Oval tube station
Northern line · Zone 2 · Lambeth
About Oval station
Before it opened the station was to be called Kennington Oval; it opened on 18 December 1890 as The Oval and dropped the article in 1894. It belongs to the very first deep tube: the City and South London Railway, which opened that day between Stockwell and King William Street, was both the first standard-gauge tube and the first railway in London to use electric traction. To avoid disturbing buildings above, the tunnels were driven by shield at deep level, with much of the work done through shafts at the station sites that later held the passenger lifts.
The name comes from The Oval cricket ground, recognised as the first international cricket ground and home of Surrey County Cricket Club, and the station makes the most of the link with cricket-themed murals, statues and banners. During matches it handles visitors from across the United Kingdom and abroad. It also has a place in more recent history as the intended site of one of the attempted London bombings of 21 July 2005.
First and last trains from Oval
| Line and direction | Mon–Thu first – last | Friday first – last | Saturday first – last | Sunday first – last |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern towards Morden | 06:03 – 00:47 | 06:03 – all night | 24 hours | all night – 23:57 |
| Northern towards Edgware, High Barnet or Mill Hill East | 05:33 to High Barnet – 00:23 to High Barnet | 05:33 to High Barnet – all night | 24 hours | all night – 23:30 to High Barnet |
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 31 Northern trains an hour per direction from Oval, counting both directions separately.
Next stations from Oval
Running times between Oval and the adjoining stations, from TfL’s timetable.
| Line | Next station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Northern | Kennington | 2.1 min |
| Northern | Stockwell | 2.1 min |
Connections
Oval is served by the Northern line only; there is no interchange with other rail lines here.
Station facilities
What is near Oval station
The station stands where Kennington Park Road, Camberwell New Road, Clapham Road and Harleyford Street meet, and the cricket ground, listed nearby as the Kia Oval, is about 280 m away. Right beside the entrance are the Oval Farmers’ Market (50 m), St Mark’s Churchyard (60 m) and Oval Arts Depot (80 m), with Ovalhouse Theatre about 120 m off. Kennington Park lies around 360 m away and the No 1 Gasholder about 380 m. Kennington is the next station to the north.
| Place | Walk from the station |
|---|---|
| St Mark's Churchyard | 60 m |
| Ovalhouse Theatre | 120 m |
| Kia Oval | 280 m |
| No 1 Gasholder | 380 m |
| Oval Farmers' Market | 50 m |
| Oval Triangle | 60 m |
| Hanover Gardens | 110 m |
| The White House, Oval House Theatre | 150 m |
Frequently asked questions
It is named after The Oval cricket ground, home of Surrey County Cricket Club, which it serves. Kennington Oval was proposed before opening; the station opened in 1890 as The Oval and became simply Oval in 1894.
Because it serves The Oval, the station features cricket-themed decorative elements, including murals, statues and banners. With the range of sporting events held at the ground, it is used by visitors from the United Kingdom and abroad, particularly during cricket matches.