Bustling stalls with loud market sellers create a booming atmosphere- one that’s easy to get lost in. You see, getting to Camden market is the easy part. It’s once you arrive, with spectacular food stalls around every corner, that leads to difficult dilemmas for all of the tourists weaving the alleyways.
On any trip to London, a visit to Camden market is a must. Whether you’re staying in the area at Selina Camden or commuting from further afield, the hectic nature of the market stalls is enough to make most tourists feel alive. Adrenaline, caused by the shrieking sellers draws in even the most stable and well-traveled visitors.
So say hello to your inner child and get excited for a trip to Camden market.
Camden lock market is a collection of market traders originating from the 1970s. Selling all sorts of wares, from handmade clothing to jewelry and even vintage accessories, this place is heaven for a shopaholic.
When it was first formed, Camden market was popular among the goth and punk scenes. With the addition of a nearby indie and punk music venue, The Underworld, many who identified with the punk lifestyle chose to make Camden their home. Even now, on a given day visitors will find the Camden punks, a group of activists, protesting for various causes.
However, now in the 21st century, the Camden food market has become more ‘mainstream’. While many of the original sellers did not make it through the lockdowns, new stalls began to migrate here (mainly in the form of food businesses).
Therefore, Camden market has changed its face in recent years with a large development and an explosion in food options. From vegan burgers to luxury hot chocolates, Argentinian steak houses and Indian street food, there is something for everyone.
Moreover, the location is not a one-stop wonder; the wider Camden area has plenty of things to do on your trip to London.
Where is Camden market, London?
It’s all well and good talking about the spectacular feeling most of us get when we attend Camden for the first time. But where is Camden market?
Camden market is, of course, located in London. It’s found to the North of the city and can be reached via ‘tube’ (or London’s underground train network). Most will choose to take the Northern line, Northbound from any central London location.
Alternatively, there are many attractions around Camden which mean it can fit into a wider itinerary. For example, the London Zoo is in Regents Park, just a 16-minute walk from Camden market.
Camden market is to the North of Camden town. Its closest public transport stops are just a one-minute walk away by bus or the same for an overground train. The closest tube stop is approximately five minutes walk.
But directions to Camden market depend on what mode of transport you’re taking, as well as the origin of your journey.
So, we’ll take a look at how to get to Camden town market when you’re:
Walking
Getting the overground train or underground tube
Taking the bus
Hailing a taxi
Flying in internationally
Walking
For tourists who are already nearby, walking will be the easiest way to reach Camden market.
From Selina Camden, simply walk out of the main entrance and turn left. Continue walking down the road for about seven minutes, and you’ll reach the markets. It’s a straight shot!
From Regent’s Park, find the exit closest to the Regent’s Canal. Then, turn left and begin walking along the river. Continue on this road for approximately 10 minutes until you hit Camden high street head-on. Turn left just after the Starbucks coffee in order to reach Camden Market.
With Little Venice just one mile away, it’s a good option for a walk on a sunny day in London. And if the sun is not out, just be sure to pack your rain jacket!
From Little Venice, walk straight along St John’s Wood road until reaching the St John’s Wood Church. At the roundabout, walk straight over to Prince Albert Road for a few minutes until you reach Regent’s Canal. Simply scroll up to see the final ten minutes of your journey.
For a more scenic route, some visitors choose to walk from Paddington, although this takes significantly longer than many of the other destinations. It takes approximately one hour walk according to Google maps. Still, the route is fairly simple.
From Paddington station, walk along Praed Street until you reach the Edgware main road.
At this point, the Hilton London Metropole is on the left.
Then, cross the road and immediately turn left, walking along Edgware Road.
After a few minutes, turn right at Church St between Santander bank and Sinbad Supermarket.
Carry on straight to Lilestone street and turn left at Tresham Crescent.
Just a short walk later and you’ll turn right at Swain Street, then immediately left at Casey close.
Here, you’ll find yourself at Regent’s Park. Check out the instructions above to then hit Camden markets.
Finally, most Camden market restaurants are just a minute’s walk down the road in a Southerly direction.
