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Visiting the London Transport Museum – What to See and Do

There is a good chance, that your journey to the London Transport Museum, will involve either an underground, bus or both – run by London Transport. Not many museums can claim they bring their visitors using their own transport!

What is the London Transport Museum? A wonderful collection showcasing the age of transport in London, with steam underground tube engines and vintage buses and trams from all eras of London Transport in a well-designed museum setting.

Very few visitors to London will miss the opportunity of travelling by underground or on the tube, as they are the most inexpensive ways to travel in the city, other perhaps than walking. The London Transport Museum appears to a wide range of ages and children will love the hands-on experiences of many exhibits.

6 Top Attractions at the London Transport Museum

1. Vintage bus and tram collection 2. Hand-on exhibits suitable for children 3. Early steam engines from the Underground 4. Dedicated under-sevens area 5. Pretend to drive buses and trains 6. Cafe and themed shop

All About the London Transport Museum

Is it just a load of london buses.

Far from it. Yes, there is a collection of vintage London Transport buses, but that is to be expected at this museum.

The early buses, or omnibus to give them their full name, were horse-drawn before the age of combustion engines. Sitting inside one of the earliest examples of a horse-drawn omnibus, you can discover the rules of the road as they were way back in the early 1800s.

Horse-drawn omnibuses were withdrawn from service in 1911, so there isn’t anyone alive in London who would have travelled on one as a fare-paying passenger. You will discover early trams which used to ply their trade around the streets of the city in the days when cars were few and far between for most Londoners.

When the Underground first started, the engines were steam-driven, complete with all the noise and soot in the tunnels and stations. It couldn’t have been a very pleasant experience. The museum has some fine examples of these historic engines on display. The museum brings all this together across several levels in an imaginative way, which will appeal to adults and children alike.

What is There for Children to Do?

The museum is suitable for children from three to 11.

There are hands-on experiences for children as young as three. Your budding bus driver can climb aboard and “drive”, hit the bell, and to the toot hooters.

When you arrive, collect a card from the ticket desk and explore the museum, stamping the card at many of the exhibits.

The under seven’s have their own themed play area and there is somewhere close for parents and grandparents to sit while the kids wear themselves out (hopefully!)

For children aged between seven and 11, the push-button zone at the Interchange is where they can dress up and pretend to be drivers of eco-friendly modern public transport.

There are cartoon quizzes to stretch young brains and help them explore and discover more about the history of London’s transport.

You may have trouble dragging the kids away when you want to move on.

Selfies and Pictures

Your young bus drivers will want their pictures taken at the wheel in the cab and what grown man can resist the same.

After all, didn’t we all want to be bus drivers at some point?

Food and Drink

There is a cafe in the museum which serves drinks and snacks. Try a Circle Line smoothie, they are rather good.

You are welcome to bring your own food and drinks to the separate indoor picnic area.

Disabled Facilities

Wheelchairs are welcome at the museum. However, not all exhibits are suitable, with high steps and twisty staircases to upper decks of some vintage buses.

How to get to the London Transport Museum

The museum is in Covent Garden and there is an underground station only a couple of minute’s walk away. The Leicester Square underground is four minutes walk. The closest mainline rail station is Charing Cross and it takes less than ten minutes to walk. The closest bus stops are in the Strand and between six and ten minutes away.

WHAT IS CLOSE TO THE LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM?

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* Entry costs are an indication and may change.

Nigel Peacock

Lover of London and exploring and writing to share our city with you.

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London Transport Museum: The Complete Guide

Courtesy of London Transport Museum

London Transport Museum

Those who have experienced London's public transportation understand just how amazing it is. From the buses to the London Underground, the British city is all about getting you from place to place, quickly and easily, without a car. But it hasn't always been this way. London's current transportation systems have evolved and grown over time, which is the subject at the heart of the London Transport Museum. The museum can sometimes be overlooked for flashier tourist attractions, but it's an engaging and immersive experience perfect for travelers of all ages.

History and Background

The London Transport Museum, located in an old Grade II-listed Flower Market building in Covent Garden Piazza, focuses on the heritage of London and its transport system, telling the stories of people who have traveled and worked in the city over the past 200 years. It traces the history of London transport from the Victorian era through today and showcases things like the first Tube trains to the evolution of the iconic red buses.

The collection dates back to the 1920s when the London General Omnibus Company decided to preserve two Victorian horse buses and an early motorbus for future generations. During the 1960s, the Museum of British Transport opened in an old bus garage in Clapham and moved to Syon Park in 1973 with the name the London Transport Collection. The existing museum first opened in 1980 and was refurbished in 2005. Today, the London Transport Museum owns and displays over 450,000 items.

What to See and Do

There's a lot to see and do in the London Transport Museum, so set aside at least an hour or two for your visit. The collection features actual historical modes of transportation, like horse and motor buses, taxis and bicycles, and there are tons of colorful old posters and transport maps to admire throughout the displays. There are even old transport signs, dating as far back as the 1800s, in case you wondered what the original London Underground signs looked like. While most of the collection is permanent, the London Transport Museum also houses temporary exhibitions and specially focused displays.

