How to travel between Liverpool Street and other stations in central London

The guides on how to travel between Liverpool Street and the other London stations are focused on, or at least include, the easiest routes, so that the simpler alternatives when travelling with heavy luggage or with young children etc can be followed.

Also note the advice for travel to a station from Liverpool Street can vary from that on how to access Liverpool Street from another station, for multiple reasons including the availability of lifts (elevators) in various locations and the access to and from bus stops.

At weekends the Underground lines and both the Elizabeth line and Thameslink trains can be impacted by construction work, those affecting the Underground and Elizabeth line trains can be looked up here, while those impacting the Thameslink trains, can be found here.

If you arrive at Liverpool Street by bus, there are escalators available down into the main concourse, but you don't have to use these to access the trains.
There is a balcony above main concourse, which is at street-level and on this balcony a lift (elevator) is also available down to the trains.
It is directly underneath the station's beautiful war memorial

All of the ticket gates at central London stations have 'readers' which enable contactless payment.

Regardless of whether you are resident in the UK, or are visiting, there are three methods of using Contactless:

1. A payment app on a mobile device, including your bank's contactless payment app, or the likes of Google Pay, Apple Pay, or Samsung Pay.
2. A debit / credit card as long as it has the contactless symbol
3. An Oyster card (you touch in and out as you do when using Contactless).

Good to know about using Contactless

• The system works by touching in and out.
• When using bank cards, take care to use the same card when touching out at the end of a journey, as you did when touching in at the start.
• You have to pay with Contactless on the regular red buses, you cannot pay with cash.
• When travelling by the Underground or Elizabeth line, you can save 10 - 20p per journey by paying with a banking app / card instead of an Oyster card.
• Making a Contactless payment is cheaper than buying a ticket from a station counter or machine - the price difference is usually at least 50%!

More info is available on the general London by train guide.

Liverpool Street is served by the Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.
There is an obvious entrance to the Underground station shared by all the lines, as well as the Elizabeth Line, on the mainline station concourse; its opposite platforms (tracks) 3 – 6.
The primary access from the main concourse into this Underground ticket hall is by using a short flight of stairs, but an elevator is also available to the left of these stairs.

On the other side of the ticket barriers the access to the Elizabeth line is a short walk away over to the right, where an escalator (pictured above)...

... and a lift / elevator (pictured above) lead down to the Eizabeth line trains.

Though if your train to London will be calling at Stratford, connecting there into the Elizabeth line, for onward journeys into central London, will be easier than at Liverpool Street.

Other escalators lead down to the Central line, but the Circle, the Hammersmith and City and the Metropolitan lines, all share an older part of the station.
The platform that these lines use when travelling eastbound is on the same level as the Underground ticket hall, the platform is steps away from the ticket hall.
Though a quirk of how the Underground was constructed is that the Circle lines which travel 'eastbound' from here will make a U-turn so that they will then travel west through London along the north bank of The River Thames; they initially head east to Aldgate.

The other platform in this part of the Underground station, used by the westbound Circle, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan lines, doesn't have step-free access as a footbridge within the station has to be used to reach it.

Taking the westbound Circle, Hammersmith and City or Metropolitan lines to Euston Square underground station can seem the logical, direct option, but it has two obstacles;

1. The access to the westbound lines at Liverpool Street involves going up and over a footbridge that's somewhat hidden within the Underground station.
2. Euston Square is a 3 to 5 minute walk in the open-air to the main Euston station

However, there is a new alternative for a Liverpool Street to Euston transfer which is also a much easier route if you have luggage etc:

1. Taking a westbound Elizabeth line train to Tottenham Court Road - the signage is pictured above.
2. Connecting there for northbound Northern line train; a lift (elevator is available) - the transfer to the Northern line is by the rear of the trains.
   From the platform you will exit into the wide passage way, which leads around to the escalators to the exit, but the lift to the Northern line is then over to the right
3. At Euston you will need to take a short flight of stairs which lead up to the escalator to the Underground ticket hall - on the other side of the Underground station ticket gates, there are escalators up to the main station, but there are also lifts over to the right-hand side.

The direct route from Liverpool Street to King's Cross is to take any train on the westbound Circle, Hammersmith and City or Metropolitan lines
However, the access to these trains involves walking up and over a footbridge, that's somewhat hidden within the Underground station.

So the much easier route if you have luggage etc is

1. Taking a westbound Elizabeth line train to Farringdon.
2. Connecting there for northbound Thameslink train to St Pancras International, the escalator leads directly up to the northbound Thameslink platform - this is pictured above.
3. On arrival at St Pancras use the lifts or escalators to exit the Thameslink station.