Train or tube
The nearest tube to Camden market is Camden Town. This is located on the Northern line (the black line on the underground map) and the likelihood is that you’ll be traveling Northbound if coming from anywhere in central London.
Another nearby station is Chalk Farm, which is just one stop onwards from Camden Town. However, the Northern line splits into two directions after stopping at Camden Town, so if you want to get off at Chalk Farm then look for a train going to Edgware.
If you make a mistake and take a tube to High Barnet instead, there will be no option to get out at Chalk Farm. At this point, it’s best to get off the tube as soon as you realize, and then cross the station to reach the Southbound platform. Get on the next available train towards Morden and leave the train at Camden Town.
Getting the overground train to Camden market is likely to be much easier than trying to stop at Chalk Farm if it’s your first time on the tube. Camden Road is the closest overground train station, and it’s an eight-minute walk from here to the markets. Most of the trains leaving and arriving here are from other London destinations, such as Clapham Junction, Stratford and Richmond.
The Travel For London (TFL) works by tapping a contactless card, oyster card, or inserting a ticket. Unless you’re commuting from outside of London, it’s probably not worth buying a ticket from the machine. Instead, use one of your debit or credit cards with contactless capabilities and simply tap in and out at your origin and destination stations. The daily TFL fee is capped at £7.70, and most individual journeys are less than £1.
Bus
There are lots of different busses that you can take to get to the Camden market shops.
Hartland Road is by far the closest stop to Camden market and is literally right outside of the markets on the main road. There are eight different buses that stop at this station, including:
24 and 168 from Hampstead Heath
27 from Chalk Farm
31 from White City
N5 from Edgware
N27 from Hammersmith
N28 from Kensington and Wandsworth
N31 from Clapham Junction
Similar to the London underground, buses in London only accept contactless card payments, travelcards or oyster cards. In fact, buses in London stopped accepting cash in 2014. Therefore, if you don’t possess an oyster card or contactless card, you’ll have to head to a train station to buy a London travelcard which allows you to travel by bus. Simply show the travelcard to the driver as you get on.
The daily fare cap for bus travel in London is currently £4.95, however, the TFL does offer an unlimited journey pass within 1 hour for just £1.95.
Other nearby bus stops include Hawley Road, Kentish Town and Chalk Farm Road.
Taxi
While it’s incredibly difficult for tourists to navigate London’s streets by car (even domestic tourists), hailing a taxi is like second-nature to some. Let’s not get started on the shockingly poor parking Camden market has to offer. Fortunately, the black cabs in London are countless, and it doesn’t take long to spot a taxi when you need one.
Hailing a taxi in London is very similar to what you see on movies in New York- just stick your arm out into the road and try to catch the driver’s attention. Of course, sometimes the cab already has passengers, so it may take a few tries for a driver to pull over.
First introduced in the 19th century, Black Cabs are one of the must-see staples of London. Even today though, they are well-liked since there is a glass screen separating every driver from its passengers. For safety and hygiene reasons, this has come in very handy in recent years.
Typical taxi fares are as follows:
1 mile or approx 8 minutes:
2 miles or approx 16 minutes:
4 miles or approx 30 minutes:
Bear in mind that the minimum fare for any journey in London is £3.20, and you’ll need to carry cash to pay the driver.
If you’re going straight for the food, Camden market doesn’t have good street parking options. However, ask your cab driver to drop you off at the Camden lock bridge for street food, or at Buck Street market for a sit down meal.
As well as traditional black cabs, Londoners also have access to rideshare apps like Uber and Bolt. These are a great option when it’s busy as you’ll have less chance of riding a black cab, or on the occasions where you don’t have cash since everything is paid for in the app.
Internationally
Anyone coming to Camden from outside of the UK would have to fly into the airports. Fortunately, there are four main London airports within a 2 hour drive of Camden market, the closes being London Heathrow, at just 14 miles away. Once landing, there are train, bus and taxi options that will ferry passengers into the city center.
Other London airports include:
Luton (24 miles)
Gatwick (25 miles)
Stansted (30 miles)
From the US, a flight into London should take a minimum of 5 hours, but West Coasters will have a much longer flight duration.
