5 Historic London Underground Stations You Can Still Explore

From 1863's first underground line to Victorian train sheds — five London tube stations where history meets the daily commute.

Baker Street — the world's first, opened 1863

Opened 10 January 1863 as the terminus of the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground line. Look for the Sherlock Holmes silhouette tiles on the old platforms.

Paddington — Brunel's 1854 train shed

Isambard Kingdom Brunel's iron-and-glass Great Western train shed dates from 1854, and trains still leave from beneath its great spans today. Don't miss the Paddington Bear statue on platform 1.

Gloucester Road — a Victorian classic from 1868

Opened 1 October 1868 and Grade II listed, Gloucester Road keeps its original Metropolitan Railway platforms and cut-and-cover feel — a working window into early underground design.

Covent Garden — Leslie Green's 1907 oxblood-red icon

Opened in 1907 with a classic Leslie Green oxblood-red tiled façade (Grade II listed). It is lift-only to the platforms — with a 193-step emergency staircase if you're brave.

King's Cross St Pancras — 1863 roots, daylight modernity

The Underground station here dates back to 1863, but its northern ticket hall brings daylight deep underground through wide light shafts. Above ground, Platform 9¾ draws the crowds.

Read more on londonstreets.uk

Discover more London stories, news and guides.