Where Can You Find Public Toilets in London? 8 Places to Know
There is one London question nobody really thinks about until they desperately need the answer:
“Where is the nearest toilet?”
You're walking around Westminster, exploring Soho, waiting for a train, wandering along the Thames or spending the afternoon in a park and suddenly finding a toilet becomes more important than whatever landmark you were planning to see next.
The good news is that you can find public toilets across London. The trick is knowing where to look.
They aren't always obvious, and not every toilet you see is open all day. Some are inside Tube or railway stations, some are in parks, some are council-operated facilities, while others are available inside museums, galleries, libraries and other public buildings.
There are also Community Toilet Scheme locations, where participating businesses and organisations make their toilets available to the public.
So if you're visiting London and wondering where you can actually go when nature calls, here are 8 of the most useful places to know.
1. Tube and Railway Stations
One of the easiest places to look for a toilet in central London is a major transport station.
TfL provides toilet facilities across parts of the London Underground, Elizabeth line, London Overground, London Trams, bus network and major railway stations. TfL's published information also notes that its own toilets are free to use.
This makes stations particularly useful when you're already travelling around the city.
Some examples listed by Westminster City Council include:
Baker Street
Charing Cross
Green Park
Marylebone
Oxford Circus
Paddington
Piccadilly Circus
Victoria
Westminster
Opening hours vary considerably, so don't assume every station toilet is available 24 hours a day. TfL specifically warns that some facilities may close at certain times, particularly later in the evening. If a toilet appears locked, station staff may be able to provide access where possible.
This is particularly useful if you're already near a station and don't want to walk several streets looking for a dedicated public toilet.
Good to know
Don't automatically assume you need to leave the station.
Some toilets are inside the station, while others may be in an adjacent National Rail facility or bus station. TfL's toilet information distinguishes between facilities inside and outside ticket gates.
2. Council-Run Public Toilets in Central London
London's borough councils operate a number of dedicated public toilets, and Westminster is particularly useful to know if you're exploring central London.
Westminster City Council currently lists public toilets and automatic public conveniences across the borough, including facilities around Oxford Street, Soho, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Victoria and the Thames.
Some useful central locations include:
Leicester Square -
The public toilets at Leicester Square are currently listed as open daily from 8am to 10pm.
Jubilee Hall, Covent Garden -
The toilets at Jubilee Hall are currently listed as open every day from 8am to 7:30pm.
Victoria Embankment Gardens -
There are public toilets here, currently listed as open daily from 7am to 8:30pm.
Parliament Street -
Another central option, currently listed as open daily from 7:30am to 8:30pm.
There are also automatic public conveniences, including facilities on Balderton Street near Oxford Street and Broadwick Street, which Westminster currently lists as open 24 hours.
One important 2026 update
If you're heading to Covent Garden, don't rely on the old public-toilet information you might find online.
Westminster City Council currently says that the Covent Garden toilets are closed, and recommends using nearby facilities at Leicester Square or Jubilee Hall instead.
That's exactly why checking current council information is better than relying on an old blog or map listing.
3. Parks and Gardens
Spending the day in one of London's parks?
You don't necessarily have to leave the park to find a toilet.
Major parks and gardens have toilet facilities, making them especially useful when you're spending several hours outdoors.
This includes places such as:
Hyde Park
Kensington Gardens
St James's Park
Regent's Park
Paddington Recreation Ground
Richmond's parks and open spaces
Opening hours depend on the individual park and facility.
For example, Westminster currently lists toilets at Paddington Recreation Ground with different weekday and weekend hours, while facilities at Paddington Street Gardens have seasonal opening times.
So if you're planning a picnic, walking around Hyde Park or spending an afternoon exploring London's royal parks, it is worth checking where the nearest toilet is before you get too far into the park.
The useful rule
If you're going somewhere large and outdoors particularly a park look for the toilet before you actually need it.
It sounds obvious.
It is much less obvious when you've already walked 20 minutes away from the entrance.
4. Museums and Galleries
Here's one of the easiest options tourists often overlook:
Use the toilet when you're visiting a museum or gallery.
Major London attractions generally have visitor facilities, including accessible toilets and baby-changing facilities.
The National Gallery, for example, currently has toilets inside the entrance and accessible toilets near its entrances. It also has Changing Places facilities.
That means if you're already spending an afternoon looking at paintings, you don't need to leave the building simply because you need a toilet.
This is particularly useful around central London because many museums and galleries are close to major tourist areas.
For example, you could combine:
Trafalgar Square → National Gallery → toilet → Leicester Square → Soho
without needing to search for a standalone public toilet every time.
But remember
Museum toilets are generally intended for visitors.
If you're already inside the attraction, use them.
Don't assume every museum will allow you to walk in solely to use the facilities, particularly if security or ticketing arrangements apply.
5. Libraries and Community Hubs
This is one of the less obvious London toilet options.
