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Secrets of the London Underground Walking Tour

Join us on this walking tour to discover the secrets behind the world’s first underground railway. See the exterior of disused stations such as Down Street through which Churchill would travel during the Blitz   while uncovering poignant tales such as the 'Mind the Gap' widow's narrative and the genesis of The Tube map. Delve into the intrigue of 'ghost' platforms secluded from public view and marvel at the elegance of the world clock in Piccadilly. From historical anecdotes to contemporary insights, this tour is for every enthusiast of London's underground heritage.

5 fun facts our expert guide will help you uncover in this tour:

• There's a tube station that lies above the remains of 1000 bodies
• The tube was re-purposed and used as a refuge for over 170,000 people during the Blitz of WWII, and more
• There's a species that can only be found on the underground
• There's a Monarch who was the first to ride the 'Tube'
• Some tube stations are reputed to be haunted

Baker Street Station, Marylebone Road, London, UK

Please meet the guide by the Sherlock Holmes statue outside Baker Street station.

Discover the iconic London Underground , affectionately known as the 'Tube'. It annually enables over 1.3 billion passenger journeys across its extensive network of 272 tube stations .

Commencing at the historic Baker Street Station , a cornerstone of the Metropolitan Railway - the world's inaugural underground railway - our immersive walking tour unfolds under the guidance of our Expert Guide. Delve into the rich tapestry of the Tube's 175-year saga , from the pioneering construction of the Thames Tunnel in 1843 , celebrated as 'The Eighth Wonder of the World', to an array of world-firsts, captivating tales and urban legends.

Unravel the evolution of the Tube , from its steam-powered origins to electrification , and the manual excavation of its earliest tunnels preceding technological advancements. Explore its metamorphosis from a tourist hotspot to an integral cargo network and public transit system, unveiling the mysteries behind over 40 abandoned stations and the iconic 'roundel' symbol.

For enthusiasts of trivia and intriguing anecdotes, our journey reveals fascinating and fun facts, including:

• Which station lies above the remains of 1000 bodies
• How it was re-purposed and used as a refuge for over 170,000 people during the Blitz of WWII, as well as an aircraft factory and storage for the treasures of the British Museum
• The variety of animals spotted on the system, including a species that can only be found on the underground
• Who was the first Monarch to ride the 'Tube'
• Which stations are reputed to be haunted by the ghosts of a murdered actor, a Pharaoh’s daughter and even a nun

Westminster Underground Station -  serviced by the Jubilee, Circle and District Lines.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Experience Starts: 1:00 pm by the Sherlock Holmes statue outside Baker Street Station
• Experience Finishes: 3:30 pm (approx.) at Westminster Underground Station
• Travel cards/Oyster Cards (valid for Zone 1) are required and are not included
• Please note this is a walking tour that includes many steps so it is not suitable for guests with reduced mobility
• Guests will be provided with personal audio headsets so social distancing can be maintained when listing to the live commentary
• Please visit our Travel Health page for full details of our enhanced hygiene standards and protocols
• Visit one of the Underground's original stations
• Learn about how the Underground system was built
• Hear about haunted and disused stations
• Discover the variety of roles the underground has played
• Visit the exterior of an original disused tube station
• A maximum of 16 guests on this Experience

What's Included

Expert guide, personal audio headset, walking tour, what's excluded, hotel pick-up & drop-off, travel card, share with friends.

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From £29.00 per ADULT

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Hidden London Underground Tours

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Time Out says

Spooky tours of disused Underground stations and closed-off tube tunnels

London Transport Museum has a new 2022 season of its ever-popular Hidden London tours of unseen parts of the capital’s vast transport network, including some new places they’ve never visited before.

They take place on selected dates between October 12 and December 30 . 

Highlights include tours of Charing Cross and Down Street stations. The Jubilee line platforms at Charing Cross have been inoperative since 1999, and since used for lots of film and TV productions. Down Street station, meanwhile, was shut down way back in 1932 because of low passenger numbers (locals presumably all travelled by Rolls-Royce). In WWII, it was used as an air raid shelter and, intriguingly, was used by Winston Churchill during the Blitz.

Another perennial favourite are the tours of Aldwych tube station on the Strand near Somerset House, and there are also in-person tours of Shepherd’s Bush station’s hidden nooks and crannies, and the same at Euston Square .

