Getting Around Westminster
Westminster is the historic heart of Central London, stretching from the River Thames up to Oxford Street, and it packs in many of the city's best-known landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square and much of the West End theatre district. Because it sits in the middle of London, getting around is mostly a matter of choosing between the Tube, buses, trains, taxis and your own two feet.
Moving Around the District
Westminster is a compact, dense district, and much of it is best explored on foot. The main sights cluster close together, and walking lets you take in the streets, parks and architecture between them. For longer hops, or when the weather turns, the Tube and bus network will get you almost anywhere you need to go.
The Tube
The London Underground is the quickest way to move around Westminster and to connect with the rest of London. The district is served by a number of Tube stations, all within Zone 1, the central fare zone:
- Westminster — served by the Circle, District and Jubilee lines.
- Embankment — served by the Bakerloo, Circle, District and Jubilee lines.
- Green Park — served by the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria lines.
- Hyde Park Corner — served by the Piccadilly line.
- Pimlico — served by the Victoria line.
- St James's Park — served by the Circle and District lines.
- Victoria — served by the Circle, District and Victoria lines.
These stations put the major landmarks within easy reach and link Westminster directly to the wider London network. Tickets and passes for the Tube are the standard London-wide fares, and you can pay as you go or buy a travelcard covering the zones you need.
Trains
Westminster itself has no mainline railway station, but two major London terminals sit just outside the district and are easy to reach by Tube:
- London Waterloo — a terminus for trains to southwest England, operated mainly by South Western Railway. Services run to places such as Alton, Basingstoke, Leatherhead, Reading, Guildford, Portsmouth, Windsor, Salisbury and Weymouth, as well as local London destinations including Chessington, Hampton Court, Kew Bridge and Twickenham. It is connected to the Tube via Waterloo station.
- London Victoria — a terminus for trains to southeast England. Southeastern runs services to Dover, Ashford International (with Eurostar connections to France and Belgium), Ramsgate and Orpington; Southern Rail serves Brighton, Eastbourne and Portsmouth; and Thameslink offers a limited service to Sevenoaks in Kent. It has its own Tube station on the Circle, District and Victoria lines.
From either terminal, it is worth taking the Tube to reach Westminster rather than walking, as the stations are a fair distance from the district's core.
Buses and Coaches
Buses are a convenient and often scenic way to travel through Westminster. Victoria bus station sits in front of the train station of the same name and functions more like a cluster of bus stops in one area, with many routes passing through and continuing on to other parts of London.
For longer journeys, Victoria Coach Station is nearby, a short walk from London Victoria train station. It handles coaches from across the country and from Europe, with National Express and Megabus being the two main UK operators. Just about every city or large town in England can be reached by coach, usually at a significantly cheaper price than a train ticket. Stagecoach's Oxford Tube also runs between Gloucester Green in Oxford and Victoria Coach Station. Other coach lines pick up and drop off in the same area, particularly on either side of Colonnade Walk, the row of shops and offices between the train and coach stations.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Westminster's central location and dense street network mean taxis and ride-hailing services are widely available for short trips between landmarks or for reaching places not directly served by the Tube. They are a practical option when you are carrying luggage, travelling late, or simply prefer door-to-door travel.
By Boat
Westminster Millennium Pier, near Westminster Tube station, offers circular cruises on the River Thames. It is a pleasant way to see the riverfront and the district from the water, and it connects with the Tube at Westminster.
Getting In from the Airport
Westminster is well connected to London's airports through the wider London transport network. From the main airports, the usual approach is to take a train or the Tube into central London and then connect to a Westminster station such as Westminster, Victoria or Green Park. Because Westminster sits in Zone 1, most airport-to-city journeys end with a short Tube ride to one of the district's stations. Allow extra time during peak hours, and check the route that best matches your arrival airport before you travel.
Practical Tips
- Stay within Zone 1 fares for the cheapest and simplest Tube travel around Westminster.
- Use the Tube for speed and buses for sightseeing and shorter hops.
- Victoria is the district's main transport hub, combining Tube, train, bus and coach connections in one area.
- Walking is often the fastest way between nearby landmarks, so comfortable shoes are worth packing.
- For airport arrivals, plan to connect into central London and then take the Tube to a Westminster station.