London is one of the megacities of the world that just has everything. It was also one of the very first cities to develop a subway metro system. Today the London metro is so iconic and so famous it gets its own name - The Tube. But London is one of those cities where there is so much more than meets the eye.

London has many secrets lurking beneath its busy streets - some open to the public and some very much secrets that have been forgotten. London is rumored to be home to one of the greatest secret tunnels systems in the world and even no one fully knows what's down there. Among London's many subterranean mysteries lay many abandoned subway stations.

London's Abandoned Tube Stations

The official site "Transport for London" states

"There are 272 functioning stations across our network, but at least 40 Overground and Underground stations still in existence are no longer used for travel."

They go on to explain that these stations have been closed for a variety of reasons including, re-routing, low passenger numbers, among other reasons.

While many of these stations are closed, some were never opened to the public in the first place. Some may not be served by the Underground but still remain open to the National Rail mainline services.
  • Number of Abandoned Stations: 40 Including Both Underground and Overground
Many of the abandoned stations were originally planned as part of new lines or extensions to existing ones but were later abandoned. Some of the stations have been demolished and others have been redeveloped. One can find a full breakdown of the stations on Abandoned Stations.org Related: An Entire 'Escape' Tunnel System Still Exists Under Berlin, With Decades Of History Behind Its Creation

Histories and Uses of The Abandoned Stations

Some of these stations have interesting histories including being a vital refuge in times of war (like the London Blitz). During the dark times of the London Blitz, many of the stations were used as public shelters and even underground offices from government staff.

Down Street Station, for example, was transformed into an underground facility complete with phone lines and hosted a meeting of the War Cabinet.

  • Brompton Road Station: Sold To The War Office In 1938 and Is Still Owned By The Ministry of Defense Today
  • Aldwych Station: Is Available for Filming

Some stations found rather different uses during the war. Aldwych station was used to house the National Gallery's collection in WWI, as well as the British Museum artifacts in WWII. Surreal to think how that in times of war, the nation's most important exhibits were in Tube Stations.

Understandably the nerve center of the British government also went underground and today one can see it in the underground Churchill War Rooms.

For those with too much time on their hands, one can research the abandoned stations by going through the Corporate Archives Collections section of the Transport for London website. Related: There's A Massive Underground Tunnel System Right In Florida, And This Is What It Looks Like

Euston Station Tours

Many of these stations are open for guided tours today and many are offered by the London Transport Museum as well as other agencies. Here are a few examples of the tours are.

The Euston Station guided tour explores this century-old station and its interesting history. This was once a humble station on the corner of Melton and Drummond Streets and is destined to be the terminus for the new High Speed 2 line that will run up into the north of England.

But there is much more to this station than meets the eye. One will discover a labyrinth of dark and dusty passageways. These were once used by the public and there is even a gallery of preserved vintage advertising posters that have been concealed for over 50 years.

  • Duration: Approx: 75 Minutes
  • When: 10.00 am, 12.05 pm, 2.55 pm, 5.00 pm Daily
  • Tickets: £41.50 ($56)

Charing Cross Underground Station Tours

Charing Cross is also one of the most famous stations of the London Underground network. On this tour, one will go behind closed doors to various exclusive areas not accessible to the general public. And one will find oneself walking under Trafalgar Square.

The Jubilee line platforms have been closed to the public since 1999 but one has likely seen them on TV. Perhaps one has seen its eerily underground locations for blockbuster films like the Bond hit Skyfall and even Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World.

  • Duration: 75 Minutes
  • When: 10.00 am, 11.45 am, 2.30 pm, 4.15 Daily
  • Tickets: Adult £41.50($56)

The London Transport Museum offers many tours of Hidden London including Secrets of Central walking tour, Aldwych: The End of the Line, Down Street: Churchill's secret station, Moorgate: Metropolitan maze, and much more. There is plenty to keep the most vivid of urban explorers busy in London!

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