The museum offers special events for children and families, including activities over holidays and school breaks. Check the online calendar for upcoming events, all of which are free with museum admission. There are also Under 5s sessions for young visitors happening every week.

How to Visit

The museum recommends coming during the afternoons if you want to avoid the crowds. It's family-friendly, with lots of amenities for kids, including stroller parking, a baby changing room and an All Aboard play zone for younger visitors ages 0-7.

Unlike many London museums, you'll have to pay an entry fee to get into the Transport Museum, but it's valid for a year with unlimited entry. Ticket packages are also available for visitors who want to take a ride on the Thames Clipper or visit other London attractions. Check the museum's website for current packages and more information.

Getting There

To get to the museum, which is located off the Covent Garden Piazza, take the Tube to Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Holborn, Charing Cross, or Embankment stations. Or hop one of the many buses that drop off on the Strand or at Aldwych. These include the RV1, 9, 11, 13, 15, 23, and 139. Those who want to take advantage of the Thames Clipper, a boat service that connects various points along the Thames, should get on and off at Embankment Pier. There is limited parking by the museum so driving is not recommended.

Tips for Visiting

• The London Transport Museum has a cafe, called Canteen, which serves an all-day menu, including options for kids. The surrounding neighborhood of Covent Garden also has plenty of restaurants.
• Purchase tickets online in advance to save money on admission.
• If you want to learn more about the museum in advance of your visit, check out the museum floor plans on their website. There is a free stamper trail throughout the exhibitions that will help you follow the story told in the displays. The stamper trail starts on level 2 and can be a fun way to engage kids in the journey.
• Older visitors should head to the museum on Thursday or Friday evenings once a month when the London Transport Museum holds its "Museum Lates" events. On specific dates, the museum stays open until 10 p.m. and features curator talks, DJs and interactive activities.
• If you want to know even more about the history of London's transportation systems, the Transport Museum offers guided tours at their Museum Depot in Acton.

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The London Transport Museum tells some of the stories of the 150-year plus development of public transport in London. From the first public transport in the early 19th century and the world’s first underground trains through to the integrated transport of modern London controlled by Transport for London.

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The London Transport Museum’s origins started in the early 20th-century when retired buses were preserved by the London General Omnibus Company. It expanded to include the railways and other transport vehicles and memorabilia until the present day. Its modern-day remit is to cover all aspects of transport within London.  

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM

The museum is housed in a former fruit and flower market and hosts buses, trolleybuses and railway carriages and locomotives from across the history of transport in London. It packs in a lot more than you might expect given the relatively limited space available.

There isn’t a guided route through the museum, so be sure to check the map to be certain you don’t miss anything you really want to see.

VICTORIAN TRANSPORT

The origins of public transport in London are covered on the second level of the museum. Here you can see a sedan chair as well as horse-drawn buses and trams that offered those living in London their first chances to ride on public transport.

While the railways brought people to the city, their terminuses were located at what was then the edge of the city. This left people predominantly walking from the station to their destination and using ferrymen to cross the River Thames if required. London’s first ‘hail and ride’ service was launched by George Shillibeer in 1829, but it wasn’t until the launch of horse-drawn trams in 1870 that working-class Londoners could afford to use public transport.

THE WORLD’S FIRST UNDERGROUND RAILWAY

With the railways bringing people into the city, the congestion of those people trying to their destinations was becoming a major problem. The Metropolitan Railway linked three of these terminuses together underground by digging a huge trench down the centre of the street. The railway was constructed inside the trench and then roofed over to allow the street to be restored. This method, known as cut and cover offered a solution to getting people off the street and onto underground railways but was hugely disruptive during construction.

The first underground railway in the world opened in 1863 between Paddington and Farringdon. It was followed a few years later by the District Line and the two railways were linked to form the Circle Line. Despite its name, the circle line is no longer a circle, more a lasso and visits Paddington and Edgeware Road twice as it travels from one end to the other.

The other surprising thing about the new railway was that it was powered by steam! You can see a steam engine that was used on the underground in the museum and can only imagine how dirty it must have been before the railway was switched over to electric power.  

The deep lines that give the entire underground system its nickname were only possible once the system could be powered electrically and engineers could tunnel safely through London’s clay. Safer tunnelling was achieved through the use of the Greathead Shield which meant there was no need to dig a trench for the entire route.

The first tube line was also the first electric railway in the world and operated between Stockwell and King William Street. It opened in 1890 with passengers travelling in padded cell coaches that look quite claustrophobic compared with today’s trains. You can also see a life-size recreation of the tunnelling shield that was used to protect the workers as they dug out the tunnel to the first tube.

SURFACE TRANSPORT

As well as the horse-drawn buses and trams displayed in the Victorian section, the museum also houses several more modern buses from London’s transport history.

After the trams which exploded across London in the years before World War I came independently powered buses. Being open-topped for the cheapest fares left those paying the least exposed to the elements no matter what the weather. Improvements in comfort came from the introduction of inflated tyres and putting roofs on the top deck.

Trolleybuses which used the same power lines as the trams were introduced around 1930 and a six-wheel example of a trolley bus is on display in the museum. Whilst no longer limited by rails, these buses could still only deviate so far from the power lines and independently powered buses eventually won out.

