This journey is in zone 1 and you’ll have to use the Northern and Piccadilly lines, changing trains at Leicester Square
- From Charing Cross take the Northern Line
- Change at Leicester Square to the Piccadilly Line
- Leave the train at Russell Square
Number of stops: 4 · Journey time: Approx 18 mins
Stations on the route: 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 Charing Cross to Holborn, Charing Cross to Goodge Street and Charing Cross to Euston
Stairs, lifts and escalators
Charing Cross is not wheelchair accessible
Russell Square is not wheelchair accessible
Charing Cross entrance – You must an escalator from the main railway station concourse to the booking hall (or three flights of 12, 12, 11 steps down), or two flights from the Trafalgar Square westside entrance (11 steps down +12 steps down), or three flights from the Trafalgar Square central island entrance (21 steps down +3 steps down +8 steps down), or four flights from the Trafalgar Square northside and eastside entrance (9 steps down +10 steps down +2x8 steps down), or three flights from the William IV Street entrance (16 steps down +13 steps down +14 steps down), or three flights from The Courtyard entrance (2x12 steps down +11 steps down), or two flights from the Strand southside entrance (21 steps down +16 steps down), or two flights from the Strand northside entrance (2x15 steps down), or two flights from the Villiers Street entrance (2x9 steps down). After that there’s an escalator plus one flight of 20 steps to the Bakerloo line platforms, or an escalator plus one flight of 19 steps to the Northern line platforms. If you want to avoid the escalator then you can use another five flights of stairs (4x17 steps down +8 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 zone 1 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 Charing Cross
Number of stops: 4 · Journey time: Approx 17 mins
Stations on the route: Russell Square ➜ Holborn ➜ Covent Garden ➜ Leicester Square [change train] Leicester Square ➜ Charing Cross
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
Charing Cross 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
Charing Cross exit – You must use an escalator plus one flight of 20 steps from the Bakerloo line platforms and the booking hall, or an escalator plus one flight of 19 steps from the Northern line platforms. If you want to avoid the escalator then you can use another five flights of stairs (8 steps up + 4x17 steps up). After that must another escalator to the main railway station concourse exit (or three flights of 12, 12, 11 steps up), or two flights to the Trafalgar Square westside exit (11 steps up +12 steps up), or three flights to the Trafalgar Square central island exit (21 steps up +3 steps up +8 steps up), or four flights to the Trafalgar Square northside and eastside exits (9 steps up +10 steps up +2x8 steps up), or three flights to the William IV Street exit (16 steps up +13 steps up +14 steps up), or three flights to The Courtyard exit (2x12 steps up +11 steps up), or two flights to the Strand southside exit (21 steps up +16 steps up), or two flights to the Strand northside exit (2x15 steps up), or two flights to the Villiers Street exit (2x9 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
| 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 |
| 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 car – Parking near Charing Cross station