South Kensington Tube station to undergo £1.2 billion upgrade

Transport for London (TfL) has awarded a £1.2 billion contract to infrastructure company Costain to begin a major redevelopment of the South Kensington Tube station. The project is scheduled to commence this year and is expected to reach completion by 2031, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the Natural History Museum.

The upgrade aims to improve accessibility and alleviate overcrowding at the busy station, which serves tens of millions of annual passengers due to its proximity to Imperial College London, several major museums, and specialist hospitals. Key improvements include the implementation of step-free access throughout the ticket hall, subway tunnels, and platforms.

As part of the renovation, the currently disused platform 1 will be reopened to serve the District and Circle lines. The project also intends to restore the station’s heritage features while introducing modern updates such as new lighting, speakers, and low-maintenance planting within the arches.