Wembley Central tube station
Bakerloo line · Zone 4 · Brent
About Wembley Central station
A station has stood here since 1842, when it opened on the London and Birmingham Railway as Sudbury. It became Sudbury & Wembley in 1882 and Wembley for Sudbury in 1910, as the LNWR New Line was being built, and Bakerloo line trains began running over that New Line on 16 April 1917. The present name dates from 5 July 1948, after work to prepare the station for the Olympic Games at Wembley Stadium.
In 1965 Ravenseft Properties built Station Square, a 2½-acre concrete raft over the tracks, which gives the platforms an underground feel even though they are at or above local ground level. It is the first station out of Euston with platforms on all three pairs of tracks, and fast trains passing platforms 3 to 6 in the confined space create a wind-tunnel effect. Bakerloo services were withdrawn on 24 September 1982 and restored on 4 June 1984. In 2011–12, at a cost of £2.5m, two lifts and a stair lift gave platforms 1 and 2 a step-free route from the entrance for the first time.
First and last trains from Wembley Central
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Friday first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakerloo towards Elephant & Castle, Queen's Park or Waterloo | 05:47 – 00:40 to Queen's Park | 05:47 – 00:40 to Queen's Park | 05:55 – 00:40 to Queen's Park | 07:28 – 00:21 to Queen's Park |
| Bakerloo towards Harrow & Wealdstone | 05:18 – 00:27 | 05:18 – 00:27 | 05:18 – 00:27 | 07:01 – 00:12 |
Times are TfL’s published timetable departures from this station; on Saturday the list follows TfL’s “Saturdays and public holidays” timetable.
At the busiest hour on a weekday there are up to 7 Bakerloo trains an hour per direction from Wembley Central, counting both directions separately.
Next stations from Wembley Central
Running times between Wembley Central and the adjoining stations, from TfL’s timetable.
| Line | Next station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bakerloo | North Wembley | 2 min |
| Bakerloo | Stonebridge Park | 2.5 min |
Connections
- London Overground: Lioness line.
- National Rail: Southern.
Station facilities
What is near Wembley Central station
On Wembley’s east–west High Road, the station is near both Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena; a footbridge at the London end of the platforms is opened only when the stadium is in use. TK Maxx is about 80 m away and Regent College about 140 m, with Shopper’s Plaza at roughly 300 m and Ealing Road Library about 310 m. Lioness line Overground trains to Euston and Watford Junction, and Southern services, share the station with the Bakerloo line, whose neighbours here are North Wembley and Stonebridge Park.
| Place | Walk from the station |
|---|---|
| TK Maxx | 80 m |
| Regent College | 140 m |
| Shopper's Plaza | 300 m |
| Ealing Road Library | 310 m |
Frequently asked questions
It opened in 1842 as Sudbury, became Sudbury & Wembley in 1882 and Wembley for Sudbury in 1910. The current name, Wembley Central, was adopted on 5 July 1948, the year the Olympic Games were held at Wembley Stadium.
In 1965 a concrete raft of about 2½ acres was built over the tracks to create Station Square, enclosing the platforms beneath it, and the High Road sits on higher ground. In fact the platforms are generally at or above the local ground level.