Shepherd's Bush tube station
Central line · Zone 2 · Hammersmith and Fulham
About Shepherd's Bush station
The Central London Railway began here: when the line opened on 30 July 1900, Shepherd’s Bush was its western terminus. Harry Bell Measures designed the original terracotta-clad ticket hall, with its entrance on the Uxbridge Road facing Shepherd’s Bush Green. North of the station stood the railway’s power station and Wood Lane depot, reached by a single-track tunnel, while the eastbound tunnel ended west of the platforms in a dead-end reversing siding. A loop tunnel was added when Wood Lane station, now disused, opened on 14 May 1908. A 1920 plan to extend from here to Richmond via the closed Hammersmith (Grove Road) station was never carried out.
Under London Transport’s 1935–1940 New Works Programme escalators replaced the original lifts, and in 1938 the platforms were lengthened to take eight cars instead of seven. In 2008 the station closed for eight months while the surface building was replaced with a completely new structure and the underground station refurbished. Some original 1900 features survive in areas closed to the public, and since 2022 London Transport Museum’s “Hidden London” tours have taken visitors through the disused corridors and lift shafts.
First and last trains from Shepherd's Bush
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Friday first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central towards West Ruislip, Ealing Broadway or White City | 06:08 – 00:44 | 06:08 – all night | 24 hours | all night – 00:00 to Ealing Broadway |
| Central towards Hainault, Epping or Loughton | 05:36 to Epping – 00:18 to Epping | 05:36 to Epping – all night | 24 hours | all night – 23:30 |
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 29 Central trains an hour per direction from Shepherd’s Bush, counting both directions separately.
Next stations from Shepherd's Bush
Running times between Shepherd’s Bush and the adjoining stations, from TfL’s timetable.
| Line | Next station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Central | Holland Park | 1.8 min |
| Central | White City | 3.5 min |
Connections
- London Overground: Mildmay line.
- National Rail: Southern.
Station facilities
What is near Shepherd's Bush station
The station shares a surface-level interchange with the London Overground station of the same name, and it is the main Central line stop for this part of west London. Shepherds Bush Green, which the original entrance faced, is about 220 m away. Nearby are the Hammersmith War Memorial (90 m), the West 12 shopping centre (100 m) and a Vue cinema (110 m). BPP University’s Shepherd’s Bush site is around 320 m from the station, Royal Crescent Garden 350 m, Westfield 360 m and Addison Gardens 380 m.
| Place | Walk from the station |
|---|---|
| Shepherds Bush Green | 220 m |
| BPP University (Shepherd's Bush) | 320 m |
| Hammersmith War Memorial | 90 m |
| West 12 | 100 m |
| Royal Crescent Garden | 350 m |
| Westfield | 360 m |
| Addison Gardens | 380 m |
Frequently asked questions
No. Shepherd’s Bush Market, on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines, is an entirely separate station about 500 m to the west. Until 2008 it was also called Shepherd’s Bush, and it was renamed to avoid confusion. The Central line station’s interchange is with the adjacent Overground station.
Some of the original 1900 features are preserved in areas not open to the public. Since 2022 London Transport Museum has run guided historical tours through its “Hidden London” programme, taking visitors into the disused original corridors and lift shafts.