The best-connected London office locations in 2022

When looking for great locations to establish an office, one of the key considerations is accessibility. Within London, this means public transport, and specifically for commuters, the rail network.

Crossrail is due to open in 2022 and will transform accessibility in London. With this in mind, we have looked at what will become the best-connected office locations in London considering underground, overground, DLR and Crossrail access. They are ranked in terms of the total number of stations accessible on directly connected train lines from each location, shown in brackets (stations on multiple lines are counted once only).

Crossrail is coming in 2022

One huge development that will greatly improve the accessibility of several London locations is Crossrail. Crossrail is the £18Bn railway construction project underway mainly in Central London. Its aim is to provide a high-frequency suburban passenger service crossing the capital from west to east, by connecting two major railway lines terminating in London, the Great Western Main Line and the Great Eastern Main Line. It will ultimately connect Reading in the West to Shenfield in the East and pass through the heart of Central London.

Crossrail services are expected to begin in the “early part” of 2022.

Source: Route Map - Crossrail

The best-connected London locations

1) Liverpool Street

Overground: Great Eastern Mainline (GEML), West Anglian Mainline (WAML) Serving Essex, Herts, Cambs. Stansted and Southend Airports.

Underground: Central, Circle, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan

Crossrail: Elizabeth Line

Liverpool Street will become London’s best-connected location, and it’s one of the largest stations on the Crossrail route with a 238m passenger platform length.

For businesses choosing Liverpool Street as their home, the opportunity to be located on the edge of The City and East London brings a perfect blend of a busy business district and social playground. Office space in Liverpool Street is plentiful and slightly more affordable than in the West End.

2) Kings Cross St. Pancras

Overground: London North Eastern Railway, Hull Trains, Great Northern, Grand Central, Thameslink, East Coast Mainline, Eurostar

Underground: Circle, Piccadilly, Northern, Metropolitan, Victoria, Hammersmith and City

Kings Cross St. Pancras will be the second best-connected station in London. In 2019 Kings Cross was the most used station on the network with 88.27M passengers entering and exiting the station.

The Kings Cross area has become London’s latest tech hub. The whole area has undergone massive regeneration and transformed Kings Cross into a modern vibrant area where you can rub shoulders with tech giants like Google, Facebook, Expedia Group and the Alan Turing Institute. It even has its own new Postcode N1C.

There’s a wide variety of flexible office space in Kings Cross and the offices are attracting many tech start-ups and scale ups.

3) Moorgate

Overground: Great Northern Line (GNL) Serving Herts, East Anglia, Northern City Line

Underground: Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan, Northern

Once the Elizabeth Line opens, Moorgate will be the third best-connected location in London.

Moorgate is in the heart of London’s financial district and retains a sharp and energetic vibe. Aside from the excellent connectivity, Moorgate has plenty of hotels, bars and restaurants nearby to entertain staff and clients. Some of London’s famous landmarks, St. Pauls Cathedral, Guildhall and London Wall are all close by. Contemporary affordable office space is abundant around Moorgate, and Finsbury Circus is a popular choice.

4) Stratford

Overground: West Anglia Mainline, Great Eastern Mainline, TfL Rail, London Overground, C2C, DLR, Southend Airport

Underground: Central, Jubilee

Crossrail: Elizabeth Line

Stratford will benefit massively from the opening of the Elizabeth Line and will make it the fourth best-connected station in London. By the most recent National Rail entry and exit figures, it is the 6th busiest station in Britain and the busiest station in London that is not a central London terminus.

Having been completely regenerated for the 2012 Olympics, Stratford in East London has been transformed with 46,000 new jobs being created in the district. Businesses are being drawn towards Stratford for many reasons including, the great transport links, affordable office space, world class sports facilities, Westfield shopping complex, cycle friendly infrastructure and community vibe. Why not join TfL, Cancer Research, the FCA and UNICEF and browse some of the serviced offices available in Stratford.

5) Embankment

Overground: None

Underground: Bakerloo, Circle and District, Northern Line

Embankment will be the fifth best connected station in London providing access to three busy underground lines. The station has two entrances, one on Victoria Embankment and the other on Villiers Street.

Embankment offers stunning views of the London skyline and is close to several of London’s most popular tourist attractions including Buckingham Palace, the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament.

The area’s central location and vast array of amenities makes occupying a serviced office in Embankment a popular choice for businesses of all types.

6) Whitechapel

Overground: London Overground, East London Line

Underground: District, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan

Crossrail: Elizabeth Line

At no.6 in our list is Whitechapel. This Zone 2 East London location is another which will receive a massive boost when Crossrail opens. The eastbound Elizabeth Line will split into two after Whitechapel, with one line running through Canary Wharf to Abbey Wood and the other stretching further east through Stratford to Shenfield.

Whitechapel benefits from excellent transport links and a vibrant culture of music, art and food. Amongst the beautiful Victorian architecture, you’ll find thriving markets and a stone’s throw away, trendy hotspots like Brick Lane and Shoreditch. Office space in Whitechapel is varied, plentiful and affordable.

7) Tottenham Court Road

Underground: Central, Northern Line

Crossrail: Elizabeth Line (Crossrail 2 – Churchill Line Proposed)

Last but not least is Tottenham Court Road station. Tottenham Court Road sits on the Central Line between Oxford Circus and Holborn and provides easy access to Oxford Street and the West End.

Crossrail is transforming the station which expects to welcome 170,000 passengers each day. Tottenham Court Road is also earmarked as an interchange for Crossrail 2, the proposed north-south line, planned to open in the early 2030’s.

The brightly coloured high rises at Central Saint Giles, house media giants NBC, Universal and Google, while Skyscanner’s headquarters are up the street, and film production studios squeeze into the buildings off Tottenham Court Road. There’s plenty of office space available for growing businesses and there’s a fine selection of desirable serviced offices around Tottenham Court Road.

Key considerations for your office location

Connectivity – The ease of getting to and from the office is one of the most important things to consider when choosing your office location. Commuting times for staff are key for attracting and retaining talent. Connecting easily with customers and suppliers might also be vital for your business.

Local amenities – Having easy access to banks, shops, cafes, restaurants and bars will make it easier to achieve that work-life balance and is a key factor for most office workers.

Room for growth – Ensure that your office has scope to grow or contract as staff numbers change. Your workspace should expand with your business and flexibility is your best friend in uncertain times.

Cost – Setting up office can be an expensive undertaking, but you should consider all the options before deciding on a final location. Using an experienced impartial office broker can help you decide what’s best for your business, save time and money and help find you the perfect workspace.