Virtual tours allow visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the new  Elizabeth line  stations at Tottenham Court Road and Liverpool Street , as well as a look at the closed Kingsway Tunnel areas of Holborn.

Selected dates between October 12 and December 30. 

Full details of all the tours are here .

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London Underground 2-Hour Tube Tour

• Explore the vast London Underground on this guided transit history tour
• Enjoy your guide's narration on the history of the tube and London transit
• Visit London's oldest tube station, Baker Street, and see an abandoned stop
• Meet-up at the centrally-located Baker Street Station in the Marylebone area
• See itinerary
• Local guide
• A valid London Travel Card for Zones 1 and 2
• Sherlock Holmes Statue, 4 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5LD, UK Your guide will be waiting with an Insider London sign/badge at the Sherlock Holmes Statue outside Baker Street Station
• Piccadilly Circus, London, UK The finishing point for this tour has changed to Piccadilly Circus
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Near public transportation
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 5 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• You'll start at Sherlock Holmes Statue 4 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5LD, UK Your guide will be waiting with an Insider London sign/badge at the Sherlock Holmes Statue outside Baker Street Station See address & details
• 1 Baker Street Stop: 20 minutes See details
• 2 London Underground Stop: 60 minutes See details
• You'll end at Piccadilly Circus Piccadilly Circus, London, UK The finishing point for this tour has changed to Piccadilly Circus See address & details

• Richard L 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles City of London walkthrough David walked us through the City of London in 2 hours. Very nice, patient and knowledgeable on the area. And very cute accent indeed. Read more Written August 9, 2023
• juliekL5358RF 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Ghost Tour Wonderful tour! We enjoyed the stories and history mixed together. We had a great time and our guide, Flora, was wonderful! Read more Written May 28, 2023
• Q9666UNrebeccaj 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles London Financial Walking Tour With David DAVID was our tour guide for our financial tour. He was very intelligent in his London history, and kept the tour very interesting. His personality made for a phenomenal experience! He also made sure to add in a few jokes here and there! I would recommend David as your tour guide for anything you decide to do. His tour was a great ending to our trip here in London:) Read more Written May 24, 2023
• O4060NWrebeccah 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles London Financial Walking Tour London Financial Walking Tour with David was really great! Interesting to college students and professors-our group all learned something new! Great addition to our trip, highly recommend! Read more Written May 24, 2023
• 294avak 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing! My school group did the Financial Tour of the City of London. David was our guide and was extremely knowledgeable and engaged. We learned a great deal and very much enjoyed it. Read more Written May 20, 2023
• X1336ZFmichaelg 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Views in and around Canary Wharf My MBA group was led by David as we walked through Canary Wharf Financial District, tube station, and rooftop garden. It was a great experience! Most likely my favorite part of the whole trip. Read more Written May 16, 2023
• nina h 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent Maciek took myself and a group of teenaged business students on the East End walking tour. I have been to the area many times, though found the tour highly engaging, packed with interesting facts and inspirational sights. Maciek was extremely knowledgeable and interacted well with all members of the tour. I highly recommend. Read more Written April 1, 2023
• roddamnr 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles City of London walking tour I had a great time exploring the City of London with David. He was very informative and knowledgeable about the area and that made the tour so much more worth it. It never felt boring or too long because I had the best time! Read more Written February 14, 2023
• N4287VSthomass 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Recommended for all London Underground Tour. You don't end up at the same station you started at though. Very interesting tour guide. Learnt a lot interesting both past current and future facts. Tour guide was Mark. I recommend it for all ages too. Read more Written February 14, 2023
• Ryan B 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles David was our tour guide and we all had a great time. He was very knowledgeable and made great fun of the tour. Thank yo I had a great time on my tour with David. My whole class went and thought it was very informative. I left the tour feeling like I learned a lot of history. Thanks David! Read more Written February 14, 2023
• LozzaAngela90 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great and interesting Today my husband and I went on the Underground tour with Mark who was our tour guide. He was very experienced and knowledgeable and we learned alot. I would definitely recommend this tour and Mark :) Read more Written February 11, 2023
• razzz3011 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles David was awesome! David was great! Very informative, great sense of humor—he will make your trip to Canary Wharf worthwhile!! Read more Written February 2, 2023
• cherig148 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Interesting and Informative An interesting historical tour of the London Underground subway system. Mark was very engaging and really held my attention. I especially liked his tip on how to avoid a crowded carriage on the Tube. Read more Written January 23, 2023
• 56alexandruc 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles David Inter Guide the Best Cockney The most awsome tour guide, every question was not left unansweared. He got the knowledge and the spirit of a great story teller. From my point of view he should definitely receive a payment increase. I rember the from the tour that he was starving to show and describe every square inch. Read more Written December 13, 2022
• MaevaBo 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles London by night ghost and murderer tour Mark is very professional and clear. Small interesting story facts and historical tips. A great moment ! Read more Written November 5, 2022

