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How to Get to Big Ben
Getting to Big Ben in London
In this guide on how to visit Big Ben, we'll cover the quickest ways to get to this iconic landmark from London's most popular train stations.
And don't forget that with LNER you can add a London Underground ticket into your journey from any British train station, with zero booking fees!
Big Ben - how to get there?
Strictly speaking, Big Ben is the name of the main bell housed in "Elizabeth Tower", which was built in 1834 next to The Houses Of Parliament, and reaches 96 metres up into the London skyline.
If - like most people - you're happy to call the whole thing by its informal name, then the answer to "how much does it cost to visit Big Ben?" is: free!
Seeing the bell up-close and personal can be also arranged through a Big Ben tour, which costs £55 for adults and £35 for children, with tickets released three months in advance.
And while there isn't a dedicated "Big Ben station" on the London overground network, it's well-connected from popular train stations via the Tube to Westminster Underground station.
Why is the bell called Big Ben?
The 13.5-ton Great Bell is named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw its installation into the tower - which was known as St Stephen's Tower during Victorian times.
Other Great Clock of Westminster facts:
The clock tower is said to have first been built in the 1290s - making it the first public chiming clock in England.
In 1834, the Palace of Westminster was almost destroyed in a fire - this led to the creation of the clock tower that we see today.
Upon its completion, it was the world's most accurate four-faced chiming clock.
It houses four bells aside from the Great Bell, with famous hourly 'bongs' striking in the tone of E-natural.
It also houses a 'prison room', which was last used in 1880.The clock is hand wound three times a week, which takes 1.5 hours per wind.
To adjust the clock's time, coins are added or taken away - each coin changes the speed by 0.4 seconds per day.
Waterloo station to Big Ben
The nearest train station to Big Ben is London Waterloo, which is a 10-minute walk over Westminster Bridge and also offers great views of both The Houses Of Parliament, and the London Eye.
You can also take the Underground westbound one stop on the Jubilee Line to Westminster station, or catch a bus (148 / 211 / 77) if you prefer an outside view.
King's Cross to Big Ben
King's Cross station is the gateway to the North East of England and Scotland beyond, and is only a 20-minute Tube journey away from Big Ben.
The simplest way is to take the Circle Line direct to Westminster (25-30 minutes), while it's quicker to catch the Victoria Line southbound to Green Park, then change for the Jubilee Line heading east (around 20 minutes).
And LNER passengers travelling through London King's Cross station can make their visit to Big Ben extra-special with our First Class lounge - open to all First Class ticket holders!
St Pancras to Big Ben
St Pancras is a separate - but connected - train station from King's Cross, that serves international rail routes as well as ones to other parts of England.
They share a single Underground station "King's Cross St Pancras International", meaning that directions are the same as for King's Cross above.
Victoria station to Big Ben
Victoria is ideally connected to Big Ben - simply jump on the Circle or District Lines heading west for two Tube stops.
Alternatively, you can catch the number 11 or 148 bus from Stop H just outside Victoria station, or walk 20-30 minutes through St. James's Park.
Euston station to Big Ben
Euston station is just four Victoria Line Underground stops from Victoria station, so take a southbound Tube and follow the directions above.
If you fancy seeing the sights above ground, you can also take the number 24 bus from stop W on Euston Road.
Paddington station to Big Ben
There are several ways to get from Paddington station to Big Ben.
If you're not in a hurry, then the simplest way is to take the Circle Line eastbound direct to Westminster Underground station.
It's slightly quicker to take the Elizabeth Line to Bond Street, then transfer to the Jubilee Line southbound, or you can also catch the Bakerloo Line to Embankment, then change for either the Circle of District Lines.
Liverpool Street to Big Ben
Liverpool Street station is on the Circle Line, so you can take this to go direct to Westminster station.
For a more scenic journey, hop off the Circle Line early at Tower Hill to catch an Uber Boat from Tower Pier to Westminster Pier for some unique selfies with this famous landmark!
