Epping tube station
Central line · Zone 6 · Epping Forest
About Epping station
Trains reached Epping long before the tube did. The Great Eastern Railway’s single-track extension from Loughton to Ongar opened on 24 April 1865, and the line was so popular that the track between Loughton and Epping was doubled in 1892. The Central line took over from Loughton to Epping on 25 September 1949, leaving the single track beyond as the last steam-worked section. British Railways ran the Ongar trains until the line was electrified in 1957, but passengers going further still changed platforms here for North Weald, Blake Hall and Ongar.
Blake Hall closed on 2 November 1981, and on 30 September 1994 London Underground withdrew the Epping to Ongar service altogether and later sold that section; part of it is now the Epping Ongar Railway heritage line. Those closures pushed passenger numbers here up in the mid-1990s, and development in the town and nearby villages has kept them rising. Many people from towns such as Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford and Chelmsford use Epping because travelling to London by Underground is considerably cheaper than by National Rail, and the car park fills by 6:30 am on weekdays.
First and last trains from Epping
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Friday first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central towards West Ruislip, North Acton or Ealing Broadway | 05:10 – 01:20 to Loughton | 05:10 – 01:33 to Ealing Broadway | 05:10 – 01:33 to Ealing Broadway | 06:42 – 00:26 to Loughton |
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 11 Central trains an hour per direction from Epping, counting both directions separately.
Next stations from Epping
Running times between Epping and the adjoining stations, from TfL’s timetable.
| Line | Next station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Central | Theydon Bois | 2.7 min |
Connections
Epping is served by the Central line only; there is no interchange with other rail lines here.
Station facilities
What is near Epping station
The Central line ends here, in the Essex town of Epping in the Epping Forest district, and the station works largely as a park-and-ride for the surrounding area, with a car park and spaces for Blue Badge holders. The one named attraction within easy reach is the Epping Signalling Museum, about 170 m away. The platforms are not connected inside the station: changing between platforms 1 and 2 means a 450 m trip by street, so use the right entrance for your platform. The next stop towards London is Theydon Bois.
| Place | Walk from the station |
|---|---|
| Epping Signalling Museum | 170 m |