The most iconic London Bus is surely the Routemaster and a fine example of one and its predecessor take pride of place in the museum. To anyone old enough, the memory of jumping on and off these buses, not necessarily when they were at a bus stop will no doubt bring back memories.

DESIGN ICONS

After London Transport was created in 1933 a push was made to standardise signage and ensure that good design was implemented across the network. Perhaps the three most iconic results of this push are the famous roundel, the font used across the network and the London Tube Map. All of these are celebrated within the Museum.

From an original design in 1905, the roundel has undergone many revisions through the years but retains the basic design of a red circle and a blue bar. The roundel is now used throughout London with different modes of transport adopting different colour combinations.

The font used on London Transport was first developed by Edward Johnston and has undergone two revisions during its lifetime. The last revision restored the typeface closer to the original and introduced symbols such as the hash character which has gained importance with its use on social media.

Before Harry Beck invented the basis of the map that is still used in London (and on many metro systems throughout the world) stations were laid out geographically. Though accurate, this didn’t help people work out routes as stations could be close together and hard to interpret. Harry Beck’s idea was to draw the map similar to an electrical schematic with disregard for the distances between stations or their relationship to each other. This can be seen most clearly by looking at Wimbledon Station on the District Line and South Wimbledon on the Northern Line. In real life, they are less than a mile apart.

PLAN YOUR VISIT TO THE LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM

Information last updated December 2019

HOW TO GET THERE

The London Transport Museum can be found at  Covent Garden Piazza (south-east corner) London WC2E 7BB .

The nearest tube stations are Covent Garden (Piccadilly Line), Charing Cross (Northern and Bakerloo Lines and southeastern National Rail),  Temple (Circle and District Lines), and Leicester Square (Piccadilly and Northern Lines). All stations are less than 10 minutes walk to the London Transport Museum.

Parking is available less than five minutes walk away at  Q-Park Covent Garden .

HELPFUL LINK:

• If you need an app that will navigate you around whether walking, driving or using public transport and even works offline then click for a guide about   how to use Here WeGo .

OPENING HOURS

Opening hours are 1000-1800 every day except for the 24th to 26th December.

As all of the attraction is indoors, any time of year is a good time to visit and it could be the perfect place to visit on a rainy or cold day. We would recommend you allow at least two hours to fully explore the museum.

HOW TO BUY TICKETS & SAVE MONEY ON ADMISSION

Basic admission prices are £18 for adults, free for 17 and under and £17 for over senior citizens, students and visitors receiving state benefits. One carer per disabled visitor can visit for free.  You can save £1.50 per ticket by   booking online   in advance. British military personnel can visit for £13 for themselves and their family by presenting their military ID on the door. TFL staff can visit the museum for free.

The London Transport Museum is included in the  London Pass  which can offer savings depending on what else you are doing whilst you are in London.

If you are travelling by train on the   National Rail   you may also be eligible for great savings with the   2 for 1 London offer by Days Out Guide . This offer is not available all the time but it is well worth a quick look on their website to see if it’s available for when you’d like to visit.

ACCESSIBILITY

All areas of the museum offer step-free access. Access to locomotives and historic buses is not step-free, the more modern tube trains are accessible as the floor is raised flush with the entrance to the carriage.

For full accessibility details please visit the London Transport Museum Accessibility page.

IS THE LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM WORTH THE VISIT?

For anyone interested in the history of transport in London, or those you just want to step onto a Routemaster bus, or tube train that they’ll remember from their childhood, the London Transport Museum is an excellent place to visit. The museum has road transport equipment going back to horse-drawn buses, trolley-buses and the classic Routemaster. For trains, there are several old underground trains as well as a steam locomotive that pulled trains underground in the early days of the network. This is all surrounded by many other artefacts that document the history of transport in London.

See what others think of this attraction on Trip Advisor .

ADD TO YOUR LONDON ITINERARY

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life” said Samuel Johnson, so it’s no surprise that there are a plethora of things to do in the UK’s capital city. Here are a few choice selections to whet your appetite.

• Enjoy the unique shops and market stalls of Covent Garden ; watch the street performers and soak up the atmosphere of this vibrant part of London.
• The British Museum is one of the world’s premier collections of global antiquities including such exhibits as the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles.
• If you want to buy something silver the London Silver Vaults are the world’s largest retail area for silver in the world with over 30 specialist shops.
• Explore the Churchill War Rooms , the actual rooms where Churchill and his chiefs of staff formulated strategy for the defence of the UK during World War II.
• Take a ride on the London Eye and take in the breathtaking views as the Eye takes you 130m above London.

RELATED ATTRACTIONS IN THE UK

As the birthplace of the railways, the UK has a rich variety of railway related attractions. Here are a few you might want to consider visiting:

• Learn about the history of the railways, visit iconic locomotives and explore the luxury of Royal Rail Travel at the National Rail Museum .
• Let the train take the strain to the top of Wales’ highest peak on the  Snowdon Mountain Railway . The narrow-gauge rack and pinion railway will take you up over 1,000 m (3300 ft) in just 4.7 miles (7.5 km).
• Ride Mail Rail , the post offices tiny underground railway that was built just to carry the post. Today you can ride it yourself and learn about how and why it was constructed.
• Take a ride on one of many steam railways around the country and see steam engines in action. You can find your nearest railway on the Heritage Railways website. One of our favourites is the Kent and East Sussex where you can take a steam train to Bodiam Castle !
• Modern railway lines can still be a great way to see the country. For example, the Far North Line from Inverness to Thurso and Wick is the most northerly line in the UK and even without the allure of steam, little detracts from the wild and beautiful countryside this railway travels through.

