Flashback to all those times you’ve changed train lines at a station, only for the walk between trains to be longer than the actual train ride. Or for that time you journeyed with an elderly relative only needing a bench to rest on part way though the walk between lines. Or for those times your journeys become a game of hunt the correct lift. Or maybe a station you once thought familiar has recently had a makeover and you’re left confused trying to remember what exists went where.

Well good news is here as Google has sent their roving camera team down into the London Underground to capture 360-degree images of the labyrinth of tunnels and platforms.

So far, 18 of the busiest stations have been mapped out (including newly redesigned Tottenham Court Road) and 18 more expected be added by the end of the year, and even more continuing after that. The mapping includes Tube stations, Elizabeth line stations and some National Rail concourses.

What is it like?

It’s not as seamless as the road street view. London is rarely ever quiet so the mappers would have had to dodge travellers and commuters while mapping these stations. Even the face blurring software is struggling to cope it seems with some of the large advertising posters and it even missed a lot of commuters’ faces. Don’t worry, their expressions don’t reflect London, they just want to go home.

We found there was a lot of clicking to try and go in the right direction and if you’re using it to try and figure out where the shortcuts are (naughty)…you might be clicking a lot. I found it was easiest to have a split screen between the street and map view to help you actually get into the stations. Then once you’re inside and past the barriers it should be fairly easy to navigate, and you don’t even have people bumping into you.

The Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: “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.”

TfL’s Disability Advisory Group envisions this scheme as being beneficial to those with accessibility needs or those unfamiliar to London. We can see this coming in handy for those who are anxious about visiting London and are trying to wrap their heads around the new tube lines and map. It will also help customers more easily identify key facilities such as lifts, toilets, benches and help points. Great news for us all, however now the secret pubs hidden inside stations will all be full.