Underground › Metropolitan

Metropolitan line

The world's first underground railway, opened in 1863 between Paddington and Farringdon Street. It was built out into the countryside it called 'Metro-land', and runs today to Amersham, Chesham, Watford and Uxbridge, with only 9.7 km of its 66.7 km underground.

1863Opened
66.7 kmLength
34Stations
22–23Peak trains per hour, Baker Street–Wembley Park
93.7 millionLine boarders a year (2019)

Facts

Opened
10 January 1863
Termini
Aldgate – Amersham / Chesham / Watford / Uxbridge
Type
sub-surface
Depots
Neasden
Shares track
With the Hammersmith & City and Circle from Baker Street to Aldgate, the Piccadilly from Rayners Lane to Uxbridge, and Chiltern Railways from Harrow-on-the-Hill to Amersham. From Finchley Road to Wembley Park it runs beside the Jubilee, non-stop.
S8 Stock, schematic side elevation, 2 cars
S8 Stock · Bombardier, Derby Litchurch Lane

Route 34 stations

Harrow-on-the-Hill – Aldgate 14
Harrow-on-the-Hill – Aldgate: schematic, not to scale Harrow-on-the-Hill — change for National RailHarrow-on-the-Hill Northwick ParkNorthwick Park Preston RoadPreston Road Wembley Park — change for JubileeWembley Park Finchley Road — change for JubileeFinchley Road Baker Street — change for Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, JubileeBaker Street Great Portland Street — change for Circle, Hammersmith & CityGreat Portland Street Euston Square — change for Circle, Hammersmith & CityEuston Square King's Cross St Pancras — change for Circle, Hammersmith & City, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, National RailKing's Cross St Pancras Farringdon — change for Circle, Hammersmith & City, Elizabeth line, National RailFarringdon Barbican — change for Circle, Hammersmith & CityBarbican Moorgate — change for Circle, Hammersmith & City, Northern, National RailMoorgate Liverpool Street — change for Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Elizabeth line, Overground (Weaver), National RailLiverpool Street Aldgate — change for CircleAldgate
Uxbridge – Harrow-on-the-Hill 9
Uxbridge – Harrow-on-the-Hill: schematic, not to scale Uxbridge — change for PiccadillyUxbridge Hillingdon — change for PiccadillyHillingdon Ickenham — change for PiccadillyIckenham Ruislip — change for PiccadillyRuislip Ruislip Manor — change for PiccadillyRuislip Manor Eastcote — change for PiccadillyEastcote Rayners Lane — change for PiccadillyRayners Lane West HarrowWest Harrow Harrow-on-the-Hill — change for National RailHarrow-on-the-Hill
Moor Park – Harrow-on-the-Hill 6
Moor Park – Harrow-on-the-Hill: schematic, not to scale Moor ParkMoor Park NorthwoodNorthwood Northwood HillsNorthwood Hills PinnerPinner North HarrowNorth Harrow Harrow-on-the-Hill — change for National RailHarrow-on-the-Hill
Amersham – Moor Park 5
Amersham – Moor Park: schematic, not to scale Amersham — change for National RailAmersham Chalfont & Latimer — change for National RailChalfont & Latimer Chorleywood — change for National RailChorleywood Rickmansworth — change for National RailRickmansworth Moor ParkMoor Park
Watford – Moor Park 3
Watford – Moor Park: schematic, not to scale WatfordWatford CroxleyCroxley Moor ParkMoor Park
Chesham – Chalfont & Latimer 2
Chesham – Chalfont & Latimer: schematic, not to scale CheshamChesham Chalfont & Latimer — change for National RailChalfont & Latimer

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

StationZoneInterchanges
Harrow-on-the-Hill5National Rail
Northwick Park4
Preston Road4
Wembley Park4Jubilee
Finchley Road2Jubilee
Baker Street1Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee
Great Portland Street1Circle, Hammersmith & City
Euston Square1Circle, Hammersmith & City
King's Cross St Pancras1Circle, Hammersmith & City, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, National Rail
Farringdon1Circle, Hammersmith & City, Elizabeth line, National Rail
Barbican1Circle, Hammersmith & City
Moorgate1Circle, Hammersmith & City, Northern, National Rail
Liverpool Street1Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Elizabeth line, Overground (Weaver), National Rail
Aldgate1Circle
Uxbridge6Piccadilly
Hillingdon6Piccadilly
Ickenham6Piccadilly
Ruislip6Piccadilly
Ruislip Manor6Piccadilly
Eastcote5Piccadilly
Rayners Lane5Piccadilly
West Harrow5
Moor Park6/7
Northwood6
Northwood Hills6
Pinner5
North Harrow5
Amersham9National Rail
Chalfont & Latimer8National Rail
Chorleywood7National Rail
Rickmansworth7National Rail
Watford7
Croxley7
Chesham9

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

Willesden Green has Metropolitan line platforms, but the timetable doesn't stop there. Trains call only when the Jubilee line isn't serving the station, so this diagram leaves it out.

Rolling stock

Earlier trains on this line

History 20

  1. The Metropolitan Railway opens from Paddington (Bishop's Road) to Farringdon Street, the world's first underground railway.
  2. The Metropolitan & St John's Wood Railway opens from Baker Street to Swiss Cottage.
  3. Extended to Harrow-on-the-Hill.
  4. Extended to Pinner, then to Rickmansworth on 1 September 1887.
  5. Extended to Chesham.
  6. Extended to Aylesbury.
  7. The branch from Harrow to Uxbridge opens.
  8. Electric trains begin, from Baker Street; they reach Uxbridge the same year.
  9. The name 'Metro-land' first appears in the railway's publicity.
  10. The Watford branch opens, electric from the start.
  11. The Stanmore branch opens; it passes to the Bakerloo in 1939.
  12. The Metropolitan Railway becomes part of the London Passenger Transport Board.
  13. The last trains run beyond Aylesbury to Verney Junction; the Brill branch had closed on 30 November 1935.
  14. Electric trains reach Amersham and Chesham. A Stock enters service from 1961.
  15. Metropolitan trains stop running north of Amersham, ending steam haulage of London Transport passenger trains.
  16. The first S8 Stock train enters service: the Underground's first air-conditioned, walk-through train.
  17. Through trains to Chesham replace the shuttle from Chalfont & Latimer.
  18. The last A Stock train runs in passenger service.
  19. Work on the Croxley Rail Link, to take Watford trains to Watford Junction, is not taken further after its costs overrun; the scheme is later discontinued.
  20. New signalling goes live from Finchley Road to Preston Road and Neasden depot. North of there, the old signals remain for now.

Sources 17

How we source figures →

unverified Swiss Cottage opening, 13 April 1868 (Clive's guide; TfL's key dates give 1 April), Uxbridge branch opening, 4 July 1904 (Clive's guide; TfL's key dates give 1 January), signalling switchover, 31 May to 1 June 2025 (rail press; TfL's report confirms the quarter)