Uncover the 200-year-old history of the transport network in London through the 500,000 items and artworks preserved at the London Transport Museum. Spread across three floors, the museum explores how the city’s transport is deeply connected to its cultural growth and progress. Marvel at the different types of historic vehicles, current developments, and future models of transport exhibited at the museum. From horse-drawn omnibuses and vintage underground carriages to the earliest tram and train models, double-decker buses, tube driving simulators, and the world’s first underground steam-powered engine, there is so much to uncover at this stunning museum!
London Transport Museum - In A Nutshell
Handy information
| ⏰ Suggested Duration: | 2 hours |
| ☀️ Best Time to Visit: | 10 AM |
| 💜 Must See: | Hidden London |
| 🎟️ Tickets: | £24 |
| 🚇 Closest Metro: | Covent Garden |
Must-see
Hidden London
Victorian Transport
The world’s first Underground
The formation of London Transport
Things to know
Established in: 1980
Location: London
Number of artworks: 500,000 +
Opening Hours And Address
Every day from 10 AM to 6 PM
Address: London WC2E 7BB, United Kingdom
Get Directions
Why is the London Transport Museum Worth Visiting?
- It is home to a library featuring an impressive collection that covers the past, present, and future of transport in London while depicting how it has influenced the city’s social history, art, architecture, and design.
- The museum features numerous interactive displays that engage visitors of all ages. From simulators that let you experience driving a tube train to interactive exhibits on the future of transportation, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
- Housed in a stunning Grade II listed Victorian flower market, the museum's building itself is an architectural gem. Its unique blend of historical and contemporary design creates a captivating atmosphere for visitors.
- The London Transport Museum provides a range of educational programs, workshops, and lectures, making it a valuable resource for students, researchers, and anyone interested in the history and future of transport.
- The museum hosts Hidden London Tours that explore the 160-year-old history of the London Underground.
London Transport Museum Tickets
The London Transport Museum tickets allow you to access the attraction and explore its galleries and temporary exhibitions for as long as you want.
Highlights of London Transport Museum
1Hidden London: The Exhibition
This exhibition takes you on a tour of an abandoned underground tube station to uncover the secrets that lurk beneath the city streets. These ‘forgotten’ sections of the underground network tell fascinating stories of Britain during war. Also, explore rare archive photos, artifacts, objects, vintage posters, secret diagrams, and decorative tiles brought from disused stations.
2London’s Transport at War
The Transport at War gallery tells important stories about British life during wartime through photographs, posters, and objects taken from the collection at the museum. The interactive displays and an atmospheric sheltering experience will help youngsters understand what life was like for Londoners who sought refuge in underground stations during war. You can also create your own underground station ticket and take it home with you.
3 Metropolitan Railway A class 4-4-0T steam locomotive No. 23, 1866
Constructed by Beyer Peacock in Manchester in 1866, this is one of Britain’s oldest working steam locomotives and the original Class 'A' 4-4- 0 that was bought for the Metropolitan Railway Inner Circle services. The condensing tank engines were designed to control smoke emissions. However, the atmospheric pollution levels were still terrible due to which it was withdrawn from service.
419th Century London and Victorian Transport
Situated on the second floor of the museum, this gallery explores London’s transport network during the Victorian era. The introduction of the cabriolet, omnibus, and railways changed the transport scene in the city. Marvel at the double deck horse tram, sedan chair with two wooden carrying poles, and the horse bus exhibited here to learn more about the link between the transport network and the development of London.
5Digging Deeper exhibit
The introduction of the world’s first electric tube or railway in 1890 was a historic moment in London’s transport history. Know more about the conditions under which they were built, the challenges that the experiment faced and overcame, and admire the drawings, postcards, music sheets, and models of railway coaches and locomotives on display here.
6Future Engineers
This recently-opened gallery features some fun interactive exhibits where visitors can test their skills and solve transport-related difficulties usually faced by the engineers of today. It encourages an interest in STEM subjects while highlighting the range of job opportunities available in the field of engineering.
7On The Surface 1900 to 1945
This section of the museum traces the evolution of the transport network in London from 1900 to 1945. Initially, all vehicles on the streets were horse-drawn, whether they were private carriages, buses, trams, taxis, or delivery vans. In 1901, the first electric tram line opened and by 1914, trams were running throughout London followed by motor taxis and buses.
8On The Surface 1945 to Today
This gallery tells the story of how London’s transport services were severely hit following the Second World War. Marvel at the iconic Routemaster double decker motor bus that began its service in the city in 1959 replacing trolleybuses. London Transport began recruiting women and staff from across the globe as is evident by the exhibits of high visibility jackets and turbans inside the gallery.
Best time to visit London Transport Museum
The best time to visit the London Transport Museum is in the early hours when it opens at 10 AM. If you can’t make it in the morning, then afternoon (around 2 PM - 3 PM) is a good time to drop in. The museum is the least crowded during these hours giving you ample time to explore the attraction at your own pace and convenience.
Additionally you can learn more about the Best Time to Visit London.
London Transport Museum Timings
- Every day from 10 AM to 6 PM
- 24th December: Closed
- 25th December: Closed
- 26th December: Closed
Getting There
- By Bus: 9, 11, 13, 15, 23, 139, and RV1
- By Rail: Take a train to Charing Cross or Waterloo stations. The museum is a 10-minute walk from there.
- By Tube: Take a tube to Covent Garden or Leicester Square stations. The museum is a 2-minute walk from the former and a 4-minute walk from the latter.
