The journey from Holborn to Waterloo is in fare zone 1 and you’ll have to use the Piccadilly and Northern tube lines, changing trains at Leicester Square
- From Holborn take the Piccadilly Line
- Change at Leicester Square to the Northern Line
- Leave the train at Waterloo
Number of tube stops: 5 · Journey time: Approx 21 mins
Stations on the route: Holborn ➜ Covent Garden ➜ Leicester Square [change train] Leicester Square ➜ Charing Cross ➜ Embankment ➜ Waterloo
London Underground tube delays
Strikes and closures on the Piccadilly and Northern
First and last train times on the Piccadilly line
Tube times for the Piccadilly line
Alternative routes include Holborn to Southwark, Holborn to Embankment and Holborn to Lambeth North
Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms
Holborn 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
Holborn station entrance – You must use an escalator plus one flight of stairs from the entrance to the platforms (19 steps down to the Central eastbound platform, or 20 steps down to the Central westbound/Piccadilly southbound platforms, or 22 steps down to the Piccadilly northbound platform)
Changing tube line at Leicester Square – You must use stairs when changing between the Northern/Piccadilly line platforms
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 Holborn is in fare zone 1 and you’ll have to use the Northern and Piccadilly tube lines, changing trains at Leicester Square
- From Waterloo take the Northern Line
- Change at Leicester Square to the Piccadilly Line
- Leave the train at Holborn
Number of tube stops: 5 · Journey time: Approx 19 mins
Stations on the route: Waterloo ➜ Embankment ➜ Charing Cross ➜ Leicester Square [change train] Leicester Square ➜ Covent Garden ➜ Holborn
London Underground tube delays
Strikes and closures on the Northern and Piccadilly
First and last train times on the Northern line
Tube times for the Northern 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 underground station is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train. The Bakerloo and Northern line are not wheelchair accessible
Holborn 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
Changing tube line at Leicester Square – You must use stairs when changing between the Northern/Piccadilly line platforms
Holborn station exit – You must use an escalator plus one flight of stairs from the platforms to the exit (19 steps up from the Central eastbound platform, or 20 steps up from the Central westbound/Piccadilly southbound platforms, or 22 steps up from the Piccadilly northbound platform)
Tube fare between Holborn 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 – 1¼ miles would take you about 23-25 minutes to walk
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 – A 1¼ mile journey between Waterloo train station and Holborn in a black taxi should cost approximately £7 to £12 and take 7-15 mins
Travel by car – Car parks near Holborn station and Waterloo