Public toilets aren't limited to facilities that have a big “TOILETS” sign outside.
Westminster City Council currently lists a number of libraries, community hubs and housing service centres that have public toilet facilities. These include Charing Cross Library, Mayfair Library, Marylebone Library, Paddington Library, Victoria Library and several others.
This can be particularly useful if you're exploring a neighbourhood rather than staying around the main tourist attractions.
You probably wouldn't travel across London specifically to find a library toilet.
But if you're already nearby, it's another option worth knowing.
Just check the opening hours of the individual facility before relying on it, because these aren't necessarily open as late as dedicated public toilets.
6. Community Toilets
London also has another option that many first-time visitors don't know about:
Community Toilet Schemes.
These are toilets provided by participating businesses and organisations for public use.
The idea is simple.
Instead of relying entirely on purpose-built public toilets, local businesses can make their facilities available to people who need them.
The City of London Corporation, for example, currently operates a Community Toilet Scheme and provides an interactive map showing participating locations. The scheme includes businesses that agree to provide toilet facilities as a public service.
This can be extremely useful in areas where a dedicated public toilet isn't immediately nearby.
So what should you do?
Look for the relevant Community Toilet Scheme information or map for the area you're visiting.
And don't feel awkward about asking.
If a business participates in a community toilet scheme, the whole point is that people can use the facility.
7. Toilets Around the Thames and Major Tourist Areas
If you're spending the day around London's major landmarks, there are several useful toilet locations near the places tourists actually visit.
For example, the City of London currently lists attended toilets at:
Tower Hill, near the Tower of London
Paternoster, near St Paul's Cathedral
These are attended facilities, and the City currently lists a £1 charge, except for RADAR key holders.
The Tower Hill toilets are particularly useful if you're exploring:
Tower of London → Tower Bridge → Thames riverside
Meanwhile, the Paternoster facility is convenient if you're around:
St Paul's Cathedral → Millennium Bridge → City of London
The City of London also provides an interactive toilet map showing accessible toilets, baby-changing facilities and community toilet locations.
So if your day is built around London's landmarks, you don't necessarily need to interrupt your sightseeing to find a toilet somewhere completely different.
8. Changing Places Toilets
For some visitors, a standard accessible toilet isn't enough.
That's where Changing Places toilets are important.
These facilities provide more space and specialist equipment for people who cannot use a standard accessible toilet independently.
Depending on the facility, this can include equipment such as a height-adjustable changing bench, ceiling or tracking hoist, suitable toilet space and accessible basin.
Westminster City Council lists several Changing Places facilities in the borough, while the City of London also provides a Changing Places facility at the Barbican Centre's Camera Café.
The National Gallery also currently provides Changing Places toilets, including facilities in its Sainsbury Wing and Roden Centre for Creative Learning.
If you need a Changing Places facility, don't assume that every accessible toilet will provide the equipment you require.
It's worth checking the location in advance.
Do you have to pay for public toilets in London?
Sometimes.
There isn't one single rule for every toilet in London.
TfL states that its own toilet facilities are free to use, while the City of London currently lists a £1 charge for its attended toilets at Tower Hill and Paternoster, except for RADAR key holders.
Other facilities may be free.
So if you're carrying a little loose change or a payment card, it's worth being prepared rather than assuming every toilet will work the same way.
Are London's public toilets open 24 hours?
No and this is important.
Some facilities are open 24 hours, but many aren't.
Westminster currently lists certain automatic public conveniences and urinals as open 24 hours, while other toilets have specific daytime or evening opening hours.
Station toilets also have varying opening times. TfL specifically notes that some can close later in the evening.
So if you're going out late at night, don't assume the public toilet you used during the afternoon will still be open.
This is especially important if you're planning a long evening around Soho, Leicester Square, the Thames or the West End.
The easiest way to find a toilet in London
If you're already out in London and don't know where to go, don't panic.
Start with the place you're already near.
At a station? Check the station.
Inside a museum? Use the visitor facilities.
In a park? Look for the park toilets.
Near a major tourist attraction? Check the local council or attraction's facilities.
In the City of London? Use the City Corporation's interactive toilet map.
In Westminster? Check Westminster City Council's current public toilet list.
The important thing is not to rely completely on an old Google Maps listing or a blog post from several years ago. Public toilet locations and opening hours can change — and the current Westminster closure of the Covent Garden toilets is a good example of why.
A little London knowledge that can save your day
Nobody puts “find a toilet” on their London itinerary.
You probably shouldn't.
But knowing where to look can save you from a surprisingly stressful moment.
London has dedicated public toilets, station facilities, park toilets, museum toilets, library facilities, community toilets and specialist Changing Places facilities spread throughout the city.
You just need to know which option makes sense for where you are.
And if you're exploring London for the first time, remember this simple rule:
Don't wait until you desperately need one.
If you see a toilet while you're already near one, especially at a station, museum or major attraction, it can be worth using it.
Future-you might be very grateful.
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