Plaistow tube station
District line and Hammersmith & City line · Zone 3 · Newham
About Plaistow station
The railway reached Plaistow 44 years before the District did. The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway opened the station on 31 March 1858 on its new direct line from Fenchurch Street to Barking, and from 18 May 1869 North London Railway trains terminated in a bay platform here. District Railway trains arrived on 2 June 1902 via the new Whitechapel and Bow Railway, running electrically on a second pair of tracks from 30 September 1905, and Metropolitan line trains followed in 1936 on the Hammersmith–Barking service that became the Hammersmith & City line in 1990. The Fenchurch Street–Southend trains were withdrawn on 14 June 1962, and London Underground took ownership on 1 January 1969.
The two-storey street-level booking hall dates from 1882/3 and is of a design unique on the line. Part of the southern wall of the 1880 Plaistow railway works survives as the northern wall of the eastbound platform, and several benches and canopy supports still carry the ‘LTSR’ initials. Of the three platforms in use, the northernmost is a bay for reversing eastbound trains, while the disused Southend platforms lie to the south. Newham Council has given the station a local listing.
First and last trains from Plaistow
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Friday first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District towards Richmond, Ealing Broadway or Wimbledon | 05:22 – 00:08 to Ealing Broadway | 05:22 – 00:08 to Ealing Broadway | 05:22 – 00:08 to Gunnersbury | 06:03 to Whitechapel – 23:34 to Gunnersbury |
| District towards Upminster, Barking or Dagenham East | 05:53 – 01:09 | 05:53 – 01:09 | 05:53 – 01:09 | 06:22 – 00:34 |
| Hammersmith & City towards Hammersmith (Circle and H&C lines) | 05:09 – 00:15 | 05:09 – 00:15 | 05:09 – 00:15 | 06:34 – 23:53 |
| Hammersmith & City towards Barking | 05:49 – 01:11 | 05:49 – 01:11 | 05:49 – 01:11 | 07:40 – 00:48 |
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 20 District trains an hour per direction and 7 Hammersmith & City trains an hour per direction from Plaistow, counting both directions separately.
Next stations from Plaistow
Running times between Plaistow and the adjoining stations, from TfL’s timetable.
| Line | Next station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| District | Upton Park | 2 min |
| District | West Ham | 1.6 min |
| Hammersmith & City | Upton Park | 1.8 min |
| Hammersmith & City | West Ham | 1.5 min |
Connections
- Tube: change here between the District line and Hammersmith & City line.
Station facilities
What is near Plaistow station
Plaistow Road runs past the station, which serves the Plaistow neighbourhood of the London Borough of Newham in East London. Willow Cottage is about 80 m from the entrance and Lister Gardens about 300 m. The neighbouring stations are close: West Ham is 0.76 km to the west and Upton Park 1.29 km to the east. London Buses routes 69, 241, 262 and 473 serve the station, and Tower Hill in central London is about 16 minutes away by train.
| Place | Walk from the station |
|---|---|
| Willow Cottage | 80 m |
| Lister Gardens | 300 m |
Frequently asked questions
Two pronunciations are given for the name: PLAHST-oh and PLAST-oh. The station takes the name from the Plaistow neighbourhood of the London Borough of Newham, and stands on Plaistow Road.
South of the three operational platforms lie the disused platforms of the old Fenchurch Street to Southend services. Those trains were withdrawn on 14 June 1962 with the introduction of full overhead line electric service, leaving the platforms abandoned.