Radius Map of London

The map above is centered on London, United Kingdom, near Charing Cross, with a default 10 km radius. Drag to move it, search for a different address, or change the radius and unit using the controls.

A 10 km radius from Charing Cross covers central London and the inner boroughs — reaching out past Hackney (~4 km northeast), Brixton (~5 km south), and Hampstead Heath (~6 km northwest), and nearly to Wimbledon (~11 km southwest). For a dense city like London, radius queries here usually work best in kilometers and a small range. For commute work out toward the M25, switch to the Drive Time Map, which follows roads instead of straight lines. Distances here are straight-line from Charing Cross — the same way the radius map measures them.

Population: 8,945,310 (Greater London, mid-2023)
Country: United Kingdom
Coordinates: 51.5074, -0.1278
Time zone: Europe/London

Population figure: Office for National Statistics (ONS), mid-2023 population estimate for Greater London.

A 10 km radius from Charing Cross reaches the inner boroughs out to Hampstead Heath (~6 km northwest) and Greenwich (~9 km east), while Wimbledon (~11 km southwest) and Croydon (~14 km south) sit just outside it. Push the radius out to 25 km and it reaches Heathrow (~23 km west), Romford (~23 km east), and Watford (~25 km northwest).

Also known as: The Big Smoke, Greater London, The Square Mile (City of London only).

What's within each radius from Charing Cross

Coverage at common radii, including notable places that fall just outside the circle. Use these as a quick reference — check exact boundaries before relying on a circle for real-estate, retail, or service-area decisions.

Place locations: USGS GNIS and GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Distances are straight-line (great-circle) from Charing Cross, the same way the radius map measures them.

1 km from Charing Cross

A 1 km radius from Charing Cross covers the West End core — Covent Garden, the eastern edge of St James's Park, and the southern fringe of Soho, with Whitehall at the centre.

Inside the circle

✓Whitehall (centre)
✓St James's Park (~0.6 km southwest)
✓Covent Garden (~0.7 km northeast)
✓Westminster Abbey (~0.9 km south)
✓Soho (~0.9 km northwest)

Just outside

✗Buckingham Palace (~1.3 km southwest)
✗British Museum (~1.3 km north)
✗Hackney (~4.2 km northeast)
✗Brixton (~4.8 km south)

5 km from Charing Cross

A 5 km radius covers central London and the start of the inner boroughs — reaching Hackney to the northeast and Brixton to the south, with the West End landmarks all comfortably inside.

Inside the circle

✓Whitehall (centre)
✓St James's Park (~0.6 km southwest)
✓Covent Garden (~0.7 km northeast)
✓Westminster Abbey (~0.9 km south)
✓Soho (~0.9 km northwest)
✓Buckingham Palace (~1.3 km southwest)
✓British Museum (~1.3 km north)
✓Hackney (~4.2 km northeast)
✓Brixton (~4.8 km south)

Just outside

✗Hampstead Heath (~5.9 km northwest)
✗Greenwich (~8.7 km east)

10 km from Charing Cross

A 10 km radius reaches the inner boroughs out to Hampstead Heath to the northwest, Greenwich to the east, and Brixton to the south, with Wimbledon and Croydon still outside.

Inside the circle

✓St James's Park (~0.6 km southwest)
✓Covent Garden (~0.7 km northeast)
✓Westminster Abbey (~0.9 km south)
✓Soho (~0.9 km northwest)
✓Buckingham Palace (~1.3 km southwest)
✓British Museum (~1.3 km north)
✓Hackney (~4.2 km northeast)
✓Brixton (~4.8 km south)
✓Hampstead Heath (~5.9 km northwest)
✓Greenwich (~8.7 km east)

Just outside

✗Wimbledon (~11 km southwest)
✗Wembley (~12 km northwest)
✗Croydon (~14 km south)
✗Romford (~23 km east)
✗Heathrow Airport (~23 km west)
✗Watford (~25 km northwest)

25 km from Charing Cross

A 25 km radius reaches the edge of Greater London and the airports — Heathrow to the west, Romford to the east, and Watford to the northwest all fall just inside it.

Inside the circle

✓St James's Park (~0.6 km southwest)
✓Covent Garden (~0.7 km northeast)
✓Westminster Abbey (~0.9 km south)
✓Soho (~0.9 km northwest)
✓Buckingham Palace (~1.3 km southwest)
✓British Museum (~1.3 km north)
✓Hackney (~4.2 km northeast)
✓Brixton (~4.8 km south)
✓Hampstead Heath (~5.9 km northwest)
✓Greenwich (~8.7 km east)
✓Wimbledon (~11 km southwest)
✓Wembley (~12 km northwest)
✓Croydon (~14 km south)
✓Romford (~23 km east)
✓Heathrow Airport (~23 km west)
✓Watford (~25 km northwest)

Just outside

✗Guildford (~43 km southwest)
✗Luton Airport (~44 km north)

50 km from Charing Cross

A 50 km radius reaches into the Home Counties — Guildford to the southwest and Luton Airport to the north both fall inside, while Reading and Brighton stay beyond the edge.