RESOURCES | PLAN YOUR TRIP TO LONDON

To book flights, rental cars, accommodations, and activities for your trip, please check out our recommended travel providers, favourite apps and websites. 

These are a few tours that we would recommend for your trip to London.

Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission but this does not affect the price to you. Please read our   full disclosure policy here . 

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The Ultimate Guide to visiting the London Transport Museum

London transport museum ultimate guide.

Not many cities in the world can boast having a famous transportation system quite like London can. With phrases like “Mind The Gap” being known around the world, and its tube maps on countless mugs, towels and other London souvenirs, it makes sense that London would eventually open a museum which focuses specifically on its transport.

The London Transport Museum has been around since the 1920s, and houses over 450,000 items which cover over 200 years of London’s transport history. By walking through its galleries, visitors can learn more about the connection between the growth of modern London and its world-famous transportation system; and not just limited to historic items, the museum also covers some present-day transportation concepts, and even futuristic ones as well.

Originally, the museum (which was then known as The Museum of British Transport) was located in an old bus garage in Clapham, and displayed two Victorian horse buses as well as an early motorbus for visitors to admire. But over the years, the museum expanded immensely, and was eventually moved to the Victorian Flower Market building in the historic Covent Garden area, and was then renamed the London Transport Museum.

London Transport Museum Highlights

The museum spans over two floors, with the first floor containing the most exciting exhibits including one of the earliest wooden Metropolitan railway coaches, which can be boarded by visitors. On the second floor, visitors can see a variety of historical transportation artefacts, and learn more about the construction of London’s first passenger railway (which was from London Bridge to Greenwich in 1833).

Even the entrance of the building is a highlight in itself, as visitors will be greeted with transport system audiovisual recordings from all over the world (like New York, New Delhi, Tokyo, Paris, Shanghai and of course, London). There’s also a library (located at 39 Wellington Street), and exhibits which cover the story behind the iconic London Underground logo, which was designed by Frank Pick.

Children will especially enjoy the All Aboard family play zone which boasts a ton of different miniature vehicles children can climb into. Kids are also welcome to try and repair a miniature tube train, sail on the Thames Nipper, and play some musical instruments in the busking spots.

Other popular items in the London Transport Museum include:

• A horse-drawn omnibus (circa 1805)
• The original tube map (which was designed by Harry Beck).
• A wooden Metropolitan Railway “Bogie Stock” coach (which was converted to electricity in 1901)
• A sedan chair (which was London’s first licensed public transport)
• The first underground steam-powered engine
• Historic London transport posters designed by the likes of Graham Sutherland, Abram Games and Ivon Hitchens.

Special Tips

Getting There

Visiting london transport museum.

Not just limited to exhibits, the museum also boasts a picnic area, a café, and a Lower Deck cafe bar which offers sandwiches, snacks and drinks. A visit to the bar on the upper floor is a must (promptly titled the Upper Deck Cafe Bar). Not only does the bar offer stunning views over the Covent Garden’s Piazza, it also features seating which is based on the Northern line pattern from the 1930s, and they even have transport-themed cocktails as well (like the Traffic Light, the Metropolitan Mix, the Routemaster and the Tipsy Trainspotter).

There are toilet facilities, as well as baby-changing facilities located on the museum’s ground floor, wheelchair access at the Ticket Desk, and lifts to all the floors in the museum.

If you want to visit the library, then you will need to enter through the museum’s reception area which is located at 39 Wellington Street.

Children under the ages of 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times while visiting the museum.

Ticket Costs

The London Transport Museum is open from:

• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Thursday, Saturday and Sunday (with last admission at 5:15 p.m.)
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays (with last admission at 5:15 p.m.)

Tickets for the London Transport Museum cost:

• £17 for adults (or £16 online)
• £14.50 for seniors and students (or £13.50 online)
• £12.50 each for groups of ten or more adults
• £11 each for groups of ten or more seniors/students
• Children and teenagers under the age of 18 can get in for free

By purchasing a ticket, you can get unlimited daytime entry into all of the galleries and exhibitions for 12 months. Be aware that the group admission tickets are not valid for an annual pass, and are for one-day entry only.

If you want to park your car at the museum, spaces cost £4.40 per hour, with a maximum stay of four hours.

Free Tours in Your Language

• Visiting London Transport Museum

By: Author Emily

Posted on Last updated: November 27, 2023

The London Transport Museum is a great place for guests of all ages to learn more about the different vehicles and systems that have moved through London over the years. It’s a small museum that packs in plenty of interactive and fun things to do.

