London City Guide

Charing Cross ⇄ Stratford Station | Tube Journey, Train Times & Fares

The journey from Charing Cross to Stratford is in fare zones 1-3 and you’ll have to use the Northern and Jubilee tube lines, changing trains at Waterloo

  1. From Charing Cross take the Northern Line
  2. Change at Waterloo to the Jubilee Line
  3. Leave the train at Stratford

Number of tube stops: 11 · Journey time: Approx 36 mins

Stations on the route: Charing Cross ➜ Embankment ➜ Waterloo [change train] Waterloo ➜ Southwark ➜ London Bridge ➜ Bermondsey ➜ Canada Water ➜ Canary Wharf ➜ North Greenwich ➜ Canning Town ➜ West Ham ➜ Stratford

London Underground tube delays

Strikes and closures on the Northern and Jubilee

First and last train times on the Northern line

Tube times for the Northern line

Alternative routes include Charing Cross to Leyton, Charing Cross to Plaistow and Charing Cross to Bromley By Bow

Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms

Charing Cross tube station is not wheelchair accessible

The DLR and Jubilee lines at Stratford station are wheelchair accessible, and have step-free access from the street to the train. The Central and Elizabeth lines only have step-free access from the street to the platform, and there may be a step up or gap to the train

Charing Cross station entrance – You must an escalator from the main railway station concourse to the booking hall (or three flights of 12, 12, 11 steps down), or two flights from the Trafalgar Square westside entrance (11 steps down +12 steps down), or three flights from the Trafalgar Square central island entrance (21 steps down +3 steps down +8 steps down), or four flights from the Trafalgar Square northside and eastside entrance (9 steps down +10 steps down +2x8 steps down), or three flights from the William IV Street entrance (16 steps down +13 steps down +14 steps down), or three flights from The Courtyard entrance (2x12 steps down +11 steps down), or two flights from the Strand southside entrance (21 steps down +16 steps down), or two flights from the Strand northside entrance (2x15 steps down), or two flights from the Villiers Street entrance (2x9 steps down). After that there’s an escalator plus one flight of 20 steps to the Bakerloo line platforms, or an escalator plus one flight of 19 steps to the Northern line platforms. If you want to avoid the escalator then you can use another five flights of stairs (4x17 steps down +8 steps down)

Changing tube line at Waterloo – You must use an escalator when changing trains from the Jubilee line platforms. You must use stairs when changing trains from the Bakerloo northbound platform, but there’s an escalator when changing trains from the Bakerloo southbound platform

Stratford station exit – There’s a lift between the Central/​London Overground platforms and the exit (or two flights of 14 stairs), but two lifts between the DLR/​Jubilee line platforms and the exit (or two escalators, or four flights of 14 stairs)

The journey from Stratford to Charing Cross is in fare zones 1-3 and you’ll have to use the Central and Northern tube lines, changing trains at Tottenham Court Road

  1. From Stratford take the Central Line
  2. Change at Tottenham Court Road to the Northern Line
  3. Leave the train at Charing Cross

Number of tube stops: 10 · Journey time: Approx 33 mins

Stations on the route: Stratford ➜ Mile End ➜ Bethnal Green ➜ Liverpool Street ➜ Bank ➜ St. Paul’s ➜ Chancery Lane ➜ Holborn ➜ Tottenham Court Road [change train] Tottenham Court Road ➜ Leicester Square ➜ Charing Cross

London Underground tube delays

Strikes and closures on the Central and Northern

First and last train times on the Central line

Tube times for the Central line

Alternative routes include Stratford to Leyton, Stratford to Plaistow and Stratford to Bromley By Bow

Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms

The DLR and Jubilee lines at Stratford train station are wheelchair accessible, and have step-free access from the street to the train. The Central and Elizabeth lines only have step-free access from the street to the platform, and there may be a step up or gap to the train

Charing Cross station has step-free access from the street to the platform (but there may be a step up or gap to the train)

Stratford station entrance – There’s a lift between the entrance and the Central/​London Overground platforms (or two flights of 14 stairs), but two lifts between the entrance and the DLR/​Jubilee line platforms (or two escalators, or four flights of 14 stairs)

Changing tube line at Tottenham Court Road – You can use a lift when changing between the platforms

Charing Cross station exit – You must use an escalator plus one flight of 20 steps from the Bakerloo line platforms and the booking hall, or an escalator plus one flight of 19 steps from the Northern line platforms. If you want to avoid the escalator then you can use another five flights of stairs (8 steps up + 4x17 steps up). After that must another escalator to the main railway station concourse exit (or three flights of 12, 12, 11 steps up), or two flights to the Trafalgar Square westside exit (11 steps up +12 steps up), or three flights to the Trafalgar Square central island exit (21 steps up +3 steps up +8 steps up), or four flights to the Trafalgar Square northside and eastside exits (9 steps up +10 steps up +2x8 steps up), or three flights to the William IV Street exit (16 steps up +13 steps up +14 steps up), or three flights to The Courtyard exit (2x12 steps up +11 steps up), or two flights to the Strand southside exit (21 steps up +16 steps up), or two flights to the Strand northside exit (2x15 steps up), or two flights to the Villiers Street exit (2x9 steps up)

Tube fare between London Charing Cross and Stratford

This tube journey is in Oyster zones 1-3. The cheapest fare is £3 off-peak (£3.70 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 Charing Cross ⇄ Stratford 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 1-3 fare £6.70 £3.70 £3 £10 £10
Travelcard prices from Charing Cross ⇄ Stratford Station | Tube Journey, Train Times & Fares
Fare Zone Travelcards (Train, Bus & Tram)
One day travel­card Week travel­card Month travel­card
Anytime Off-peak
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 – We don’t recommend walking – the stations are 5¾ miles apart

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 5¾ mile taxi fare between Stratford train station and Charing Cross should cost you about £28 to £40 and will take anything from 26-39 mins depending on the traffic

Travel by carCar parks near Charing Cross station