TfL bus. Photo: Sarunyu L / Shutterstock.com Getting around East London is set to become easier with the launch of a new Superloop express bus service connecting Gants Hill and Rainham.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced that the new SL12 route will begin operating on September 5, 2026, adding another express connection to Transport for London's expanding Superloop network.
To mark the launch, travel on the new route will be free during its first week, giving passengers an opportunity to try the service without paying a fare.
The SL12 is designed to improve connections across East London by providing a faster alternative to conventional bus services.
Unlike standard routes that stop frequently, Superloop services focus on key destinations and transport hubs. The network is intended to reduce journey times between outer London town centres while providing another alternative to traveling by car.
The new Gants Hill to Rainham connection will expand the network further into East London, offering residents and visitors another option for crossing the area.
Transport for London says the wider Superloop network now covers 218 kilometers, serves 24 London boroughs and connects 63 bus and rail stations.
The network also adds approximately 8.1 million bus kilometers to London's roads.
Once the introductory period ends, Superloop services are charged at the standard London bus fare. TfL currently lists the single bus fare at £1.75.
For tourists and visitors, the new service could provide another useful way to reach parts of East London that are less directly connected by London's rail network.
The SL12 joins a growing network of express routes designed to improve cross-London connections without requiring passengers to travel through central London.
Existing Superloop routes include connections between destinations such as West Croydon and Heathrow Airport, Uxbridge and White City, North Finchley and Walthamstow, and North Greenwich and Abbey Wood.
The network also includes SL11, which began operating between North Greenwich and Abbey Wood in January 2026.