Tube Stations: Different exit/entry points and multiple ways out?

I wouldn't stress so much about this. I know when I lived in London I was always taking the wrong exit, no matter how many times I'd previously passed through the station. Just cross the road once you are at street level, or go back down and try again.

I've found that their are maps near the exits and they'll tell you which exit to take for which ever side of the street you may want to come out on. I would think the worst case scenario would be you may have to cross the road or go back down and take another exit. Been there, done that! Or if not maps, there are signs on the wall...this exit for Westminster or this exit for parliament buildings...

I've even found at the more touristy stations in central London, when you come out, there will be a map on a pole saying...you are here and showing what is nearby.

I would agree with the others, this is not something to stress about, you will get where you are going. That said, yes, there can be many exits at larger stations, the smaller ones might have a couple to get you to one side of the street or the other, but in the larger ones the exits can be blocks apart. Nearly always there will be signage indicating the street the exit is on, or an attraction that might be near the exit. Knowing the street names outside the station may be enough.

The vast majority of Tube entrances are equipped for both entry and exit. There many be a few that are equipped for just one or the other, but they're the exception, not the rule.

There are pedestrian maps posted all over London showing the local streets and how long it will take to walk to various places. If you ever get lost or turned around, you can just look for one, and it will get you straightened out.

Just follow the signs. At any metro station near a major tourist sites there will always be signs which tell you which exit to use. In addition you can ask one of the staff near the turnstiles, they're always very helpful.

Thanks guys!

These are the stations I'll be using in case anyone can provide more advice:

Westminster: Destination = Houses of Parliament
Oxford Circus: Destination = Oxford St
Marble Arch: Destination = Hyde Park
St. Paul's: Destination St. Paul's Cathedral
Covent Garden: Destination = Covent Garden
Kings Cross: Destination = St. Pancras International Departures

These are the stations I'll be using in case anyone can provide more
advice:

• Westminster: Destination = Houses of Parliament
  
• Oxford Circus: Destination = Oxford St
  
• Marble Arch: Destination = Hyde Park
• St. Paul's: Destination St. Paul's Cathedral
  
• Covent Garden: Destination = Covent Garden
  
• Kings Cross: Destination = St. Pancras International Departures

Those stations are all pretty close to each other, don't forget about the bird's eye view from the top of a bus. Go to any London Transport - Transport for London - information desk, there's one at most major stations, and get the free Central London Bus Guide or use the Journey Planner on the app or website. It will clearly show the buses which are easy to use for your journeys.

For example, off the top of my head, if you are at St Pauls and want to go to Covent Garden take a bus along Ludgate Hill, especially the 11, 15, 23 and when you get to St Clement Danes Church (in the nursery rhyme, "Oranges and Lemons say bells of St Clements") in the middle of the street get off, cross the road and walk up the hill and you're there. no tube needed. Much more scenic.

Particularly if you stick to the Tube map and think that you have to connect the Central Line (St Pauls) with the Piccadilly Line (Covent Garden) and realise that that is very convoluted.

A lot of places can more easily be reached on foot.

Specifics -

Westminster. Easy. Whichever exit you use, and they are very very well labeled because the Members of Parliament have to be able to find their way, and some of them went to comprehensive schools, and when you are outside just look around. You won't be able to miss Elizabeth Tower with Big Ben at the top.

Oxford Circus. The busiest station on the network. No matter which way you go up will wind up on one of the corners. Unless you know exactly which shop you want it won't make any difference. Not only can you cross the junction straight across you can also cross on the diagonal. Wear a money belt. No, really. The place is absolutely rife with pickpockets targeting tourists looking around and gawking. They know that tourists have money, otherwise why would they be in Oxford Street? You can't pick them out but they can pick you out. Be aware and do not have money, cards, phones, tablets, jewelry, open purses, or purses of any kind, or backpacks, rucksacks or bum bags where they can cause a distraction and get at them. Yes really.

Marble Arch. Watch out for the Romanians sleeping rough and pickpockets. There are many other ways to enter Hyde Park on all sides. Tube to Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly), Lancaster Gate (Central), and many many bus lines. If you want horses, the south side is much better. Kensington Palace, use Knightsbridge or South Kensington, or the bus. If you want Speakers Corner, you are stuck with a long walk or using Marble Arch. Be careful.

