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Docklands Light Railway

London's driverless light railway, opened in 1987 to serve the redeveloping Docklands and since extended to Bank, Beckton, Lewisham, London City Airport, Woolwich Arsenal and Stratford International. Computers drive the trains, with a Passenger Service Agent on board. New CAF trains are entering service. An extension under the Thames to Thamesmead is planned for the early 2030s, but isn't funded.

1987Opened
38 kmLength
45Stations
90.8 millionJourneys a year, DfT (2025–26)

Facts

Opened
31 August 1987
Termini
Bank / Tower Gateway – Stratford / Stratford International / Beckton / Woolwich Arsenal / Lewisham
Type
automatic light railway
Depots
Beckton, Poplar
Operator
KeolisAmey Docklands, for TfL, on an eight-year contract from 1 April 2025
B23 Stock, schematic side elevation, 2 cars
B23 Stock · CAF, Beasain (Spain)
B2007 Stock, schematic side elevation, 1 car
B2007 Stock · Bombardier, Bautzen (Germany)
B90, B92 and B2K Stock, schematic side elevation, 1 car
B90, B92 and B2K Stock · BN Construction Ferroviaire et Métallique, Bruges (B90, B92); Bombardier, Bruges (B2K)

Route 45 stations

Bank – Lewisham via Canary Wharf 15
Bank – Lewisham via Canary Wharf: schematic, not to scale Bank — change for Central, Northern, Waterloo & CityBank Shadwell — change for Overground (Windrush)Shadwell Limehouse — change for National RailLimehouse WestferryWestferry Canary Wharf — change for Jubilee, Elizabeth lineCanary Wharf Heron QuaysHeron Quays South QuaySouth Quay CrossharbourCrossharbour MudchuteMudchute Island GardensIsland Gardens Cutty Sark (for Maritime Greenwich)Cutty Sark (for Maritime Greenwich) Greenwich — change for National RailGreenwich Deptford BridgeDeptford Bridge Elverson RoadElverson Road Lewisham — change for National RailLewisham
Westferry – Beckton 13
Westferry – Beckton: schematic, not to scale WestferryWestferry PoplarPoplar BlackwallBlackwall East IndiaEast India Canning Town — change for JubileeCanning Town Royal VictoriaRoyal Victoria Custom House (for ExCel) — change for Elizabeth lineCustom House (for ExCel) Prince RegentPrince Regent Royal AlbertRoyal Albert Beckton ParkBeckton Park CyprusCyprus Gallions ReachGallions Reach BecktonBeckton
Stratford International – Woolwich Arsenal via Stratford 12
Stratford International – Woolwich Arsenal via Stratford: schematic, not to scale Stratford InternationalStratford International Stratford — change for Central, Jubilee, Elizabeth line, Overground (Mildmay), National RailStratford Stratford High StreetStratford High Street Abbey RoadAbbey Road West Ham — change for District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, National RailWest Ham Star LaneStar Lane Canning Town — change for JubileeCanning Town West SilvertownWest Silvertown Pontoon DockPontoon Dock London City AirportLondon City Airport King George VKing George V Woolwich Arsenal — change for National RailWoolwich Arsenal
Stratford – Canary Wharf 9
Stratford – Canary Wharf: schematic, not to scale Stratford — change for Central, Jubilee, Elizabeth line, Overground (Mildmay), National RailStratford Pudding Mill LanePudding Mill Lane Bow ChurchBow Church Devons RoadDevons Road Langdon ParkLangdon Park All SaintsAll Saints PoplarPoplar West India QuayWest India Quay Canary Wharf — change for Jubilee, Elizabeth lineCanary Wharf
Tower Gateway – Shadwell 2
Tower Gateway – Shadwell: schematic, not to scale Tower GatewayTower Gateway Shadwell — change for Overground (Windrush)Shadwell
Westferry – West India Quay 2
Westferry – West India Quay: schematic, not to scale WestferryWestferry West India QuayWest India Quay

Schematic, not to scale. Ringed stations are interchanges. Each strip is one branch, between junctions or termini. Station order from TfL open data.

StationZoneInterchanges
Bank1Central, Northern, Waterloo & City
Shadwell2Overground (Windrush)
Limehouse2National Rail
Westferry2
Canary Wharf2Jubilee, Elizabeth line
Heron Quays2
South Quay2
Crossharbour2
Mudchute2
Island Gardens2
Cutty Sark (for Maritime Greenwich)2/3
Greenwich2/3National Rail
Deptford Bridge2/3
Elverson Road2/3
Lewisham2/3National Rail
Poplar2
Blackwall2
East India2/3
Canning Town2/3Jubilee
Royal Victoria3
Custom House (for ExCel)3Elizabeth line
Prince Regent3
Royal Albert3
Beckton Park3
Cyprus3
Gallions Reach3
Beckton3
Stratford International2/3
Stratford2/3Central, Jubilee, Elizabeth line, Overground (Mildmay), National Rail
Stratford High Street2/3
Abbey Road2/3
West Ham2/3District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, National Rail
Star Lane2/3
West Silvertown3
Pontoon Dock3
London City Airport3
King George V3
Woolwich Arsenal4National Rail
Pudding Mill Lane2/3
Bow Church2
Devons Road2
Langdon Park2
All Saints2
West India Quay2
Tower Gateway1

Stations, zones and interchanges from TfL open data (2026-10-02). National Rail interchanges are listed where TfL groups the stations together.

Rolling stock

History 15

  1. The Queen opens the Docklands Light Railway.
  2. Public service starts, with 11 single-car trains serving 15 stations.
  3. The branch to Bank opens.
  4. The extension to Beckton opens.
  5. The extension under the Thames to Lewisham is officially opened.
  6. The branch to London City Airport and King George V opens.
  7. The extension under the Thames to Woolwich Arsenal is officially opened.
  8. Three-car trains start running, first between Bank and Lewisham; the upgrade is finished in May 2011.
  9. The branch from Canning Town to Stratford International opens.
  10. The DLR carries 7.2 million passengers during the London Olympic Games.
  11. New trains are ordered from CAF; an option for 11 more, making 54, follows in June 2023.
  12. KeolisAmey Docklands starts a new eight-year contract to run the railway.
  13. The first new B23 train is in passenger service.
  14. The three B23s in service are withdrawn after one overruns a platform in slippery conditions.
  15. The first B23 returns to passenger service, between Stratford International and Woolwich Arsenal.

Sources 25

How we source figures →

unverified the Queen's opening date (30 July 1987, London Museum; TfL wrote "August 1987" in 2012), peak frequencies: a reduced timetable has run since July 2025 while the new trains are introduced, Poplar depot's present role