Hampstead is the deepest station on the London Underground at 58.5 metres, with the network's longest staircase. Why it is so deep, and what that means for your journey.
Why Hampstead Has London's Deepest Tube Station
Hampstead station holds a quiet record. At 58.5 metres below ground, it is the deepest station on the entire London Underground. It also has the longest staircase on the network, 320-odd steps spiralling down beside the lifts, with a sign politely warning you not to attempt them. There is a good reason for all of this, and it has nothing to do with the station and everything to do with the hill above it.
It is deep because Hampstead is high
This is the whole answer, really. The tube lines were dug at a fairly consistent depth below the surface for engineering reasons, following the band of London clay that is easy to tunnel through. But Hampstead sits on top of one of the highest hills in London, around 134 metres above sea level at the top of the village. The tunnels run deep under that hill, and the station has to reach all the way down to them.
So the station is not deep because someone decided Hampstead needed an unusually deep station. It is deep because the platforms sit at roughly the normal tunnel level, and there is simply a very tall hill stacked on top. The depth is measured from the surface down, and the surface here is a long way up.
The lifts and the staircase
Because the station is so deep, it has always relied on lifts rather than escalators. Escalators of that height were not practical when the station opened in 1907, and there was no room to retrofit them later. So you take a lift, and the lifts are the main way up and down.
The famous spiral staircase exists as the emergency alternative. It is the longest on the Underground, and the signs strongly advise against using it to leave the station, because climbing the equivalent of a fifteen-storey building by spiral stair is exactly as unpleasant as it sounds. People do it anyway, for the challenge or because they distrust lifts. I have done it once, going down, and that was enough.
A station built for a hill
Hampstead station opened in June 1907 as part of the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway, which later became part of the Northern line. The line was pushed out to Hampstead because the area was growing and well-off, and a tube connection made it more so. There was even a plan for the line to continue further north to a station called North End, deep under the Heath, but it was never opened to the public. The abandoned station down there, nicknamed Bull and Bush, is one of the Underground's genuine ghost stations.
What it means for your journey
In practice, the depth affects you in two ways. First, you are at the mercy of the lifts, so at busy times there can be a short queue to go up or down. Second, if the lifts ever fail, your only way out is that staircase, which is a real consideration if you have luggage, small children or any trouble with stairs.
For a normal visit, none of this matters much. You take the lift, it takes a moment, and you are up in the village. But it is worth knowing if you are travelling with a heavy bag or a buggy, because there is no gentle ramp option here. The hill does not allow it.
Worth knowing
- Hampstead is on the Edgware branch of the Northern line.
- It is 58.5 metres deep, the deepest on the network.
- The spiral staircase has around 320 steps. Take the lift.
- Nearby Belsize Park and Golders Green are alternatives if the lifts are queuing.
If you are heading for the Heath rather than the village, note that Hampstead Heath Overground station and Gospel Oak are often handier for the southern, Parliament Hill side, and they are not buried under a hill.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deepest tube station in London?
Hampstead, on the Northern line, at 58.5 metres below the surface. It is the deepest station on the London Underground.
Why is Hampstead station so deep?
Because Hampstead sits on top of one of London's highest hills. The tunnels run at the usual depth below ground, but the surface above them is unusually high, so the station has to reach a long way down to the platforms.
Does Hampstead station have stairs or lifts?
It uses lifts as the main access, because the depth made escalators impractical when it opened in 1907. There is also an emergency spiral staircase of around 320 steps, the longest on the Underground, but the signs advise taking the lift.
Which line is Hampstead station on?
The Edgware branch of the Northern line. Belsize Park is the next stop toward central London, and Golders Green is the next stop heading north.
