From world-class museums and galleries to notable historical landmarks – these are just a few incredible things London is known for worldwide.
It is one of the oldest financial centres in the world and a major contributor to the UK economy for international tourism.
One of the reasons why tourism flourished in London is the creation of transport innovations such as the London Underground lines, popularly known as the Tube.
Did you know that the world’s first and oldest underground railway is the Metropolitan line? Its services first ran between Paddington and Farringdon station.
Moreover, it is among the 11 London Underground lines managed by the Transport for London (TfL) and operated by London Underground Limited.
Of the 11 lines, the Metropolitan line is the eighth busiest, with an average trip per annum of 80,900,000.
Travelling around London sometimes requires transfers to other lines, and chances are you will transfer to the Metropolitan line on one of your journeys.
The commute in London is relatively easy as long as you are familiar with train lines and interchanges.
Not to worry, this article covers everything there is to know about the Metropolitan line.
Some other Tube lines
- Bakerloo line
- Central Line
- Circle line
- District Line
- Hammersmith & City line
- Jubilee line
- Northern line
- Piccadilly line
- Victoria line
- Waterloo & City line
In summary, here’s what you will read about:
- Fast Facts About the Metropolitan Line
- What Are the Metropolitan Line Stations?
- What Are the Metropolitan Line Routes and Stops?
- What Is the Metropolitan Line Map Colour?
- What Are the Metropolitan Line Fare Zones?
- How to Pay the Metropolitan Line Fare?
- Explore Beautiful Places Near the Metropolitan Line Stations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Reminders to Note
Contents
- 1 Fast Facts About the Metropolitan Line
- 2 What Are the Metropolitan Line Stations?
- 3 What Are the Metropolitan Line Routes and Stops?
- 4 What Is the Metropolitan Line Map Colour?
- 5 What Are the Metropolitan Line Fare Zones?
- 6 How to Pay the Metropolitan Line Fare
- 7 Explore Beautiful Places Near the Metropolitan Line Stations
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions
- 9 Final Reminders to Note
Fast Facts About the Metropolitan Line
The Metropolitan line, also known as the Met, is the oldest underground railway in the world.
It took about two years to construct before officially opening in January 1963 and it was originally known as the Metropolitan Railway.
Moreover, it first ran services between Paddington and Farringdon, before extending from Baker Street to Swiss Cottage in 1868.
The line further extended to Aylesbury in 1892 and then to Uxbridge in 1904. In 1905, it innovated by having its first electric trains.
Today, the Met provides train services to 34 stations as rapid transit and suburban rail.
It spans a length of 67 km or 42 mi and runs at an average speed of 45.61 km per hour.
What Are the Metropolitan Line Stations?
In alphabetical order, here is a complete list of the 34 Metropolitan line stations and interchanges.
A station with interchanges provides more than one train line or railway for passengers to transfer.
Thus, providing a hassle-free commute for riders.
Table of Metropolitan Line Stations and Interchange
| Station | Interchange |
| Aldgate Underground Station | Connects to Circle line |
| Amersham Underground Station | Connects to National Rail |
| Baker Street Underground Station | Connects to Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Jubilee lines |
| Barbican Underground Station | Connects to Circle and Hammersmith & City lines |
| Chalfont & Latimer Underground Station | Connects to National Rail |
| Chesham Underground Station | N/A |
| Chorleywood Underground Station | Connects to National Rail |
| Croxley Underground Station | N/A |
| Eastcote Underground Station | Connects to Piccadilly line |
| Euston Square Underground Station | Connects to Circle and Hammersmith & City lines |
| Farringdon Underground Station |
|
| Finchley Road Underground Station | Connects to Jubilee line |
| Great Portland Street Underground Station | Connects to Circle and Hammersmith & City lines |
| Harrow-on-the-Hill Underground Station | Connects to National Rail |
| Hillingdon Underground Station | Connects to Piccadilly line |
| Ickenham Underground Station | Connects to Piccadilly line |
| King’s Cross St. Pancras Underground Station |
|
| Liverpool Street Underground Station |
|
| Moor Park Underground Station | N/A |
| Moorgate Underground Station |
|
| North Harrow Underground Station | N/A |
| Northwick Park Underground Station | N/A |
| Northwood Hills Underground Station | N/A |
| Northwood Underground Station | N/A |
| Pinner Underground Station | N/A |
| Preston Road Underground Station | N/A |
| Rayners Lane Underground Station | Connects to Piccadilly line |
| Rickmansworth Underground Station | Connects to National Rail |
| Ruislip Manor Underground Station | Connects to Piccadilly line |
| Ruislip Underground Station | Connects to Piccadilly line |
| Uxbridge Underground Station | Connects to Piccadilly line |
| Watford Underground Station | N/A |
| Wembley Park Underground Station | Connects to Jubilee line |
| West Harrow Underground Station | N/A |
| Willesden Green Underground Station | Connects to Jubilee line |
What Are the Metropolitan Line Routes and Stops?
