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Collage of photos from Leake Street Tunnel showing the graffiti, with the words 'London' and 'Leake Street Tunnel'

LEAKE STREET TUNNEL: Step Inside London’s Legal Graffiti Tunnel 

The Leake Street Tunnel isn’t for everyone, but honestly, who couldn’t find something to appreciate here? As London’s ultimate street art sanctuary and legal graffiti spot, it’s a non-stop, vibrant feast for the eyes.

Maybe you admire the sheer scale of the urban art, feel awe from visitors taking in the vibrant landscape that surrounds them, or perhaps you’re just relieved this once-dark and neglected tunnel now offers a colourful, legal passage near Waterloo Station. Whatever your reason, this ever-evolving gallery is a brilliant reminder to find beauty in absolutely everything!

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Inside on of the arches to the side of Leake Street Graffiti tunnel showingg graffiti covering all walls and ceilings.

What is the History of the Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel?

As ever, I love to delve into some of the fascinating history behind the UK’s best street art locations. The origin of this famous tunnel is far more mundane than you might think:

  • 19th century: The tunnel was first constructed as a railway underpass, then known as York Street, allowing road traffic and pedestrians to pass beneath the main railway lines and the platforms of Waterloo Station.
  • 1920s: The tunnel became known for illegal drinking dens.
  • 1950s: It was renamed from York Street to Leake Street. The name honours Dr. John Leake, who founded the Westminster Lying-In Hospital in 1767, serving to commemorate his contribution to the local community.
  • 1994 – 2007: The tunnel served as the main road entrance for the Eurostar terminal at Waterloo Station, until the service relocated to St Pancras. This left the tunnel once again as a dark, neglected pedestrian thoroughfare.
  • May 2008: The turning point! Street artist Banksy organised the landmark “Cans Festival,” permanently changing the tunnel’s destiny and officially marking its beginning as a legal street art hub.

  • 2008 – present: It has continued to evolve into the world-renowned and legal urban art gallery we know today.

Today: A Dynamic, Ever-Changing Urban Art Gallery

Portrait graffiti in Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel
Portrait graffiti in Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel
Portrait graffiti artwork in Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel
Artist at the end of Leake Street Tunnel, painting a blank canvas ready to start a new masterpiece in the Graffiti Tunnel

Today, the Leake Street Tunnel remains an authentic, ever-changing canvas showcasing phenomenal urban art from around the world. This dynamic atmosphere means no two visits are ever the same—artists are constantly layering fresh paint onto the walls each and every day, ensuring every nook and cranny is covered with endless creativity. It’s a genuine, living, breathing London art installation that you can revisit time and again.

I often wonder: Is there an unwritten rule among graffiti artists on the longevity of pieces? Imagine spending hours, or even days, creating a masterpiece. The moment your paint hits the wall, its existence becomes a ticking time bomb. It might last a day, a week, a month, or a year… until someone else decides your work has simply had its day.

Don’t Miss the Spectacle: The Santa Cruise Ride

Entrance to Leak Street Arches with Santa Cruise participants waiting for the ride to begin

Every year, this amazing legal graffiti tunnel is included in the route for the epic Santa Cruise Ride. And what a spectacle that is!

For one glorious, festive day, the tunnel transforms into an overwhelmingly chaotic, colourful, and downright hilarious overload for the senses. You’ll see Santas as far as the eye can see, with plenty of other fantastical characters thrown in for good measure—the odd turkey, countless elves, and many more.

The annual Sanda Cruise is a charity event, raising money for the Evelina Children’s Heart Organisation (ECHO). 

Head over to my blog, 10TH ANNUAL SANTA CRUISE: A Festive Ride for ECHO, all about the event, and maybe you’ll join the festive frenzy on the next one?

Seeing the Layers of History (Literally!)

Close up of the Graffiti in Leake Street Tunnel that is exposed to the element, showing where the paint has blown and exposing the layers of paint

My photographs truly don’t do the sheer scale of the artwork justice! But when you stand in front of that paint, has it ever crossed your mind that under the top layer is the previous artist’s work, and under that, and so on? With every piece of graffiti, a new fine layer of material is added to the wall.

For a mind-blowing visual, head to the far end of the tunnel (away from Waterloo) and walk to the right towards the dead end. Here, you’ll see where the massive layers of paint have been exposed to the elements, creating a fantastic visual of the years of history stacked up! Can you imagine how many artists contributed to that depth? How many years of paint did it take to get to that?

Surely, if the graffiti carried on forever more, the tunnel would eventually become a narrow passage… I’m sure I’ll be long gone before that happens, but I would love to see it!

How to Get to Leake Street Tunnel, London SE1 (Location & Directions)

📍 LOCATION: 

The tunnel is easily accessible and open 24 hours a day, allowing for visits at any time.

Address: Leake Street, London SE1 7NN.

By Public Transport

  • By Train: Head to Waterloo Station or Waterloo East Station. Exit the station and follow signs towards Leake Street or the Leake Street Arches. It’s a quick five-minute walk.
  • By Tube: You can use the Northern (Charing Cross Branch), Jubilee, or Bakerloo lines to Waterloo Tube Station, or take the Bakerloo line to Lambeth North—both are just a five-minute walk away.

By Car

  • The nearest car park is Britannia Parking on Upper Marsh (charges apply).