Stations › London termini › London Bridge

London Bridge

London’s oldest railway terminus still in use, opened in 1836, and rebuilt between 2013 and 2018 with a street-level concourse under the tracks. Nine of its fifteen platforms are now through platforms.

London Bridge: section looking out from the buffer stops (schematic)123456789Class 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro City101112131415Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopClass 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopClass 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopClass 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopClass 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopClass 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopThrough platformsTerminal platforms
Looking east from the buffer stops: the through platforms, 1 to 9, on the left, and the terminal platforms, 10 to 15, with their buffer stops, on the right. Between them is a strip with no platform, about 50 ft (15 m) wide at this end and narrowing further out, as OpenStreetMap shows it. Platform 10 is a side platform, its back to that strip. Today’s ribbon canopies are drawn indicatively, and the platforms’ widths are schematic. The trains are a Thameslink Class 700 and a Southern Class 377. 5 px per metre.
15Platforms
1836Opened
54.7 millionEntries and exits (2024-25)
5thBusiest station in Britain (2024-25)

Facts

Opened
14 December 1836, at Tooley Street, by the London and Greenwich Railway
Platforms
15: 9 through (1 to 9) and 6 terminal (10 to 15). The rebuild turned three terminal platforms into through ones. Platform-by-platform numbering from Wikipedia
Routes
Thameslink and the Brighton Main Line; the South Eastern Main Line; the North Kent and Greenwich lines; south London’s suburban lines
Operators
Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink
Underground
Jubilee Northern
Roof
No overall shed: rippling “ribbon” canopies over the platforms, above a covered street-level concourse, 2013–18 by Grimshaw. The Brighton side’s listed 1864–67 train shed was dismantled during the rebuild
Architect
Grimshaw (the 2013–18 rebuild), with Arcadis and WSP; the 1864–67 shed by C. H. Driver and F. D. Banister (Historic England; Grace’s Guide gives J. Hawkshaw and Banister)
Listed
Grade II: the railway viaduct arches on St Thomas Street (entry 1400290) and the bridge over the north end (1385629)
Interchanges
6.98 million (2024-25)
Managed by
Network Rail

unverified Some of these figures haven’t yet been checked against an official source or a published history. What’s in doubt ↓

Where trains go

Where trains from London Bridge go The 13 London termini at their real positions, with each terminus's routes following the railway out of London and then splitting to the parts of the country they serve, set out by compass direction. N Clapham JunctionClapham Junction StratfordStratford Finsbury ParkFinsbury Park Willesden JunctionWillesden Junction LewishamLewisham Elephant & CastleElephant & Castle WimbledonWimbledon River Thames London Bridge to West Kent and Hastings: Southeastern London Bridge to North and East Kent: Southeastern London Bridge to Gatwick and the Sussex coast: Southern, Thameslink London Bridge to Surrey and Portsmouth: Southern London Bridge London Bridge Surrey and Portsmouth Woking, Guildford, Epsom,Dorking, Portsmouth Gatwick and the Sussex coast East Croydon, Gatwick Airport,Brighton, Worthing, Eastbourne West Kent and Hastings Sevenoaks, Tonbridge,Tunbridge Wells, Hastings North and East Kent Chatham, Ashford, Canterbury,Dover, Ramsgate PaddingtonPaddington MaryleboneMarylebone EustonEuston St PancrasSt Pancras King's CrossKing's Cross Liverpool StreetLiverpool Street Fenchurch StreetFenchurch Street Cannon StreetCannon Street BlackfriarsBlackfriars Charing CrossCharing Cross WaterlooWaterloo VictoriaVictoria London Bridge

London Bridge’s routes follow the railway out of London, then split to the parts of the country they reach, set at their compass bearings; point at a line to see who runs it. The other termini are the small dots; select one to open its page. Distances are true at the circle’s edge, 6 miles (10 km) out, and stretched towards the middle so the termini have room. The route colour is the map’s own: not official, and not any operator’s livery. All 13 together: the map on the Maps page.

Platforms 15

Platform plan, to scale from OpenStreetMap213456789101112131415Platform 1. About 890 ft (270 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 2. About 820 ft (249 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 3. About 820 ft (249 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 4. About 840 ft (257 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 5. About 840 ft (257 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 6. About 820 ft (250 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 7. About 820 ft (250 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 8. About 810 ft (247 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 9. About 810 ft (248 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 10. About 820 ft (248 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 11. About 840 ft (255 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 12. About 830 ft (252 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 13. About 820 ft (248 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 14. About 810 ft (248 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 15. About 790 ft (240 m) long, off OpenStreetMapN100 ft (30 m)Platforms, tracks and outline © OpenStreetMap contributors

Seen from above, to scale: the platforms, tracks and the station building’s outline (the grey line) from OpenStreetMap, the buffer stops on the left (north is marked top left). Platforms 1 to 9 run through; only 10 to 15 end at buffer stops.

Trains

The Class 171’s record names London Bridge; the Class 700 is Thameslink’s whole fleet. The others are listed by operator, as their records don’t yet name it.

History 6

London Bridge: section looking out from the buffer stops (schematic)123456789Class 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro CityClass 700 Desiro City101112131415Class 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopClass 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopClass 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopClass 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopClass 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stopClass 377 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)buffer stop1866 Brighton-side roof, dismantled in the 2013–18 rebuild: 266 ft (81.1 m) acrossThrough platformsTerminal platforms
The Brighton side’s 1866 roof, dismantled in the 2013–18 rebuild, drawn dashed over today’s station at the same scale: its 266 ft across in three spans is from Walmisley’s Iron Roofs (1888); its height is indicative.
  1. The London and Greenwich Railway opens its terminus at Tooley Street.
  2. The Brighton side’s train shed is built, by C. H. Driver and F. D. Banister.
  3. The Brighton side’s train shed is listed, Grade II.
  4. Rebuilt for the Thameslink Programme, with all 15 platforms rebuilt; the 1860s train shed is dismantled, and parts go to the Vale of Rheidol Railway at Aberystwyth.
  5. The last five platforms and the new concourse open.
  6. Officially reopened.

Sources 14

Show the 14 sources from Network Rail, Historic England, Dezeen and 6 more

Where the sources disagree:

  • Fate of the train shed: the brief suggested the Aln Valley Railway. Sources found say parts went to the Vale of Rheidol Railway, Aberystwyth (museum reopened 23 March 2024). Rail Engineer reports more than 1,200 tons of steel removed.
  • Wikipedia says the listed roof bays were 'dismantled and stored'; London SE1 says they were incorporated into the Aberystwyth museum.
  • Platform-by-platform numbering (1–3, 4–5, 6–9, 10–15) is from Wikipedia; the 9 through / 6 terminal split is confirmed by Dezeen.
  • Routes list is assembled from the Network Rail page and Wikipedia.
Top