New SL11 Superloop Express Bus Launches in South East London with Week of Free Travel

Transport for London will introduce a new Superloop express bus route in south east London this Saturday, 24 January, with passengers able to travel free for its first seven days.

The SL11 will operate as a limited-stop service between Abbey Wood and North Greenwich, calling at Thamesmead and Woolwich. Designed to cut journey times, the route aims to improve connections with the Elizabeth line, Docklands Light Railway, London Underground and National Rail services.

The service replaces the daytime operation of route 472 and will run more frequently, following a faster and more direct route through Woolwich town centre.

To celebrate the launch, pay-as-you-go customers using Oyster or contactless cards will not be charged for journeys on SL11 buses between 05:00 on 24 January and 23:59 on 30 January. Passengers will still need to touch in, but fares will be set at £0 for the promotional period.

During the day, from Monday to Saturday between 07:00 and 21:00, buses will run every six minutes. Outside these hours, services will operate every 10 to 12 minutes, reducing to every 15 minutes early on Sunday mornings.

A new night service, N472, will also be introduced, running between 00:15 and 04:45. The night route will serve all stops previously covered by the 472, with buses every 30 minutes throughout the week.

Lorna Murphy, TfL’s Director of Buses, said the new service would provide faster journeys and stronger links across the transport network, encouraging passengers to try the route during its free first week.

The SL11 follows a public consultation held by TfL earlier this year. More than half of respondents said the route would be more convenient, while nearly two-thirds expected journey times to improve.

TfL said the route will also support regeneration plans in Thamesmead and complements recent government backing for a future extension of the DLR to the area.

Passengers who previously used 472 stops not served by SL11 will need to switch to alternative local routes, including the 161, 177, 180, 244, 301 and 380. TfL highlighted that the Hopper fare allows unlimited bus journeys within one hour for £1.75.

The SL11 becomes the latest addition to the Superloop network, which TfL says has carried around 60 million passengers since its launch.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the new route delivers on a manifesto pledge to introduce express bus services while longer-term rail projects progress, adding that it would help improve connectivity in an area that has historically been under-served.