In this post, we’ll help you plan a perfect visit to the London Transport Museum. We’ll start with the basics, then go over the unique ticket options, things to do there and how much time you’ll need. Then we’ll wrap up with our thoughts on whether this museum is worth a visit and some tips to make the most out of your trip.

Let’s explore the London Transport Museum!

Where is the London Transport Museum?

The London Transport Museum is located in the Covent Garden district in London’s West End. The exact address is The Piazza, London WC2E 7BB, United Kingdom . The entrance is on the Piazza side near Covent Garden Market.

You can get to the London Transport Museum easily via public transportation. The closest Underground stop is Covent Garden, which serves the Picadilly line. Alternatively, it’s a <10 minute walk (0.4 miles) from the Temple Station stop which serves the District and Circle lines. There are also several buses that stop nearby. Check Google Maps for your exact transportation route.

When is the London Transport Museum Open?

London Transport Museum is open everyday from 10 AM to 6 PM, with the last entry allowed at 5 PM. There are a few select days when these hours may differ, so be sure to verify the official hours for your specific trip.

How Much are Tickets to the London Transport Museum?

There are three ticket options for the London Transport Museum, all of which are annual passes. The most popular ticket options for foreign tourists are the Unlimited Annual Pass and the Off-Peak Annual Pass, which vary only by allowed entry days and times.

The Unlimited Annual Pass is valid every day for a full year and costs £21 for adults. The Off-Peak Annual Pass costs £18.50, but you may only visit on weekdays after 2 PM (excluding school holidays).

If you are planning to visit during an off-peak time and don’t have plans to be back in London in the next year, you should choose the less expensive off-peak option. For all other visitors, the Unlimited Annual Pass is the best bet.

The final ticket option is the Annual Pass Plus which costs a steep £60. This ticket option includes admission to London Transport Museum and access to Depot Open Days. Depot Open Days are special festival-style events that take place a few times a year at the Depot in nearby Acton (35 minutes by train from the the London Transport Museum). Unless you’re planning to attend one of these events, this ticket is not worth the up-charge.

Can you buy a single day ticket for the London Transport Museum?

No, there is no single-day tickets for the London Transport Museum. The only ticket options are annual passes. Even if you only plan the visit the museum once, you’ll need to purchase an annual pass.

Is the London Transport Museum free?

The London Transport Museum is free for children under 17. Admission is also free for a select group of people who work with or support the London Transport Museum or Transport For London organizations.

Concessions are available for local residents, seniors, students and guests with disabilities.

You can learn more about these special ticket options here .

Where can you buy tickets for the London Transport Museum?

You can buy tickets online in advance or on-site at the museum. The ticket office is located at the museum entrance near the front of the store.

If you purchase online in advance, you will have the ability to confirm your preferred time slot as some entry times may sell out.

Do you need to make reservations at the London Transport Museum?

Yes. Whether you are buying a new annual pass, already have one, or are a free visitor, you will need to reserve a timed slot for entry.

If you are buying tickets on-site, as long as time slots are available, you can purchase your ticket and enter immediately.

What is there to do at the London Transport Museum?

The London Transport Museum has three floors of mostly interactive exhibits.

The ground floor starts with a special exhibit (currently London Transport’s Caribbean Workforce). Ideally, you then head up to the second floor (third floor to Americans who consider the ground floor the first floor) where you can learn about 19th Century London. Then the exhibits move chronologically as you work your way down.

On the first floor (or what Americans would consider the second floor), you’ll find exhibits about the growth of the suburbs and the world’s first underground train system. You’ll be able to walk inside an original steam engine and little ones can enjoy a family play zone.

Back on the ground floor, you can learn about how the train tunnels were built, the history and future of the London Transport system and even see life-size transport vehicles from the 1900s to today. There’s another family play zone on the ground floor.

The London Transport Museum also has a cafe and shop that is open to the public (no ticket required).

Is the London Transport Museum good for kids?

Absolutely. The museum has lots of hands-on exhibits and play areas that kids will love. There are full size trains, buses and trolleys that will impress little travelers of all ages. They can even jump behind the wheel of a bus or walk through an old train car.

The littlest ones will be most excited about the two play areas. They can climb aboard a double-decker bus, virtually sail a boat down the Thames or even pretend to be a bus mechanic. If your kids are anything like my 2-year-old, you will have to pull them out of here! The play areas are quite small though, so set your expectations accordingly.

Then there’s the store. It’s filled with toys and books and models that will delight every little transit enthusiast!

The London Transport Museum was definitely the highlight of our toddler’s first London visit. They also loved the London Eye , which is another great option for kids in London.

How long to spend at the London Transport Museum?

We suggest spending about 1 – 2 hours at the London Transport Museum. We personally spent 2 hours, which included generous time playing in the play zones and eating lunch in the cafe.

The museum is relatively small, but has three floors of exhibits which you could easily spend an hour or more reading and engaging with. There’s also a great store which deserves a wander.

If you’re visiting with young children, be sure to budget time for them to play in the play areas. These areas will be the most fun for younger children, probably in the 1-5 age group. (Our 2-year-old LOVED it.) We recommend spending at least 15 minutes in each of the two play spaces.

If you plan to eat lunch, that will take another 30 minutes as the service is slow. (Though honestly, there are much better food options in the area.)

