Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf tube station stands on the Isle of Dogs in east London. It sits on the Jubilee line between Canada Water and North Greenwich stations, in fare zone two. The station opened in 1999 as part of the Jubilee Line Extension, built to ease pressure on the Docklands Light Railway. Over forty million passengers pass through each year, making it the second busiest outside central London. The station was designed by Sir Norman Foster and built in a drained dock arm using a cut-and-cover method. Its vast interior has been compared to a cathedral and has even hosted a wedding. The station’s size was planned to handle up to fifty thousand passengers daily. By 2006, weekday numbers had reached nearly seventy thousand, and it became the only non-Zone 1 station in the top ten busiest. The Canary Wharf Group contributed £500 million towards the extension’s cost to improve access for commuters. Capacity upgrades followed, including longer trains and new signalling that allows thirty trains per hour at peak times. In 2013, it was voted the most loved tube station in a YouGov poll, praised for its comfort despite its scale. Above ground, two curved glass canopies mark the entrances at each end of the station. Between them lies Jubilee Park, a public space above the ticket hall. The station has twenty escalators and three lifts serving two platforms, all fitted with platform screen doors. The area connects via shopping malls under Jubilee Park, Cabot Square and Canada Square to nearby DLR and Elizabeth line stations. The Elizabeth line opened in 2022, adding another link to the growing business district. The station’s design has also made it a popular filming location, appearing in major movies and even on a British postage stamp.