4. Turning left from the exit at the Thameslink part of St Pancas station and walking ahead to the street exit on Pancras Road, you'll then see King's Cross station (pictured above) just across the street.

The seemingly obvious route for a Liverpool Street to London Bridge station transfer is to travel via Bank station on a combination of westbound Central line and southbound Northern line trains, but the transfer in Bank is comparatively awkward.

The route which SMTJ takes when I don't have luggage is to head over to bus stop K on the street named Bishopsgate to board bus routes/lines149 and 388, as they terminate in front of the upper level entrance to London Bridge station.
The exit on to Bishopsgate can be accessed from the main concourse by escalators and a lift (elevator) is also available.

On the upper concourse at London Bridge, a lift (picured above) and escalators are available to the lower concourse, from where the departures by Southeastern and Thameslink trains can be accessed.

Though if you want a step-free journey which doesn't involve taking a bus two other options are available.

1. Take an eastbound Circle Line train to Cannon Street and then take any train from there to London Bridge; though if your ultimate destination can be reached from Cannon Street then this is the way to go; Cannon Street typically has four trains per hour to Greenwich.
2. Take a westbound Elizabeth line train to Farringdon and then a southbound Thameslink train.
   The route to follow is:

• The Elizabeth line can be accessed through the main Underground station ticket hall at Liverpool Street, but the steps down into it can be avoided by taking the lift (elevator) to the left of the staircase.
• Then once you have passed through the ticket gates, and escalator and a lift (elevator) is available down to the Elizabeth line.
• At Farringdon he direct route to the southbound Thameslink trains is to use the lift (the escalators lead up to the northbound Thameslink platform) - Up to 12 trains per hour will depart for London Bridge.

• On arrival at London Bridge, a lift and escalators are available to the lower concourse from where all of the other platforms in the station have step-free access.

Go direct from Liverpool Street to Paddington on a westbound Elizabeth line train.

On arrival at Paddington a lift (elevator) and escalators lead to an area which is immediately beside the station.
The main concourse will then just be steps away through the three gaps in the wall, which will be over to the left.

The direct route from Liverpool Street to St Panrcas is to take any train on the westbound Circle, Hammersmith and City or Metropolitan lines.
However, the access to these trains involves walking up and over a footbridge, that's somewhat hidden within the Underground station

So the much easier route if you have luggage etc is

1. Taking a westbound Elizabeth line train to Farringdon.
2. Use the escalators to connect there for northbound Thameslink train to St Pancras International - the route from the escalator to the northbound Thameslink trains is pictured above.
3. On arrival at St Pancras use the lifts or escalators to exit the Thameslink station.

The eastbound Circle Line train from Liverpool Street is direct to Victoria station, but it's a comparatively slow twelve stop journey; plus the trains are comparatively infrequent, you can wait for more than 15 minutes.
Though it's a comparatively easy journey if you have luggage etc, becasue the access to the eastbound Circle line is adjacent to the entrance to the Underground station in Liverpool Street and a lift (elevator) is available on arrival at Victoria.
Though if you don't mind using escalators and squeezing on to tube trains, the quicker alternative is take a westbound Central line train to Oxford Circus to connect there for a southbound Victoria line train.

Also if your train towards London calls at Seven Sisters or Tottenham Hale stations, the better option is to connect into the southbound Victoria line at those stations instead.

However, if time is in your side, board London's most scenic regular bus route/line, the 26, as it stops by Victoria station.

For a Liverpool Street to Waterloo journey the logical option is seemingly making the transfer between the westbound Central line and the Waterloo & City line at Bank station, but the interchange there is comparatively awkward.
So the new, easier option is to take a westbound Elizabeth line train to Tottenham Court Road and then make the transfer there into southbound Northern Line train.

Though if you have luggage the option which avoids long escalators is to take bus route/line 26 from stop L on the street named Bishopsgate which will have a final destination of Waterloo.

They will arrive at a bus stop just across the street from the station entrance pictured above.

However, if your train heading to Liverpool Street calls at Stratford, a good option is to transfer to the Jubilee line at that station as the Jubilee line serves Waterloo.
These trains commence their journeys at Stratford, so if you don't rush to join the next departure, seats and space for luggage will be available.

When taking the Underground or Elizabeth line to Liverpool Street station, the access to the onward train departures, including the Stansted Express, involves an obvious route through the Underground ticket hall.
Though what's less clear is that if you have luggage etc, you don't have to use the short flight of stairs to access the concourse, as there is a lift (elevator) available over to the right of the staircase.

The easiest option for a [Euston station](/train-travel-info/countries/great-britain/cities/london/rail-stations/london-euston/ to Liverpool Street station transfer is to head to Euston Square station and board any eastbound train, though the only access to these trains is by using stairs.
Though on arrival Liverpool Street the platform that the Underground train will arrive at is adjacent to its ticket hall.

