Trivia : Popular tube journeys requiring a change

[md2016]

I'm sure this has been asked already but couldn't find it with a brief search...

What are the most common tube journeys, that require at least one switch of tube line?

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

I would have thought Waterloo to King's Cross St Pancras would be up there.

 

[etr221]

See https://diamondgeezer.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-most-popular-tube-journeys.html

From that, most popular was Barking-Stratford; followed by King's Cross-Waterloo.

Refer to that DG post, and linked FoI spreadsheet for more...

 

[md2016]

See https://diamondgeezer.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-most-popular-tube-journeys.html

From that, most popular was Barking-Stratford; followed by King's Cross-Waterloo.

Refer to that DG post, and linked FoI spreadsheet for more...

Thanks!

 

[90sWereBetter]

A lot of people originating from the northern extremities of the Piccadilly heading into town will often change at Finsbury Park to the Victoria.

 

[danm14]

A lot of people originating from the northern extremities of the Piccadilly heading into town will often change at Finsbury Park to the Victoria.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that for journeys from one end of the Piccadilly Line to the other, assuming you position yourself in the correct part of the train, it is quicker to change at Finsbury Park to the Victoria Line and then back to the Piccadilly Line at Green Park.

 

[Revaulx]

Quote from the DG blog:

“Then it's North Greenwich to Canary Wharf and back again. It's only a one stop journey but it helps a lot of south London residents get to work in Docklands.”

Excuse me for being thick, but how do all those south London residents get to North Greenwich in the first place? It isn’t a tube or DLR interchange and the housing round it is still pretty sparse. Does it have lots of buses?

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

I would have thought Waterloo to King's Cross St Pancras would be up there.

There are posters on the gate line at Waterloo giving directions for this journey

 

[Gigabit]

District Line to the City via Notting Hill Gate?

 

[PTR 444]

Excuse me for being thick, but how do all those south London residents get to North Greenwich in the first place? It isn’t a tube or DLR interchange and the housing round it is still pretty sparse. Does it have lots of buses?

Yes.

 

[Revaulx]

Yes.

Ah! Fair enough.

 

[jon81uk]

Quote from the DG blog:

“Then it's North Greenwich to Canary Wharf and back again. It's only a one stop journey but it helps a lot of south London residents get to work in Docklands.”

Excuse me for being thick, but how do all those south London residents get to North Greenwich in the first place? It isn’t a tube or DLR interchange and the housing round it is still pretty sparse. Does it have lots of buses?

Yes there is a large bus station at North Greenwich.

 

[Fenchurch SP]

Yes.

Yes there is a large bus station at North Greenwich.

Also lots of car parking I believe.

 

[norbitonflyer]

District Line to the City via Notting Hill Gate?

Why? There are several stations in the City on the District Line (four, in fact - the same as the Central). And they are so close together there is little to be gained by changing for, for example, St Pauls instead of Mansion House

 

[Gigabit]

Why? There are several stations in the City on the District Line (four, in fact - the same as the Central). And they are so close together there is little to be gained by changing for, for example, St Pauls instead of Mansion House

For Liv Street I find Central faster and it’s always very busy when I change

 

[edwin_m]

When we were staying at my grandmother's house we would often go into London by Tube from Stanmore. Fun to change at Wembley Park and overtake the train you were on, and one or even two ahead of it.

 

[PTR 444]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that for journeys from one end of the Piccadilly Line to the other, assuming you position yourself in the correct part of the train, it is quicker to change at Finsbury Park to the Victoria Line and then back to the Piccadilly Line at Green Park.

Similarly I’d imagine any end to end journey on the Bakerloo Line would be quicker if you took the Jubilee Line between Baker Street and Waterloo. Not sure whether the interchange times at those stations negate the faster Jubilee Line journey timing though.

 

[J-2739]

Quote from the DG blog:

“Then it's North Greenwich to Canary Wharf and back again. It's only a one stop journey but it helps a lot of south London residents get to work in Docklands.”

Excuse me for being thick, but how do all those south London residents get to North Greenwich in the first place? It isn’t a tube or DLR interchange and the housing round it is still pretty sparse. Does it have lots of buses?

And just adding to the previous comments, the Greenwich Peninsula is being developed rapidly, so will soon become a major employment destination in its own right.

 

[HarryF]

Kings Cross/St Pancras to Waterloo
Kings Cross/St Pancras to Paddington (direct service rarely runs, on the rare occasions it does, it takes longer than changing Victoria to Bakerloo at Oxford Circus)

 

[miklcct]

Kings Cross/St Pancras to Paddington (direct service rarely runs, on the rare occasions it does, it takes longer than changing Victoria to Bakerloo at Oxford Circus)

A direct Hammersmith / Circle line train runs between Kings Cross and Paddington every 5 minutes.

 

[Taunton]

Quote from the DG blog:

“Then it's North Greenwich to Canary Wharf and back again. It's only a one stop journey but it helps a lot of south London residents get to work in Docklands.”

Excuse me for being thick, but how do all those south London residents get to North Greenwich in the first place? It isn’t a tube or DLR interchange and the housing round it is still pretty sparse. Does it have lots of buses?

It's one of the major bus hubs of the region, from points like Blackheath. Before what is now the O2 reopened as an entertainment, and then shopping, centre, it was in the middle of nowhere but quite a busy station from first opening. In fact the extensive recent further development of out-of-town style shops there has had a downside in notably extending bus travel times through them all.

 

[BJames]

Kings Cross/St Pancras to Paddington (direct service rarely runs, on the rare occasions it does, it takes longer than changing Victoria to Bakerloo at Oxford Circus)

The direct circle/hammersmith & city runs frequently and takes just 10 minutes.

