Leicester Square

Leicester Square is London's entertainment hub -the square itself ringed by major cinemas, the surrounding streets packed with theatres, restaurants and the chaos that results from millions of people doing leisure things simultaneously. The station below sits at this exact intersection of the Northern and Piccadilly lines and delivers people into the thick of it at every hour of the day and night. Film premieres happen here. The TKTS discount theatre ticket booth operates here. Chinatown is steps away. The National Portrait Gallery is around the corner. On a Friday evening, Leicester Square station is one of the most intensely busy places in the entire city.

It is also, paradoxically, one of the better-connected stations for what surrounds it. Two major lines, direct access to the full West End theatre district, and walking distance to Covent Garden, Soho, Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross -all without needing to change trains. For anyone spending an evening in the West End, Leicester Square Underground station is a natural start and end point.

Station Overview

Leicester Square station opened in 1906 as part of the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway. It sits in Zone 1 and serves two lines: the Northern and Piccadilly. The station has a relatively small ticket hall given the enormous volume of passengers it handles, and it can feel congested on weekday evenings and weekend afternoons. The station building on Charing Cross Road is one of Leslie Green's original ox-blood terracotta designs.

Lines and Connectivity

The Northern line (black) at Leicester Square is on the Charing Cross branch, connecting south to Charing Cross (2 minutes) and Waterloo (5 minutes), and north to Tottenham Court Road (2 minutes), Goodge Street, Warren Street, Euston and King's Cross. The Northern line Charing Cross branch is ideal for reaching the South Bank or the West End's northern fringe.

The Piccadilly line (dark blue) connects Leicester Square west to Piccadilly Circus (2 minutes) and Green Park (3 minutes), and east to Covent Garden (1 minute, though walking is recommended), Holborn and King's Cross. The Piccadilly line continues west to Heathrow Airport -useful for late-night airport connections when other options are limited.

The TKTS Booth

The TKTS discount theatre ticket booth is operated by the Society of London Theatre on the south side of Leicester Square. It sells same-day tickets for many West End shows at discounts of up to 50%, along with some advance tickets. The queue can be long on weekend afternoons -arrive early in the day for the best selection. A small service charge is added to each ticket. Only cash and card are accepted; no online purchasing.

West End Theatres

The West End theatre district radiates from Leicester Square across Shaftesbury Avenue and the surrounding streets. The major theatres within a 5-10 minute walk include the Lyceum (currently The Lion King), the Palace Theatre, the Cambridge Theatre, the Gielgud, the Queen's and the Wyndham's. The booking offices for all major shows are accessible within a short walk of the station.

Facilities

Leicester Square station has toilets, TfL Wi-Fi, a small shop and information point. The surrounding area has an enormous density of restaurants, cafes and bars at all price points -from the Chinatown dim sum restaurants on Gerrard Street to the more expensive hotel restaurants facing the square. ATMs are available on the square itself and on Charing Cross Road.

Accessibility

Leicester Square has step-free access on the Northern line via lifts. The Piccadilly line does not currently have step-free access at this station. Passengers requiring step-free access on the Piccadilly line should use Green Park or Holborn instead, both of which have accessible facilities. The surrounding streets are generally accessible at street level.

Travel Tips

• For Covent Garden, walk from Leicester Square rather than taking the tube -it is 10 minutes on foot and avoids the infamously crowded Covent Garden station with its lack of lifts and extremely long escalators.
• Chinatown (Gerrard Street) is a 3-minute walk from the south-east exit -London's most concentrated area of Chinese, Vietnamese and Malaysian restaurants, best visited for dinner between 18:00 and 20:00.
• The National Portrait Gallery on St Martin's Place reopened in 2023 after a major renovation and is one of London's finest galleries -free entry to the permanent collection.
• On Friday and Saturday evenings, the station can have queuing systems in place on the escalators. Allow extra time if catching a show or an onward train.
• Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery are a 5-minute walk south down Charing Cross Road -accessible and free, ideal for an afternoon before an evening show.

Nearby Attractions

West End Theatres -Throughout the surrounding streets. The TKTS booth on the south side of the square sells same-day discounted tickets for many shows.

Chinatown -3 minutes walk south-east on Gerrard Street. London's best concentration of Chinese, Vietnamese and Malaysian restaurants. Free to explore; expect queues at popular restaurants on weekend evenings.

National Portrait Gallery -5 minutes walk south on St Martin's Place. Reopened 2023 after a major renovation. Free permanent collection; ticketed major exhibitions.

Trafalgar Square and National Gallery -7 minutes walk south. Trafalgar Square is always free; the National Gallery has a free permanent collection and ticketed exhibitions.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

Leicester Square Underground operates approximately 05:30 to midnight Monday to Saturday and 07:00 to 23:30 on Sunday. The Northern and Piccadilly lines both have Night Tube on Friday and Saturday nights, making this a 24-hour station at weekends. The quietest periods are weekday mornings before 10:00 and Sunday mornings. Friday and Saturday evenings from 19:00 to 23:30 are the busiest of the week.