Peak times may not be pleasant, but London Underground boasts some stunning stations. Here’s our pick of the most striking.

For rush hour commuters, Tube stations are a means to an end – a grey, subterranean blur of overcrowded trains, discarded newspapers and people in suits studiously avoiding eye contact.

But beyond the busy platforms and sharp elbows, there’s a host of hidden beauty on London Underground. Take a look at our pick of the finest stations.

Tottenham Court Road

Scottish artist Eduardo Paolozzi’s 1,000 square metres of brightly-coloured mosaics were installed in the station in the 1980s. When the station underwent a recent £400 million redevelopment, a selection of the mosaics were carefully restored and reconstructed in Edinburgh, but around 95% of the original mosaics remain in situ.

Baker Street

Sherlock Holmes fans will know that 221b Baker Street is the famous fictional detective’s address. And reminders of the local celebrity sleuth are everywhere to be seen in this quirky west London station, with his pipe-smoking silhouette popping up on the tiled platform walls.

Westminster

There’s a definite futuristic feel (think imposing exposed concrete and metal beams) to this station in political London’s beating heart. It was given an £80 million refurbishment in 1999, and 17 years on it still feels pretty fresh.

[Read more: 5 of best train stations for trainspotting around the UK]

Leytonstone

In 1999, to mark the centenary of Leytonstone lad Alfred Hitchcock’s birth, a series of mosaics of his life and work were commissioned for the local tube station. There you’ll find 17 colourful and distinctive mosaics dedicated to Hitchcock, comprising of 80,000 tiles in all.

Gants Hill

This station on the Central Line was conjured up by modernist architect Charles Holden in the 1930s (and completed in 1947 following wartime material shortages). The impressive halls and art deco lamps of the concourse are inspired by the opulent Moscow Metro.

Whitechapel

Artist Doug Patterson was commissioned to design murals for this station’s East London Line, depicting modern life in the city. The finished work includes everything from London buses to Balti Houses.

Canary Wharf

This vast and busy station with its curved glass canopies was designed by renowned architect Sir Norman Foster and was voted most loved tube station in a 2013 poll. As with Westminster station, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d taken a train into the future when you disembark here.