Trains from Lewisham reach Oxford Circus in about 30 minutes, but the station has no Southeastern trains on 21 and 22 November. Checked November 2026.

Trains from Lewisham station still reach Oxford Circus in about 30 minutes now that the middle of Oxford Street is closed to traffic. The date for Christmas shoppers to watch is the weekend of 21 and 22 November, when Lewisham station has no Southeastern trains at all.

Almost a kilometre of the street has been shut to traffic since 26 October, from Orchard Street to Great Portland Street. The Mayor of London’s office says the closure is permanent. Transport for London’s notice lists changes to buses, not to Tube lines, and calls public transport the easiest way to visit.

How long it takes from the borough

We asked TfL’s journey planner for trips to Oxford Circus, leaving from about 11am on Saturday 28 November. We chose that date because Southeastern’s list of planned work shows none on its trains that day. The times include walking and waiting, and they can change if new work is announced.

From Time to Oxford Circus Route
Lewisham 30 to 32 minutes Southeastern, then Bakerloo line
Deptford 30 minutes Southeastern, then Jubilee and Bakerloo lines
New Cross 31 minutes Southeastern, then Jubilee and Victoria lines
Hither Green 32 to 37 minutes Southeastern, then Bakerloo line
Ladywell 34 minutes Southeastern, then Bakerloo line
Blackheath 34 minutes Southeastern, then Bakerloo line
New Cross Gate 34 minutes Southern, then Jubilee and Bakerloo lines
Brockley 37 minutes Southern, then Jubilee and Bakerloo lines
Crofton Park 37 minutes Thameslink, Southeastern, then Victoria line
Catford Bridge 38 minutes Southeastern, then Bakerloo line
Catford 40 minutes Thameslink, Southeastern, then Victoria line
Honor Oak Park 40 minutes Southern, then Jubilee and Bakerloo lines
Grove Park 41 minutes Southeastern, then Bakerloo line
Forest Hill 42 minutes Southern, then Jubilee and Bakerloo lines
Bellingham 43 minutes Thameslink, Southeastern, then Victoria line
Sydenham 45 minutes Southern, then Jubilee and Bakerloo lines
Bar chart of the fastest trip to Oxford Circus, in minutes, leaving from about 11am on Saturday 28 November: Lewisham 30, Deptford 30, New Cross 31, Hither Green 32, Ladywell 34, Brockley 37, Catford Bridge 38, Forest Hill 42, Bellingham 43, Sydenham 45.
Fastest trips to Oxford Circus from 10 stations in the borough. Chart by Lewisham News
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Oxford Circus is not the only way in. TfL also names Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Marble Arch as nearby stations, and Bond Street is quicker from much of the borough because it is one change, on to the Jubilee line. The planner gave these times for the same morning:

  • Deptford: 23 minutes
  • New Cross: 24 minutes
  • Lewisham: 25 minutes
  • New Cross Gate: 27 minutes
  • Blackheath: 29 minutes
  • Brockley: 30 minutes
  • Catford Bridge: 31 minutes
  • Honor Oak Park: 33 minutes
  • Forest Hill: 35 minutes
  • Sydenham: 38 minutes

Fares and normal timetables are on our Lewisham trains to London page.

The weekends to watch

Southeastern’s list and National Rail’s notices cover the run-up to Christmas. Southeastern’s list does not cover Thameslink, Southern or the Windrush line, so check those separately if you use them from Forest Hill, Sydenham, Brockley or Bellingham.

Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November. No trains run to or from Charing Cross, Waterloo East or Cannon Street. The planner sends most Lewisham trips through Victoria instead. For 11am on the Saturday it gave these times:

  • Lewisham: 31 to 37 minutes
  • Hither Green: 36 to 37 minutes on the direct trains
  • Blackheath: 40 minutes on the 11.28, or 47 minutes if you leave at 11.05 by bus and train
  • Catford Bridge: 46 to 49 minutes

On the Sunday, Hither Green is also shut, with buses replacing trains between Lewisham and both Sidcup and Orpington.

Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November. Lewisham station has no Southeastern service. Hayes, Sidcup and Grove Park line trains run through without stopping. The DLR keeps running, and the planner gives 42 minutes from the Lewisham DLR platforms to Oxford Circus, changing to the Central line at Bank. Those through trains make the rest of the borough look better than Lewisham itself that Saturday:

  • Hither Green: 32 to 37 minutes
  • Catford Bridge: 38 to 41 minutes
  • Deptford: 29 to 31 minutes
  • New Cross: 30 minutes
  • Blackheath: 54 to 56 minutes, because Southeastern’s list shows work between New Cross and Charlton through Blackheath, so the planner starts with a bus

Other dates. Southeastern lists work on these lines through the borough:

  • 8 November: Lewisham to Hayes until about 9.15am, with buses replacing trains
  • 6 December: Lewisham to Hayes, which leaves Ladywell and Catford Bridge with buses only
  • 13 December: New Cross to Lewisham, Charing Cross to London Bridge, and Lewisham to Orpington through Grove Park
  • 19 and 20 December: Cannon Street to Charlton and Lewisham

Southeastern’s list shows no planned work on Saturdays 7 November, 28 November, 5 December or 12 December. Our Lewisham Christmas trains page covers the holiday period itself.