Special Events at the London Transport Museum

The London Transport museum offers a variety of special events throughout the year. There are family friend events like singing and story time and even SEND Explorer events which provide a better environment for kids with sensory sensitivity.

They also host Museum Lates for adult guests. These after-hour events allow adults to enjoy the museum while sipping a cocktail and listening to expert speakers.

You can find the full event calendar here .

Is the London Transport Museum worth visiting?

If you’re visiting with kids, absolutely. Kids enter free, which makes up for the inflated annual pass pricing for adults. Younger kids will have the most fun here, making it really appealing for families with small children.

It’s also great for anyone who loves public transportation, trains and general urbanism. If any of those things appeal to you, you’re bound to find something interesting.

Otherwise, we probably wouldn’t prioritize this one for a first visit. You’ll be better off spending your museum time and budget on things like Tower of London, British Museum or the free Tate Modern.

The London Transport Museum is a good option for repeat London visitors, who have already hit the more popular museums. Another one of our favorite activities for repeat London visitors is the Little Venice canal boats , which we’ve also written a helpful guide for.

Tips for Visiting the London Transport Museum

We had a great time visiting the London Transport Museum, but we did learn a few things along the way. Here are our best tips for a great visit.

• Avoid weekdays . This seems a little counter-intuitive as most people would assume that the weekends are most crowded. While that is partially true, weekdays get packed with school and camp groups. We would prefer the higher parent-to-child ratio of weekend family crowds over the student-to-teacher ratio of youth groups any day.
• Arrive early.  We suggest visiting the museum when it opens around 10 AM. Not only will you get lower crowds, but that’ll put you in the heart of Covent Garden when you wrap up around noon. You can get lunch at a nearby restaurant and spend the rest of your afternoon exploring the West End, like Chinatown, Picadilly Circus and Regent, Oxford and Carnaby Streets.
• Consider a city pass. There are a few different passes that allow you to visit multiple attractions in London for a set price. The London Transport Museum is an included attraction with The London Pass and the Go City London Explorer pass . If you have either of these passes, it’s worth stopping by. However, I wouldn’t buy these expensive passes with the London Transport Museum as your main priority as there are much higher value attractions also included.
• Visit the store . Even if you don’t visit the museum, we would recommend popping into the store which is free to enter. They have the cutest toys and books for kids and some great apparel and accessories for adults.
• Get coffee at % Arabica . This beautiful craft coffee shop was founded in Kyoto and now has 122 locations around the world. It’s one of our favorite coffee shops and we try to go whenever we find one. The Covent Garden location was their first in the UK and just steps from the London Transport Museum.

Closing Thoughts

We had a great visit to the London Transport Museum. Over several trips to London, we’ve developed quite a love for the London Underground train system, so we were excited to learn more about its history.

We had read that it was good for kids, and that was definitely true. Our toddler had the best time. The location is perfect for a museum that doesn’t take up too much time. It’s easy to build a really fun day that includes a visit to the transport museum.

We don’t currently have plans to return to London again within the year, but we kept our ticket just in case. If we end up there while our annual pass is still valid, we’ll certainly pop in again.

Have you been to the London Transport Museum? Is it on your itinerary? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds

London Transport Museum

London, England, United Kingdom

Offering visitors a fascinating insight into 200 years of the history of London’s transport systems, the London Transport Museum is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.

Lily Johnson

09 jun 2021.

About London Transport Museum

The London Transport Museum hosts the world’s best collection of objects and fascinating interactive exhibits relating to London’s rich public transport history.

London Transport Museum history

In the 1920s, the London General Omnibus Company decided to preserve two retired Victorian horse buses and an early motorbus for the benefit of future generations. The Museum of British Transport was then opened in the 1960s in an old bus garage in Clapham, and from there it moved to Syon Park near Twickenham in 1973, and in 1980 to its current site – the Victorian Flower Market Building in Covent Garden’s world-famous Piazza.

The Grade II-listed iron and glass building dates from 1871 and was designed by architect William Rogers of William Cubitt & Company. For close to a century it was the epicentre of London’s wholesale flower industry until it moved just south of the Thames to Nine Elms in Vauxhall. Following which the London Transport Museum moved most of its collection into the building, with other exhibits moving to York upon the formation of the National Railway Museum in 1975.

London Transport Museum today

Today the London Transport Museum’s permanent displays take visitors through the heritage of London and its transport system, as well as the stories of the people who have travelled and worked in the city over the last two centuries. The museum also boasts a continually updated range of brilliantly interactive temporary exhibitions, taking on subjects like London Transport’s most iconic poster designs, Crossrail, and the future of public transportation.

Trains, trams, tubes and buses through the ages are on display and galleries include 19 th century London & Victorian Transport, World’s First Underground, Pioneer Tube, Growth of Suburbia, On the Surface 1900-1945, London Transport at War, and Digging Deeper. The London Transport Museum is a fun, interesting and fascinating day out for the whole family and if you buy a ticket you can go back as many time as you like for free for a whole year!