- By Boat: Take an Uber Boat and get off at Embankment Pier from where the museum is just a 10-minute walk.
- By Bicycle: You can also ride a bike to the museum and park at the public cycle rack located just a few minutes away from the museum on Russell Street. Parking spots are also available on Wellington, Southampton, and Tavistock streets.
- By Car: You can drive down to the museum and park your car at the parking spaces available near the museum. Standard rates apply.
Insider Tips to Visiting London Transport Museum
- Book your tickets online and much in advance.
- You can bring your own food and beverages inside the museum but please ensure that you consume them in the Lower Deck Cafe only.
- Free cloakrooms are available for visitors to store their coats, bags, and other belongings.
- The museum is wheelchair accessible with level access, step-free stations, ramps, accessible toilets, and elevators going up to all the floors.
- Induction loops are available for people with hearing impairments while the blind or visually impaired can bring assistance dogs to the museum.
- There’s a buggy parking area available opposite the cloakroom inside the entrance to the museum.
- Baby-changing facilities and a breastfeeding room are available on the ground floor.
- Visit the souvenir shop after your tour of the museum for gifts and merchandise.
- Relish some delicious food and drinks at Canteen, a contemporary cafe located inside the museum.
- There is a playzone and Baby DLR area dedicated to babies and children between 0-7 years of age.
Restaurants near London Transport Museum
Enjoy the best of British cuisine at this stylish Covent Garden restaurant that creates unique dishes using fresh, seasonal, and sustainably sourced ingredients from the best independent producers. The restaurant offers breakfast, a pre-theatre menu, a children’s menu, and a variety of tasting menus including a vegan one.
Distance from London Transport Museum - 300 m
This Michelin-star restaurant by Adam Handling exudes a very theatrical vibe with guests facing the kitchen and chefs personally going to their tables to serve food. Each dish tells a story close to Adam’s heart, whether it’s about what inspires him or a childhood memory. He works with farmers, growers, and fishermen to obtain the best seasonal produce and create magic in the kitchen using fresh British ingredients.
Distance from London Transport Museum - 160 m
One of the oldest and the most celebrated restaurants in the world, Rules was frequented by renowned personalities like Charles Dickens, William Makepeace Thackeray, and HG Wells. This heritage restaurant serves traditional British food and specializes in oysters, pies, and puddings. Enjoy a glass of wine while relishing some delectable British food right here at Rules.
Distance from London Transport Museum - 200 m
Born out of love for the traditional London Chophouse, Blacklock is known for its chops, roasts, and steaks. They also serve meat-free mains along with a wide selection of sides and sauces to go with the mains. The Blacklock Sundays menu features a delectable spread of breakfast options, starters, and roasts.
Distance from London Transport Museum - 240 m
Things to do around London Travel Museum
One of the five branches of the Imperial War Museum, the Churchill War Rooms consist of an underground nerve centre, the award-winning Churchill Museum, and secret corridors that offer a glimpse into what life was like during the Second World War. They tell stories of people who lived beneath the streets of London during war and also shed light on Churchill’s character and actions at the time.
Distance from London Tramsport Museum - 1.4 km
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Located on the northern side of the Thames River, the Victoria Embankment Gardens are a series of beautiful gardens featuring gravel paths, trees, grass, flower beds, statues, and memorials. You can relax or enjoy a picnic with your loved ones here, away from the chaos of the streets. These gardens host several events during the summer and are also home to a cafe serving an all-day menu and ice cream.
Distance from London Transport Museum - 350 m
Located in the Bloomsbury area of London, the British Museum is the first national public museum of the world. It is home to an impressive collection of over 8 million works dedicated to art, culture, and human history. The objects and artworks explore the diversity, cultures, communities, forma, and expressions of the human world spanning countries and continents to understand how deeply and closely interconnected everything is.
Distance from London Transport Museum - 1 km
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This charming and beautiful church turned museum celebrates the art, design, and history of the gardens of Britain and the gardening process through horticultural exhibits, collection of artefacts and tools, botanical art, photography, and paintings. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, community projects, and events that look at sustainability, plant science, art, architecture, and food from the perspective of gardening.
Distance from London Transport Museum - 2.5 km
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Officially known as the London Millennium Footbridge, the Millennium Bridge is a suspension bridge made of steel. It was built to help pedestrians cross the Thames River and serves as a link between Bankside and the city of London. The bridge offers magnificent views of the river and a few iconic landmarks like St. Paul’s Cathedral, The Globe Theatre, Tower Bridge, and more.
Distance from London Transport Museumn - 3 km
Situated within the historic Horse Guards in Whitehall in central London, The Household Cavalry Museum is a living museum with real people going about their daily jobs in an actual place. The fascinating personal stories, first-hand accounts of rigorous training, astounding rare objects, and interactive displays depict the history of the Household Cavalry that was formed in 1661 and now comprises two senior regiments of the British Army – The Blues and Royals and the Life Guards.
Distance from London Transport Museum - 2 km
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Hotels around London Transport Museum
FAQs
The London Transport Museum explores the rich history and evolution of London’s transport network and the significant role it played in the city’s cultural growth and progress.
The tickets to the museum are priced at £24
Yes. Photography is allowed inside the museum. However, do not carry tripods or any other heavy equipment if you do not have permission. Commercial filming requires permission from the authorities.
Yes. The museum organizes special events and activities for kids, adults, families, and students from time to time.
The London Transport Museum is open every day from 10 AM to 6 PM.