More to explore in London

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

London Underground 2-Hour Tube Tour provided by Insider London - Day Tours

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Going underground: a subterranean tour of London's abandoned tube stations

Tours through abandoned Tube stations open a unique window onto London’s historic roots.

Standing on a strip-lit London Underground platform, I’m staring at the billboards across the tracks. Primary colours jump out above grimy rails. To the left is a placard for cheap holidays in the sun, to the right a poster for new West End play Diana’s Fortune. But the adverts are strangely vague when it comes to details. Holidays where, exactly? And why no mention of which theatre is staging the play?  

“They’re all fake ads,” says my Hidden London guide, Pat Dennis, with a laugh, pointing out posters for fictitious estate agents and non-existent clothing brands. We’re deep in Charing Cross Underground station, at the heart of the capital’s transport network, but if we were hoping to hop on the next train we’d be in for a wait. “This platform has been out of service since 1999,” he says. “It was part of the Jubilee Line. Now it’s used for films, TV shows and music videos. We’ve had Matt Damon and Daniel Craig down here, Paddington, Madonna, Dua Lipa — you name them.”  

The bogus ads, it transpires, help avoid any awkward issues over product placement. They also add to the discombobulation of entering a secret underworld. When Pat greets our group in the station’s ticket hall, we’re surrounded by a jostle of commuters and free newspapers. Then we step through an anonymous metal door and everything becomes real but unreal, with empty escalators, silent corridors and the far-off rumble of trains on other lines.

Over the following hour and a quarter, we get a full overview of this deserted wing of the station. We’re given the history of Charing Cross itself. We’re shown footage from Skyfall where James Bond slides down the same escalators we’ve just descended. We’re even taken into the cavernous dark of the ventilation shafts and construction tunnels, at one point spying through a grille, 007-style, on travellers waiting for a Northern Line train. It all feels fascinatingly clandestine.

This, of course, is very much the intention. Organised by the London Transport Museum, which funnels profits from tickets into its educational arm, these behind-the-scenes tours are run by Hidden London in eight different Tube stations. The visits make the most of the fact that multiple areas of certain stations are now disused, for reasons varying from low passenger numbers to rerouted lines.  

“All the stations we visit have their own selling points,” says Pat, explaining that tours are scheduled for different stations at different times each year, to keep demand high. Many of these tours touch on the Second World War, when the tunnels doubled as air-raid shelters. Clapham South, for example, has more than a mile of deep-level passageways, while Down Street — which Winston Churchill used as a secret wartime bunker — was closed to passengers back in 1932, yet still exists, murky and history-laden, under the streets of W1. And while the defunct platforms of Charing Cross remain modern-looking, the concealed parts of Aldwych and Euston are time capsules full of period architecture and fading posters.

( 5 of north London's most scenic walking routes .)

I head to another station, Moorgate, for the next tour. It takes its name from a former gate in the old city walls, which looked out across marshland. Today the area is all commercial buildings and cafes, but the station has plenty of history. It opened in 1865 as part of the Metropolitan Line — the world’s oldest underground — and originally had gas-lit wooden carriages trundling along its tracks.  

“The early trains didn’t even have windows,” says my guide Tommy Carr. “The logic was that there was nothing to look at in a tunnel, then they realised passengers liked seeing which stations they were stopping at.” The station was initially just a shallow one, created using the old-fashioned cut-and-cover method — digging a big trench, laying down tracks, then roofing it over again — before the deep-level underground arrived in 1900.

We venture into the belly of the station, stepping into a low-lit maze of maintenance tunnels and disused lift shafts. A tiled passageway closed since 1939 still bears fragments of adverts for soap and books; further on we’re shown an old tunnelling shield — a vast, hollow, metal cylinder lying on its side — created as a kind of protective sheath for workers, who stood inside it to hand-excavate the tunnels. Stretching 16 feet across, the shield was simply left there when work was completed.

