Home to the Bakerloo, Circle, District, Hammersmith and Elizabeth lines (not to mention the trusty Heathrow Express), things can get a little crowded at Paddington station. The second-busiest station in the entire country, a whopping 59.2m passengers passed through the west-central hub between April 2022 and March 2023.
But now hopefully there’ll be a little less pressure on Paddington’s infrastructure, as a newly revamped ticket hall has been unveiled this week. The new entrance will double the number of ticket gates from five to 11, and importantly welcome not one but two new lifts, ensuring accessible entry all the way down to the Bakerloo line. Bakerloo passengers previously had to compete for space with those arriving on the Heathrow Express through a narrow tunnel, with two small staircases up to the street level making it pretty congested at peak times.
Complete with an 18-storey tower block above, the new ticket hall is part of the Renzo Piano-designed Paddington Square redevelopment, set to fully open next year with a brand-new shopping and dining destination. Here are a couple of pics of the glitzy new Paddington ticket hall.
Funded by Great Western Developments (the train company which operates the Heathrow Express out of Paddington) the new ticket hall was built at no cost to Transport for London (TfL). It does, however, still contribute to TfL’s ongoing commitment to improve accessibility on the network. A third of all tube stations apparently now have step-free access – and several more are in the pipeline.
Time Out on TfL
Ever wondered how often the tube gets cleaned? Well these are the dirtiest lines according to data from TfL. Or if you’re not bothered by germs, check out this new exhibition on the London tube map. Fancy a party on the Underground? Rent out a disused tube station for your next get-together with mates.
Plus: London Heathrow is officially the most connected airport in the world.
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.