Passengers using some of London’s major railway station now have the the facility to access Google Street View to help them find their way in and around the stations.

Street View was launched today, Thursday, 5th December, at 18 busy stations on the Tube, Elizabeth line and main line stations, including Oxford Circus, London Bridge, and Tottenham Court Road; 18 more are due to have the facility by the end of this month.

The facility will allow customers to familiarise themselves with a station before they travel and will be particularly useful for anyone who is less confident when they are travelling or has accessibility needs.

To capture the Street View imagery, Google worked with Transport for London and Network Rail and used blurring technology to protect customers’ privacy.

Commenting on the new facility, Transport for London‘s Disability Advisory Group said that being able to see within stations before visiting them would benefit people with access needs or unfamiliar with travelling in London.

The project started a year ago when Google began capturing 360-degree images inside a number of London Underground and Elizabeth Line stations and at major Network Rail stations that interconnect with Transport for London services.

As well as providing customers with a virtual layout of the stations, customers also get a better sense of the layout of stations when planning their journeys or changing train, and can more easily identify key facilities such as lifts, toilets, benches, and help points.

The project also supports the delivery of Equity in Motion, Transport for London‘s customer inclusion strategy, which is part of them Mayor’s Transport Strategy, by enabling customers to plan their journeys within stations just as they would for walking or cycling across London.

To help people with disabilities, Transport for London recently held holding a Priority Seating Week to raise awareness about the use of priority seats on London‘s public transport network.

“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.”

Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport