London Drum

Blackfriars ⇄ Russell Square Station

This journey is in zone 1 and you’ll have to use the District, Northern and Piccadilly lines, changing trains at Embankment and Leicester Square

  1. From Blackfriars take the District Line
  2. Change at Embankment to the Northern Line
  3. Change at Leicester Square to the Piccadilly Line
  4. Leave the train at Russell Square

Number of stops: 7 · Journey time: Approx 32 mins

Stations on the route: Blackfriars ➜ Temple ➜ Embankment [change train] Embankment ➜ Charing Cross ➜ Leicester Square [change train] Leicester Square ➜ Covent Garden ➜ Holborn ➜ Russell Square

Live status and delays

Closures on the District, Northern and Piccadilly line

First and last train times

District line timetable

Alternative routes include Blackfriars to Holborn, Blackfriars to Goodge Street and Blackfriars to Euston

Stairs, lifts and escalators

Blackfriars is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train

Russell Square is not wheelchair accessible

Blackfriars entrance – There’s a lift between the entrance and the platforms. If you want to avoid the lift then you can use three flights of stairs from the Victoria Embankment entrance to the booking hall (17 steps down +3 steps down +6 steps up), or three flights from the New Bridge Street entrance (18 steps down +6 steps down +6 steps up), or two flights from the Riverside Walk entrance (18 steps up +6 steps up), or two flights from the Blackfriars Bridge entrance (2x10 steps down from the eastside, or 21 steps down +6 steps up from the westside), or one flight from the Queen Victoria Street entrance (16 steps down). After that there’s another two flights of stairs down to the platforms (10 steps down +16 steps down to the eastbound platform, or 17 steps down +9 steps down to the westbound platform)

Changing trains at Embankment – You must use stairs when changing platforms

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 zone 1 and you’ll have to use the Piccadilly and Circle lines, changing trains at King’s Cross St. Pancras

  1. From Russell Square take the Piccadilly Line
  2. Change at King’s Cross St. Pancras to the Circle Line
  3. Leave the train at Blackfriars

Number of stops: 11 · Journey time: Approx 30 mins

Stations on the route: Russell Square ➜ King’s Cross St. Pancras [change train] King’s Cross St. Pancras ➜ Farringdon ➜ Barbican ➜ Moorgate ➜ Liverpool Street ➜ Aldgate ➜ Tower Hill ➜ Monument ➜ Cannon Street ➜ Mansion House ➜ Blackfriars

Live status and delays

Closures on the Piccadilly and Circle 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 wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train

Blackfriars 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 King’s Cross St. Pancras – There’s a lift when changing between the platforms

Changing trains at – You must use stairs when changing between the Northern/​Piccadilly line platforms

Blackfriars exit – There’s a lift between the platforms and the exit. If you want to avoid the lift then you can use two flights of stairs from the platforms to the booking hall (16 steps up +10 steps up from the eastbound platform, or 9 steps up +17 steps up from the westbound platform). After that there’s another three flights of stairs to the Victoria Embankment exit (6 steps up +3 steps down +17 steps down), or three flights to the New Bridge Street exit (6 steps up +6 steps down +18 steps down), or two flights to the Riverside Walk exit (6 steps down +18 steps down), or two flights to the Blackfriars Bridge exit (2x10 steps up to the eastside, or 6 steps up +21 steps down to the westside), or one flight to the Queen Victoria Street exit (16 steps up)

Cash, Oyster & Travelcard fares

The journey is in zone 1. The cheapest fare is £2.70 off-peak (£2.80 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 Blackfriars ⇄ Russell Square Station
Fare zone Cash Oyster & Contactless cards
Single fare Single fare Daily cap
Peak Off-peak Peak Off-peak
Zone 1 fare £6.70 £2.80 £2.70 £8.50 £8.50
Travelcard prices from Blackfriars ⇄ Russell Square Station
Fare Zone Travelcards (Train, Bus & Tram)
One day travel­card Week travel­card Month travel­card
Anytime Off-peak
Zone 1-2 travelcard n/a n/a £42.70 £164
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 – 1¼ miles would take you about 23-25 minutes on foot

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 – The 1¼ mile journey will cost approximately £7 to £12 and take 7-15 minutes

By carParking near Blackfriars station