London Drum

Highbury & Islington ⇄ South Kensington Station

This journey is in zones 1&2 and you’ll have to use the Victoria and Piccadilly lines, changing trains at Green Park

  1. From Highbury & Islington take the Victoria Line
  2. Change at Green Park to the Piccadilly Line
  3. Leave the train at South Kensington

Number of stops: 8 · Journey time: Approx 27 mins

Stations on the route: Highbury & Islington ➜ King’s Cross St. Pancras ➜ Euston ➜ Warren Street ➜ Oxford Circus ➜ Green Park [change train] Green Park ➜ Hyde Park Corner ➜ Knightsbridge ➜ South Kensington

Live status and delays

Closures on the Victoria and Piccadilly line

First and last train times

Victoria line timetable

Alternative routes include Highbury & Islington to Gloucester Road, Highbury & Islington to Knightsbridge and Highbury & Islington to Sloane Square

Stairs, lifts and escalators

Highbury & Islington is not wheelchair accessible

South Kensington is not wheelchair accessible

Highbury & Islington entrance – You must use an escalator plus two flights of stairs from the entrance to the Victoria line platforms (2x17 steps down). If you want to avoid the escalator then you can use another five flights of stairs (3 steps down +3x17 steps down +7 steps down). But you can use a lift from the entrance to the London Overground platforms. If you want to avoid the lift then you can use two flights of stairs (2x12 steps down)

Changing trains at Green Park – There are two lifts and a long walk when changing platforms. If you want a shorter walk then you can use two escalators instead of the lifts

South Kensington 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)

This journey is in zones 1&2 and you’ll have to use the Piccadilly and Victoria lines, changing trains at King’s Cross St. Pancras

  1. From South Kensington take the Piccadilly Line
  2. Change at King’s Cross St. Pancras to the Victoria Line
  3. Leave the train at Highbury & Islington

Number of stops: 10 · Journey time: Approx 30 mins

Stations on the route: South Kensington ➜ Knightsbridge ➜ Hyde Park Corner ➜ Green Park ➜ Piccadilly Circus ➜ Leicester Square ➜ Covent Garden ➜ Holborn ➜ Russell Square ➜ King’s Cross St. Pancras [change train] King’s Cross St. Pancras ➜ Highbury & Islington

Live status and delays

Closures on the Piccadilly and Victoria line

First and last train times

Piccadilly line timetable

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

Stairs, lifts and escalators

South Kensington is not wheelchair accessible

Highbury & Islington is not wheelchair accessible

South Kensington 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 trains at King’s Cross St. Pancras – There’s a lift when changing between the platforms

Highbury & Islington exit – You must use two flights of stairs plus an escalator from the Victoria line platforms to the exit (2x17 steps up). If you want to avoid the escalator then you can use another five flights of stairs (7 steps up +3x17 steps up +3 steps up). But you can use a lift from the London Overground platforms to the exit. If you want to avoid the lift then you can use two flights of stairs (2x12 steps up)

Cash, Oyster & Travelcard fares

The journey is in zones 1-2. The cheapest fare is £2.80 off-peak (£3.40 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 Highbury & Islington ⇄ South Kensington Station
Fare zone Cash Oyster & Contactless cards
Single fare Single fare Daily cap
Peak Off-peak Peak Off-peak
Zone 1-2 fare £6.70 £3.40 £2.80 £8.50 £8.50
Travelcard prices from Highbury & Islington ⇄ South Kensington 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 – We don’t recommend walking as the stations are 4¾ 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 4¾ mile trip should cost you about £23 to £35.50 and take anything from 20 to 34 minutes

By carParking near South Kensington station