London Drum

Elephant & Castle ⇄ South Kensington Station | Tube Journey, Train Times & Fares

The journey from Elephant & Castle to South Kensington is in fare zone 1 and you’ll have to use the Bakerloo and Circle tube lines, changing trains at Embankment

  1. From Elephant & Castle take the Bakerloo Line
  2. Change at Embankment to the Circle Line
  3. Leave the train at South Kensington

Number of tube stops: 8 · Journey time: Approx 25 mins

Stations on the route: Elephant & Castle ➜ Lambeth North ➜ Waterloo ➜ Embankment [change train] Embankment ➜ Westminster ➜ St. James’s Park ➜ Victoria ➜ Sloane Square ➜ South Kensington

London Underground tube delays

Strikes and closures on the Bakerloo and Circle

First and last train times on the Bakerloo line

Tube times for the Bakerloo line

Alternative routes include Elephant & Castle to Gloucester Road, Elephant & Castle to Knightsbridge and Elephant & Castle to Sloane Square

Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms

Elephant & Castle tube station is not wheelchair accessible

South Kensington station is not wheelchair accessible

Elephant & Castle station entrance – You can use a lift between the Elephant & Castle southside entrance and the Northern line southbound platform, or a lift plus three flights of stairs to the Northern line northbound platform (9 steps down +6 steps up +20 steps down), or a lift plus three flights of stairs to the Bakerloo line platforms (20 steps down +5 steps up +18 steps down). From the Elephant & Castle northside entrance you must use a lift plus four flights of stairs to the Northern line southbound platform (20 steps down +18 steps up +5 steps down +20 steps up), or a lift plus three flights of stairs to the Northern line northbound platform (20 steps down +18 steps up +15 steps up), or a lift plus one flight of stairs to the Bakerloo line platforms (20 steps down)

Changing tube line at Embankment – You must use stairs when changing platforms

South Kensington station exit – You must use two flights of stairs down from the Circle/​District line platforms to the booking hall (12 steps up +13 steps up), or use two escalators plus one flight of stairs from the Piccadilly line platforms (17 steps down to the eastbound, or 20 steps up to the westbound platform). After that you must use another two flights of stairs to the Pelham Street/​Thurloe Street exits (3 steps up +13 steps up), or use three flights plus walk through a long subway to the National History Museum exit (8 steps down +16 steps up +15 steps up), or use three flights plus walk through a long subway to the Science Museum exit (8 steps down +14 steps up +10 steps up), or use three flights plus walk through a long subway to the Ismaili Centre exit (8 steps down +2x14 steps up)

The journey from South Kensington to Elephant & Castle is in fare zone 1 and you’ll have to use the District and Bakerloo tube lines, changing trains at Embankment

  1. From South Kensington take the District Line
  2. Change at Embankment to the Bakerloo Line
  3. Leave the train at Elephant & Castle

Number of tube stops: 8 · Journey time: Approx 25 mins

Stations on the route: South Kensington ➜ Sloane Square ➜ Victoria ➜ St. James’s Park ➜ Westminster ➜ Embankment [change train] Embankment ➜ Waterloo ➜ Lambeth North ➜ Elephant & Castle

London Underground tube delays

Strikes and closures on the District and Bakerloo

First and last train times on the District line

Tube times for the District line

Alternative routes include South Kensington to Gloucester Road, South Kensington to Knightsbridge and South Kensington to Sloane Square

Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms

South Kensington train station is not wheelchair accessible

Elephant & Castle station is not wheelchair accessible

South Kensington station entrance – You must use two flights of stairs from the Pelham Street/​Thurloe Street entrances to the booking hall (13 steps down +3 steps down), or use three flights plus walk through a long subway from the National History Museum entrance (15 steps down +16 steps down +8 steps up), or use three flights plus walk through a long subway from the Science Museum entrance (10 steps down +14 steps down +8 steps up), or use three flights plus walk through a long subway from the Ismaili Centre entrance (2x14 steps down +8 steps up). After that you must use another two flights of stairs down to the Circle/​District line platforms (13 steps down +12 steps down), or use two escalators plus one flight of stairs to the Piccadilly line platforms (17 steps up to the eastbound, or 20 steps down to the westbound platform)

Changing tube line at Embankment – You must use stairs when changing platforms

Elephant & Castle station exit – You can use a lift to the Elephant & Castle southside exit from the Northern line southbound platform, or a lift plus three flights of stairs from the Northern line northbound platform (9 steps up +6 steps down +20 steps up), or a lift plus three flights of stairs from the Bakerloo line platforms (20 steps up +5 steps down +18 steps up). To the Elephant & Castle northside exit you must use a lift plus four flights of stairs from the Northern line southbound platform (20 steps up +18 steps down +5 steps up +20 steps down), or a lift plus three flights of stairs from the Northern line northbound platform (20 steps up +18 steps down +15 steps down), or a lift plus one flight of stairs from the Bakerloo line platforms (20 steps up)

Tube fare between Elephant & Castle and South Kensington

This tube journey is in Oyster zone 1. The cheapest fare is £2.70 off-peak (£2.80 peak) when you pay by Oyster or contactless. There’s no return fare, you just pay the same as two single tickets

Cost of tube fare from Elephant & Castle ⇄ South Kensington Station | Tube Journey, Train Times & Fares
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 Elephant & Castle ⇄ South Kensington Station | Tube Journey, Train Times & Fares
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
See our complete list of London Underground prices, Pensioner prices, Children’s prices, Oyster card prices, Contactless card prices and Travelcard prices
Note: Tube journey prices are correct as of

Peak and off-peak journey 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. Note: Between the 8th March and 31st May 2024 TFL are running a trial called ‘Off-Peak Friday Fares’, where Fridays will be classed as off-peak all day.

The fare is based on what time your journey begins. It doesn’t matter what time your journey ends.

Other ways to make this journey

Travel on foot – They stations are 3¼ miles apart and you could walk the distance in around one hour

Travel by bus – Single fare: £1.75 (you may need more than one bus); Daily cap: £5.25; Weekly cap: £24.70; 1-day travelcard: £6; Weekly travelcard: £24.70 – Adult bus prices 2024 · Pensioner bus prices 2024 · Children’s bus prices 2024

Travel by taxi – A 3¼ mile taxi journey between South Kensington train station and Elephant & Castle should cost approximately £14.30 to £24.60 and take 14-27 mins

Travel by carCar parks near South Kensington station