Less than 90 minutes later I’m back in the fresh air, a little dazed. Today’s Tube is many things — functional, sprawling — and the sheer breadth and history of the network means parts of it are stuck in time.

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London Underground Walking Tour

Mind the gap, and welcome aboard our London Tube Walking Tour. The walking tour of the world's first Tube railway lasts approximately two hours, and you will travel through 150 years of London’s Tube history. Your private small group tour will start at Paddington Station and take you to some of London’s most famous, deepest, oldest, most beautiful and peculiar Tube stations.

Tour Highlights

• Enjoy a tour with your private guide so you have lots of attention
• Travel along London’s oldest stretch of railway line
• Find out why it was important to know which way to travel on the Circle line
• What’s in a name? Find out whether you’re saying the right name
• Learn about London’s ghost stations
• Discover the Tube map’s “accuracy” and its tragic origin story

Mind the gap, and welcome aboard our London Tube Walking Tour. The walking tour of the world’s first Tube railway lasts approximately two and three quarter hours, and you will travel through 150 years of London’s Tube history.

Your private small group tour will start at Paddington station and take you to some of London’s most famous, deepest, oldest, most beautiful and peculiar Tube stations.

As part of the walking tour, you will learn about the evolution of the London Tube system when it was founded in 1863. You will also understand how the Tube lines used to be owned by rival companies and find out why we now have electric trains instead of steam engines.

With so many fascinating aspects to the story of the London Tube, such as the design of the stations, engineering principles, its places in popular culture, and, of course, its position within the story of modern London, are all discussed as part of the London Tube Walking Tour.

On each tour, the route may change slightly depending on improvement work on the network, the time and day you do the tour and your preferences.

Please note that, due to the nature of the locations visited, this tour is not accessible for wheelchair users or parents with prams.

• As part of the tour, there will be a short transit journey on public transport, so you will need to tap in with a contactless card.

What’s Included

• 2 ¾ hour walking tour through London’s tube system
• Knowledgeable, approachable & fun tourist guide

What’s Excluded

• Food & drink
• Zone 1 Travelcard or an Oyster card topped up with at least £7 of pay-as- you-go credit

What To Bring

• Consider layers of clothing
• Comfortable shoes for a leisurely walking tour

Good To Know

• English language tour

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

• The tour is not suitable for a wheelchair due to escalators and stairs on the network. British Sign Language is not provided on the tour.

Do children need to be accompanied?

• All people under 18 (i.e. 17 years old and younger) must be accompanied by an adult (aged 18 years or over) on all tour

Is the tour suitable for children?

• This tour is suitable for all ages

Take a look at our TripAdvisor page or leave us a review. We love hearing from you!

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Explore London’s secret underground network on a Hidden London tour

Did you know that there were whole sections of London’s underground network that lay hidden in plain sight? At the London Transport Museum you can explore secret parts of London’s Underground Network on a Hidden London Tour

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Behind closed doors are disused stations and platforms, former ticket halls; and time-capsule corridors that have remained frozen in time since they saw their last commuter – complete with vintage signs, advertising posters and all.

Those secret spaces are usually off limits to the public, but thanks to London Transport Museum ’s award-winning Hidden London tours, you too can now gain exclusive access, both in person and online.

The Hidden London programme include tours of Aldwych disused station’ s ‘abandoned’ ticket halls, original lifts and tunnels; the remains of Piccadilly Circus’s original Edwardian station; and the disused Jubilee line platforms at Charing Cross that have featured in many famous British TV and film productions including Paddington Bear (2013), Killing Eve (2019) and A Spy Among Friends (2022).

Also on offer are tours of the original 19 th century passageways and features at west London station Shepherd’s Bush; Down Street, a bomb-proof wartime bunker and former station that lays concealed between the Piccadilly line tracks in Mayfair; and Clapham South, an expansive Second World War shelter hidden under the streets of south London.

An exclusive walking tour, Secrets of Central London , also takes you around Covent Garden and the surrounding area to reveal unique, fascinating and historical tales and titbits about this part of the city and how it has transformed over the last 200 years.

All tours are guided and share the exclusive historical stories that the museum’s experts found in its extensive archive and collection; allowing you to discover little-known facts about London, right where all this history took place.

