift and station status. Select step-free preferences before comparing travel time. A route that adds one change may still be easier than a shorter route with stairs or a long street-level transfer.

If the affected bus normally provides the most workable option, contact TfL or the transport operator before leaving. Ask about the exact stop, boarding method and interchange. Allow for a companion, mobility device, buggy or luggage rather than planning for an unencumbered adult walking speed.

Which apps and information should you save?

TfL Go is the official app for live arrivals, disruption status, route planning and step-free preferences. TfL says iPhone and iPad users can track the next bus along its route. Android users can check live arrival times in TfL Go, while TfL currently points to Google Maps on Android for route tracking.

Keep these available before leaving WiFi:

• TfL Go and the web Journey Planner
• the bus status page for the exact route number
• the Piccadilly line closure page if it affects the journey
• the airport, rail or coach operator app for a separate connection
• an offline map around the origin, interchange and destination
• the destination address, final departure time and one licensed taxi fallback
• a screenshot of any mobile ticket or booking reference

An app can show changed information only while the phone has data. It cannot make a cancelled route run, and a saved map cannot show a later closure. Use both live checks and offline copies.

Keep live London travel checks available with Roaming eSIM

A static article can preserve the published dates and route list. It cannot tell you whether the next bus is moving or whether a lift has just gone out of service. A United Kingdom Roaming eSIM can keep TfL Go, Journey Planner, live arrivals, maps and messages available after an international visitor leaves hotel or airport WiFi.

The public United Kingdom catalog returned 18 plans when checked on August 14. It included fixed allowances and daily options with different validity, speed labels and top-up fields. That visible package detail, installation before travel when the selected activation rule permits it, and the public 24/7 support route are practical advantages over depending on a news page or public WiFi for every update.

Roaming eSIM does not restore a bus route, guarantee signal in a packed station or remove the need for an offline plan. Keep the usual SIM available if calls or SMS matter, turn off its mobile data if roaming charges are a concern and read the chosen package before paying.

Use the travel data calculator for maps, video calls and hotspot needs. Check phone compatibility, read when to install a Roaming eSIM and review calls and SMS limits. Travelers visiting London for the bank holiday should keep this transport issue separate from the Notting Hill Carnival 2026 guide.

Ten London bus strike questions travelers are asking

1. Are all London buses on strike?

No. The walkout covers 42 named routes operated from eight Arriva London North garages. TfL says most of the capital's bus network should operate, although unaffected buses and nearby rail services may be busier.

2. Is route 91 affected by the London bus strike?

Route 91 is not on the current affected list. TfL lists it under London General, not Arriva London North. Check its live status anyway because traffic and extra passenger demand can still delay it.

3. What time does each London bus strike start and finish?

The published windows start at 4am on the first date and end at 4:30am on the final date. Check TfL before an early journey because buses may take time to return to their normal position and frequency.

4. Are night buses affected?

Yes. N19, N29, N41 and N279 are on the list. Plan the journey home before the last available rail service, and do not assume the daytime route will provide the same overnight connection.

5. Are Superloop routes affected?

SL1 and SL2 are affected. Other Superloop routes are not on the published list, but local demand can move to them. Search the exact route and stop in TfL Go before relying on an interchange.

6. Can I use the Piccadilly line instead?

Sometimes, but not during every strike window. Planned Piccadilly closures overlap August 18 to 20, August 25 to 27, September 18 to 20 and October 16 to 18. Use Journey Planner for the exact date and time.

7. Will the strike affect a Heathrow journey?

It can remove the bus that reaches a station, while planned Piccadilly closures affect some Heathrow journeys in October. Check the airport leg and the London connection separately, then leave extra time for a busier alternative.

8. Can I claim a refund for an alternative journey?

Do not assume every extra fare is refundable. Save the disruption notice, staff advice and receipt, then use the claim route for the operator that charged you. Ticket acceptance and refund rules depend on the journey and ticket.

9. What should a wheelchair user or parent with a buggy do?

Use the step-free filter, check lift status and inspect every interchange before leaving. If the usual bus is the only workable option, contact TfL or the operator about the route rather than trusting the shortest map result.

10. Which app should I use during the strike?

Start with TfL Go for official status, arrivals and route planning. Keep the web Journey Planner and bus status page as backups. Save an offline map and destination address because live tools still depend on data and battery.

The United Kingdom product endpoint and four public product routes were checked separately. Package count, allowance, validity, speed and top-up fields can change. Read the live card before purchase.