The journey from Charing Cross to Waterloo is in fare zone 1 and it’s a direct train on the Northern tube line
- From Charing Cross take the Northern Line
- Leave the train at Waterloo
Number of tube stops: 2 · Journey time: Approx 6 mins
Stations on the route: Charing Cross ➜ Embankment ➜ Waterloo
London Underground tube delays
First and last train times on the Northern line
Tube times for the Northern line
Alternative routes include Charing Cross to Southwark, Charing Cross to Embankment and Charing Cross to Lambeth North
Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms
Charing Cross tube station is not wheelchair accessible
The Jubilee line at Waterloo station is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train. The Bakerloo and Northern line are not wheelchair accessible
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)
Waterloo station exit – There’s a lift from the Jubilee line platforms to the booking hall (or two escalators), and a lift from the W&C platforms (or two escalators and one flight of 6 stairs), and a lift from the Bakerloo southbound platform (or one escalator and a flight of 9 stairs), and an escalator (or 5x17 steps up +3 steps down) plus one flight of 11 stairs from the Bakerloo northbound platform, and one escalator (or 11 steps up +5x17 steps up +3 steps up) plus one flight of 20 stairs from the Northern platforms. After that there’s another two flights of stairs to the York Road northside exit (2x13 steps down), or four flights of stairs to the Waterloo Road exit (6 steps down +2x13 steps down +10 steps down), but the York Road southside exit is on the level
The journey from Waterloo to Charing Cross is in fare zone 1 and it’s a direct train on the Bakerloo tube line
- From Waterloo take the Bakerloo Line
- Leave the train at Charing Cross
Number of tube stops: 2 · Journey time: Approx 4 mins
Stations on the route: Waterloo ➜ Embankment ➜ Charing Cross
London Underground tube delays
First and last train times on the Bakerloo line
Tube times for the Bakerloo line
Alternative routes include Waterloo to Southwark, Waterloo to Embankment and Waterloo to Lambeth North
Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms
The Jubilee line at Waterloo train station is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train. The Bakerloo and Northern line are not wheelchair accessible
Charing Cross station is not wheelchair accessible
Waterloo station entrance – The York Road southside entrance and the booking hall are on the level, but you must use two flights of stairs from the York Road northside entrance (2x13 steps up), or four flights of stairs from the Waterloo Road entrance (10 steps up +2x13 steps up +6 steps up). After that there’s a lift down to the Jubilee line platforms (or two escalators), and a lift to the W&C platforms (or two escalators and one flight of 6 stairs), or a lift to the Bakerloo southbound platform (or one escalator and a flight of 9 stairs), or an escalator (or 3 steps down +5x17 steps down) plus one flight of 11 stairs to the Bakerloo northbound platform, or one escalator (or 3 steps down +5x17 steps down +11 steps down) plus one flight of 20 stairs to the Northern 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 Waterloo
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 Tube fares, Tube fares for senior citizens, Tube fares for children, Oyster tube fares, Contactless tube fares and Travelcard tube fares 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 roughly ¾ of a mile which would take you about 14-15 mins
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 fares · Senior bus fares · Child bus fares
Travel by taxi – The ¾-mile taxi journey between Waterloo train station and Charing Cross will cost approximately £7 to £12 and take 5-12 mins
Travel by car – Car parks near Charing Cross station and Waterloo