This journey is in zones 1-3 and you’ll have to use the Northern and Piccadilly lines, changing trains at Leicester Square
- From Balham take the Northern Line
- Change at Leicester Square to the Piccadilly Line
- Leave the train at Russell Square
Number of stops: 13 · Journey time: Approx 36 mins
Stations on the route: Balham ➜ Clapham South ➜ Clapham Common ➜ Clapham North ➜ Stockwell ➜ Oval ➜ Kennington ➜ Waterloo ➜ Embankment ➜ Charing Cross ➜ Leicester Square [change train] Leicester Square ➜ Covent Garden ➜ Holborn ➜ Russell Square
Live status and delays
Closures on the Northern and Piccadilly line
First and last train times
Northern line timetable
Alternative routes include Balham to Holborn, Balham to Goodge Street and Balham to Euston
Stairs, lifts and escalators
Balham is not wheelchair accessible
Russell 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)
Changing trains at Leicester Square – You must use stairs when changing between the Northern/Piccadilly line platforms
Russell Square exit – You must use a lift plus one flight of stairs between the platforms and the exit (20 steps up). If you want to avoid the lift then you can use another twelve flights of stairs (14 steps up +5 steps up +16 steps up +6x17 steps up +18 steps up +6 steps up +15 steps up)
This journey is in zones 1-3 and you’ll have to use the Piccadilly and Northern lines, changing trains at Leicester Square
- From Russell Square take the Piccadilly Line
- Change at Leicester Square to the Northern Line
- Leave the train at Balham
Number of stops: 13 · Journey time: Approx 36 mins
Stations on the route: Russell Square ➜ Holborn ➜ Covent Garden ➜ Leicester Square [change train] Leicester Square ➜ Charing Cross ➜ Embankment ➜ Waterloo ➜ Kennington ➜ Oval ➜ Stockwell ➜ Clapham North ➜ Clapham Common ➜ Clapham South ➜ Balham
Live status and delays
Closures on the Piccadilly and Northern line
First and last train times
Piccadilly line timetable
Alternative routes include Russell Square to Holborn, Russell Square to Goodge Street and Russell Square to Euston
Stairs, lifts and escalators
Russell Square is not wheelchair accessible
Balham is not wheelchair accessible
Russell Square entrance – You must use a lift plus one flight of stairs between the entrance and the platforms (20 steps down). If you want to avoid the lift then you can use another twelve flights of stairs (15 steps down +6 steps down +18 steps down +6x17 steps down +16 steps down +5 steps down +14 steps down)
Changing trains at Leicester Square – You must use stairs when changing between the Northern/Piccadilly line 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
| 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 – We don’t recommend walking as they are 5¾ miles apart
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 5¾ mile ride should cost you about £28 to £40 and take anything from 26-39 minutes
By car – Parking near Russell Square station