A Guide to Dog-Friendly Public Transportation in London
If you’re visiting London with your dog, this guide is for you! London has one of the largest urban public transport networks in the world, spanning the city’s 32 boroughs. There’s everything from buses, to trams, to tubes, and even a cable car.
London is a fantastic destination to visit with your dog. They are sure to enjoy all of the great parks and open spaces – there is plenty to do without feeling overcrowded. But the sheer size of London (over 600 square miles!) can be daunting, and getting around can feel overwhelming. Here’s our guide to navigating the dog-friendly public transport options in London, and finding what’s best for you and your dog.
If you’re traveling around London, download the TfL Go app! It has interactive maps and journey planners to help you plan public transport travel across London.
London Buses
London buses are probably one of the most recognizable forms of public transport in the world – everyone’s seen those bright red, double decker buses! They’re not only iconic, but they’re also a cheap and convenient way to travel around the city.
London’s bus network runs 24 hours a day with about 9,300 vehicles, over 675 bus routes and about 19,000 bus stops. You can pretty much get anywhere in London on the bus. They’re all cashless, so you need an Oyster card, Travelcard or contactless payment card to ride. A single London bus journey costs £1.55, no matter how far you go, and you can even take multiple buses within one hour at no extra charge, thanks to the Hopper fare.
The London bus pet policy is as follows:
- You can take any other dog or inoffensive animal on [the bus], unless there is a good reason for us to refuse it (such as if the animal seems dangerous or not properly controlled).
- You must keep it under control on a lead or in a suitable container and must not allow it on a seat. Staff are not allowed to take charge of any animal.
- At stations, if you bring an animal with you, you should use the wide gates or carry it through the gates.
- At stations, if you bring an animal with you, you must use a staircase or lift where provided. If there is no staircase or lift and you need to use a moving escalator, you must carry your animal unless you have an assistance dog that has been trained to walk on moving escalators. If your animal is too large to carry, a member of staff will stop the escalator to allow it to travel on it when it is safe to do so (generally outside the rush hours and when the station is not busy).
Fun fact: The first London “buses” started in 1829. Back then they were horse powered.
London Trams
London has a modern tram network, known as Tramlink, that run in parts of south London. The network has 39 stops and four routes that run between Wimbledon, Croydon, Beckenham, and New Addington.
Trams are treated as part of the bus network when it comes to tickets and fares – they also cost a flat rate of £1.55.
The London Tram is governed by Transport for London, or TfL. The London Tram pet policy is the same as those for the Bus, Tube, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail Services. The pet policy is:
- You can take any other dog or inoffensive animal on [the bus], unless there is a good reason for us to refuse it (such as if the animal seems dangerous or not properly controlled).
- You must keep it under control on a lead or in a suitable container and must not allow it on a seat. Staff are not allowed to take charge of any animal.
- At stations, if you bring an animal with you, you should use the wide gates or carry it through the gates.
- At stations, if you bring an animal with you, you must use a staircase or lift where provided. If there is no staircase or lift and you need to use a moving escalator, you must carry your animal unless you have an assistance dog that has been trained to walk on moving escalators. If your animal is too large to carry, a member of staff will stop the escalator to allow it to travel on it when it is safe to do so (generally outside the rush hours and when the station is not busy).
London Underground (the Tube)
The London Underground, commonly referred to as the Tube, is the oldest and third longest metro system in the world. The system serves 270 stations, and it dates back to 1863. You can easily recognize a Tube station, since their distinctive London Underground logo is as distinguished as the red double decker bus. It’s a red circle with the text “Underground” featured in a blue box.
Over four million journeys are made every day on the Underground network, and over 1 billion each year. There are eleven Tube lines divided into nine zones.
The Underground operates in Fare Zones 1 – 6, with Zone 1 in the centre and Zone 6 at the outside. The Tube can be a bit tricky, since fares depend on how far you travel, time of day, and how you pay. The cheapest way to pay for a single fare is with Oyster or contactless payments. For the most part, the more zones you cross on your journey, the more expensive it will be.
The Tube typically runs from 5am until midnight, with Night Tube services on some lines on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The London tube is governed by Transport for London, or TfL. The London tube pet policy is the same as those for the Bus, Tram, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail Services. The pet policy is:
- You can take any other dog or inoffensive animal on [the bus], unless there is a good reason for us to refuse it (such as if the animal seems dangerous or not properly controlled).