If your next trip to London is still a long way away or if going underground simply isn’t your thing, the museum also offers a series of live virtual tours including one launched to celebrate the Tube’s 160 th birthday earlier this year, Discovering the Forgotten Underground, which explores how some spaces on the network came to be disused over the years.

The virtual tours are held live via Zoom and hosted by a tour guide, using a combination of video footage, historical documents and archive images. Other virtual tours include visits of disused stations York Road and Brompton Road, and behind the scenes glimpses into two of London’s newest Elizabeth line stations, Tottenham Court Road and Liverpool Street.

The Hidden London tours were named ’Best Hidden Gem in the World’ at the International Tiqets ’ Remarkable Venue Awards 2022 by public vote.

Tickets are available to book via London Transport Museum’s website at here.

Tours run throughout the year with new dates frequently released. Subscribers to the Museum’s free e-newsletter get 24-hour priority booking upon release.

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Disused Tube Station Tours by Hidden London

London’s Tube system has 157 years of history and many hidden secrets in the 250 miles of tunnels under the expansive metropolitan. Stations have opened, closed and been altered many times throughout the years; and the constant state of flux has frozen many stations in set time periods.

Have you ever wondered where they filmed Tube scenes for movies? When they have a track involved it’s usually either the closed platforms for Jubilee Line at Charing Cross Station for modern movie scenes or the closed Piccadilly Line extension at Aldwych Station for vintage movie scenes.

London Transport Museum has done an incredible job in mapping out the different types of tours, ensuring that each one has a different focus and feel. I’ve been on 5 different tours with them and each one was unique and fascinating. I can highly recommend booking a tour with them when you’re in London. You will have to book it in advance but it will be worth the effort.

The tours are not always available year round, so please double check the Hidden London website for most up to date information on available dates. The more popular ones, such as Aldwych and Charing Cross, have frequently available dates. And it’s critical to book in advance as the tours with lower availability sell out very quickly.

I’ve taken 5 of the tours available over the years and here is how I would rank them, and a summary of my experiences. London Transport Museum often is updating and adding their tours to include new experiences or locations, so these are by no means a conclusive offering from Hidden London.

I’ve ranked them in order of my appreciation for each of the tours. All the tours hold a special place in my heart and each was thoroughly enjoyable. Since I’ve been on the tours they’ve also issued other variants, such as the Film Tour, for example, so this list is by no means conclusive.

1. Aldwych Station

Aldwych Station was active until the late 1990s as a single stop on a Piccadilly Line extension from Holborn. After the lift in the station broke TFL determined that it would cost more to repair it than it was worth as an operating station.

Since it’s closure it has been used as a film set for several TV shows and films, mostly period pieces that require a more vintage looking Tube station. The design is one of the traditional Leslie Green stations, with it’s gorgeous tiling and beautiful vintage motif. The history however goes back much further than it’s closure. The station was used to store and house many of the treasures from the British Museum during the Blitz.

The tour involves climbing up and down the nearly 300 stairs at the station, since the lifts are out of commission, but provides a great view into a disused tube station. It was the first station that London Transport Museum chose to open for visitors and is the longest running of their available tours.

It’s also an unusual station since it has been used to test new initiatives for the Underground – from glow tape meant to show the way out in a power cut to new insulation techniques for the tunnels.

2. Down Street Station

Down Street Station was originally a stop along the Piccadilly Line in Mayfair – situated between Green Park and Hyde Park Corner. Located in Mayfair it was eventually closed in 1932 due to it’s proximity to the other two stations and it’s unique location in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

During the Second World War the station was converted to be the headquarters of British Rail; a secure and underground location from which they could organize and control the flow of goods throughout the country during war time. It was also believed to be a shelter for Winston Churchill during the war as well.

The tour involves a tour of a closed station, including the rush of Piccadilly trains moving down the blocked off tunnels. The wonderful part of this tour is being able to visualize the underground headquarters of the rail and network, with views of their housing situation, and where they would have setup during the war. Though all of that has been taken down over the years, and the walls painted a lifeless gray, it’s a unique experience to get to walk these halls.

3. Charing Cross Platforms

The closed platforms at Charing Cross were once the terminus point of the Jubilee Line, before the extension expanded it all the way through to Stratford. When the Jubilee Line was expanded across the River Thames the platforms for Jubilee Line were closed.