And if you’re wondering if Camden market’s open as soon as you fly in, the chances are that it is. The market is open every single day from 10 am to 6 pm, except for Christmas day.
Where to stay in Camden?
Since Camden is on the smaller side compared to other boroughs of London, wherever visitors end up staying is usually considered central to the London Camden market.
One of the best hotels near Camden market is Selina. In the same area as the Camden market postcode (NW1), tourists are only obliged to walk less than ten minutes down one straight road to arrive at the main attraction.
Here, guests can choose between luxury private lofts and suites or sociable dorm rooms for a more affordable option. With an undeniable vibe, the property comes with a cozy basement for vinyl listening parties on those days when going outside just feels like too much of a chore.
The communal kitchen is the perfect place to make new friends and share delicious home-cooked meals, although it’s hard to become bored of the market street food.
If you’re looking to stay outside of Camden, we’d recommend avoiding most ‘City of London’ areas where prices are hugely inflated. Places like Canary Wharf, Leicester Square and Oxford Street have huge reputations, but there is little space for accommodation options in the center. Which also means no bang for your buck.
Camden market information
Before arriving in the UK, you’re probably asking yourself:
Is Camden market open?
What time does Camden market close?
Luckily, Camden market opening times make a visit possible at almost any time of day. The sellers arrive early in the morning to prep and most stalls open at around 10 am, before closing up shop at 6 pm every evening.
While the only day that the market is closed is on Christmas, there are some best times and days to visit. Go midweek if possible, as there are a huge number of domestic tourists that visit Camden market every weekend.
Plus, remember that many of the vendors here do not accept cash, only card. So while you may need the £20 notes for your taxi driver, ensure your debit or credit cards are in working order to make purchases at the markets themselves.
Note: it can get super busy at Camden market and with loud vendors trying to ‘flog’ their wares, some people can experience sensory overload. With plenty of outside spaces, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a pocket of paradise among the bustling crowds.
Getting to Camden market is the easy part
How to get to Camden market is easy when the crowds are visible from a mile away. It’s what else you can do in this London borough that might cause a few headaches. From the Roundhouse to Underworld, to vegan cafes and jazz bars, Camden is one of the most diverse and eclectic places in Britain.
So, join us at Selina Camden to start your trip of a lifetime and experience life in London, once and for all.
Camden Market FAQs
What tube line is Camden market on?
The closest underground trains to London, Camden market are Chalk Farm and Camden Town, both of which are on the Northern Line. This line is black on the tube map. Generally, most visitors will be traveling Northbound to Edgware from anywhere in central London to reach Camden market.
Is Camden / London safe?
While London is generally considered a safe city, as with anywhere you are visiting, it is good to take precautions and stay mindful of your surroundings. With the number of tourists visiting Camden market stalls each day, however, some criminals may target the area for pickpocketing.
Inflated crime rates in the media may give Camden and the city of London a bad reputation. But the reality is that even at Camden market closing time, the streets are still well lit and there are plenty of other people around in case you do get into trouble.
What other attractions are nearby Camden market?
One benefit for Muslims is that at Camden market, halal food is everywhere. So you don’t need to think about leaving for a meal that suits your dietary requirements. But on the chance that Camden market hours are over, why not check out a gig at the nearby Camden Roundhouse venue?
Other nearby attractions include shows at Camden comedy club and the very colorful umbrella street. And luckily, pub fans can sweep up at the nearby Camden market bars to sample all that local breweries have to offer.
How many days to spend in London?
Even though it’s hard to get bored of the Camden market street food, there are plenty of other attractions in London that make it worth staying for a few days. We recommend at least five days in England’s capital so that you can explore places like:
London Eye
Soccer stadiums like the Emirates
Big Ben, now that renovations have finished
Buckingham palace, of course
And if you’re wondering, “is Camden market open on a Sunday?”, yes it’s open every single day except for the 25th of December. This makes it the perfect attraction to fit around other sights where you may have to book or that are only open during specific times.