Though a new and typically faster route from Euston to Liverpool Street, which also avoids the open-air transfer to Euston Square in bad weather a is to take a southbound Northern line train to Tottenham Court Road and then connect there for an eastbound Elizabeth line train.
Though a short flight of stairs to the southbound Northern Line platform is the final stage of accessing the trains at Euston.
Then at Tottenham Court Road station a lift (elevator) goes to the Elizabeth line.
At Liverpool Street, lifts (elevators) and escalators, pictured above, go up to the Underground ticket hall.
If you have luggage etc, when exiting through the Underground ticket hall to the main concourse, look out for the lift (elevator) which is on the right-hand side of the staircase.

Avoid taking the Northern line to Bank and making the connection to the Central line at that station.

Or if time is on your side you can take a bus; route 205, which will be heading to Bow, leaves from stop D in the bus station at Euston, it then arrives at a bus stop just across the street from one of the main entrances into Liverpool Street; escalators and a lift (elevator) is available down to the main concourse.

Take any eastbound train on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.
They all leave from the same platform, which can be accessed by lift (elevator) from the ticket hall above these lines; the ticket hall is located immediately in front of [St Pancras station](/train-travel-info/countries/great-britain/cities/london/rail-stations/london-st-pancras-international/; And it is also easily accessible from King's Cross station.

The trains will then arrive at Liverpool Street on a platform which is adjacent to its Underground station's ticket hall.
To the right of the steps which lead up to the main concourse, an elevator is also available.

The seemingly obvious route for a London Bridge to Liverpool Street transfer is to travel via Bank station on a combination of northbound Northern line and eastbound Central line trains, but the interchange at Bank is comparatively awkward.
So taking the bus is a good alternative; routes 149 and 388 leave from stop A in the bus station (pictured above), which is in front of the upper level exit; the part of London Bridge station which is by The Shard.

Then the stop at Liverpool Street is by some escalators which lead down to the station concourse, from where all the trains can be accessed; a lift (elevator) is also available.

Though there is now also a route on which lifts (elevators) can be used to make the transfer between trains, though it is indirect.

• Take a Thameslink train from platform 5 at London Bridge to Farringdon
• Take the escalators directly down to the eastbound Elizabeth line, the route from the Thameslnk platform to the escalator is pictured above.

• At Liverpool Street escalators and a lift (elevator) are available up to the ticket hall of Liverpool Street Underground station.
• Exit on to the main concourse through the ticket hall, a lift (elevator) is available to the right of a short flight of stairs.

Taking the Elizabeth line between Paddington and Liverpool Street will be around 15 mins quicker than taking the Underground, plus the transfers from and to the trains will be easier too.
An as pictured above, an elevator and escalators lead up towards Liverpool Street station from the Elizabeth line.
Though if you will be travelling on to the likes of Ipswich, Norwich and Southend, making the transfer at Stratford will be easier than at Liverpool Street.

The Elizabeth line entrance at Paddington is on the side of the concourse which is by platform 1, so when arriving by train at any other platform, go straight ahead on to the main concourse and then when you reach it turn to the right and go through the arches pictured above.

The escalators down to the Elizabeth line ticket hall will then be steps away over to the right.

For the elevator access, walk to the right of the escalators to access the lifts / elevators.

Eastbound Circle line trains go direct to Liverpool Street from Victoria, but if you're in a hurry, you can usually save 10 - 15 mins by taking a northbound Victoria line train to Oxford Circus, then connecting there for an eastbound Central line train.

That route via Oxford Circus also avoids having to the use flights of stairs which connect the Circle line to the exit from the Underground at Liverpool Street.

There is no direct Underground link from Waterloo to Liverpool Street, though if you don't have luggage etc, a comparatively easy one-train option is to take the Waterloo and City line to Bank station, and then walk for five to 10 minutes along Threadneedle Street.
Though avoid making the transfer at Bank station into the Central line on to Liverpool Street, because if you're happy to make a transfer between trains, the better option is to take a northbound Northern line train to Tottenham Court Road and connect there for an eastbound Elizabeth line train.

Though if you have luggage the option which avoids escalators is to take bus route/line 26, it will be heading to Hackney Wick from stop F on Waterloo Road.

The bus will the arrive at a stop by Liverpool Street station, and in this adjacent station entrance, escalators and elevators will be available to the main concourse, from where all the train departures can be accessed.

However, if the train you will be connecting into calls at Stratford, then a typically faster option is to travel there from Waterloo on an eastbound Jubilee line train and then make the transfer at Stratford station.
Trains heading to multiple destinations including Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and Southend will typically call at Stratford.

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