Getting to the London Transport Museum

The London Transport Museum is located in the Covent Garden Piazza , and can be reached via a number of public transport options. The nearest bus stops are Strand or Aldwych, while the Covent Garden Underground station is just a 2-minute walk away. The nearest train station is also Charing Cross, a 7-minute walk away.

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Everything about tourist attractions

London Transport Museum – tickets, prices, discounts, timings, what to see

London Transport Museum explores the heritage of London and its transport system over the last 200 years.

The Transport Museum in the heart of Covent Garden has 12 galleries, a few exhibitions, and many activities that bring out fascinating travel stories of Londoners in the last two centuries.

Visitors see the beautifully restored world’s first underground steam engine, electric trains, classic London buses, trams, iconic posters of the transport department, and a lot more.

This article covers everything you must know before booking London Transport Museum tickets.

Top London Transport Museum Tickets

# London Transport Museum tickets # Transport Museum + Postal Museum # Transport Museum + River Cruise

Table of contents

What to expect at transport museum in london, where to book tickets, how do online tickets work, london transport museum ticket prices, london transport museum tickets, how to reach london transport museum, opening hours of london transport museum, best time to visit london transport museum, hidden london exhibition, permanent galleries, must-see exhibits, all aboard play zone, map of london transport museum, food and drinks at transport museum, faqs about the london transport museum.

The museum has several galleries and exhibitions that showcase the history of London’s transport system, such as:

• The power of posters
• London’s Transport Design Heritage
• Legacies: London Transport’s Caribbean Workforce

There are also interactive exhibits in the Future Engineers gallery that allow visitors to test their STEM skills and solve transport problems.

See the vibrant poster displays in the design gallery on the ground floor.

All Aboard is a dedicated play zone within the museum for children under seven years. Little ones will love All Aboard, allowing them to explore, play, and learn in this engaging space.

Test your engineering skills in the Future Engineers gallery on the ground floor. 

Drive or fix a modern tube train, experience the latest ticket technology, and even plan a happy city in the interactive exhibit.

See the horses on the top floor, which played a crucial role in London’s transport history.

At the All Aboard area on Level 1, board a half-bus. 

You can drive this unique exhibit and experience what it’s like to be behind the wheel of a London bus.

Explore the newly refurbished London’s Transport at War Gallery. 

Discover how transport was vital during the First and Second World Wars and even experience sheltering during those challenging times.

Back to Top

You can book  London Transport Museum tickets  online or at the venue.

Online ticket prices tend to be cheaper than tickets at the venue.

When you buy online, you can avoid the long queues at the attraction’s ticket counters.

When you book early, you also get your preferred time slot.

Because some attractions sell a limited number of tickets, during peak days they may sell out. Booking early helps avoid last-minute disappointments.

Go to the London Transport Museum  ticket booking page , select the preferred date, time slot, and number of tickets, and buy the tickets immediately.

Once you purchase the tickets, they get delivered to your email address.

There is no need to get printouts of the ticket.

You can show the e-ticket on your smartphone when you visit the attraction.

The  tickets for the London Transport Museum  cost £24 for visitors over 18 years old.

Children up to 17 years can get in for free, but you must book a free child ticket for their entry.

This  London Transport Museum ticket  gives you access to all the attractions’ galleries, exhibitions, and activities.

Access to All Aboard Play Zone, where younger kids take on the roles of conductors, mechanics, or drivers on interactive vehicles, is also included in this ticket. 

The London Transport Museum tickets are also considered annual passes, which entitle you to visit the attraction as often as you like throughout the next 12 months from the date of purchase.

With this ticket, you can get a 15% discount in the gift shop.

There are various time slots every hour, from 10 am to 5 pm.

Ticket Prices

Adult Ticket (18+ years): £24 Child Ticket (up to 17 years): Free

Combo Tickets Visitors looking for deals on family-friendly attractions prefer combo tickets such as Transport Museum + Postal Museum or Transport Museum + River Cruise because of the 10% discount they can score. 

The Transport Museum of London is located North of the River Thames, close to Waterloo Bridge and King’s College London.

The Courtauld Gallery Art Museum is only a short distance from the Transport Museum.

Address: London WC2E 7BB, United Kingdom. Get Directions

You can reach the London Transport Museum by bus, train, or car.

It is better to take public transport to the museum. 

Bus routes RV1, 9, 11, 13, 15, 23, and 139 can get you closer to the museum.

You can get off at bus stops at Strand or Aldwych.

Underground Stations

The Transport Museum has five Underground stations nearby – Covent Garden (four mins walk), Leicester Square (seven mins walk), Holborn (11 mins walk), Charing Cross (five mins walk), and Embankment (nine mins walk).

Train Station

The closest rail stations to the museum are Charing Cross , a seven-minute walk from the museum, and Waterloo station , which is 16 minutes away. 

If you’re traveling by car, turn on your Google Maps and get started.

Only a limited number of parking spaces are available near the Transport Museum. 

At £4.90 per hour, with a maximum stay of around four hours, they also tend to be costly. 

London Transport Museum is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm. 

The last entry to the Transport Museum London is at 5 pm.

The Lower Deck Cafe, the museum’s restaurant, is open during weekends and school holidays only from 10.30 am to 4 pm.