If you are starting your journey at King's Cross then it's 5 minutes to Oxford Circus, and a further 8 minutes from Oxford Circus to Paddington, not including any change/waiting time at Oxford Circus.

May be a few (fairly) popular journeys to/from Marylebone that come under this.

 

[edwin_m]

A direct Hammersmith / Circle line train runs between Kings Cross and Paddington every 5 minutes.

I assume the previous poster is thinking of the Praed Street platforms, which probably have easier access to main line departures.

 

[miklcct]

I assume the previous poster is thinking of the Praed Street platforms, which probably have easier access to main line departures.

I am not sure if the main line platforms really have easier access from the Praed Street platforms, as I normally use the back footbridge for direct access to the Hammersmith line platform, and position myself in the rear coaches of the mainline train upon arriving Paddington if I am targeting Euston / St Pancras / Liverpool Street.

 

[Enthusiast]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that for journeys from one end of the Piccadilly Line to the other, assuming you position yourself in the correct part of the train, it is quicker to change at Finsbury Park to the Victoria Line and then back to the Piccadilly Line at Green Park.

Possibly. The running time for the Victoria Line is about five minutes quicker between the two. There is cross platform interchange between Piccadilly w/b and Victoria s/b at Finsbury Park. The change at Green Park is far less friendly involving three flights of stairs (though there is lift access but of course that would usually take longer). Although this is nowhere near as long as changes to/from the Jubilee (with the Jubilee Platforms seemingly somewhere under Buckingham Palace by my reckoning ). But it's still a hoof. But even with immediate connections at both ends, I doubt there'd be much, if anything, of an advantage

Similarly I’d imagine any end to end journey on the Bakerloo Line would be quicker if you took the Jubilee Line between Baker Street and Waterloo. Not sure whether the interchange times at those stations negate the faster Jubilee Line journey timing though.

I think the Jubilee running time advantage is similarly about five minutes. The change from n/b Bakerloo to n/b Jubilee is (from memory, I haven't been there for a while) particularly cumbersome, involving a number of passageways and a travelator. The change between n/b Jubilee and n/b Bakerloo at Baker Street is cross platform. Once again, I would be surprised if there was much of an advantage even with good connections.

Some examples of walking instead of taking the tube spring to mind. Blackfriars to Farringdon is a ten minute brisk walk but it's nine stops on the Circle Line and with the usual dwell at Aldgate would usually take twenty minutes. Then there are ridiculous examples such as Bayswater to Queensway and probably the most exasperating of all, between the two Hammersmiths, which are about 70 metres apart. Or 15 stops and two changes (unless you use the Wood Lane/White City OOS interchange which cuts it down to just eleven stops but three changes).

 

[BJames]

Possibly. The running time for the Victoria Line is about five minutes quicker between the two. There is cross platform interchange between Piccadilly w/b and Victoria s/b at Finsbury Park. The change at Green Park is far less friendly involving three flights of stairs (though there is lift access but of course that would usually take longer). Although this is nowhere near as long as changes to/from the Jubilee (with the Jubilee Platforms seemingly somewhere under Buckingham Palace by my reckoning ). But it's still a hoof. But even with immediate connections at both ends, I doubt there'd be much, if anything, of an advantage

Or - my preferred Green Park interchange route - a quick dash up and down the escalators via the ticket hall

Probably only really worth it if you know there aren't large gaps in the service - if you've already waited 4 minutes for your Piccadilly line train at Arnos Grove, say, I doubt it'd really be worth it. Plus, depending on how far you're going, you might have a seat and by the time the train gets to Green Park, there may not be any seats available.

 

[Joe Paxton]

I would have thought Waterloo to King's Cross St Pancras would be up there.

I suspect a lot of people take a suboptimal route between these two via the Northern line and then Piccadilly line (change at Leicester Sq) or Victoria line (change at Warren St), as they look like they make sense from the Tube map, rather than the Bakerloo + Victoria line route via an easy level change (essentially 'cross-platform') at Oxford Circus.

I suppose this helps spread demand somewhat.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Similarly I’d imagine any end to end journey on the Bakerloo Line would be quicker if you took the Jubilee Line between Baker Street and Waterloo. Not sure whether the interchange times at those stations negate the faster Jubilee Line journey timing though.

The interchange time at Waterloo would surely take up any time saving ... even when the travelator to/from the Jubilee at Waterloo is working!

 

[etr221]

I suspect a lot of people take a suboptimal route between these two via the Northern line and then Piccadilly line (change at Leicester Sq) or Victoria line (change at Warren St), as they look like they make sense from the Tube map, rather than the Bakerloo + Victoria line route via an easy level change (essentially 'cross-platform') at Oxford Circus.

I suppose this helps spread demand somewhat.

TfL did some research on which route people took - links from the DG blog post I pointed to in comment #3 up thread: less than a third used the Oxford Circus change between Bakerloo & Victoria lines. 1.4% were noted as 'others' - and when you see the two routes both recorded as 0.1%, you have to wonder what some of them were...

 

[edwin_m]

I am not sure if the main line platforms really have easier access from the Praed Street platforms, as I normally use the back footbridge for direct access to the Hammersmith line platform, and position myself in the rear coaches of the mainline train upon arriving Paddington if I am targeting Euston / St Pancras / Liverpool Street.

I agree it's a good route for those in the know, and the change at Edgware Road or Oxford Circus probably offsets any slight time saving that might result from arriving via Praed Street. But for those not in the know, arriving by a back entrance over a twisty footbridge with almost no station facilities is a bit offputting, so I suggest many will choose to go via the main concourse.