This journey is in zones 1-3 and you’ll have to use the Northern and Bakerloo lines, changing trains at Elephant & Castle
- From Balham take the Northern Line
- Change at Elephant & Castle to the Bakerloo Line
- Leave the train at Paddington
Number of stops: 18 · Journey time: Approx 43 mins
Stations on the route: Balham ➜ Clapham South ➜ Clapham Common ➜ Clapham North ➜ Stockwell ➜ Oval ➜ Kennington ➜ Elephant & Castle [change train] Elephant & Castle ➜ Lambeth North ➜ Waterloo ➜ Embankment ➜ Charing Cross ➜ Piccadilly Circus ➜ Oxford Circus ➜ Regent’s Park ➜ Baker Street ➜ Marylebone ➜ Edgware Road ➜ Paddington
Live status and delays
Closures on the Northern and Bakerloo line
First and last train times
Northern line timetable
Alternative routes include Balham to Lancaster Gate, Balham to Edgware Road and Balham to Bayswater
Stairs, lifts and escalators
Balham is not wheelchair accessible
The Elizabeth line at Paddington is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train. The Bakerloo, Circle (coming from Hammersmith) and Hammersmith & City lines only have step-free access from the street to the platform, and there may be a step up or gap to the train. The Circle (heading towards Edgware Road) and District lines are 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)
Changing trains at Elephant & Castle – You must use stairs when changing platforms
Paddington exit – There’s an escalator between the Bakerloo line platforms and the exit (or four flights of 18 stairs). There’s a lift between the eastbound Circle/District platforms heading towards Edgware Road and the exit, and the Circle/H&C platforms heading to/from Hammersmith and the exit
This journey is in zones 1-3 and you’ll have to use the Circle and Northern lines, changing trains at Moorgate
- From Paddington take the Circle Line
- Change at Moorgate to the Northern Line
- Leave the train at Balham
Number of stops: 19 · Journey time: Approx 48 mins
Stations on the route: Paddington ➜ Edgware Road ➜ Baker Street ➜ Great Portland Street ➜ Euston Square ➜ King’s Cross St. Pancras ➜ Farringdon ➜ Barbican ➜ Moorgate [change train] Moorgate ➜ Bank ➜ London Bridge ➜ Borough ➜ Elephant & Castle ➜ Kennington ➜ Oval ➜ Stockwell ➜ Clapham North ➜ Clapham Common ➜ Clapham South ➜ Balham
Live status and delays
Closures on the Circle and Northern line
First and last train times
Circle line timetable
Alternative routes include Paddington to Lancaster Gate, Paddington to Edgware Road and Paddington to Bayswater
Stairs, lifts and escalators
The Elizabeth line at Paddington is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train. The Bakerloo, Circle (coming from Hammersmith) and Hammersmith & City lines only have step-free access from the street to the platform, and there may be a step up or gap to the train. The Circle (heading towards Edgware Road) and District lines are not wheelchair accessible
Balham is not wheelchair accessible
Paddington entrance – There’s an escalator between the entrance and the Bakerloo line platforms (or four flights of 18 stairs). There’s a lift between the entrance and the eastbound Circle/District platforms heading towards Edgware Road (via the National Rail concourse), and the Circle/H&C platforms heading to/from Hammersmith (or three flights of 10, 5 and 16 stairs)
Changing trains at Moorgate – You must use an escalator when changing between the Circle/Metropolitan/H&C eastbound platforms and the Northern line. You must use stairs for all other platform changes
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
| 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 |
| 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 on foot is about 5¼ miles, so we don’t recommend walking
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 5¼ miles journey should cost approximately £23 to £35.50 and take 23-37 minutes
By car – Parking near Paddington station