The journey from Barbican to South Kensington is in fare zone 1 and it’s a direct train on the Circle tube line
- From Barbican take the Circle Line
- Leave the train at South Kensington
Number of tube stops: 15 · Journey time: Approx 26 mins
Stations on the route: Barbican ➜ Moorgate ➜ Liverpool Street ➜ Aldgate ➜ Tower Hill ➜ Monument ➜ Cannon Street ➜ Mansion House ➜ Blackfriars ➜ Temple ➜ Embankment ➜ Westminster ➜ St. James’s Park ➜ Victoria ➜ Sloane Square ➜ South Kensington
London Underground tube delays
First and last train times on the Circle line
Tube times for the Circle line
Alternative routes include Barbican to Gloucester Road, Barbican to Knightsbridge and Barbican to Sloane Square
Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms
Barbican tube station is not wheelchair accessible
South Kensington station is not wheelchair accessible
Barbican station entrance – You must use two flights of stairs between the entrance and the booking hall (11 steps down +12 steps down), plus another two flights of stairs from the booking hall to the platforms (15 steps down +14 steps down to the eastbound platform, and 2x14 steps down to the westbound platform)
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 Barbican is in fare zone 1 and you’ll have to use the Circle tube lines, changing trains at Edgware Road
- From South Kensington take the Circle Line
- Leave the train at Barbican
Number of tube stops: 12 · Journey time: Approx 25 mins
Stations on the route: South Kensington ➜ Gloucester Road ➜ High Street Kensington ➜ Notting Hill Gate ➜ Bayswater ➜ Paddington ➜ Edgware Road [change train] Edgware Road ➜ Baker Street ➜ Great Portland Street ➜ Euston Square ➜ King’s Cross St. Pancras ➜ Farringdon ➜ Barbican
London Underground tube delays
Strikes and closures on the Circle
First and last train times on the Circle line
Tube times for the Circle 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
Barbican 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)
Barbican station exit – You must use two flights of stairs from the platforms to the booking hall (14 steps up +15 steps up from the eastbound platform, and 2x14 steps up from the westbound platform), plus another two flights of stairs between the booking hall and the exit (12 steps up +11 steps up)
Tube fare between Barbican 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
| 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 |
| 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 – The distance is about 3¾ miles which would take about 80 minutes on foot
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 – The 3¾ mile ride between South Kensington train station and Barbican in a black cab should cost you about £18 to £31 and take anything from 15 to 29 mins
Travel by car – Car parks near Barbican station and South Kensington