Calling all trainiacs, lovers of dark underground tunnels, and fans of both! The Postal Museum has unlocked the doors and is inviting you down into the 100-year-old tunnels beneath the museumin special Tunnel Walks tours.
That’s right – a visit to this London museum doesn’t just treat you to spectacular sights, stories, and exhibits. You can quite literally take a step back in time – and underground!
Passionate expert guides lead visitors through the postal tunnels as they share the stories of the staff who built, operated, and maintained the railway. You’ll get to explore the tunnels as you find out about their construction in the early 1900s, through to their prime during the middle of the century, and eventual closure in 2003.
What do you get to see?
The tour lets you explore parts of the railway on foot that are not accessible on the Mail Rail ride. (That particular experience sees you boarding a miniature train through the original tunnels.) During the tour, they’ll take you to an eerie yet fascinating train graveyard, and you’ll be shown the floodgates that kept the workers from harm.
The Tunnel Walks tours give visitors a chance to get an in-depth insight into the workings of the postal tunnels and to explore a unique subterranean environment in the heart of London that many Londoners don’t know about.
When can you do a Tunnel Walks tour?
Until recently visitors could only enjoy the walks on select Tuesdays. But thanks to booming interest The Postal Museum now operates even more tours. Tours now also run on select Friday and Saturday evenings.
Upcoming dates for the Tunnel Walks tour currently include:
November 2024
- Saturday, November 16 – sold out
- Tuesday, November 19 – sold out
- Friday, November 22
- Saturday, November 30 – sold out
December 2024
- Tuesday, December 3 – sold out
- Saturday, December 14 – sold out
- Friday, December 20 – sold out
- Wednesday, December 25 – sold out
- Saturday, December 28
January 2025
- Friday, January 3
- Saturday, January 11
- Tuesday, January 14
- Friday, January 24
February 2025
- Saturday, February 1
- Tuesday, February 4
- Friday, February 14
- Saturday, February 22
- Tuesday, February 25
March 2025
- Friday, March 7
- Saturday, March 15
- Tuesday, March 18
- Friday, March 28
There are two tours each day, leaving at 6:30pm and 7pm. The tours last for between 60-75 minutes and will see you exploring 1.2 kilometres of tunnels. Protective equipment is (of course) mandatory – including a high-visibility jacket and hard hat.
How much are the Tunnel Walks tours?
Tickets cost between £58 – £60 per person.
It’s important to note that the experience is only open to those aged 12 years and above.
You can book your ticket for the Tunnel Walks here. If you just want to buy a ticket for The Postal Museum itself, with tickets starting at just £10 for children aged 3-15, head here.
Elsewhere at The Postal Museum
Lest you think that a visit to The Postal Museum should start and finish with the tunnel tours, there is much more to see! Interactive experiences and fascinating displays take you back in time through the history of the UK’s postal service.
There’s the above-mentioned Mail Rail subway train, that treats guests to a taste of the tunnel walks (in slightly more controlled conditions). You can also see the world’s first postage stamps, as well as a restored mail coach. It’s a fascinating museum, with a perhaps unexpected wealth of information and history to share. You’re sure to leave with a newfound respect, appreciation, and wonder for the incredible work of the postal service.
If you’ve got kids in tow they’re more than catered for thanks to an ever-changing roster of family-friendly activities and the Sorted! Postal Play Space. The immersive mini-town offers up “sackloads of fun” with a charming assortment of “streets, buildings, trolleys, pulleys, slides and chutes; everything to keep the little ones happily occupied.”
📍 Find The Postal Museum on 15-20 Phoenix Place, WC1X 0DA. The nearest station is Russell Square.
Secure your ticket for your visit to the Postal Museum here.