District line

Is the District line running today?

This page covers the District line in depth — route, stations, history, step-free access and quirks. For the live answer right now, including the current TfL status (Good Service, Minor Delays, Severe Delays, Part Closure or Suspended) and any reported disruption, see the live network status board on the homepage. It's refreshed every 60 seconds from TfL Open Data.

The District line is one of the original Underground lines, and one of the most complicated. With five western branches feeding a single eastern trunk to Upminster, it has more variation in service pattern than any other line on the network. If you're at Earl's Court at rush hour and a train arrives, your first instinct should always be: where's this one going?

Where it runs

From east to west, the District line runs from Upminster in Essex, through Barking, West Ham, Whitechapel, Tower Hill, Monument, Embankment, Westminster, Victoria, Sloane Square, South Kensington, Earl's Court — and at Earl's Court it splits.

The five western branches are:

• Richmond — via Hammersmith, Turnham Green, Gunnersbury and Kew Gardens.
• Ealing Broadway — via Hammersmith, Turnham Green, Chiswick Park and Acton Town.
• Wimbledon — via West Brompton, Fulham Broadway, Parsons Green, Putney Bridge and Southfields.
• Kensington Olympia — limited service, primarily for events and weekends.
• Edgware Road — a short northern spur via High Street Kensington.

A bit of history

The Metropolitan District Railway, as it was originally known, opened in 1868 between South Kensington and Westminster. Together with the Metropolitan Railway, it formed the original "Inner Circle" around central London — the ancestor of today's Circle line.

For most of its life the District has shared track and stations with the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines through the central section, and it's still operationally one of four lines using the same sub-surface network. The 1980s and 90s extension to Upminster (taking over a former British Rail route) gave the line its current shape.

The S Stock

District line trains are part of the S Stock fleet — modern, walk-through, fully air-conditioned trains shared with the Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines. They replaced the old D Stock in the early 2010s and were a major upgrade in comfort, capacity and accessibility.

Notable stations

• Earl's Court — the line's main junction, where eastbound trains converge from all five western branches. Reading the platform indicators carefully here is essential.
• Victoria — interchange with the Victoria line and Victoria mainline station.
• Westminster — interchange with the Jubilee and Circle lines, beautiful modern station beneath Portcullis House.
• Whitechapel — rebuilt for the Elizabeth line, now a major step-free interchange.
• Richmond, Kew Gardens, Putney Bridge — the District's "scenic" west-London stations along the Thames.

Step-free access

District line step-free stations include Westminster, Victoria, Tower Hill, Embankment, Hammersmith, Wimbledon, Richmond, Ealing Broadway, Earl's Court, Upminster, Barking, Bow Road, Stepney Green, Whitechapel and many of the eastern outer stations. As a sub-surface line, the District has wider step-free coverage than the deep-tube lines.

Hours

The District runs from around 05:30 on weekdays (later on Sundays) until just after midnight. It does not run on the Night Tube — late-night alternatives along its corridor include night bus routes and the Victoria line (which does run on the Night Tube).

Common quirks

• Kensington Olympia is rare. Trains call there only for events at Olympia and on Saturday/Sunday peak services. Don't rely on it for routine journeys.
• Edgware Road services are short. The Edgware Road branch is a small detour from the main route. Most journeys are better served by the Circle line direct.
• The Olympia/Earl's Court area is being redeveloped. Long-term plans may reshape parts of the line's operation around this area.

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