A complete guide to visiting London Transport Museum

I’ll admit it: I thought I was popping into London Transport Museum for a quick wander and a nice vintage poster photo. Two hours later, I was still there, peering into drawers, sitting inside Victorian carriages and feeling weirdly obsessed with grab handles. 

Set inside Covent Garden’s former flower market, this museum is a brilliantly designed, genuinely fun journey (get it?) through how London went from riverboats and horses to electric trains and contactless cards.  

Whether you love design, history, engineering or just spend a lot of time muttering about the Tube, this place is far more fascinating than you might expect. 

Our guide will cover:
 

• Why you should visit London Transport Museum 
• How to find it and how to get in 
• What there is to see and do 
• Hidden gems to look out for 
• What facilities there are 
• Where to go when you’re done 

Why should I visit London Transport Museum? 

Because London wouldn’t be London without its transport – and this museum proves just how inventive, world-leading and surprisingly stylish that journey has been.  

You’ll see full-size buses and trains, walk through underground carriages, explore how the Tube map came to be and discover how transport shaped where (and how) Londoners lived. 

It’s interactive without being childish, detailed without being dry and full of “oh wow” moments – from world-first engineering breakthroughs to small objects that tell very human stories. Even if you think you’re “not really a museum person”, this one might just convert you.

Okay, I’m keen, how do I find it? 

You’ll find the museum right in the heart of Covent Garden, overlooking the piazza. It’s extremely central, easy to spot, and very well-placed for turning your visit into part of a bigger sightseeing day. 

Nearest Tube stations include: 

• Covent Garden 
• Leicester Square 
• Holborn 

Once you’re in the piazza, look for the grand Victorian building with arched windows in the left-hand corner if you’re looking south – that’s your stop. 

How do I get in with The London Pass®? 

Good news:  passholders don’t need to book. Just head to the entrance, scan your pass and you’re in – no fuss. 

Once inside, you’re directed to take the lift straight to the top floor and work your way down. The museum is designed as a chronological journey and this route makes everything flow beautifully. 

What is there to see? 

In short: a lot.  

And it’s brilliantly laid out, each level gently pulling you forward from horse-powered London to the modern transport network we know today. 

Victorian London: horses, boats and early ambition 

You begin in Victorian London, when the Thames was still the city’s main artery and horses did most of the heavy lifting. River maps show just how dominant water travel once was, while beautifully restored horse-drawn omnibuses line the floor, and yes, you can climb inside one. They’re slightly wobbly, a bit cramped, and an excellent reminder that commuting has never been a relaxing ride. 

From here, the story moves into the rise of horse trams (imported from New York and quickly embraced for being cheap and reliable) and the early experiments with steam that would eventually reshape the city.

Steam power and the birth of the Underground 

One of the museum’s biggest highlights comes next: the UK’s only surviving underground steam locomotive. It sits in full view, complete with carriages you can step inside, while the surrounding displays explain how London became home to the world’s first underground railway. 

This is where you learn how ‘cut and cover’ tunnels were built, and how rail companies actively sold the dream of suburban living and city commuting – a very Victorian version of the lifestyle brochure. 

Going deeper: lifts, escalators and electric trains 

As you move down through the museum, so does the story. When stations got deeper, passengers needed new ways to reach them, and this section is full of easy-to-miss details. Original lift gates from Hampstead Heath station sit alongside early escalators and the arrival of electric Tube trains. 

It’s a section that rewards a slow wander and a bit of curiosity. 

Design icons: roundels, maps and Art Deco glamour 

This is where transport meets graphic design heaven.  

You’ll see the evolution of the iconic roundel, early signage by Edward Johnston, and the Tube map’s transformation into the beautifully abstract version we still use today, thanks to Harry Beck. 

Don’t miss the 1938 Art Deco Tube carriage you can sit inside – unexpectedly cosy, faintly glamorous, and giving strong Agatha Christie- era vibes.

People, war and interactive experiences 

Later galleries focus on the people behind the network and their incredible stories. Discover how London Transport operated during both world wars, including stations used as air-raid shelters, and learn about women entering the workforce. 

Interactive exhibits let you try your hand at engineering challenges, from signalling to other transport skills, bringing the collection to life for curious visitors of all ages. 

The Grand Hall: vintage vehicles and the modern network 

The visit finishes in the Grand Hall, a huge open space packed with vintage buses, trams, trolleybuses, and early Routemasters. You’ll also spot a war-service bus painted khaki and a children’s play area styled like a mini transport depot. 

This is also where the museum ties into modern London: displays on Oyster cards, the Elizabeth line, and the city’s current bus fleet round out the story, linking the rich history you’ve just explored to the vibrant transport network Londoners use every day.

Hidden gems you shouldn’t miss 

This museum loves tiny details, so be sure to look closely as you’re going around. Here are a few of my particular faves to look out for: 

• A copper token used as a ticket on the earliest railway lines. 

• Fossil-pattern fabric inside an early steam underground carriage (I wouldn’t mind some cushions in that!) 

• Old bus blinds – long rolls of fabric that were rolled up and pulled around to display the bus’s destination. 

• Horse-bus driver and water-ferryman licence badges, which had to be displayed just like a modern taxi drivers ID today. 

• An inkstand from a first-class carriage that survived an 1897 bombing. 

• Pull-out drawers packed with extra details (my favourite: the Olympics and Wimbledon themed ones) 

• The evolution of grab handles, including the moment in the 1990s when they doubled as adverts (yes, you could be commuting and grabbing onto a Creme Egg) 

What facilities are there? 

• Café (inside a vintage vehicle, obviously) 

• Toilets and baby-changing facilities 

• Gift shop with any roundel and Tube seat fabric items you can dream of 

• Lifts and step-free access throughout 

• Guided talks and tours, often led by knowledgeable volunteers (check the display board when you arrive to see what’s on that day) 

When is the best time to visit? 

If you’re visiting during term time, I’d recommend visiting later in the afternoon or on a weekday, once school groups have headed off. Weekends and school holidays are the busiest times. 

Where should I go next? 

You’re perfectly placed to keep exploring: 

• Wander Covent Garden for street performers and shopping 

• Walk to Leicester Square or Soho for food, theatre and people-watching 

• The Bow Street Police Museum is a five-minute walk away 

• Or hop straight on the Tube and put your new transport knowledge to work 

This guide terminates at the next station… 

This is one of those museums that quietly exceeds expectations. It’s smart, immersive, packed with personality and genuinely makes you see London differently. 

You’ll never look at a Tube map, grab handle or bus seat fabric in quite the same way again – and honestly, that’s half the fun. 

Enjoyed this spiffing spot of London?

Take your trip to the next level with our complete guide to the Tower of London or check out our local expert’s tips and must-sees, all filled with visitor hacks and money-saving tips.

With The London Pass®, you can skip the stress and save big on London attraction tickets and choose from must-see attractions, tours and experiences, all with one easy-to-use pass. 

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