London Drum

Balham ⇄ Old Street 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 Old Street

Number of stops: 12 · Journey time: Approx 25 mins

Stations on the route: Balham ➜ Clapham South ➜ Clapham Common ➜ Clapham North ➜ Stockwell ➜ Oval ➜ Kennington ➜ Elephant & Castle ➜ Borough ➜ London Bridge ➜ Bank ➜ Moorgate ➜ Old Street

Live status and delays

Strikes and station closures

First and last train times

Northern line timetable

Alternative routes include Balham to Moorgate, Balham to Shoreditch and Balham to Angel

Stairs, lifts and escalators

Balham is not wheelchair accessible

Old Street 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)

Old Street exit – You must an escalator (or seven flights of 6x15, 10, 9 steps) plus four flights of stairs from the platforms to the booking hall (17 steps up +18 steps up +15 steps up +16 steps up). After that you must use another flight of stairs to Old Street’s northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest exits (8 steps up), or two flights of stairs to the City Road exits (2x11 steps to the southwest exit, or 2x12 steps to the northwest, northeast and southeast exits)

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

  1. From Old Street take the Northern Line
  2. Leave the train at Balham

Number of stops: 12 · Journey time: Approx 24 mins

Stations on the route: Old Street ➜ Moorgate ➜ Bank ➜ London Bridge ➜ Borough ➜ Elephant & Castle ➜ 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 Old Street to Moorgate, Old Street to Shoreditch and Old Street to Angel

Stairs, lifts and escalators

Old Street is not wheelchair accessible

Balham is not wheelchair accessible

Old Street entrance – You must use one flight of stairs between Old Street’s northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest entrances and the booking hall (8 steps down), or two flights of stairs from the City Road entrances (2x11 steps from the southwest entrance, or 2x12 steps from the northwest, northeast and southeast entrances). After that you must an escalator (or seven flights of 9, 10, 6x15 steps down) plus another four flights of stairs (16 steps down +15 steps down +18 steps down +17 steps down)

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 ⇄ Old Street 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 ⇄ Old Street 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

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 carParking near Old Street station