Top 6 London Underground Tours that You Shouldn’t Miss

You may have used the London underground tubes to get from one place to another, but have you ever wondered what lies beneath your feet? With London underground tube tours, you can discover London’s most fascinating hidden spaces and the unique infrastructure of abandoned tube stations. Let’s dive into some secret tunnels, shelters, historic stations and more in London. 

What is an Underground Tour in London?

A London underground tour often known as Hidden London tour has been a part of London Transport Museum that will take you through some forgotten London locations. This tour provides visitors with an opportunity to access locations of the transport link and its history, often closed for the public access. A knowledgeable guide leads the tour, giving insights into the abandoned Tube’s origin, its construction and evolution. 
If you are planning to visit London for your next trip, here are 6 underground tours you should look for: 

#1 Baker Street Station Underground Tour

It is the world’s first underground network on the Hidden Tube Tour on Baker Street. On this tour, you will see some closed-off parts of the central London station, which include original platforms, abandoned life shafts and corridors, which were last used by the public in 1945. You will learn about the station’s over 160 years of history, starting from the early days of Victorian underground steam travel.

Along the way, learn about the station’s history being the operational headquarters for London Underground from the staff who worked there over the years. Hear stories and facts directly through the London Transport Museum’s extensive collection.

Duration – 85 minutes

Highlights of this tour:

• Exclusive access to old and hidden areas of the station
• See old lifts and corridors
• Hear stories directly from people who worked there

#2 Euston Station Underground Tour

The underground tour of Euston Station will take you through some of the oldest stations in London. This exclusive guided tour will take you into the maze of secret passageways, which were once accessible to the public. You will discover time-capsules, which haven’t been seen by people, but still you can witness the evolution of London’s transport infrastructure over the years.

There are also two passenger galleries showcasing the last commuters who passed through in 1962 and 1967. You will come across vintage advertising posters of famous film productions and experience the atmosphere of a bygone age. The tour also gives you an extraordinary view of Victoria line trains from a secret ventilation shaft.

Duration – 75 minutes

Highlights of this tour:

• Insights into how the transport system evolved
• See vintage posters from bygone times
• Unique view of Victoria line trains

#3 Aldwych Station Underground Tour

Join the Aldwych station underground tour to learn about its origin in 1907, which once served as a terminus of the Piccadilly line. However, it eventually became closed to public use in 1994. Our Aldwych underground tour will take you through the ticket hall, abandoned platforms, old lifts and interconnecting tunnels, but no trains and passengers.

Since it opened, it was not in use as intended, but the station became popular for providing refuge to Londoners during the Blitz and been used as a backdrop for TV and film shoots, including Luther, Sherlock, Mr Selfridge and Netflix’s Bodies.

Duration – 75 minutes

Highlights of this tour:

• Famous filming spots
• Discover wartime shelters
• Explore the hidden underground world
• See original architectural features

#4 Charing Cross Station Underground Tour

Step behind the closed doors to explore the rich history of London’s most popular railway station Charing Cross on an underground tour. The station was closed for public use in 1999, but now you can access exclusive areas and walk under Trafalgar Square to watch the London underground from a different perspective. Throughout the tour, learn about how this station was built, how plans for the line to extend towards Aldwych station were abandoned and how Charing Cross station contributed to the design excellence of the London Underground across these years.

The Jubilee line at Charing Cross Station is now popular as a filming location for TV shows and movies, including James Bond Skyfall, Marvel’s Thor and Killing Eve.

Duration – 75 minutes

Highlights of this tour:

• Discover the hidden secrets of closed-off parts of Charing Cross
• Visit popular locations used in movies and TV shows
• Walk under Trafalgar Square

#5 Piccadilly Circus Underground Tour

Started in 1906 as Leslie Green Station, Piccadilly Circus station was later evolved in the 1920s to accommodate the growing number of passengers. The station was designed by the most celebrated architect Charles Holden, which made the station, earned the title of ‘The heart of London’.

Piccadilly Circus station acted as a shelter for civilians from air aids during the Second World War. You can uncover archives that feature first-hand accounts and oral histories of who sought shelter at Piccadilly Circus during the Blitz. See never-before-seen images and immersive audio and video materials that bring the station’s wartime situation to life.

Duration – 75 minutes

Highlights of this tour:

• Get deep insights into station’s architecture
• Hear intriguing stories of people who took refuge during the wartime
• Explore obsolete passenger tunnels

#6 Clapham South: Subterranean Shelter Underground Tour

Take a tour to one of London’s eight deep-level shelters that were built to provide refuge for more than 8,000 people during the Second World War. It had medical stations, a canteen and sleeping quarters to provide a safe haven during wartime. The Clapham South: Subterranean station was also used by Caribbean migrants who came during the Empire Windrush.

This guided tour to Clapham South: Subterranean Shelter will take you behind closed doors on this site to learn about its interesting history as well as the stories of those who sheltered there. Explore over a mile of subterranean passageways that are hidden beneath.

Duration – 75 minutes

Highlights of this tour:

• See authentic artefacts from the Second World War
• Listen to the stories of refugees
• Learn about wartime history

Taking a guided tour of these stations is the best way to explore disused stations, time-capsules and secret wartime shelters, right where it all happened. Besides these hidden London tube tours, there is a plethora of other transport tours where you can explore the rich London history.