Virtual representation of London's busiest stations mapped by Google Street View

Introduction of Street View at 18 busy stations aims to support customers who are less confident travelling or have accessibility needs by enabling familiarisation with the station before travel

Customers using Transport for London and Network Rail services in London can now access Google Street View to help them plan their journeys through and around large or underground stations.

Transport for London (TfL) has announced 18 of its busiest stations have been visually mapped by Google Street View.

Over the past year, Google Street View has filmed 36 of London's stations. 

The process involves a person wearing a backpack containing 360-degree cameras walking down every corridor, escalator and platform in each station.

The filming was then stitched together and can be accessed online. Commuters' faces are automatically blurred.

Providing a virtual representation of some of London's busiest stations will help customers get a better sense of the layout of stations when planning journeys or interchanging between train lines at stations. It will also help customers more easily identify key facilities such as lifts, toilets, benches and help points.

Using Google Street View, customers will be able to see the routes through these stations before they travel, meaning they can use it to plan journeys within stations as they would for walking and cycling across London.

Early feedback from accessibility stakeholders including TfL's Independent Disability Advisory Group and the Inclusive Transport Forum has helped inform the project, and indicated that being able to see within stations before visiting them will be beneficial to customers with accessibility needs or people who are unfamiliar with travelling in the capital. The project also supports the delivery of Equity in Motion, TfL's customer inclusion strategy, as part of the Mayor's Transport Strategy.

The Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: "I'm pleased that Google Street View has arrived at some of London's busiest stations. Now, customers can plan their routes on the London Underground in the same way they would when walking and cycling, helping us to build a better, fairer London for all."