Hidden Tube Walking Tour - Holborn: The Secret Platforms
Description
Join our expert guides to explore the disused areas of Holborn tube station, and uncover the secrets of this transport hub. This tour gives you the unique opportunity to explore secret areas of a busy London tube station, off limits to the travelling public for many years. Over the duration of the tour, two expert tour guides will tell you the history of the station, how it developed and the plans for its future. We'll tell you about some of the films and music videos which have been filmed at the station over the years and even show you some of the track leading down to Aldwych station.
Tour Options
Itinerary
London Transport Museum, the world's leading museum of urban transport, invites you to join us on an exclusive guided tour to uncover the secrets of Holborn station, a busy interchange at the heart of London with much more to explore than first meets the eye. Originally opened in 1906 as a complex of four platforms to serve the Piccadilly line, this station had a pivotal role in turning the surrounding area from a land of ill repute into a prime business district for London. Step behind concealed doors into the expansive disused areas that lay behind, some not seen by the public in nearly 30 years. Enjoy an unexpected view of the Piccadilly line and explore the two closed platforms of the former Aldwych branch, complete with vintage posters, original Leslie Green Edwardian design, and an original early 20th century signalling cabin. Along the way you’ll relive the twists and turns of the 20th century as you hear how these spaces came to be used in surprising ways over the years.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Tours are not suitable for children under 10 years of age
- All guests must bring photo ID
- Open-toed shoes are not allowed
- No food or drinks allowed on the tour
- Please do not bring luggage or large bags - there is no cloakroom
- The tour involves a lot of walking, including areas of uneven ground and low lighting
- Tours are not suitable for guests with claustrophobia
- Tours are not step free and including walking up and down flights of stairs
- There's no elevator
- There is a maximum of four children (aged 10-15 yrs) allowed per adult
Reviews(27)
What a fab tour this was. . The meet up was nice and easy and gave us comprehensive instructions before the tour. The tour was very informative and 3 members of staff on the tour were very attentive and humorous. Learnt so much about that part of the underground and great to see the disused platforms.
Good value for money the staff were great and very helpful as I have trouble with walking. The experience was very interesting and a good insight to the history of the underground. The length of the visit was just about perfect. The atmosphere was very friendly people and the staff. Just the right amount of people. Very good for people who have an interest in history and the underground.
Loved this tour, as someone who used to use the Aldwych branch very regularly from 74 to 81, it was great to see the old Platforms and other behind-the-scenes artefacts. Brilliant tour guides as always. I would recommend the Hidden London tours to any tourist coming to London wanting to understand more about the city and its background.
This was a great tour and we got to see very cool abandoned lines and platforms. Guides were very knowledgeable and gave us very interesting history of this part of the Underground system. Highly recommended for anyone who loves trains or history.
Some of it was ok, I felt like it was scraping the barrel bit, great tour guide though. Feel like it was very over priced though for what it was. Should be £20/25 at most per person.
It was really good fun and learnt heaps for the very knowledgeable guides.
Made by the wonderful guides whose joy in sharing the history was very infectious.
A unique experience. The tour is a mix of the live active station and restricted access behind the scenes, the latter taking up the majority of the time. The focus is on Holborn and its history, but also touches on the history of the network. Time flew, the tour ended too soon! The tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and enthusiastic - without being over-the-top or know it alls. The £45 fee is good value as it is used to help fund the charity part of the London Transport Museum.
This was a really interesting and well organised tour. Our 2 tour guides were great and answered any questions and were very engaging.
Another excellent tour from Hidden London. The guides are really knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions. I did the Holborn tour having been on the Aldwych tour (which I would highly recommend) ; it was really interesting to see the other end of this very small section of the Tube .....
