London City Guide

Liverpool Street ⇄ Waterloo Station | Tube Journey, Train Times & Fares

The journey from Liverpool Street to Waterloo is in fare zone 1 and you’ll have to use the Central and Waterloo & City tube lines, changing trains at Bank

  1. From Liverpool Street take the Central Line
  2. Change at Bank to the Waterloo & City Line
  3. Leave the train at Waterloo

Number of tube stops: 2 · Journey time: Approx 16 mins

Stations on the route: Liverpool Street ➜ Bank [change train] Bank ➜ Waterloo

London Underground tube delays

Strikes and closures on the Central and W&C

First and last train times on the Central line

Tube times for the Central line

Alternative routes include Liverpool Street to Southwark, Liverpool Street to Embankment and Liverpool Street to Lambeth North

Stairs, lifts and escalators to the station platforms

The Elizabeth line at Liverpool Street tube station is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train. The London Overground only has step-free access from the street to the platform, and there may be a step up or gap to the train. The Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines are 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

Liverpool Street station entrance – The entrance on Old Broad Street to the booking hall is on the level, but you must use a lift (or 10 steps) from the Blomfield Street/Eldon Street entrance, or a lift (or an escalator and 10 steps) from the Liverpool Street northside entrance, or two flights of stairs from the Liverpool Street southside entrance (4 steps down +14 steps down), or a lift plus three flights of stairs from the Bishopsgate eastside entrance (2x16 steps down +7 steps up), or two lifts plus an escalator from the Bishopsgate westside entrance. After that you need to use another escalator from the booking hall to the Central line platforms, or one flight of stairs to the Circle/​H&C/​Metropolitan eastbound platform (3 steps down), or six flights of stairs to the Circle/​H&C/​Metropolitan westbound platform (2x7 steps up +10 steps up +10 steps down +2x8 steps down)

Changing tube line at Bank – Changing between the Central and DLR platforms involves a lift plus escalator. Changing between the W&C line and any other platform involves a lift, an escalator plus a long travelator. You must use stairs when changing trains from the Northern line to any other platform

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 Liverpool Street is in fare zone 1 and you’ll have to use the Waterloo & City and Central tube lines, changing trains at Bank

  1. From Waterloo take the Waterloo & City Line
  2. Change at Bank to the Central Line
  3. Leave the train at Liverpool Street

Number of tube stops: 2 · Journey time: Approx 19 mins

Stations on the route: Waterloo ➜ Bank [change train] Bank ➜ Liverpool Street

London Underground tube delays

Strikes and closures on the W&C and Central

First and last train times on the Waterloo & City line

Tube times for the Waterloo & City 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

The Elizabeth line at Liverpool Street station is wheelchair accessible, and has step-free access from the street to the train. The London Overground only has step-free access from the street to the platform, and there may be a step up or gap to the train. The Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines are 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 Bank – Changing between the Central and DLR platforms involves a lift plus escalator. Changing between the W&C line and any other platform involves a lift, an escalator plus a long travelator. You must use stairs when changing trains from the Northern line to any other platform

Liverpool Street station exit – You need to use an escalator from the Central line platforms to the booking hall, or one flight of stairs from the Circle/​H&C/​Metropolitan eastbound platform (3 steps up), or six flights of stairs from the Circle/​H&C/​Metropolitan westbound platform (2x8 steps down +10 steps down +10 steps up +2x7 steps up). Once you’re inside the booking hall you need to use a lift (or 10 steps) to get to the Blomfield Street/Eldon Street exit, or a lift (or an escalator and 10 steps) to the Liverpool Street northside exit, or two flights of stairs to the Liverpool Street southside exit (14 steps up +4 steps up), or a lift plus three flights of stairs to the Bishopsgate eastside exit (7 steps up +2x16 steps down), or two lifts plus an escalator to the Bishopsgate westside exit. But getting to the Old Broad Street exit is on the level.

Tube fare between London Liverpool Street 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

Cost of tube fare from Liverpool Street ⇄ Waterloo 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 Liverpool Street ⇄ Waterloo 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 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 to Liverpool Street is about two miles, which would take 38-42 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 two mile journey between Waterloo train station and Liverpool Street station in a black taxicab should cost between £10.60 and £18.20 and take about 10-20 mins depending on the traffic

Travel by carCar parks near Liverpool Street station and Waterloo