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London kicks off free bus WiFi trial on two routes

It's safe to say Transport for London (TfL) is pushing hard to equip London's bus and train networks with their fair share of tech. Not long after it announced the launch date for contactless payments on the Tube, it's just confirmed that two of the city's Routemasters are now offering free WiFi to passengers. As of today, if you find yourself travelling on a specific route 12 bus, which operates between Dulwich and Oxford Circus, or a route RV1 bus journeying between Covent Garden and Tower Hill, you'll be able to get online without eating into your data allowance.

This limited WiFi rollout is one of several tech trials being conducted during TfL's "Year of the Bus." Screens that display seat availability and show the current position of a bus on a real-time map have been added to some buses, and the transport body's also equipping more bus stops with arrival times and more buses with location announcements to help unsure passengers. TfL hopes that after a successful WiFi pilot, a sponsor will step up and add hotspots to the whole fleet, so you can be as connected above ground as below.

[Image credit: Transport for London, Flickr]