How busy will London be at rush hour tomorrow?

[Warmorangesunset]

I haven’t ventured into London for more than 10 years. I know there are still some people working from home. Are the tubes likely to be packed like they used to be and all crammed in?

Yep. It's back to normal at 8am.

I don’t think they’re quite as packed as before (packed being more than 4 people and their luggage standing in a square metre). But yes packed by every normal measure. Standing room only and close together.

I don't think it's as rammed as it used to be but it's still pretty busy.

Plus the tourists are back so …. Yes fairly crowded.

Maybe if you were a tad more specific you'll get an actual answer 😀

It's not the same everywhere and what time do you mean by rush hour? Am or pm?

It depends on what time you're actually thinking of and what line you'll be using.
Its not as busy as it used to be, some days tend to be a little busier than others.

Thursdays are often pretty busy because it is one of the most popular days to go into the office. There are no half terms or other holidays at the moment too. 8am zone 1 is probably 80-90% of pre covid levels on Thursday.

This morning I had to wait for two central line trains to go past before I could cram myself into one.

Pre covid it might have been three.

Varies between lines - Northern is not that bad, Victoria is still pretty rammed, though not as badly as 'old times', can't speak for others.

Where in London are you going?

Thursday is the busiest day of the week. Morning tubes are like they were pre-Covid pretty much, evening a bit better as people tend to go to the pub more on a Thursday now they are in town less!

I use the tube most Wednesday's and Thursday's and it just seems to vary with no real pattern. Travelled in and out during the rush hour (Victoria line) today and managed to get a seat both ways. Other weeks I am having to wait for the 4th,5th tube before I can squeeze myself on!

I need to get the tube from St Pancreas (zone 1). Is it likely to be busier at 8am or 8.30am?

They're packed. I very much enjoyed the tubes in the pandemic. Now when I head in for 9 I have to force myself into peoples packed bodies or wait for 2 tubes to pass before I can get in.

OP, go 30 mins early or late and it would be better.

It's King's Cross St Pancras a.k.a. King's Cross rather than St Pancreas.

What line are you getting and to where? It makes a difference.

Picadilly Line to Covent Garden.

It'll be busy and getting busier closer to 9am so 8am is a slightly better choice than 8.30am. You only have to go a few stops though (it's only 40 mins walking time so not far) so just go with the flow. Just remember usual tube etiquette - keep right on the escalators if you're standing, let people off the tube first and if you need to stop for some reason (or are walking slowly), step to the side first. And have your debit card/Oyster/Apple Pay ready to touch in and out at the barriers. Not doing these things is what annoys people and that's when things can get a bit feisty at times.

Consider walking it? I’ve regularly walked from King’s Cross to the Strand, took around 30 minutes. By the time you navigate tube station (King’s Cross is massive, with substantial walks between lines) and possibly wait a few minutes to squeeze onto a train, you could have done a chunk of the walk.