The platforms have been used for modern based TV and films – including scenes from Skyfall, Thor 2, and Killing Eve. It provides a modern juxtaposition compared to the more vintage looking Aldwych Station.

The interesting element of this tour is not just viewing the more modern platforms and disused portion of the station, including not working escalator. But the real point of interest is the part of the tour that enters the ventilation shafts, which gave an incredible view of the behind the scenes elements of the London Underground.

4. Clapham Deep Level Shelter

The deep-level shelters at Clapham are not quite disused tube stations, but fits in with the theme and nature of the tours that Hidden London have organized.

During the Second World War many Londoners used the Tube Stations in the evenings of shelter during the Blitz. They were built in response to the demand for shelter space in London, and also after one of the south London tube stations was flooded after a water main burst following a bombing. The deep level shelters provided more security from such incidents.

Though no one ended up staying in the shelter during the Second World War, shortly after the war it was used to house the first immigrants who came over via Windrush to help rebuild the country. And later was used as a hotel for Festival of Britain.

The tour is not for the faint of heart as the shelter is 11 stories underground and there is no lift. The tour is really well thought out and tells the different history of the shelter over the years. It also gives a really strong feeling for just how large the shelter is.

5. Euston Tunnels

The tour of the Euston Tunnels involves visiting the disused passage ways that existed between the Tube lines at Euston Station and it features a hallway of vintage advertising and movie posters from the time when the tunnels were closed. The hallways were also done in the beautiful vintage Leslie Green design of tube stations, with the gorgeous and unmistakable green tiles.

The “lost” tunnels provide a different experience to some of the other stations which focus more on the disused station or closed platforms.

The tour visits several different areas within Euston, starting with the old entrance to the Tube Station, and snaking its way through the lost tunnels to view a variety of different elements within the station.

I did enjoy the tour but I would recommend either not partaking in this one or making it one of your first. By the time I reached Euston I had seen all of the various components that it had to offer elsewhere, and in better condition.

More Disused Tube Station Tours

The 5 disused tube stations that I’ve reviewed are the most popular and longest standing of the offerings from Hidden London. But there are a handful more locations that they offer tours to:

• Baker Street : This tour is unique as it allows access to the city’s first underground station when steam trains connected Paddington Station in the west of London and Farringdon Station in the east of London.
• Kingsway Tram Tunnel : This tour features a glimpse into London’s tram which has been closed for over 50 years, and much of the original tunnel remains intact.
• Moorgate : This tour features access to a station tha was built upon over and over again, creating a maze of tunnels closed to the public, but open for Hidden London.
• Piccadilly Circus : This tour features one of the most iconic of the London Underground stations and highlights the history of wartime London.
• Shepherd’s Bush : This tour highlights the importance of one of the first suburban connections for the Underground in western London.

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I’ve done a couple of these tours and I really enjoyed them!

Love hearing that! Any particular that you would recommend?

This is seriously awesome! I’ve been to London loads of times (I’m from Canada but have family living south of London!) but I had NO idea you could so this! Every time we come and visit I am so surprised at how much there is to do – but I really want to do this tour, especially the Clapham Deep Level Shelter (I love all this WW2 history). Thank you for sharing!

The Clapham Deep Level Shelter one is great – they’ve put a lot of effort into surfacing the history and bringing it to life. Be prepared for stairs!

Wow this is really cool! I’ve visited London a few times but didn’t know about these tours. I’ll definitely be checking them out when I visit again.

They’re really unusual and fun! You’ll want to book in advance because there are limited slots, but I’ve never had any issues getting the dates I wanted (weekends fill up fast though).

Wow, this is amazing. I live in London and didn’t even know these tours existed! Must be so cool to see the behind the scenes of how the tube works. Definitely going to keep this in mind as something to do in the future! Thanks so much for sharing this! 🙂

The Charing Cross tour was really eye opening for the “behind the scenes” element. Actually got to see down to the platform from the air vent shafts. I appreciate all the nuances of tube engineering better now!

This is SUCH a cool post, I didn’t even know that you could do something like this in London! I will absolutely need to do this when I eventually go back!

It’s been a well kept secret for several years now, but I try and book in tours for friends and family when they travel here. I think because there’s no physical location to book at, and requires pre-booking, sometimes tourists don’t naturally find it.

