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I'm trying to remember what the deal is at Covent Garden tube station. It seems that it is closed on Saturday afternoons and/or evenings, but can't remember if it is only to enter the underground, or if it is closed from access from the trains out to Covent Garden. Anybody know the hours and the restrictions? I played on the London Underground site for quite a while and couldn't find anything about it.
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Covent Garden Tube Station Saturday Closings?
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I've never seen it closed from the trains (not to say that doesn't happen). I have seen it closed from the street a few times on Friday/Saturday nights - but always just assumed it was because of overcrowding.
I'll be interested to hear if these are just random closings when it gets too crowded - or if they are regular/scheduled closings . . . . . . .
The station does get very congested because it only has lifts and stairs, but no escalators. It can be easier to alight at the adjacent stations of Leicester Square or Holborn which do have escalators, and then walk.
I think you couldn't find anything about closings because it isn't routinely.
We've had that experience twice at Covent Garden on the weekend. It's crazy the amount of people that are trying to use the tube. It's only closed to those trying to get on at Covent Garden.
I noticed signs in the trains on the Piccadilly line this trip that said "Going to Covent Garden? Consider using Holborn or Leicester Square stops as Covent Garden can get busy on evenings and weekends."
Well, maybe it has changed. In the past several years when we've rented in Covent Garden, the Saturday afternoon and evening closings were a regularly scheduled thing. It's just that I've forgotten, but think it was only that no one was allowed to enter the station at CG, but those on the trains could still stop there and get off and out. In fact when you looked at the map in the tube cars, that station had the information right on it -- just like a couple of stations are marked for closed Sundays or whatever. Maybe they no longer do this, or maybe it was only in summer? This is now a mystery. But I know it WAS a regular thing -- every Saturday -- not just a hit and miss thing.
When we used it this past February it was the usual mob scene on the weekend but there were no closings as we used it both weekend days and at all times of the day and evening.
Confirming Patrick's memory, the April 2003 Tube Map that I happen to have at hand states, "No entry to Covent Gardens Saturdays between 1300 and 1700". The current map on the tfl website does not have this statement.
I rarely enter or exit Covent Garden Station because the hotel where I regularly stay is an easy walk away.
But I have noticed those 'do not enter' signs when I walk by the station on Saturday afternoons. The signs were there this past October.
Thanks Ron, I was beginning to think I made that up. It was still in effect during our entire stay in May of 2004. And that does sound right, 1 to 5 PM on Saturdays the station closed.
In any case, now that I think about it, I believe those arriving to CG by tube can still exit there. It's only that they don't allow people to enter the station at that time. That answers my question, along with the time frame -- checking for friends, arriving on Saturday to "my" flat on nearby Floral Street.