London City Guide

King’s Cross St Pancras ⇄ Russell Square Station | Tube Journey, Train Times & Fares

The journey from King's Cross St Pancras to Russell Square is in fare zone 1 and it’s a direct train on the Piccadilly tube line

  1. From King’s Cross St. Pancras take the Piccadilly Line
  2. Leave the train at Russell Square

Number of tube stops: 1 · Journey time: Approx 3 mins

Stations on the route: King’s Cross St. Pancras ➜ Russell Square

London Underground tube delays

Strikes and station closures

First and last train times on the Piccadilly line

Tube times for the Piccadilly line

Alternative routes include King’s Cross St. Pancras to Holborn, King’s Cross St. Pancras to Goodge Street and King’s Cross St. Pancras to Euston

Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms

King’s Cross St. Pancras station is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train

Russell Square station is not wheelchair accessible

King’s Cross St. Pancras station entrance – There’s a lift between the King’s Cross forecourt entrance and the booking hall. There are four flights of stairs between the Pancras Road entrance and the Metropolitan line booking hall (16 steps down +3 steps down +2x11 steps down) or one flight of stairs to the Northern/​Piccadilly/​Victoria line booking hall (7 steps down). There are four flights of stairs between the Belgrove Street and Crestfield Street entrances and the Metropolitan line booking hall (19 steps down +5 steps down +2x11 steps down) or one flight of stairs to the Northern/​Piccadilly/​Victoria line booking hall (7 steps down). After that there’s a lift down to the platforms. If you want to avoid the lift then you can get an escalator to the Piccadilly line platforms, an escalator (or 3x17 steps down +11 steps down) to the Victoria line platforms, or two escalators (or one escalator and 3x17 steps down +11 steps down) to the Northern line platforms

Russell Square station exit – You must use a lift plus one flight of stairs between the platforms and the exit (20 steps up). If you want to avoid the lift then you can use another twelve flights of stairs (14 steps up +5 steps up +16 steps up +6x17 steps up +18 steps up +6 steps up +15 steps up)

The journey from Russell Square to King's Cross St Pancras is in fare zone 1 and it’s a direct train on the Piccadilly tube line

  1. From Russell Square take the Piccadilly Line
  2. Leave the train at King’s Cross St. Pancras

Number of tube stops: 1 · Journey time: Approx 5 mins

Stations on the route: Russell Square ➜ King’s Cross St. Pancras

London Underground tube delays

Strikes and station closures

First and last train times on the Piccadilly line

Tube times for the Piccadilly line

Alternative routes include Russell Square to Holborn, Russell Square to Goodge Street and Russell Square to Euston

Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms

Russell Square underground station is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train

King’s Cross St. Pancras station is not wheelchair accessible

Russell Square station entrance – You must use a lift plus one flight of stairs between the entrance and the platforms (20 steps down). If you want to avoid the lift then you can use another twelve flights of stairs (15 steps down +6 steps down +18 steps down +6x17 steps down +16 steps down +5 steps down +14 steps down)

King’s Cross St. Pancras station exit – There’s a lift from the platforms to the booking hall. If you want to avoid the lift then you can get an escalator from the Piccadilly line platforms, an escalator (or 11 steps up +3x17 steps up) from the Victoria line platforms, or two escalators (or one escalator and 11 steps up +3x17 steps up) from the Northern line platforms. After that there’s a lift to the King’s Cross forecourt exit. There are four flights of stairs from the Metropolitan line booking hall to the Pancras Road exit (2x11 steps up +3 steps up +16 steps up) or one flight of stairs from the Northern/​Piccadilly/​Victoria line booking hall (7 steps up). There are four flights of stairs from the Metropolitan line booking hall and the Belgrove Street and Crestfield Street exits (2x11 steps up +5 steps up +19 steps up) or one flight of stairs from the Northern/​Piccadilly/​Victoria line booking hall (7 steps up)

Tube fare between King's Cross St Pancras and Russell Square

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

Cost of tube fare from King’s Cross St Pancras ⇄ Russell Square 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 fare £6.70 £2.80 £2.70 £8.50 £8.50
Travelcard prices from King’s Cross St Pancras ⇄ Russell Square Station | Tube Journey, Train Times & Fares
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 fares, Pensioner fares, Children’s fares, Oyster card fares, Contactless card fares and Travelcard 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 approximately ½ mile which would take about 9-10 mins 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 tickets 2024 · Pensioner bus tickets 2024 · Children’s bus tickets 2024

Travel by taxi – It’s hardly worth getting a taxi for ½ mile

Travel by carCar parks near King’s Cross St. Pancras station and Russell Square