Getting into Soho by Tube: which station, which exit

Soho has no station of its own, which is part of its charm. Four sit around it like bouncers on a door, and each has a character. Pick the right one and you arrive at the right end of the right street.

Tottenham Court Road and the Elizabeth line

For most of Soho, this is the one. The Elizabeth line station has two entrance halls, two blocks apart at the east end of Oxford Street: one on Dean Street, one on the corner with Charing Cross Road. The station runs from a plaza in front of Centrepoint westwards to Dean Street, directly beneath Soho Square.

Take the Dean Street exit. According to the Architects' Journal, the architects made this western exit darker on purpose, because it leads further into Soho and its night-time economy. The eastern exit is lighter and brighter. You will know which mood you are walking into.

The eastern hall, on Charing Cross Road, connects directly to the Northern line, and a gateline links it to the Central line. The Elizabeth line station is step-free from street to train, with three general-use lifts, and the platforms sit 24m below ground. It opened on 24 May 2022; the original Tube station dates from 1900.

One caution: the Elizabeth line does not run overnight. On weekdays the last train from here is about twenty-seven minutes past midnight. TfL Access has also posted about the station being exit-only during signal failures, so check TfL status before you set off.

Oxford Circus

Best for the northern edge, and for Carnaby and Kingly. A guide to the Central line route lists exits at Argyll Street and at Oxford Street West and Regent Street South, about 40m on the shortest step-and-escalator route from the Central line platforms. The Argyll Street entrance, on the north-west corner of Argyll Street and Oxford Street, is a listed structure, so look up as you come out. Exit numbers are inconsistent between guides, so follow the street names on the signs rather than the numbers.

Piccadilly Circus

Best for the southern approach, towards Shaftesbury Avenue and Coventry Street. There are five entrances: Piccadilly north side, Regent Street south side, Glasshouse Street, Coventry Street and Lower Regent Street. The London Transport Museum places Exit 4 at the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Coventry Street. The station is on the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines.

Know before you go: there is no step-free access, with two flights of stairs from each street entrance to the booking hall. The Shaftesbury Avenue exits have been closed for congestion at busy times, with the station staying open via others, so be ready to walk round.

Leicester Square

Best for Chinatown and the theatres. Entrances are on Charing Cross Road and Cranbourn Street, steps only. The station is on the Northern line (Charing Cross branch) and the Piccadilly line. If you need step-free access, Tottenham Court Road with its lifts is the better bet. Taxi ranks are on Wardour Street, Whitcomb Street and Charing Cross Road.

After midnight: Night Tube

On Fridays and Saturdays only, the Victoria, Central, Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines run through the night, from about midnight to half five. Central and Piccadilly trains come every ten minutes on the core section, Northern every eight. Payment is contactless, Oyster or Travelcard, with no cash, at off-peak fares.

The Bakerloo and the Elizabeth line have no Night Tube. Working from the line lists, that means Oxford Circus on the Central and Victoria, Tottenham Court Road on the Central and Northern, Leicester Square on the Northern and Piccadilly, and Piccadilly Circus on the Piccadilly line only. Check TfL's Night Tube map before a late one.

Night buses

On other nights, the bus takes over. The routes N5, N20, N29 and N279 appear at the Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Cambridge Circus and Trafalgar Square stops, which makes them the most useful for getting in and out of Soho. Check destinations on TfL's site.

• Tottenham Court Road station stop: N5, N20, N29, N73, N253 and N279.
• Cambridge Circus (Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road): N5, N19, N20, N29, N38, N41 and N279.
• Oxford Street, west of Oxford Circus (by John Lewis): N5, N20, N29 and N41.

What it costs

From 1 March 2026, a Zone 1 single on pay as you go is £3.10 at peak and £3.00 off-peak. The Zone 1 daily cap is £8.90.

Our pick

For a night in Soho proper, come in at Tottenham Court Road and leave by the Dean Street exit. Go home on a Friday or Saturday by the Northern line from Leicester Square, or any night by an N29 from Cambridge Circus.

Sources: Architects' Journal, Crossrail, Visit London.