The Canteen, which is open to the public and museum visitors, operates from 10 am to 5 pm. 

How long does the tour take

Most visitors spend 2.5 hours exploring the London Transport Museum.

If you stop at one of the two cafes for re-energizing, you will need half an hour more. 

The best time to visit London Transport Museum is when they open at 10 am. 

If you can’t make it in the morning, the next best time is 3 pm. 

You get to avoid the crowd and still have three hours to explore the museum before it closes at 6 pm. 

What to see at Transport Museum of London

London Transport Museum showcases the heritage of London and its transport system through many galleries and exhibitions.

Here’s a list of what to expect during your visit. 

In this exhibition, you visit an ‘abandoned’ underground tube station and discover its secrets. 

These old and forgotten parts of the Tube network have incredible stories you will love – especially the one about the Plessey aircraft underground factory. 

Around 2,000 members, primarily women, worked in the two 4 km (2.5 miles) long tunnels (the underground factory!) during World War II.

The Transport Museum has 12 permanent galleries, listed below –

• 19th Century London and Victorian Transport
• World’s first Underground
• The growth of London
• Digging Deeper
• Formation of London Transport
• On the Surface 1900-1945
• London by Design
• London’s transport at war
• Future Engineers
• On the Surface 1945 to today
• Untangling the Tracks
• Poster Parade

All these galleries take the visitor through the transformation of London’s transportation system.

• A sedan chair from 1780, London’s first licensed public transport
• Shillibeer’s original vehicle – a horse-drawn omnibus from 1881
• The original tube map designed by Harry Beck
• A wooden Metropolitan Railway’s Bogie Stock Coach from 1900
• The first underground steam-powered engine
• London Transport posters designed by artists such as Graham Sutherland , Abram Games , Ivon Hitchens , etc. 
• AEC Routemaster, the iconic red double-decker bus that plied in London from 1954 till 2005. 
• Early Underground Bullseye
• B-Type, the first successful mass-produced motor bus

All Aboard on the ground floor and level 1 of the museum is a play zone for kids up to seven years of age. 

Kids can enjoy playing on an interactive fleet of mini vehicles at the All Aboard family play zone.

They can become bus drivers, drive real buses, or dress up as mechanics, riverboat captains, station announcers, drivers, etc. 

The museum also has a Baby DLR area dedicated to babies. 

London Transport Museum at Covent Garden is a massive place, so it is better to look at the museum’s layout before your visit.

Carrying the map of the Transport Museum is even more necessary if you are traveling with kids.

When you know where the must-see exhibits are displayed, you won’t get exhausted while looking for them.

Besides the highlights, the London Transport Museum’s map will also help you find visitor services such as cafes, washrooms, Family Play Zone, etc.

You can download the floor plan or get them from the museum’s entrance.

The Transport Museum at Covent Garden has three places to eat and drink – the Canteen, the Lower Deck Cafe, and the picnic area. 

The Canteen is open to the public as well as museum visitors. 

Canteen is the cafe bar offering hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, soups, homemade cakes, etc. 

The cafe also has family-friendly facilities such as high chairs and baby changing units.

Hours: 10 am to 5 pm

Download Canteen’s Menu

Lower Deck Cafe

Lower Deck Cafe is on the ground floor of the museum and is open only to London Transport Museum ticket holders. 

It is the ideal place to relax for a bit between your museum galleries tour. 

The Lower Deck Cafe offers English homemade gelato, frozen yogurt, milkshakes, sandwiches, snacks, and hot and cold drinks.

Hours: 10.30 am to 4 pm

Picnic Area

The Transport Museum’s picnic area is on the ground floor near the Lower Deck Cafe.

Visitors can eat their packed lunches in this small indoor picnic area.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Historical Transport Museum in London.

All tickets to the London Transport Museum are also considered as annual passes. It means you get unlimited daytime entry to the museum for the whole year from the purchase date.

Yes, the museum has many family-friendly exhibits and activities, including a play zone for children up to 7 years. There are interactive displays and hands-on experiences that make it ideal for families.

Yes, there is a free cloakroom facility at the museum. You can leave your coats and bags there.

The museum is committed to being accessible to all. They provide facilities and services for disabled visitors, including wheelchair access, accessible restrooms, and sensory spaces. However, some vehicles may not be friendly because of their historic nature.

No, the ticket only includes guaranteed admission to the museum and its galleries.

Yes, the museum has a canteen, which is the cafe and bar located within the museum. It offers a variety of hot meals, sandwiches, soups, homemade cakes, and hot and cold drinks. You can find more information above.

Photography for personal use is generally permitted in the museum. However, restrictions may apply in certain sections. Tripods and selfie sticks are prohibited.

Sources # Ltmuseum.co.uk # Wikipedia.org # Visitlondon.com # Coventgarden.london The travel specialists at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy .

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Venkata Viswanadh

Venkata Viswanadh is an adventurous wordsmith on a mission to uncover hidden tales and share captivating stories from around the world. He embarks on thrilling journeys through time and space, weaving captivating tales of history, culture, and conquering mountain peaks. Favourite Cities: Barcelona, Paris, New York

Edited by Rekha Rajan & fact checked by Jamshed V Rajan

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission