Bus 196 in London links Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway and Norwood Junction Station. The route is 0.0 km long with 54 stops, and the official schedule from Transport for London puts the full trip at about 73 minutes. On a weekday it runs 87 trips in one direction, and 54 on a weekend day.
Route at a glance
| Mode | Bus |
|---|---|
| Route number | 196 |
| City | London |
| Operator | Transport for London (TfL) |
| Start → end | Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway → Norwood Junction Station |
| End → start | Norwood Junction Station → Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway |
| Route length | 0.0 km / 0.0 km in the opposite direction |
| Number of stops | 54 / 52 in the opposite direction |
| Travel time | about 73 minutes |
| Trips per day | 87 on weekdays, 54 on weekends one way |
| Frequency | peak 10–13 · midday 10–12 · weekend 18–28 |
| First / last trip from «Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway» | 00:05 / 23:45 |
| First / last trip from «Norwood Junction Station» | 00:05 / 23:45 |
| Fare | 1.75 £ (fare in effect since 5 July 2026) |
| Updated | August 22, 2026 |
Route of Bus 196
Outbound: Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway → Norwood Junction Station
This direction has 54 stops. The route passes Elephant & Castle Station, Irving Grove, Rosendale Road, Grecian Crescent. The full list of stops in order is below.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Elephant & Castle Station | 0.0 km | |
| 3 | Newington Butts | 0.0 km | |
| 4 | Renfrew Road | 0.0 km | |
| 5 | Kennington Road | 0.0 km | |
| 6 | Loughborough Street | 0.0 km | |
| 7 | Durham Street | 0.0 km | |
| 8 | Vauxhall Bus Station | 0.0 km | |
| 9 | Covent Garden Market East Side | 0.0 km | |
| 10 | Nine Elms Underground Station | 0.0 km | |
| 11 | Lansdowne Green | 0.0 km | |
| 12 | Stockwell Bus Garage | 0.0 km | |
| 13 | South Lambeth Road / Stockwell Station | 0.0 km | |
| 14 | Stockwell Gardens | 0.0 km | |
| 15 | Irving Grove | 0.0 km | |
| 16 | Stockwell Green | 0.0 km | |
| 17 | Stansfield Road | 0.0 km | |
| 18 | Brixton Academy | 0.0 km | |
| 19 | Brixton Station | 0.0 km | |
| 20 | St Matthew’s Church | 0.0 km | |
| 21 | St Matthews Estate | 0.0 km | |
| 22 | Morval Road | 0.0 km | |
| 23 | Dalberg Road / Effra Parade | 0.0 km | |
| 24 | Milton Road (SE24) | 0.0 km | |
| 25 | Brockwell Lido | 0.0 km | |
| 26 | Herne Hill Station | 0.0 km | |
| 27 | Brockwell Park | 0.0 km | |
| 28 | Rosendale Road | 0.0 km | |
| 29 | Brockwell Park Gardens | 0.0 km | |
| 30 | Deronda Road | 0.0 km | |
| 31 | Tulse Hill Station | 0.0 km | |
| 32 | Elmcourt Road Tulse Hill | 0.0 km | |
| 33 | Lancaster Avenue (SE27) | 0.0 km | |
| 34 | Norwood Road / Robson Road | 0.0 km | |
| 35 | West Norwood Station | 0.0 km | |
| 36 | Norwood Bus Garage | 0.0 km | |
| 37 | Rothschild Street | 0.0 km | |
| 38 | West Norwood Fire Station | 0.0 km | |
| 39 | Furneaux Avenue | 0.0 km | |
| 40 | Crown Point / Beulah Hill | 0.0 km | |
| 41 | Grecian Crescent | 0.0 km | |
| 42 | Biggin Hill | 0.0 km | |
| 43 | Convent Hill | 0.0 km | |
| 44 | Hermitage Road Norwood | 0.0 km | |
| 45 | Beulah Spa | 0.0 km | |
| 46 | Upper Beulah Hill | 0.0 km | |
| 47 | Beulah Hill /All Saints Church | 0.0 km | |
| 48 | Grange Avenue (SE25) | 0.0 km | |
| 49 | Wharncliffe Gardens | 0.0 km | |
| 50 | Ross Road | 0.0 km | |
| 51 | Howden Road (SE25) | 0.0 km | |
| 52 | Elm Park Road | 0.0 km | |
| 53 | Stanley Hall | 0.0 km | |
| 54 | Norwood Junction Station | 0.0 km | Terminus |
Inbound: Norwood Junction Station → Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway
This direction has 52 stops. The route passes Portland Road, Crown Point / Beulah Hill, Rosendale Road, Stockwell Green. The full list of stops in order is below.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norwood Junction Station | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Portland Road | 0.0 km | |
| 3 | Stanley Hall | 0.0 km | |
| 4 | Elm Park Road | 0.0 km | |
| 5 | Howden Road (SE25) | 0.0 km | |
| 6 | Wharncliffe Gardens | 0.0 km | |
| 7 | Grange Avenue (SE25) | 0.0 km | |
| 8 | S Norwood Hill / All Saints Ch | 0.0 km | |
| 9 | Upper Beulah Hill | 0.0 km | |
| 10 | Beulah Spa | 0.0 km | |
| 11 | Hermitage Road Norwood | 0.0 km | |
| 12 | Convent Hill | 0.0 km | |
| 13 | Biggin Hill | 0.0 km | |
| 14 | Crown Point / Beulah Hill | 0.0 km | |
| 15 | Crown Point / Knights Hill | 0.0 km | |
| 16 | Lakeview Road | 0.0 km | |
| 17 | West Norwood Fire Station | 0.0 km | |
| 18 | St Julian’s Farm Road | 0.0 km | |
| 19 | West Norwood Station | 0.0 km | |
| 20 | Norwood Road / Robson Road | 0.0 km | |
| 21 | Lancaster Avenue (SE27) | 0.0 km | |
| 22 | Tulse Hill Station | 0.0 km | |
| 23 | Thurlow Park Road | 0.0 km | |
| 24 | Deronda Road | 0.0 km | |
| 25 | Brockwell Park Gardens | 0.0 km | |
| 26 | Rosendale Road | 0.0 km | |
| 27 | Brockwell Park | 0.0 km | |
| 28 | Herne Hill Station | 0.0 km | |
| 29 | Brockwell Lido | 0.0 km | |
| 30 | Chaucer Road / Effra Parade | 0.0 km | |
| 31 | Brixton Water Lane | 0.0 km | |
| 32 | Morval Road | 0.0 km | |
| 33 | St Matthews Estate | 0.0 km | |
| 34 | Lambeth Town Hall | 0.0 km | |
| 35 | Brixton Station | 0.0 km | |
| 36 | Brixton Academy | 0.0 km | |
| 37 | Stansfield Road | 0.0 km | |
| 38 | Stockwell Green | 0.0 km | |
| 39 | Stockwell Gardens | 0.0 km | |
| 40 | Binfield Road / Stockwell Station | 0.0 km | |
| 41 | Stockwell Bus Garage | 0.0 km | |
| 42 | Lansdowne Green | 0.0 km | |
| 43 | Nine Elms Underground Station | 0.0 km | |
| 44 | Covent Garden Market East Side | 0.0 km | |
| 45 | Vauxhall Bus Station | 0.0 km | |
| 46 | St. Annes Church | 0.0 km | |
| 47 | Loughborough Street | 0.0 km | |
| 48 | Kennington Road | 0.0 km | |
| 49 | Renfrew Road | 0.0 km | |
| 50 | Newington Butts | 0.0 km | |
| 51 | Elephant & Castle Station | 0.0 km | |
| 52 | Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway | 0.0 km | Terminus |
Schedule and frequency
According to the official schedule from Transport for London, the route runs 87 trips in one direction on a weekday, and 54 on a weekend day.
| Direction | Weekdays | Weekends and holidays |
|---|---|---|
| From «Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway» | 00:05 — 23:45 | 00:05 — 23:45 |
| From «Norwood Junction Station» | 00:05 — 23:45 | 00:05 — 23:45 |
Frequency calculated from the departure table: in the morning peak buses run every 10–13 minutes, most often every 12; midday every 10–12 minutes; in the afternoon peak every 12–13; on weekends every 18–28 minutes.
Fare and payment
A single ride costs 1.75 £ — fare in effect since 5 July 2026. The same fare applies to buses in London.
A single bus or tram journey costs £1.75. The Hopper fare lets you make unlimited bus and tram journeys within one hour of your first tap at no extra charge. Daily spending is capped at £5.25; a 7 Day Bus & Tram Pass costs £24.70. London buses do not accept cash — pay by contactless or Oyster. Transfers within 60 minutes are free. Within the Hopper hour the transfers are free; you must tap the same card or device.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a ride on bus 196 cost?
1.75 £ for a single ride — fare in effect since 5 July 2026.
When do the first and last trips run?
From Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway the first is at 00:05 and the last at 23:45. From Norwood Junction Station they are 00:05 and 23:45.
How long does the trip from Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway to Norwood Junction Station take?
About 73 minutes end to end — the median of full trips in the official schedule.
How many stops does the route have?
54 outbound and 52 inbound according to the official GTFS feed. The two lists do not match exactly.
Does bus 196 run on weekends?
Yes. On weekends and holidays there are 54 trips in one direction, running from Elephant & Castle / Newington Causeway between 00:05 and 23:45.
Every route number with its termini, operating hours and travel time is collected in the London buses overview.
Data current as of August 22, 2026. Schedule and termini — Transport for London (TfL). Fares — Mayor of London, MD3517 July 2026 fare changes (Direction to TfL). Stop list, schedule and route geometry come from the official GTFS feed (Bus Open Data Service (BODS), version 20260822_025337).