The Central Line, the red line on London Underground maps, runs through central London.
The line runs from Epping in the north-east and ends at a) Ealing Broadway in the west and b) West Ruislip in the north-west. The Central line covers a distance of 74 km (46 mi) and serves 49 metro stations.
Listed below are some of the 49 tube stations that most tourists are likely to use when visiting London.
Stratford station is the stop where the Olympic Village (London 2012 Olympic Games) is located. You need to change here for the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and stop at Pudding Mill Lane (1 stop from Stratford station) where the Olympic Stadium is located.
Liverpool Street Station is one of the main railway stations in London. This is the station where visitors take the train to Stanstead Airport.
Other attractions near Liverpool Street Station include the Gherkin Building, Toynbee Hall, and the Whitechapel Art Gallery.
The bank station is close to several tourist attractions including Mansion House (the official residence of the Mayor of the City of London), the Bank of England, The Royal Exchange, Leadenhall Market and Lloyd’s Building.
Lloyds Building is home to the insurance institution, Lloyds of London, the world’s leading insurance market.
The San Pablo station is a short walk from the Cathedral of San Pablo, the second largest cathedral in the world after the Cathedral of San Pedro in Rome.
Other tourist attractions near St Paul Station include the Museum of London, the Millennium Footbridge, Shakespeare’s Globe Theater and the Tate Modern. From the Tate Modern you can take a relaxing walk along the riverbank and enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds of London.
Close to Chancery Lane station are the Inns of Court, the Royal Courts of Justice, the Yeomanry Museum and the London Silver Vaults (home to the world’s largest retail collection of fine antique silver).
Stop at Holborn Station for Lincoln’s Inn, the British Museum, Sir John Soane’s Museum, the Hunterian Museum, the London School of Economics, and the Royal College of Surgeons.
During the year, law students must dine “in the drawing room” of Lincoln’s Inn a certain number of times before they qualify to be “called to the bar.”
You get off at Tottenham Court Road station if you are visiting the British Museum, the Dominion Theater and the Central YMCA. Most of London’s West End and Chinatown theaters are located south of Tottenham Court Road Station.
The shops on Tottenham Court Road are famous for selling electrical items such as televisions and computers.
Oxford Circus Station is the hub of London’s busiest shopping district. This is where Oxford Street (which runs in an east-west direction) meets Regent Street (which runs in a north-south direction). Both Oxford Street and Regent Street are busy shopping streets and this is why most people prefer to stop at Oxford Circus when they come to the West End to shop.
Bond Street Station is one stop west of Oxford Street Station. Shops on Bond Street sell stylish and expensive designer clothes and accessories. Celebrities from all over the world are often seen shopping on Bond Street.
New Bond Street and South Moulton Street, both famous for their elegant and expensive jewelery and watches, are within walking distance of Bond Street Station.
Selfridges department store is just a couple of minutes’ walk from the station.
Marble Arch station is located at the west end of Oxford Street. Opposite Marble Arch Station is Park Lane, famous for its 5-star hotels such as the Dorchester Hotel, InterContinental Hotel and Hilton Park Lane. If you walk to the middle of Park Lane, you will see the Animal in War Memorial. This monument is to commemorate the contributions made by animals serving alongside the troops during war.
Hyde Park is located to the west of Marble Arch Station and Speakers Corner is less than 5 minutes’ walk away.
Lancaster Gate Station is where you get off if you visit Hyde Park Italian Gardens, Serpentine, Diana, Princess of Wales Fountain, and Bayswater Road Artists Gallery.
Queensway Station is the stop if you are visiting Kensington Palace. You can also start your “Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk” from Kensington Gardens on the other side of the station. This is a 7-mile walk through 4 royal parks, 3 royal palaces, and several popular London landmarks. Simply follow the Diana Memorial Walk plaques that are embedded along the route.
Stylish Notting Hill Gate is known for the Notting Hill Gate Carnival. This event is held here annually during the August bank holiday and is organized by the Caribbean community. This is a very popular event and each year hundreds of thousands of people converge here to join in the celebrations.
Portobello Road Market is also internationally known and is busiest on Saturdays.
Holland Park is a beautiful park with its famous Orangery, Kyoto Garden, and open-air theater.
Holland House, originally known as Cope Castle, is now a ruin, having been destroyed by bombs during World War II.
Next to Shepherd’s Bush station is the Westfield Shopping Center with more than 300 stores under one roof and is currently the largest urban shopping complex in Europe.
White City Station. Here you can visit the BBC Television Center and join their tours. Nearby is Loftus Road Stadium, home to Queens Park Rangers Football Club and London Wasps Rugby Club.
In addition to Stratford Station (Zone 3) and Holland Park, Shepherd’s Bush and White City Stations (Zone 2), all other Central Line stations listed above are in Zone 1. So if you don’t plan on To visit these stations, you just need to buy a Zone 1 1-Day Travelcard. That will give you unlimited travel for one day in Zone 1 on both bus and metro.