Inside the circle

✓St James's Park (~0.6 km southwest)
✓Covent Garden (~0.7 km northeast)
✓Westminster Abbey (~0.9 km south)
✓Soho (~0.9 km northwest)
✓Buckingham Palace (~1.3 km southwest)
✓British Museum (~1.3 km north)
✓Hackney (~4.2 km northeast)
✓Brixton (~4.8 km south)
✓Hampstead Heath (~5.9 km northwest)
✓Greenwich (~8.7 km east)
✓Wimbledon (~11 km southwest)
✓Wembley (~12 km northwest)
✓Croydon (~14 km south)
✓Romford (~23 km east)
✓Heathrow Airport (~23 km west)
✓Watford (~25 km northwest)
✓Guildford (~43 km southwest)
✓Luton Airport (~44 km north)

Just outside

✗Reading (~58 km west)
✗Brighton (~75 km south)

How London radius maps get used

City-specific scenarios where a radius is the right tool — and a sensible radius to start with.

Property search by distance from the centre

Drawing a radius from Charing Cross is a quick first filter for a home search. A 5 km radius keeps you in central London and the first ring of inner boroughs like Hackney and Brixton; a 10 km radius reaches out to Hampstead Heath, Greenwich, and nearly to Wimbledon. Use it as a starting filter, then validate each candidate with a real journey planner.

Suggested starting radius: 5 km (central + inner boroughs), 10 km (wider inner London)

Office catchment for a new location

A radius from a prospective office shows at a glance how far staff would travel in a straight line. A 10 km radius reaches the inner boroughs out to Hampstead Heath, Greenwich, and Brixton, while a 25 km radius pulls in Croydon, Romford, and the areas near Heathrow. Pair it with the Drive Time Map to see how those straight-line distances translate into real commutes.

Suggested starting radius: 10 km for inner-London catchment, 25 km for the wider metro

Wedding venue and hotel block planning

Central London weddings often want hotels within walking distance — a 1 km radius keeps you inside the West End core around Covent Garden and Whitehall. For larger guest lists, a 5 km radius spreads across central London and the inner boroughs, and a 10 km radius opens up Greenwich and the areas near Hampstead Heath as outlier options.

Suggested starting radius: 1 km (walking), 5 km (central hotels), 10 km (wider London)

Delivery and service zones

A radius is a simple way to sketch a delivery or service boundary before refining it with road distances. A 10 km radius from the centre covers the inner boroughs out to Greenwich and Brixton; a 25 km radius stretches to Heathrow, Romford, and Watford at the edge of Greater London. Because streets and the Thames rarely follow a straight line, confirm the real coverage with the Drive Time Map.

Suggested starting radius: 10 km for inner London, 25 km for the Greater London edge

Geographic quirks of London radius mapping

Local geography and infrastructure that change how a radius behaves here. Skipping these is the most common reason a radius decision goes sideways.

The Thames splits the radius into north and south

Any radius drawn from Charing Cross is bisected by the Thames. A place can sit well inside the circle yet still be an awkward journey, because north-south crossings in central London funnel onto a limited set of bridges. A straight-line radius does not capture that — check actual routes with the Drive Time Map when the river sits between the centre and your destination.

The airports sit on opposite sides

London's two nearest major airports fall on opposite edges of a wide radius: Heathrow is about 23 km west of Charing Cross, while Luton Airport is about 44 km north. A single radius wide enough to include Luton reaches far past Heathrow in the other direction, so for airport-centred planning it is often clearer to draw a radius from each airport instead of one from the centre.

Distances grow unevenly by direction

Because the circle is centred on Charing Cross, places at the same straight-line distance can feel very different. Greenwich sits about 9 km east while Hampstead Heath is about 6 km northwest, yet both are reached well before Croydon (~14 km south) or Romford (~23 km east). Draw the radius and read off which named places land inside rather than assuming each direction reaches equally far.

FAQ — Radius mapping in London

How big is a 5 km radius in London?

A 5 km radius from Charing Cross covers central London and the first ring of inner boroughs. It reaches Hackney (~4 km northeast) and Brixton (~5 km south), with all the West End landmarks comfortably inside. Hampstead Heath (~6 km northwest), Greenwich (~9 km east), and Croydon (~14 km south) fall outside.

What's within 10 km of London?

A 10 km radius from Charing Cross reaches the inner boroughs out to Hackney (~4 km northeast), Brixton (~5 km south), Hampstead Heath (~6 km northwest), and Greenwich (~9 km east). Wimbledon (~11 km southwest), Wembley (~12 km northwest), and Croydon (~14 km south) sit just outside the edge.

Does a 25 km radius from London reach Heathrow?

Yes. Heathrow is about 23 km west of Charing Cross, so a 25 km radius includes it. The same radius also reaches Romford (~23 km east) and Watford (~25 km northwest), while Guildford (~43 km southwest) and Luton Airport (~44 km north) stay outside.

How far from central London are Guildford and Luton Airport?

Guildford is about 43 km southwest of Charing Cross and Luton Airport is about 44 km north, as the radius map measures them in a straight line. Both fall inside a 50 km radius but outside a 25 km one.

How do I draw a Heathrow-inclusive radius from London?

Heathrow is about 23 km west of Charing Cross. A 25 km radius from the centre includes it, and also reaches Romford (~23 km east), Watford (~25 km northwest), Croydon (~14 km south), and Wembley (~12 km northwest). For door-to-door travel times rather than straight-line distance, switch to the Drive Time Map.