Alternative travel arrangements
The information below gives general advice. You should also check www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/changes for information on specific dates as there can be additional Tube or rail closures.
- What are my alternative transport options once the Underground temporarily closes at Blackfriars on 2 March 2009?
- What are my alternative transport options once the First Capital Connect Thameslink route services cease serving Moorgate station in March 2009?
- What are my alternative transport options once the First Capital Connect Thameslink route services cease serving Barbican station in March 2009?
- What are my alternative transport options when the central section of the Thameslink route (St Pancras International to London Bridge / Herne Hill) is shut most weekends and late evenings from 14 December 2008?
Mansion House and Temple are the closest Underground stations to Blackfriars. Both stations are served by the District and Circle lines. Alternatively travel to City Thameslink and walk to Blackfriars.
View walking route from City Thameslink to Blackfriars (0.2 miles, takes approx 4 mins at a medium pace)
View walking route from Blackfriars to Mansion House (0.4 miles, takes approx 9 mins at a medium pace)
View walking route from Blackfriars to Temple (0.5 miles, takes approx 11 mins at a medium pace)
If you are using a Travelcard, your ticket is already valid on London Buses. The 388 runs betweeen Mansion House, Blackfriars and Temple about every 10-12 minutes. View bus route map [PDF]
Alternatively you can access most parts of London by changing elsewhere.
You can connect onto Northern and Jubilee line LUL services at London Bridge station.
You can connect onto Northern and Bakerloo line LUL services from First Capital Connect trains at Elephant and Castle station.
You can connect onto the Northern line at St Pancras or Kentish Town stations. You can also connect onto the Jubilee line at West Hampstead station.
Farringdon also connects onto the Circle line, but is likely to be increasingly congested due to station construction works.
Please note that these alternatives may also be affected by engineering works especially at weekends. Please check before you travel: www.tfl.gov.uk
Dependant on where you are going to, you could also choose to walk to your final destination.
You can also cycle onwards from Blackfriars (please check the First Capital Connect cycle policy before you travel with your bike).
We encourage you to plan your new route prior to the timetable changes in March 2009.
You can connect onto the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines at Farringdon, though the station is likely to get increasingly congested with additional customers during construction works and we advise you to use alternative routes if you can.
If you are using a Travelcard, your ticket is already valid on London Buses. Bus routes 205 and 214 operate between St Pancras International and Moorgate.
Bus route 205 departs St Pancras International from Euston Road outside King's Cross Mainline station (Stop E) and departs Moorgate from outside the station (Stop B).
Bus route 214 departs St Pancras International from Midland Road outside St Pancras First Capital Connect station (Stop S) and departs Moorgate from outside the station (Stop B).
Many bus routes connect Moorgate with other parts of London. View bus route map [PDF]
The Northern Line also operates between Moorgate and King's Cross St Pancras (for St Pancras International) and Kentish Town (for West Hampstead Thameslink).
Dependant on where you are going to, you could also choose to walk to your final destination.
The walking distance from Farringdon to Moorgate Station is 0.9 miles and takes approximately 18 minutes at a medium pace. View route.
You can also cycle onwards from Farringdon or St Pancras - please check the First Capital Connect cycle policy before you travel with your bike.
We encourage you to plan your new route prior to the timetable changes on 22 March 2009.
You can connect onto the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines at Farringdon, though the station is likely to get increasingly congested with additional customers during construction works and we advise you to use alternative routes if you can.
If you are using a Travelcard, your ticket is already valid on London Buses. View bus route map [PDF]
Dependant on where you are going to, you could also choose to walk to your final destination.
Walking from Farringdon to Barbican station takes approximately 8 minutes. View route.
You can also cycle onwards from Farringdon - please check the First Capital Connect cycle policy before you travel with your bike.
We would encourage you to plan your new route prior to the timetable changes in March 2009.
First of all, check www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/changes for the latest advice on closures. You should also check www.tfl.gov.uk for information on any changes to the Tube.
First Capital Connect will always get you into London - into either London Bridge/Herne Hill to the south or St Pancras to the north* - from where you can catch the Tube.
We suggest you change at St Pancras International or London Bridge for the Northern line. (Please note the Tube station for St Pancras International is King’s Cross St Pancras.) If there are delays on the Northern line use the Jubilee line instead (it interchanges with First Capital Connect trains at West Hampstead and London Bridge). You should allow 40 minutes for this interchange. You won’t have to pay extra because your First Capital Connect ticket will be valid on these Tube routes. When cross London services are not operating, Sutton/Wimbledon services will be diverted to London Bridge, which will allow easy access to Tube services.
When the Underground’s not running, First Capital Connect will provide a low-level easy-access rail replacement bus service between London Bridge and St Pancras International. (This bus service will also operate at all times that First Capital Connect trains are not running on Mondays to Fridays). Throughout the day on Saturdays and Sunday there will also be buses running in both directions between Tulse Hill or Herne Hill and Blackfriars, calling at Loughborough Junction and Elephant & Castle. Throughout the day there will also be buses running in both directions between Herne Hill and Blackfriars, calling at Loughborough Junction and Elephant & Castle.
If you are using a Travelcard, your ticket will be valid on London Buses. View bus route maps
We encourage you to plan your new route.
* North Thameslink route
From 14 December, during weekend closures, First Capital Connect will be able to run up to six trains an hour into St Pancras International - an increase on what went before (although on certain dates arrangements will change - see www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/changes for the latest information). Between 8am and 8pm on Saturdays and 9am and 7pm on Sundays, there will be four semi-fast trains an hour in each direction between Bedford and the high level platforms at St Pancras (platforms 1-4) and another two all-station services per hour between Luton and St Pancras low level (platforms A and B). At other times of day, up to four trains per hour will operate in each direction.
Brighton line
On Saturdays there will be four trains per hour between Brighton and London Bridge 0700 to 2000. Outside these times, there will be two trains per hour. On Sundays, two trains per hour will run all day between Brighton and London Bridge.
Wimbledon Loop
On Saturdays there will be two trains per hour between London Bridge and Herne Hill running via Tulse Hill, Wimbledon, Sutton and Mitcham Jn and vice versa from 0645 to 1945. Outside these times there will be two trains per hour between London Bridge and Sutton via Tulse Hill and Wimbledon. On Sundays there will be two trains per hour between London Bridge and Sutton via Tulse Hill and Wimbledon between 0930 and 2100.