I struggled to find a toilet a couple of weeks ago whilst walking in London. I don’t walk very far, or fast, with about ten thousand steps currently being my absolute limit. I was managing less than two miles not that long ago; not everyone can walk for miles. Its irrelevant, but here are some of my recommendations for finding public toilets. I am also adding some suggestions from a London facebook group I post on.
I use the c2c, and no doubt many of the overground lines have something similar, but in the front carriage which is also for cyclists and space for wheelchair users, there is a toilet, a big round one.
If you enter this loo, the door will eventually close on you, and there are some buttons allowing you to open and close this door, and also lock it. Once you have found these buttons on the wall, you then know how it all works.
Before I mention anything else, avoid Bank station for anything, its a nightmare and probably a deathtrap. There are no toilets, but also many deadends end up with lots of stairs to access platforms after a blooming long walk. In fact this is the case with much if not all of the Northern line.
In Fenchurch street station, if you exit / enter via the main entrance there appear to be public toilets at the rear of the entrance hall. They work, and are good. There is also an accessible toilet which is locked, I think?
At Liverpool street main Railway station, near to Bishopsgate, are toilets on the ground floor of the station for accessible useage. I am not sure if these are locked. The main toilets for everyone, are accessed via stairs down and then an elevator back up, from this floor, and are very clean and friendly. This floor of the station which is on the same level as the railway lines is served by many escalators from the road level, and I am guessing there is also a lift somewhere.
Don’t confuse the main railway station with the circle and northern line stations which are generally appalling for steps.
The Museum of London, in Bishopsgate, which is only open from Wednesdays to Sundays has a public restaurant near to the entrance, and toliets on the ground floor. I know you need a ticket to enter the museum to view exhibits, and I am not sure if they would allow anyone access to the restaurant, and the toliets. Yes, you can access the restaurant separately, and therefore the toilets.
I have also been advised that there is a toliet in the car park underneath the museum. I did not test this to be correct.
Blackfriars railway station has public toilets in the rail station section, and they appear to make a small charge. It is only 30 pence at present according to signage, and also offers change. I do not actually know if this is correct during covid times. Keep some change handy on visits to London.
Charing Cross station has a food outlet, and some toilets which were down some stairs. I visited these in August 2021 and they are down some steps, and very clean. A person is cleaning the toilets, at all times, certainly during the day. There is also a disabled toilet on station level, although you need to ask a member of staff to access this.
Cannon street rail station has a couple of accessible toliets which are open to anyone, and there is currently a staff person who manages the usage during covid time. These toilets are nice and clean.
I visited Tottenham Court road today in July,, and the brand spanking new station with lifts to many levels does not have any toilets! The crossrail budget must have been too small.
I remember some toilets at Kings Cross station, but it is such a vast concourse area, that it is difficult to recommend to anyone who struggles walking any distances. These toilets were in a shopping area, somewhere.
Kings Cross is notoriously badly signposted, i could not even find where the buses were sited. There were hundreds of taxis available within easy walking distance, less so the buses. The train lines have huge distances between them, and I tend not to use this station. On another trip to the British Library, I di find Kings Cross station accessible.
I have found two more public toilets. The first is at the Guildhall, if you know where this is. I have only finally worked this out. There are also toilets at Paddington railway station,although I stupidly decided not to try them. I asm sure they are very clean. Guildhall is close to Moorgate, although you will need a map.
I worked out the problem with London TFL buses today, and why there are so many empty buses queuing. It is because there are very few bus stops. Many of the working bus stops do not have any form of timetable even telling you where they are going to, and too many stops are alight-only stops. Many stops are also closed whilst building works go on nearby. Its a mess, and it is quicker to walk across London.
Today, in August 2021, I have spent the entire day on buses around London. You probably need to know where you are going before looking for a bus stop. I coped well with buses today.
Now in October, I am still getting the hang of London nbus routes, which are often brilliant. At Covent Gad=rden, at St Paul there are publoic toilets, and also two disabled toilets at the side of the London Transport museum.