St Pauls is easy, particularly if you are already on the Central Line. Buses are good too. Or Mansion House or Blackfriars on the Circle and District Lines are not much further.

Covent Garden has lifts rather than escalators, is sometimes closed due to overcrowding or is closed if one of the lifts is out of action. Covent Garden station can be made exit only in high crowds. It is very very close to Leicester Square (and well marked) (Northern Line Charing Cross Branch and Piccadilly Line). Or can be reached on foot from many places.

I've run out of space so will continue in next post

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There isn't a Kings Cross Tube station any more, it is Kings Cross St Pancras. No matter which exit you take from whichever line you take it (there are 6 tube lines serving it - Northern Line Bank Branch, Piccadilly Line, Victoria Line, Circle Line, Metropolitan Line, and Hammersmith and City Line - and the permutations are huge) all are well marked and it is easy to find which departure area you mean. St Pancras has 4 areas for trains - Southeastern upstairs near Kings Cross, East Midlands Trains upstairs on the British Library side, Thameslink 2 floors down under the East Midlands area, and Eurostar to Brussels, Lille, Paris and other French points, in the middle.

Don't look for Departures, look for the name of the company, Eurostar if that is what you want. It is absolutely easy to find. Be sure to check in well in advance. You will be going through security, then British Border Control and the French Border Control before you reach the waiting area. An hour minimum. Given Paris recently and Brussels and the nuclear plants today I'd be there even earlier.

Thank you Nigel, that's amazingly helpful. Sucks about Oxford Circus, it will be my main station, always starting and finishing there since it's close to my hostel. I'll be carrying only a daypack (with a lock) on my back and my phone (which is also my camera) on my pocket. Moneybelt with basic stuff and the most important stuff on a hidden pocket I had custom made on my pants. Hope that's enough to avoid trouble. But can't I take any pictures on that street? There's no police officers to keep an eye on these thieves?

I'll ride the tube 2 times per day max, except on Day 3. This is the detailed schedule for all my transport, I'd love if you could foolproof it.

Day 1: Tube from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Westminster (Piccadilly), walk to St. James Park, walk to Buckingham Palace, walk to Wellington Arch, bus 148 (stop K) to Holland Park (stop HA), Tube from Holland Park to Oxford Circus (Central).

Day 2: Tube from Oxford Circus to Marble Arch (Central), walk to V&A Museum, walk to Harrods, bus 14 (stop KD) to Piccadilly Circus (stop H).

Day 3: Tube from Oxford Circus to Westminster (Central to Bond Street, then Jubilee to Westminster), walk to National Gallery, walk or bus to British Museum, walk or bus to British Library, Tube from Kings Cross St Pancras to Covent Garden (Piccadilly), walk to YHA Oxford St (hostel). As you can see I still didn't do much research on bus routes for this day.

Day 4: Tube from Oxford Circus to St. Paul's (Central), walk to Tower of London, boat to Westminster, Tube or bus from Westminster to Oxford Circus.

Day 5: Tube from Oxford Circus to St Pancras, Eurostar to Paris.

Thanks again.

I happen to be a compass person. I generally have a good idea from the map if I need to head e,w, n, or s from the station. The first thing I do when I pop out of a station is to check my directions. I immediately determine north. From there I can decide the direction I should be going. If I facing north, and I want to go south but the station is behind me then I know I am on the wrong side of the station. Go the other side and head south. Of if facing east, just turn right and go south. I am cannot travel without a good compass.

I'm with Frank on carrying a small compass. All you need to know is which direction from the tube station that your destination is located. Get up to street level and if you know for example that Westminster Abbey is south of the Westminster tube station, take the exit in that direction. If only one exit, check the compass again once you get to the street level and go in that direction. There are often street signs that direct you to many of the famous sights. No need to fret about directions and the compass will guide you in any city you visit if you have a proper map.

I also carry a compass , it's simple and invaluable . In conjunction with a map , it's impossible to be lost .