Bank station: First look at new Northern line and DLR interchange

A new interchange route linking the Northern Line to the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) at Bank station has opened today (October 13).

Three new escalators will now take customers between the new Northern line concourse, which opened in May, and the DLR concourse and platforms.

Transport for London (TfL) estimates that around 40% of customers using Bank station are changing between lines; this new interchange is set to speed journey times up by nine minutes.

This is the latest phase of the £700m upgrade works to be completed at Bank station, with further refurbishments expected to be finished by the end of the year.

Improvements still to come include a new interchange route between the Northern and Central lines consisting of two new 95-metre moving walkways and three new escalators.

There will also be a new station entrance on Cannon Street, step-free access to the Northern line for the first time via two new lifts, and improved step-free access to the DLR.

TfL says capacity at the station will be increased by 40% as a result of the upgrade, making customers journeys quicker and easier.

Deputy mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: “From today, commuters changing between the Northern line and DLR at Bank station will have an incredible nine minutes shaved off their journey times as the next phase of vital upgrades to the station are completed.

“There are still more upgrades to come and once complete the transformed station will have 40% more capacity supporting the recovery, growth and success of the City of London, addressing long-standing capacity issues and making journeys through Bank quicker, easier, and more comfortable.”

Stuart Harvey, chief capital officer at TfL, said: “Anyone familiar with the previous layout at Bank station will know that it was confusing and constrained, leading to frequent congestion and long interchange times.

“From today, the journeys of customers interchanging between the Northern line and DLR will be hugely improved, with three new escalators whisking them between these lines and shaving up to nine minutes off their journeys.

“The countdown continues for the completion of this complex upgrade which is on track to transform Bank station into a modern, flagship gateway to London’s financial centre.”

TfL said that weekday Tube ridership has grown to around 70% of pre-pandemic levels with around three million journeys now being made on the Tube each day

Tube ridership at stations defined as ‘City’ stations – including Bank – is now at around 65% of pre-pandemic levels, up from around 33% in January.

Weekend Tube ridership is now regularly above 85% of pre-pandemic levels.