walk/tour
Meet: Outside Costa Coffee kiosk at London Paddington Station, W2 1HQ
Explore some of the oldest – and newest – parts of London's underground rail infrastructure as you learn about the world’s first passenger underground railway and hear about its impact on the built environment. From saving London from traffic chaos in the 1850s to fuelling its expansion ever since, it's a fascinating tale of human ingenuity – and property speculation!
Paddington
Paddington
23, 16, 205, 27, 36
Meet at the Costa kiosk at the rear of Paddington Station opposite the entrance to Hammersmith & City lines (platforms 15 and 16)
We will be travelling on some of the older parts of the Underground network where step-free access is not available.
Much of the tour is underground. It will involve 1.5 miles of walking, travel by train, the use of escalators and the climbing of stairs.
Walking tour
09:30–11:30
Because of its nature, the capacity of this tour is limited , so please do not turn up without a booking.
How to book
Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.
Walking tour
09:30–11:30
Because of its nature, the capacity of this tour is limited , so please do not turn up without a booking.
How to book
Please create a free visitor account to book your festival tickets.
If you think congestion is bad in central London, you should have been here for the 1851 Great Exhibition. It was gridlock! This and the rapid growth of London in the 1800s led to the incredible venture that became the world's first passenger underground railway.
Join us as we follow the path of that first Tube line, exploring the enormous impact on London’s geography of a system which now accommodates 4 million passenger journeys per day. We will explore some key sites and stations in central London as we go through time to finish with a journey on the Elizabeth Line, the latest addition to London’s underground infrastructure.
Since he first travelled on it as a child, Alex has continued to be fascinated by all aspects of the Tube. He works in education and has led a wide variety of trips nationally and internationally for young people. Alex is an alumni of Open City’s Golden Key Academy.
Whilst this tour is free, it incorporates travel over parts of the London Underground network. This travel is chargeable in the normal way and, therefore, participants will need an Oyster Card or contactless card valid for Zone 1 travel. Three individual Zone 1 journeys will be required which, by themselves, will cost a total of £8.70. However, as there is daily charge cap of £8.90 for unlimited travel in Zones 1 & 2, depending on where you have travelled from, the actual cost of the journeys required for the tour may well be significantly cheaper than £8.70.
This tour is for anyone interested in finding out more about the London Underground and its history. All are welcome, but this trip is particularly suitable for those less familiar with London.
This tour is led by a graduate of Open City’s Golden Key Academy - an eight-month course designed to train insightful and engaging guides who bring London’s rich stories to life.
Learn more about the Golden Key Academy here: open-city.org.uk/golden-key-academy
Drop in / Guided tour
religious, community/cultural, gallery
Grade I Victorian Gothic church by G E Street, architect of the Royal Courts of Justice. The recent conservation project reveals the majestic colours of Daniel Bell's painted ceiling, plus Dow Jones Architects' contemporary heritage wing.
G. E. Street, 1867
