Topographical test compass points: questions and answers
Based on Topographical assessment guidelines (Transport for London, no date printed; PDF file dated 29 April 2026) and one other source. Checked .
TfL lists knowledge of compass points and directions as one part of the assessment. In the real test, you look at a map on screen. Check which way is north on the map you are given.
We worked out each direction between places from their OpenStreetMap coordinates, and only ask when it is clearly in the direction named. Wrong answers are far from the right direction. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
20 questions in 3 sets. Answer one set at a time and you'll see the right answer straight away. Every question and answer is also listed below and in a free PDF.
Direction between two places
0 right0 wrong
Question 1 of 8
The British Museum is in which direction from Parliament Square?
All 20 questions and answers
Open a set to see each question, the right answer and why.
Direction between two places8 questions
1. The British Museum is in which direction from Parliament Square?
Answer: A. North. The British Museum is about 2.1 km north of Parliament Square. The British Museum is in Camden. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
2. Euston station is in which direction from Earl's Court station?
Answer: D. North-east. Euston station is about 5.9 km north-east of Earl's Court station. Euston station is in Camden. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
3. Tate Modern is in which direction from Trafalgar Square?
Answer: C. East. Tate Modern is about 2.0 km east of Trafalgar Square. Tate Modern is in Southwark. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
4. The Shard is in which direction from Camden Town station?
Answer: B. South-east. The Shard is about 5.5 km south-east of Camden Town station. The Shard is in Southwark. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
5. Angel station is in which direction from Finsbury Park station?
Answer: A. South. Angel station is about 3.6 km south of Finsbury Park station. Angel station is in Islington. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
6. Clapham Junction station is in which direction from Liverpool Street station?
Answer: D. South-west. Clapham Junction station is about 8.6 km south-west of Liverpool Street station. Clapham Junction station is in Wandsworth. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
7. Hyde Park Corner is in which direction from Canary Wharf station?
Answer: B. West. Hyde Park Corner is about 9.3 km west of Canary Wharf station. Hyde Park Corner is in the City of Westminster. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
8. King's Cross station is in which direction from Lewisham station?
Answer: C. North-west. King's Cross station is about 10.7 km north-west of Lewisham station. King's Cross station is in Camden. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
Which place is in this direction?6 questions
9. Which of these places is north of Buckingham Palace?
Answer: A. Camden Town station. Camden Town station is about 4.3 km north of Buckingham Palace. It is in Camden. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
10. Which of these places is east of Hyde Park Corner?
Answer: D. The O2. The O2 is about 10.9 km east of Hyde Park Corner. It is in Greenwich. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
11. Which of these places is south of Waterloo station?
Answer: B. Brixton station. Brixton station is about 4.3 km south of Waterloo station. It is in Lambeth. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
12. Which of these places is west of Liverpool Street station?
Answer: C. Paddington station. Paddington station is about 6.8 km west of Liverpool Street station. It is in the City of Westminster. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
13. Which of these places is north-west of Tate Modern?
Answer: A. Euston station. Euston station is about 3.4 km north-west of Tate Modern. It is in Camden. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
14. Which of these places is south-east of the Royal Albert Hall?
Answer: B. Brixton station. Brixton station is about 6.1 km south-east of the Royal Albert Hall. It is in Lambeth. Bearing computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates
Compass basics6 questions
15. What is the opposite direction to north-east?
Answer: C. South-west. North-east and south-west are opposite points on a compass. Compass points
16. Which direction is halfway between north and east?
Answer: D. North-east. North-east is halfway between north and east. Compass points
17. You drive west and turn left. Which direction do you now drive?
Answer: A. South. When you face west, south is on your left. Compass points
18. You drive north and turn right. Which direction do you now drive?
Answer: D. East. When you face north, east is on your right. Compass points
19. You drive south and turn right. Which direction do you now drive?
Answer: C. West. When you face south, west is on your right. Compass points
20. You drive south-east and turn around. Which direction do you now drive?
Answer: B. North-west. North-west is the opposite of south-east. Compass points
Questions people ask
How exact are the directions?
Each one is within 10 degrees of the direction named, measured from the map coordinates of the two places.
More Topographical test practice
Sources
- Topographical assessment guidelines, Transport for London, no date printed; PDF file dated 29 April 2026. Checked 1 November 2026.
- OpenStreetMap map data, read through Nominatim and Overpass. © OpenStreetMap contributors, OpenStreetMap contributors, live data, read on the date checked. Checked 1 November 2026.
Councils update their tests and policies, often yearly. If something here no longer matches your council's guidance, the council is right; please tell us so we can fix it.