I LOVE things like this!! I think there’s a Royal Mail railway (Mail Rail) that you can visit too. I’ll have to check one out next time I’m in London!

There is! It’s been on my wishlist but haven’t had a chance to sort out a visit. I have heard fantastic things about it though!

This is such a cool idea. I love the London Underground and would love to take a tour like this

Thanks Emma, I can definitely recommend it. The history that they highlight is pretty incredible as well.

Wow this is so cool, i have never done this, but definitely on my list now – might have to do one per visit ! Thanks for the information

I love that plan! There’s still 1 or 2 I’ve not done so will have to make it a priority 🙂

I’ve been to London twice but never heard about these kind of tours. Absolutely love the idea! I will try them next time I go to London! Thanks for the recommendation.

The tours are definitely great; not sure if you’ve visited the London Transport Museum during your visits but it also has great displays on the history of the Tube and they’re partners in providing these tours.

This looks like a really cool tour to make. I didn’t know that these are available in London, and definitely want to take one when I visit London again. it’s mysterious, scary, and interesting!

The mystery was fantastic, and the guides really played well to his factor.

I love this post. Those are totally different attractions and I would love to see some of those. A few years ago I visited a defunct airport in Berlin and that was real interesting too.

These types of defunct tours really tell a story of history, and I appreciate that. I visited the old air field in Berlin, but not the airport, something to keep in mind for future trips!

it’s so eerie seeing the tube stations so empty, especially as they are typically rammed! It’s so interesting to learn the history of them, particularly as they play such an important role in the day to day life of London. It’s so cool that down street station was once the headquarters!

The eerie-ness was particularly strong at Charing Cross, because it was a modern looking station and very familiar feeling.

Well, this is something else! My city doesn’t have underground connections, so I would never even think of such tour! Thank you so much for sharing this unique experience!

The tours of the disused tube stations sound really fascinating. Such a vast area lying down below which was once the hub of activity must make for an intriguing experience. Aldwych and Charing Cross had my attention riveted.

It was a very unique and intriguing experience. Both of those tours were fantastic, really appreciated the perspectives presented in each one since they were so different from each other.

This is so cool! If we had known about it two years ago, we would have visited a few of these disused tube stations in London! But we’ll keep it in mind for our next trip to London then!

Definitely give it a go for the next trip – but you’ll want to book in advance!

This is a different tour I must say. Visiting disused tube stations underneath the city of London with an interesting history associated with each of them must be fascinating. Will include this in my list when I will visit London. Thanks for sharing.

My pleasure, hope you enjoy visiting! Given the lengthy history for London this is an incredible opportunity to visit these spaces.

I’ve always been fascinated by the London tube, having seen it so much across popular media! These tours sound fantastic – what a great way to get to know these stations. Especially love the Clapham Deep Level Shelter for all its history.

As your appreciation is founded in media – you might want to consider the Charing Cross or Aldwych Tours for sure, since they have featured in films and TV shows.. But Clapham Deep Level was one of the more unusual ones in the group.

I’ve been on the tube many times over the year and had no idea about these stations and tours. What an interesting idea.

I love the behind the scenes ones – as a regular tube rider I never noticed those spaces but you could see right to the platform from them, was really fascinating.

These look soooo fun! I already love London (I lived there for yeeears) but I had no idea you could go on tours to these old stations! It would be great for rainy days!!

p.s. I have a feeling you might also like the tours into the tunnels from the Brunel Museum.

I’m going to have to give those a tour, Josy, thanks for the shout out. I’m also keen to get to the Underground Passages in Exeter as well. I’ve seen St Mary’s Close in Edinburgh too! Love all these hidden spaces in the cities.

This is SUCH a unique and awesome thing to do in London! I suppose I never really thought about what happens to tube stations once they’re closed, or how they can be used for so many things including a hiding place for Winston Churchill! I love that you not only get to see a cool part of history, but sometimes it doubles as a movie scene too. Thanks for sharing!

I love Rail history and WW11 history. I had heard of these Tours but didn’t know where to get information or book. Next time I visit London I will contact London Transport Museum and enquire. I live in Australia.

I appreciate the way you’ve uncovered the rich history and secrets of these underground treasures. Thanks for sharing this unique and fascinating adventure with your readers!

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These London Tours Explore Abandoned Tube Stations And Other Secret Spots Of The City

Early 2024 tickets for the London Transport Museum's award-winning Hidden London tours will be released tomorrow (November 8).

