Northolt tube station
Central line · Zone 5 · Ealing
About Northolt station
Long before the Tube, the Great Western Railway had a halt here. Northolt Halt opened in 1907, just east of the present site, on the GWR’s New North Main Line to Birmingham; it was later called Northolt (for West End) Halt before gaining station status under its shorter original name. It closed in 1948 when the Central line was extended on a new pair of tracks from North Acton, and the Underground station opened on the opposite side of the road bridge on 21 November 1948, an opening planned for the 1930s but delayed by the Second World War.
From the booking hall, passengers go down to a single island platform. Trains that terminate here can either use a turnback siding west of the platforms or take a crossover east of the station for a quicker return towards central London. North of the Tube tracks runs the single track of the Acton–Northolt line from Paddington, now used by freight trains and without platforms of its own. Step-free access, announced in 2018, was a long time coming: work began in February 2025, and with its completion in September 2026 Northolt became the 95th Tube station with step-free access.
First and last trains from Northolt
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Friday first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central towards West Ruislip or Ruislip Gardens | 06:07 – 01:03 | 06:07 – 01:03 | 06:07 – 01:03 | 07:20 – 00:20 |
| Central towards Epping, Hainault or Loughton | 05:30 – 00:00 | 05:30 – 00:00 | 05:30 – 00:00 | 06:48 – 23:41 to White City |
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 Northolt, counting both directions separately.
Next stations from Northolt
Running times between Northolt and the adjoining stations, from TfL’s timetable.
| Line | Next station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Central | Greenford | 3 min |
| Central | South Ruislip | 2.5 min |
Connections
Northolt is served by the Central line only; there is no interchange with other rail lines here.
Station facilities
What is near Northolt station
On the West Ruislip branch in the London Borough of Ealing, Northolt is a suburban station for the surrounding area, with South Ruislip to the west and Greenford to the east. The closest named place is Northolt Leisure Centre Library, about 120 m away. Bus links are unusually wide for a suburban stop: routes 90, 120, 140, 282, 395 and E10, Superloop route SL9 and night route N7 all serve the station.
| Place | Walk from the station |
|---|---|
| Northolt Leisure Centre Library | 120 m |
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The Great Western Railway opened Northolt Halt in 1907, slightly east of today’s station, on its New North Main Line. It closed in 1948 when the Central line arrived, and the Underground station opened on the other side of the road bridge.
Step-free access was announced in 2018 with a target of 2022, but work to install lifts only began in February 2025. It was completed in September 2026, making Northolt the 95th Tube station with step-free access.