Randomness Guide to London Menu

The Central Line is very, very long. It spans all six zones in both directions (and is the only line to do so); its most westerly terminus, West Ruislip Station, lies in zone 6, as does its most easterly terminus, Epping Station. These two stations are 40km (26 miles) apart as the crow flies, and 55km (34 miles) along the tracks.

One aspect of interest is the Hainault Loop - thirteen stations, all in zone 4 near the Epping end, which form a closed circle. Unfortunately it's not possible to travel around them all in a never-ending loop; trains running on the loop generally enter it at Wanstead, just after Leytonstone, continue around to Woodford or Hainault, and then reverse. Note that this is why you often hear announcements that a train is for "Woodford via Hainault", or "Hainault via Newbury Park". The track on the Hainault Loop between Wanstead and Roding Valley is known as "inner rail" (Wanstead to Roding Valley direction) and "outer rail" (other direction) rather than eastbound, westbound, etc.

See also:

• Central Line facts from TfL
• Wikipedia entry
• Ian Jones' To The End Of The Line blog series: Epping to Woodford, Woodford to Wanstead, Woodford to Stratford, Stratford to Bond Street, Bond Street to Ealing Broadway

Auto-generated list of all Central Line stations on this guide (view them on a map):

• Bank And Monument Stations
• Barkingside Station
• Bethnal Green Station
• Bond Street Station
• Buckhurst Hill Station
• Chancery Lane Station
• Chigwell Station
• Debden Station
• Ealing Broadway Station
• East Acton Station
• Epping Station
• Fairlop Station
• Gants Hill Station
• Grange Hill Station
• Greenford Station
• Hainault Station
• Hanger Lane Station
• Holborn Station
• Holland Park Station
• Lancaster Gate Station
• Leyton Station
• Leytonstone Station
• Liverpool Street Station
• Loughton Station
• Marble Arch Station
• Mile End Station
• Newbury Park Station
• North Acton Station
• Northolt Station
• Notting Hill Gate Station
• Oxford Circus Station
• Perivale Station
• Queensway Station
• Redbridge Station
• Roding Valley Station
• Ruislip Gardens Station
• Shepherd's Bush Station
• Snaresbrook Station
• South Ruislip Station
• South Woodford Station
• St Paul's Station
• Stratford Station
• Theydon Bois Station
• Tottenham Court Road Station
• Wanstead Station
• West Acton Station
• West Ruislip Station
• White City Station
• Woodford Station