Hornchurch tube station
District line · Zone 6 · Havering
About Hornchurch station
Trains of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway called here first, on 1 May 1885, when the Barking and Pitsea route opened as a direct line to Southend that avoided Tilbury. The original George Hopkins buildings have vanished without trace. District Railway through services reached Hornchurch on 2 June 1902, after the Whitechapel and Bow Railway opened, although they were cut back to East Ham once the District went electric in 1905. Between June 1912 and September 1932 through trains swapped electric District traction for LTSR steam at Barking.
The present station dates from 1932, when the LMS laid an extra pair of electrified tracks to Upminster and rebuilt Hornchurch with two more platforms and a Fletton brick ticket office spanning the line on Station Lane. Its designer, LMS architect William Henry Hamlyn, took his cue from Underground architecture, and the single-storey building resembles those at Becontree and Dagenham East. Southend trains stopped calling on 14 June 1962, leaving their southern platforms disused, and London Underground took ownership on 1 January 1969. Look out for heritage benches of Midland Railway design, a disused peak-hours exit on the eastbound side and two lift shafts that are out of use; the station has no step-free route between platforms and street.
First and last trains from Hornchurch
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Friday first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District towards Richmond, Ealing Broadway or Wimbledon | 05:01 – 23:48 to Ealing Broadway | 05:01 – 23:48 to Ealing Broadway | 05:01 – 23:48 to Ealing Broadway | 05:42 to Whitechapel – 23:12 to Ealing Broadway |
| District towards Upminster | 05:58 – 01:31 | 05:58 – 01:31 | 05:58 – 01:31 | 06:43 – 00:56 |
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 18 District trains an hour per direction from Hornchurch, counting both directions separately.
Next stations from Hornchurch
Running times between Hornchurch and the adjoining stations, from TfL’s timetable.
| Line | Next station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| District | Elm Park | 2 min |
| District | Upminster Bridge | 2.1 min |
Connections
Hornchurch is served by the District line only; there is no interchange with other rail lines here.
Station facilities
What is near Hornchurch station
Hornchurch station sits on Station Lane, roughly a mile south of the town’s high street, in a mainly residential part of the London Borough of Havering with a small cluster of shops around it. Nearby are St George’s Health and Wellbeing Hub and Hornchurch Country Park. Local buses link the station with Romford, Collier Row, Noak Hill and Queen’s Hospital, and there is a 66-space station car park, reached from Naunton Way, for passengers joining the District line here.
Frequently asked questions
Four tracks run through the site. Until 14 June 1962 Fenchurch Street–Southend trains used the southern pair and called here; once those services were withdrawn with full overhead electrification, their platforms were abandoned. Outer suburban trains still pass on those tracks without stopping, while District line trains use the two platforms on the northern pair.
The building dates from 1932 and was designed by William Henry Hamlyn, architect to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, who drew on London Underground station styles. The brick ticket office spans the tracks facing Station Lane and is similar in design to Becontree and Dagenham East, built for the same electrification.