The one daytime bus

TfL’s where to catch your bus guide names only one daytime route to the borough: the 453, to New Cross and Deptford Bridge. It is not on TfL’s list of changed routes. TfL’s route data has it crossing Oxford Street along Regent Street, one of the seven roads that stay open as crossings.

  • Going in: get off at Margaret Street / Oxford Circus, stop RD.
  • Coming home: TfL’s guide says to catch it at stops RF or RG.

It is much slower than the train. On that same Saturday morning, the planner gave 59 minutes from New Cross station and 65 minutes from Deptford station, including the walk to the stop.

A red route 7 double-decker bus at stop BX outside Selfridges on Oxford Street, with a departure board showing routes 7, 390, 98 and 139
A route 7 bus at stop BX outside Selfridges. Buses no longer run on this stretch. Photo: Transport for London

Coming home late

Two routes on TfL’s night bus map reach the borough, both from stops RF and RG:

  • N136: to New Cross, Lewisham, Catford and Grove Park
  • 453: to New Cross and Deptford Bridge

The N136 is on TfL’s list of routes with minor changes, including changes to bus stops. TfL warns that “some bus spider maps are incorrect” while it updates them, though it says this Oxford Street map is accurate. Our Night Tube and night bus piece has timed trips home to 11 parts of the borough.

Transport for London map of bus changes around traffic-free Oxford Street, showing routes 98, 139, 390 and N98 moved to Wigmore Street and Henrietta Place, and routes 7, N7, 94, N113 and N137 changed around Marble Arch
How buses now run around the traffic-free section of Oxford Street. Map: Transport for London

What the closure covers

Private vehicles, buses, taxis, private hire vehicles, cycles, scooters and pedicabs are all out. There are three exceptions:

  • emergency services, at all times
  • deliveries, from midnight to 7am
  • mobility scooters, which TfL says are still allowed

Cycling is banned on the closed section, and that includes e-bikes and e-scooters. TfL says taxi ranks are within 100 metres, and it advises allowing extra time.

What changes next

The current layout is temporary. The Mayor’s office says it is there to collect data and comments from residents, accessibility groups, businesses, police and workers before the permanent design is settled. Building work will be kept to a minimum in the weeks before Christmas.

By the end of spring 2027, the office says visitors should see:

  • more than 50 new trees
  • two new public squares
  • better signage
  • more than 100 new seats and dining tables
  • new lighting

TfL will maintain the street, and Westminster City Council will keep cleaning it.

What people are saying

“I’m hugely excited to see my bold vision for Oxford Street coming to life from today,” said the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. “It is a truly momentous occasion for the capital. I encourage everyone to explore and enjoy the newly traffic-free street.”

“There has been talk of pedestrianising Oxford Street for decades,” he said. “After so many false dawns, and now working with a Government who share the scale of my ambition, I’m proud that we’re finally unlocking a new era for the street.”

Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: “A huge amount of work has gone into delivering this change, and as we continue to deliver further improvements to this new pedestrian space in the coming months, we will be closely monitoring these changes to make sure they are working for everyone.”

Nabeel Khan, chief executive of the Oxford Street Development Corporation, said the transition phase was “a vital opportunity for us at OSDC to test ideas, learn from people’s experiences and work closely with local communities, businesses and accessibility groups”.

Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said it would create “a greener, more vibrant place that will attract visitors and investment, support businesses and jobs, and drive growth in the heart of our capital”.

Naomi Simcock, chief operating officer of John Lewis, said: “Having served Oxford Street for over 160 years, we’ve seen plenty of change, and the move to make the area more pedestrian-friendly is one of the most exciting.”

Meave Wall, chief retail and digital officer of Selfridges, said visitors “travel from near and far to shop, explore and enjoy the festive atmosphere”.

Eleanor Briggs, of Guide Dogs, said it would help make the street “more inclusive for the approximately 214,000 Londoners living with sight loss”.

Catherine Woodhead, chief executive of Living Streets, said: “For too long, vehicles have been prioritised over people, making the street unsafe and polluted.”

Dee Corsi, chief executive of New West End Company, was more cautious about the coming weeks. “As businesses enter the crucial Christmas trading period, the focus must now be on getting the delivery right,” Corsi said.

Who backed it

The Mayor’s office says its consultation drew 6,642 responses between February and May 2025. Almost seven in 10 supported the plans, and two-thirds specifically supported pedestrianisation. YouGov polling of 1,081 people in October 2024 found 63% of Londoners in favour, the office says, rising to 72% among those who had visited the area within the previous 12 months.

It puts annual spending on the street at around £3.1bn. It wants the scheme to help put Oxford Street back among destinations such as Times Square, the Champs-Élysées and La Rambla.

What it means for you

  • Going by train: nothing about the closure changes your trip. Lewisham, Deptford and New Cross are all about half an hour from Oxford Circus on a normal Saturday.
  • Going on 21 or 22 November: do not plan on Lewisham station. Take the DLR, or start from Hither Green, Catford Bridge, Deptford or New Cross.
  • Going by bus: the 453 from Deptford and New Cross is the only daytime choice, and TfL’s list shows no change to it. The TfL Go app and journey planner have the current routes.
  • Need step-free access: TfL names Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road as the step-free stations nearby.
  • Staying closer to home: our Christmas shopping in Lewisham page lists 17 places across the borough.
  • Have a view on the layout: email info@oxfordstreet.org.uk. The Mayor’s office says there will be events next year where you can comment in person.