Here at Secret London , we sure do love a bit of transport talk . Tubes , trains, buses , bikes; you name it, we’ve written (and had an extensive conversation) about it. So, you can imagine how enthusiastic we are about the London Transport Museum – and more specifically, their Hidden London tours. I mean, who doesn’t love discovering hidden gems of London’s historic Transport Network?

Luckily for us (and our fellow transport-lovers), the ever-so popular Hidden London tours will be returning to the capital at the start of 2024 , and you can secure your space as early as tomorrow (November 8). Yippee!

What is a Hidden London tour?

The historical experts over at the London Transport Museum have curated these fascinating tours based on the museums extensive archive and collection. The exclusive tours will uncover the whats, whys and whens of some forgotten London locations . You’ll be taken along by expert guides, learning interesting facts by the bucket-load as you go. A variety of tours are running from January 10 until the end of March , each giving a unique glimpse into London’s history .

Granting visitors behind-the-scenes access to locations on the transport network that are usually closed to the public, Hidden London tours were voted ‘ Best Hidden Gem in the World ‘ at the Tiqets Remarkable Venue Awards last year. So they’re certainly doing something right, hey?

What tours are on offer?

There will be seven in-person tours on offer, ensuring that there’s something for everybody to enjoy. Discover deserted passageways and original design details of Piccadilly Circus station or explore the exclusive (and usually, no-entry) areas of Charing Cross . Be transported back in time at Baker Street and adventure into the disused parts of London’s first underground station . Uncover a labyrinth of dark and dusty passageways in Euston , unveil the secrets of Shepherd’s Bush , or head underground to the subterranean WWII shelters, built deep beneath the streets of Clapham South .

A virtual tour, retracing the 160-year history of the London Underground will also be taking place and a new experience will be available; combining a tour of Piccadilly Circus with a delicious meal at the Hard Rock Café.

If all that still leaves you wanting more, super-fans can also subscribe to Hidden London Hangouts , a regular series hosted on London Transport Museum’s YouTube channel. Watch as the series takes viewers behind the scenes of some of the Hidden London tours , as they explore various nooks and crannies of the transport system and share their thoughts and findings. Count me in.

Find out more and book your Hidden London tour here .

TYPE IN YOUR SEARCH AND PRESS ENTER

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Inside the London Underground’s hidden tunnels where you can spy on commuters

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This major London underground station has a catacomb of tunnels deep under street level where explorers can get a glimpse of unsuspecting passersby.

The ghostly platforms that once served the capital’s trains have been long abandoned, but they were opened again in 2022 by the London Transport Museum.

Train fanatics can tour the haunted ancient passages, which still remain wholly intact, with a ‘time capsule of historic posters, signage and vintage tiles’ on display.

Influencer Dan Thomas trekked down under street level to the passages, which were closed a century ago in 1924.

In a video posted on TikTok, the tunnels and platforms under Shepherd’s Bush station can be seen lit up, revealing the blackened concrete walls with dust clung to them.

Bunches of cables can be seen along the walls, looking very similar to the stations still used today.

@danthomasuk Hidden Shepherd’s Bush Tunnels! I visited these as part of a Hidden London Tour organised by the London Transport museum 🤓 For fans of Secrets of the London Underground, Urban Exploring. The closest I’ll get to being Tim Dunn, Siddy Holloway, Geoff Marshall, Jay Foreman, etc! #hiddenlondon #secretsofthelondonunderground #londonunderground #urbanexploring #siddyholloway #timdunn #londontube #shepherdsbush #danthomas #danthomasuk #london ♬ BILLIE EILISH. – Armani White

On the tour there are metal grates along certain sections, where eagle eyed visitors can spy on passengers on their journeys.

Shepherd’s Bush station was first opened in 1900 as the Western terminus of the Western terminus of the brand new Central London Railway.

The railway was seen as pioneering at the time, as it provided a transport link between the suburbs of West London and the City of London.

At the time, commuters could catch a tram from Shepherd’s Bush, which would take them even further with just one ticket.

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The tunnels aren’t completely derelict however, as they are now used as storage, to help with construction work, or as escape routes in emergencies.

Fans can also take tours underneath Euston, Charing Cross and Down Street station.

Down Street station has a rich history, and was used as a bunker by Winston Churchill during the Second World War.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

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