The Metropolitan line runs on four routes:
- Amersham ↔ Aldgate
- Chesham ↔ Aldgate
- Uxbridge ↔ Aldgate
- Watford ↔ Aldgate
All four routes run on day services only. Listed in the table below are all the stops covered per route, from the first station to the last.
You can plan your journey ahead of time by checking the first and last services via the Metropolitan line timetable.
Table of Metropolitan Line Routes and Stops
| Route | Stops |
| Amersham ↔ Aldgate |
|
| Chesham ↔ Aldgate |
|
| Uxbridge ↔ Aldgate
|
|
| Watford ↔ Aldgate |
|
What Is the Metropolitan Line Map Colour?
Use the Tube map provided by TfL to locate the Metropolitan line stations and interchanges.
The Metropolitan line uses a magenta-coloured line, as illustrated below in the Metropolitan Line map example.
You can also check for stations with step-free access, airports, cable cars, IKEA stores, and many more.
(Metropolitan Line Map via Wikimedia Commons by Edgepedia)
What Are the Metropolitan Line Fare Zones?
The Tube map not only shows interchanges and step-free access but fare zones as well.
If you notice, the map has grey and white shaded areas with numbers. These numbers indicate the station’s Fare Zone designation.
What are fare zones anyway? These are zones assigned to each station to help calculate a passenger’s total fare from zone to zone. There are a total of nine zones: Zone 1 to Zone 9.
Fare zones are applied to several public types of transport in London, including Tube, DLR, Elizabeth Line, London Overground, River Bus, and most National Rail services.
Knowing the zones is also needed when buying capped Pay-as-you-go cards or Travelcards, where you have to choose the zone validity. The zones assigned to Metropolitan line stations are as follows:
Zone 9
- Chesham Underground Station
- Amersham Underground Station
Zone 8
- Chalfont & Latimer Underground Station
Zone 7
- Chorleywood Underground Station
- Rickmansworth Underground Station
- Watford Underground Station
- Croxley Underground Station
- Moor Park Underground Station (7/6)
Zone 6
- Moor Park Underground Station (7/6)
- Northwood Underground Station
- Northwood Hills Underground Station
- Uxbridge Underground Station
- Hillingdon Underground Station
- Ickenham Underground Station
- Ruislip Underground Station
- Ruislip Manor Underground Station
Zone 5
- Pinner Underground Station
- North Harrow Underground Station
- Harrow-on-the-Hill Underground Station
- West Harrow Underground Station
- Rayners Lane Underground Station
- Eastcote Underground Station
Zone 4
- Northwick Park Underground Station
- Preston Road Underground Station
- Wembley Park Underground Station
Zone 2/3
- Willesden Green Underground Station
Zone 2
- Finchley Road Underground Station
Zone 1
- Baker Street Underground Station
- Great Portland Street Underground Station
- Euston Square Underground Station
- King’s Cross St. Pancras Underground Station
- Farringdon Underground Station
- Barbican Underground Station
- Moorgate Underground Station
- Liverpool Street Underground Station
- Aldgate Underground Station
How to Pay the Metropolitan Line Fare
It’s easy to pay for your Metropolitan line fare with various payment card options, including Oyster Card, Contactless Card, Travelcard, and Visitor Oyster Card.
Oyster cards, Visitor Oyster cards, and Contactless cards are a type of payment where you only pay for the journeys you make, with the option to include a capped limit.
On the other hand, Travelcards allow you to travel as much as you want (unlimited).
If you don’t have any of the payment cards mentioned, you can still purchase a paper ticket at Metropolitan line stations; however, they are more expensive.
When purchasing capped Pay-as-you-go cards or Travelcards, you need to indicate which zones you want to use it for, the time of use, and the duration.
If you travel other than the zones you included in your card, you will be charged a standard fare, not the discounted rate.
For more information, read the guide Visitor Oyster Card Vs Oyster Card Vs Travel Card Vs Contactless Card.
Generally, all Tube lines use a standard fare for capped Pay as you go cards and Travelcards.
Check the table below to know the expected travel fare on the Metropolitan line.
You can also use TfL’s Single fare finder tool to know the cost per journey or use the Caps and Travelcard prices tool to know the fare per zone.
Get the complete list of adult fares from Zones 1 to 9 here.
