Tottenham Court Road

Live status — lines serving Tottenham Court Road

Live departures from Tottenham Court Road

Tottenham Court Road anchors the eastern end of Oxford Street, where the West End shops meet Soho, the theatres of Shaftesbury Avenue and the music shops of Denmark Street. A huge rebuild for the Elizabeth line turned a cramped, confusing old station into one of central London's biggest and most modern interchanges — and, crucially, a fully step-free one. Three lines meet here, and the station is a natural pivot point between shopping, theatreland and the British Museum.

If Tottenham Court Road is closed

• Heading west on the Central? Oxford Circus is one stop west along Oxford Street.
• Need the Elizabeth line? Bond Street (west) and Farringdon (east) are the neighbouring Elizabeth line stops.
• Heading on the Northern (Charing Cross branch)? Leicester Square is one stop south; Goodge Street is one stop north.
• Going to the British Museum? Holborn (Central, Piccadilly) is an alternative on the far side of the museum.

About the station

Tottenham Court Road stands at the junction of Oxford Street, Charing Cross Road, New Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road itself, beneath the landmark Centre Point tower. The Central line platforms opened in 1900 and the Northern line's Charing Cross-branch platforms in 1907; for decades the two sat in a tight, awkward warren beneath the junction.

The Crossrail programme rebuilt the station on a completely different scale between 2009 and 2015, adding a vast new ticket hall, step-free access and a second entrance, before the Elizabeth line platforms opened in 2022. The result is a spacious, modern interchange — a world away from the old station — that puts Soho, theatreland and the British Museum all within a few minutes' walk.

Lines that serve Tottenham Court Road

• Central line — west to Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Notting Hill Gate and Ealing Broadway; east to Holborn, Bank, Liverpool Street, Stratford and Epping.
• Northern line — this is the Charing Cross branch: south to Leicester Square, Charing Cross, Waterloo and Kennington; north to Goodge Street, Euston, Camden Town and the northern branches.
• Elizabeth line — east to Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf and out to Abbey Wood or Shenfield; west to Bond Street, Paddington, Heathrow and Reading.

Step-free access — yes

Tottenham Court Road is step-free from street to platform on all three lines — Central, Northern and Elizabeth — thanks to the lifts added in the Elizabeth line rebuild. On the Elizabeth line the platforms are level with the train. Together with Bond Street, it makes the eastern end of Oxford Street reliably accessible.

See the full step-free Tube stations guide for what step-free access covers.

Exits and what is nearby

• Oxford Street / Charing Cross Road ticket hall (east). Beneath Centre Point; closest to Oxford Street east, Denmark Street ("Tin Pan Alley") and the Dominion Theatre.
• Dean Street ticket hall (west). The newer western entrance; the quickest way into Soho, towards Dean Street, Old Compton Street and the Shaftesbury Avenue theatres.
• For the British Museum. Walk north-east up Bloomsbury Street — about 5 minutes from the eastern exits.

A bit of history

The Central line station opened on 30 July 1900; the Northern line's Charing Cross-branch platforms followed on 22 June 1907. Historically there was even a second, adjacent station — the original "Oxford Street" stop — which was absorbed into the complex. For most of the twentieth century the station was known for its cramped passages and the mosaic murals by Eduardo Paolozzi, added in the 1980s (partly preserved and relocated during the rebuild). The Crossrail reconstruction, completed for the station in 2015 and for Elizabeth line services in 2022, expanded it dramatically and made it step-free.

Common quirks

• Two ticket halls, two different destinations. Use Dean Street for Soho and the west; use the Centre Point / Charing Cross Road hall for Denmark Street and the east.
• It's the Charing Cross branch of the Northern line. For the Bank branch you need a different station — check your route before assuming a direct Northern line train.
• Watch for the Paolozzi mosaics. Sections of the famous 1980s mosaic murals were retained in the rebuilt station.
• Theatre and gig nights get busy. Shaftesbury Avenue shows and Denmark Street venues push heavy evening crowds through the station.

Frequently asked questions

Which lines serve Tottenham Court Road?

Three: the Central line, the Northern line (Charing Cross branch) and the Elizabeth line. The Elizabeth line opened here in 2022 after a major rebuild.

Is Tottenham Court Road step-free?

Yes. Following the Elizabeth line rebuild, the station is step-free from street to platform on all three lines, with step-free access from street to train on the Elizabeth line.

What zone is Tottenham Court Road in?

Zone 1.

Which exit is best for Soho?

The Dean Street ticket hall on the western side is the quickest way into Soho, towards Old Compton Street and the Shaftesbury Avenue theatres.

Which Northern line branch stops here?

The Charing Cross branch. Southbound trains run via Leicester Square and Charing Cross, not via Bank.

Lines serving this station

Guides