DLR

Is the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) running today?

This page covers the DLR 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 Docklands Light Railway, universally known as the DLR, is the automated light-rail system that opened up the redeveloped Docklands area of east London. It connects the City at Bank with Canary Wharf, the Olympic Park at Stratford, the Royal Docks, Greenwich, Woolwich and Lewisham. The trains are entirely driverless — they have on-board staff but no driver — and if you sit in the front row you get an unobstructed view of the track ahead, which is one of the small joys of using the network.

Where it runs

The DLR has multiple routes that overlap and split at various junctions. The main termini and branches are:

• Bank — the City terminus, with underground platforms; interchange with the Central, Northern and Waterloo & City.
• Tower Gateway — a second western terminus a short walk from Tower Hill.
• Stratford — northern terminus and major interchange with the Central, Jubilee, Elizabeth and London Overground.
• Stratford International — additional northern terminus near the Olympic Park.
• Beckton — north-east terminus via Royal Docks.
• Woolwich Arsenal — south-east terminus, via the river tunnel.
• Lewisham — south-west terminus via Greenwich.

A bit of history

The DLR opened in 1987 with 11 stations between Tower Gateway and Stratford/Island Gardens — a small, modest, single-track system built on a tight budget to serve the early redevelopment of Docklands. Within five years, demand had completely outgrown the original design. The line was extended south through a tunnel to Lewisham in 1999, east to Beckton in 1994, north to Stratford International in 2011 for the London Olympics, and across the river to Woolwich Arsenal in 2009.

Almost every original section has been doubled, lengthened, re-stocked or otherwise upgraded over the decades, and the DLR today is a fundamentally different system from the small experimental network that opened.

Driverless trains

From day one, the DLR has run with fully automatic train operation. There is a member of staff on every train — known as a Passenger Service Agent — but they are there to manage the doors, check tickets, deal with incidents and announce stations, not to drive. The trains know where they are, when to accelerate, when to brake, and when to open the doors, all by themselves.

This makes the DLR one of the largest driverless rail networks in the world and a model for many of the metro systems that have opened since.

The new B23 fleet

The DLR is being completely re-stocked from 2024 with a new fleet of B23 trains — walk-through five-car trains with air-conditioning, dramatically improved capacity and modern accessibility. The old B90, B92 and B07 stock built over multiple decades is being progressively retired through 2026.

Notable stations

• Bank — recently rebuilt, the DLR's western terminus underneath the City of London.
• Canary Wharf — interchange with the Jubilee and Elizabeth lines; gateway to one of the world's largest financial districts.
• Stratford — east London's largest interchange.
• Greenwich — for the Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory.
• Cutty Sark — directly underneath the historic ship; one of the most charismatic DLR stations.
• Woolwich Arsenal — for the Royal Artillery Museum and the Woolwich ferry.

Step-free access

The DLR is one of the most accessible rail networks in the country — every station is step-free, every platform has level boarding with the trains, and the system was designed from the start with accessibility in mind. For wheelchair users, parents with buggies and anyone with mobility needs, the DLR should be the default route across east and south-east London.

Hours

The DLR runs from around 05:30 on weekdays (later on Sundays) until just after midnight. There is no formal Night Service. Late-night journeys in east London are typically by night bus or by the Jubilee line where available.

Common quirks

• Always check the destination. Trains from Bank and Tower Gateway split across all four eastern branches (Stratford, Beckton, Woolwich, Lewisham). The platform display will show the destination.
• Bank and Tower Gateway are different terminals. They are close together but not interchangeable — Bank trains run via Shadwell, Tower Gateway trains via Limehouse.
• Off-peak frequencies are excellent. The DLR generally runs every 4–10 minutes even outside peak hours, making it one of the most useful daytime services in east London.

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