Metropolitan Line Pay as you go Caps and Travelcard Adult Rates Table
| Zone | Pay-as-you-go caps | Travelcard | ||||||
| Daily Peak | Daily Off-peak | Monday to Sunday | Day Anytime | Day Off-peak | 7 Day | Monthly | Annual | |
| Zones 1 only | £7.70 | £7.70 | £38.40 | £14.40 | £14.40 | £38.40 | £147.50 | £1,536 |
| Zones 1-2 | £7.70 | £7.70 | £38.40 | £14.40 | £14.40 | £38.40 | £147.50 | £1,536 |
| Zones 1-3 | £9.00 | £9.00 | £45.20 | £14.40 | £14.40 | £45.20 | £173.60 | £1,808 |
| Zones 1-4 | £11.00 | £11.00 | £55.20 | £14.40 | £14.40 | £55.20 | £212.00 | £2,208 |
| Zones 1-5 | £13.10 | £13.10 | £65.70 | £20.30 | £14.40 | £65.70 | £252.30 | £2,628 |
| Zones 1-6 | £14.10 | £14.10 | £70.30 | £20.30 | £14.40 | £70.30 | £270.00 | £2,812 |
| Zones 1-7 | £15.30 | £14.10 | £76.50 | £25.70 | £15.30 | £76.50 | £293.80 | £3,060 |
| Zones 1-8 | £18.10 | £14.10 | £90.30 | £25.70 | £15.30 | £90.30 | £346.80 | £3,612 |
| Zones 1-9 | £20.00 | £14.10 | £100.20 | £25.70 | £15.30 | £100.20 | £384.80 | £4,008 |
Explore Beautiful Places Near the Metropolitan Line Stations
There are several lovely places to see and interesting things to do near Metropolitan stations.
If you plan to travel via the Metropolitan line, don’t forget to check out these top recommended places to visit in London.
From wandering in a museum to being mesmerised by music, there is something on the list for your preference.
Battle of Britain Bunker
Station: Uxbridge
Address: Wren Ave, Uxbridge UB10 0GG, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1895 238154
Heath Robinson Museum
Station: Pinner
Address: 50 W End Ln, Pinner HA5 1AE, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 8866 8420
View this post on Instagram
Wembley Stadium
Station: Wembley Park
Address: London HA9 0WS, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 800 169 9933
View this post on Instagram
Camden Arts Centre
Station: Finchley Road
Address: Arkwright Rd, London NW3 6DG, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7472 5500
JW3
Station: Finchley Road
Address: 341-351 Finchley Rd, London NW3 6ET, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7433 8988
View this post on Instagram
Wellcome Collection
Station: Euston Square
Address: 183 Euston Rd, London NW1 2BE, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7611 2222
St Pancras Old Church
Station: Kings Cross St Pancras
Address: Pancras Rd, London NW1 1UL, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7424 0724
St Bartholomew’s Hospital Museum and Archives
Station: Farringdon
Address: NB this is NOT Barts Pathology Museum, North Wing, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, W Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 3465 7608
The Barbican
Station: Barbican
Address: Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7870 2500
View this post on Instagram
Wilton’s Music Hall
Station: Aldgate
Address: 1 Graces Alley, London E1 8JB, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7702 2789
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use the payment cards on the Metropolitan line?
You need to use the touch in and out method properly. This means you must touch in on the yellow card reader upon entering and then touch out again when exiting your final destination.
If you do not correctly touch in and out, you may have to pay the maximum fare or the penalty.
Should I use the same payment card when touching in and out?
Yes, you must use the same payment card you used for one single journey.
This means if you used an Oyster card upon entering, you need to use the same Oyster card when exiting the station.
In this way, the system can correctly calculate your fare based on your start and end stations.
If you used two different payment cards for a single journey, you might be asked to pay the penalty or maximum fare.
How do I know if the Metropolitan line stations are accessibility-friendly?
One way to know if a Metropolitan line station is accessible is via the Tube map.
The map shows key symbols for step-free access. For a more detailed guide on accessibility, refer to the Step-free Tube guide and Avoiding stairs Tube guide.
What time does the first service leave on the Metropolitan line?
The first service varies per station. You can check the first service times using the Metropolitan line timetable.
Select the station you are coming from and where you are going. Then, click “show timetable”, and the page shows a list of the first and last services.
How can I know about the Metropolitan line status?
You can get live status updates on the Metropolitan line’s conditions via TfL’s Status updates page.
The page displays live updates on closed services, minor or severe delays, good service status, and station information.
When you click on the (+) symbol for information, the page shows specific details on why there are delays.
Are there night services on the Metropolitan line?
No, night services on the Night Tube are unavailable on the Metropolitan line.
You can only catch the Night Tube on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, and Victoria lines on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Final Reminders to Note
Determine your start and end points, choose a payment card, and remember to touch in and touch out correctly.
Use the Tube map to guide you throughout your journey. Lastly, stay safe and keep your distance from the rails while waiting for the Tube to arrive.
How’s your experience riding the Metropolitan line? Do you have any comments on its services and facilities?
If you have thoughts you’d like to share with us, post them in the comments section below.
We’d love to know your helpful feedback. For further reading on London Underground lines and other public transport in London, Winterville has several blogs worth reading.
Check out the following guides for a smooth journey.
