As anyone who has visited the city before will know, London has one of the most extensive underground rail networks in the world. Spanning hundreds of miles across 12 different tube lines, the London Underground is also the oldest of its kind, dating back to the original Metropolitan Line that was built beneath the roads between Farringdon and Paddington in 1863. Whilst the train services have been somewhat upgraded since then, guests of accommodation near Hyde Park London many of the same stations that operated all those years ago.

That being said, there are many tube stations under London that have long been forgotten about. As engineering works, network improvements and plain old wear and tear left many stations inoperable, there are several that are still safe to visit to this day.

Guests of hotels with breakfast near Paddington can still visit a collection of these stations via Hidden London Tours, operated by the London Museum of Transport in Covent Garden. Below are some of the tours that will become available this year (2023).

Shepherd’s Bush 

Situated on the western leg of the Central Line, Shepherd’s Bush Station has been operating since the dawn of the 20th century, when tram services ran underground from this crucial commuter hub. Underneath the bustling markets, music and theatre venues, a series of long-forgotten subterranean tunnels still exist that once housed the original trams that ran underground here. 

Clapham South 

Clapham South opened in the last years of World War 2 as a deep level bomb shelter for the people of southwest London. The shelters and tunnels around the Underground station itself are open to tours throughout 2023, with guides who will tell you stories of those seeking refuge, as well as the influx of Caribbean migrants who came to London with hope of a new future during the Windrush era. 

Charing Cross 

Charing Cross Station’s former tunnels run all the way to Trafalgar Square and the station itself dates all the way back to 1864. Easy to reach from the Queens Park Hotel London UK, many of this Victorian station’s tunne;s have served a new purpose over the years, having been used to film massive blockbusters such as Skyfall and Thor: The Dark World. These atmospheric tunnels feel lightyears away from the busy city above ground. 

Moorgate 

Dating back to 1865, Moorgate Station was originally known as Moorgate Street and was part of a widened Metropolitan Line. Over the years it has naturally expanded and developed into the modern station you’ll see today. But Moorgate Station has a labyrinth of disused tunnels that echo the designs of Victorian and early 20th century London. 

Piccadilly Circus

One of Central London’s busiest stations and easy to reach from hotels near Kensington Palace, Piccadilly Circus is well known for its rush hour madness, but beneath the chaos lie tunnels and tube platforms dating back to 1906. Serving the Piccadilly and Bakerloo Lines, the redevelopments of the 1920s left many Edwardian passageways and lift shafts abandoned and disused. You’ll learn incredible stories about the artefacts and priceless antiquities that were stored in these tunnels during the Second World War, whilst the period designs are sure to amaze.