- You must keep it under control on a lead or in a suitable container and must not allow it on a seat. Staff are not allowed to take charge of any animal.
- At stations, if you bring an animal with you, you should use the wide gates or carry it through the gates.
- At stations, if you bring an animal with you, you must use a staircase or lift where provided. If there is no staircase or lift and you need to use a moving escalator, you must carry your animal unless you have an assistance dog that has been trained to walk on moving escalators. If your animal is too large to carry, a member of staff will stop the escalator to allow it to travel on it when it is safe to do so (generally outside the rush hours and when the station is not busy).
London Overground
The London Overground, simply called the Overground, is a suburban rail network that serves Greater London. It has 112 stations on nine different routes.
Similar to the Underground and the Docklands Light Railway, the London Overground calculates fares based on the same zone-based set of rules. You can pay using an Oyster card, paper tickets, electronic smart cards and contactless payment cards.
The London Overground is governed by Transport for London, or TfL. The London Overground pet policy is the same as those for the Bus, Tube, Tram, DLR, and TfL Rail Services. Read it above, or here.
Docklands Light Railway (DLR)
The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a driverless light railway that opened in 1987. They’re London’s second, more local metro system that uses smaller, lighter tram-type vehicles. There’s no driver, since it’s automated. The DLR serves parts of East and South East London (specifically the Docklands, Greenwich and Lewisham).
The Docklands connects with the Tube, with London’s cable car, the Emirates Air Line, and to the London City Airport. It runs from 5.30am -12.30am, Monday-Saturday, and from 7am -11.30pm on Sunday. Fares are the same as the Tube.
The Docklands Light Railway is governed by Transport for London, or TfL. The DLR pet policy is the same as those for the Bus, Tube, Tram, London Overground and TfL Rail Services. Read it above, or here.
River Boat
London cradles the River Thames, so traveling by river is a great way to get around the city. You’ll beat the traffic and enjoy fantastic views along the way. Plus, who doesn’t love travel by water!
The River Boat service is known as the Thames Clippers, which offer both commuter and tourist boat services. At major piers including Canary Wharf, London Bridge City, Battersea Power Station and London Eye (Waterloo), services depart at least every 20 minutes during commuter times.
The River Boat routes are operated by Uber Boat, which is run by Thames Clippers. Fares vary according to river zones and discounts. You can purchase tickets at the pier, using Oyster, or on the Uber app. There are 23 routes to choose from, going in both directions.
The Uber Boat pet policy is as follows:
Dogs are allowed on board. Please make sure they are on a lead.
You can see the Uber Boat pet policy on their website here.
Cable Car
London has a cable car service, and it’s the only urban cable car in the UK. It’s called the Emirates Air Line, and it opened in June, 2012. The cable car crosses the River Thames, from Greenwich to the Royal Victoria Dock. It’s not only practical, getting you from one side of the river to the other, but the cable car also offers epic panoramic views.
You can pay for the fare using an Oyster card or contactless card. You can book single tickets or a multi-journey boarding pass for 10 single trips, or even hire a private cabin for a round trip experience with up to 10 passengers.
There are only two stations, one at each end, so it’s by far the easiest mode of public transport to navigate in London.
The cable car pet policy is as follows:
You can bring an assistance dog with you without charge. You can also take with you without charge any other dog or inoffensive animal but they must be carried at all times. Some animals may not be permitted with good reason (such as if the animal seems dangerous). Please check with a member of our staff before you purchase your Boarding Pass. You must keep it under control on a lead or in a suitable container, and must not allow it on a seat. You will be held responsible for the actions of your animal. Staff are not allowed to take charge of any animal.
You can read a copy of Emirates Air Line Conditions of Carriage here.
Santander Cycles
Like many cities, London has a public bike share system called Santander Cycles. The bikes are convenient and cheap – there are over 750 docking stations and 11,500 bikes for rent all around London. The first half hour of each journey is free, and then costs £2 for 24 hours.
Santander bicycles are dog-friendly. Feel free to grab one if your dog can ride along in a backpack or is active enough to run alongside you.
You can grab a bike using a bank card at the docking station or by using the official app.
Learn more about navigating pet-friendly destinations here.
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