London Drum

Balham ⇄ Leicester Square Station

This journey is in zones 1-3 and it’s a direct train on the Northern line

  1. From Balham take the Northern Line
  2. Leave the train at Leicester Square

Number of stops: 10 · Journey time: Approx 20 mins

Stations on the route: Balham ➜ Clapham South ➜ Clapham Common ➜ Clapham North ➜ Stockwell ➜ Oval ➜ Kennington ➜ Waterloo ➜ Embankment ➜ Charing Cross ➜ Leicester Square

Live status and delays

Strikes and station closures

First and last train times

Northern line timetable

Alternative routes include Balham to Charing Cross, Balham to Covent Garden and Balham to Piccadilly Circus

Stairs, lifts and escalators

Balham is not wheelchair accessible

Leicester Square is not wheelchair accessible

Balham entrance – You must use three flights of stairs between the Chestnut Grove entrance and the booking hall (7 steps down +14 steps down +11 steps down), or 5 steps down +14 steps down +11 steps down between the Balham High Road West entrance and the booking hall, or 21 steps down +10 steps down between the Balham High Road East entrance and the booking hall, plus another escalator or three flights of stairs from the booking hall to the platforms (2x3 steps down +16 steps down)

Leicester Square exit – You must an escalator plus a flight of 20 stairs from the platforms to the booking hall. After that you must use two flights of stairs to the Cranbourn Street exit (13 steps up +18 steps up), or two flights of stairs to the Charing Cross Road eastside exit (13 steps up +10 steps up), or three flights of stairs to the Charing Cross Road westside exit (11 steps up +13 steps up +7 steps up)

This journey is in zones 1-3 and it’s a direct train on the Northern line

  1. From Leicester Square take the Northern Line
  2. Leave the train at Balham

Number of stops: 10 · Journey time: Approx 21 mins

Stations on the route: Leicester Square ➜ Charing Cross ➜ Embankment ➜ Waterloo ➜ Kennington ➜ Oval ➜ Stockwell ➜ Clapham North ➜ Clapham Common ➜ Clapham South ➜ Balham

Live status and delays

Strikes and station closures

First and last train times

Northern line timetable

Alternative routes include Leicester Square to Charing Cross, Leicester Square to Covent Garden and Leicester Square to Piccadilly Circus

Stairs, lifts and escalators

Leicester Square is not wheelchair accessible

Balham is not wheelchair accessible

Leicester Square entrance – You must use two flights of stairs from the Cranbourn Street entrance and the booking hall (18 steps down +13 steps down), or two flights of stairs from the Charing Cross Road eastside entrance (20 steps down +13 steps down), or three flights of stairs from the Charing Cross Road westside entrance (7 steps down +13 steps down +11 steps down). After that you must an escalator plus a flight of 20 stairs down to the platforms

Balham exit – You must use an escalator or three flights of stairs from the platforms to the booking hall (16 steps up +2x3 steps up), plus another three flights of stairs between the booking hall and the Chestnut Grove exit (11 steps up +14 steps up +7 steps up), or 11 steps up +14 steps up +5 steps up between the booking hall and the Balham High Road West exit, or 10 steps up +21 steps up between the booking hall and the Balham High Road East exit

Cash, Oyster & Travelcard fares

The journey is in zones 1-3. The cheapest fare is £3 off-peak (£3.70 peak) when you pay by Oyster or contactless. There are no return tickets, you just pay the same as two singles

Cost of tube fare from Balham ⇄ Leicester Square Station
Fare zone Cash Oyster & Contactless cards
Single fare Single fare Daily cap
Peak Off-peak Peak Off-peak
Zone 1-3 fare £6.70 £3.70 £3 £10 £10
Travelcard prices from Balham ⇄ Leicester Square Station
Fare Zone Travelcards (Train, Bus & Tram)
One day travel­card Week travel­card Month travel­card
Anytime Off-peak
Zone 1-4 travelcard £15.90 n/a £61.40 £235.80
Zone 1-6 travelcard £22.60 £15.90 £78 £299
Zone 1-9 travelcard £28.50 £17 £111.30 £427.40
Note: Ticket prices are correct as of

Peak and off-peak times

For Oyster and contactless off-peak is outside the hours of 6.30 AM-9.30 AM and 4 PM-7 PM (Mon-Fri). For travelcards it’s any time after 9.30 AM (Mon-Fri). Weekends are always classed as off-peak.

The fare is based on what time your journey begins. It doesn’t matter when it ends.

Alternative ways to travel

Walking – The distance is around 5 miles, which is too far to walk

By bus – A single ticket is £1.75 (you may need more than one bus). The daily cap is £5.25 and a 1-day travelcard is £6 – Bus fares

By taxi – A five mile ride should cost between £23 and £35.50 and take about 21-35 minutes

By carParking near Leicester Square station