Finsbury Park
The station entrance in 2015
Finsbury Park Location of Finsbury Park in Greater London
Location	Finsbury Park
Local authority	London Borough of Islington
Managed by	Great Northern London Underground
Station code	FPK
DfT category	C2
Number of platforms	12 (8 National Rail,[1] 4 Underground)
Accessible	Yes
Fare zone	2
London Underground annual entry and exit
2020	15.82 million[2]
2021	14.05 million[3]
2022	23.40 million[4]
2023	20.48 million[5]
2024	21.22 million[6]
National Rail annual entry and exit
2019–20	7.670 million[7]
– interchange	3.810 million[7]
2020–21	2.014 million[7]
– interchange	0.669 million[7]
2021–22	4.600 million[7]
– interchange	1.901 million[7]
2022–23	8.559 million[7]
– interchange	3.360 million[7]
2023–24	9.364 million[7]
– interchange	2.134 million[7]
Railway companies
Original company	Great Northern Railway
Pre-grouping	Great Northern Railway
Post-grouping	London and North Eastern Railway
Key dates
1850	Tracks laid
1 July 1861	Opened (GNR)
22 August 1867	Opened (Edgware branch)
14 February 1904	Opened (GN&CR))
15 December 1906	Opened as terminus (GNP&BR)
19 September 1932	Became through station (Piccadilly)
1954	Closed (Edgware branch, passengers)
3 October 1964	Closed (Northern City Line)
1 September 1968	Opened (Victoria)
September 1970	Closed (Edgware branch)
8 November 1976	Opened (Northern City Line)
Other information
External links	TfL station info page Departures Facilities
Coordinates	51°33′53″N0°06′23″W / 51.564653°N 0.106366°W /51.564653; -0.106366
London transport portal

Finsbury Park (/ˈfɪnzbəriˈpɑːrk/) is anintermodalinterchange station inNorth London forLondon Underground,National Rail andLondon Buses services. The station, which is inLondon fare zone 2, is the third busiest Underground station outside zone 1, with over 33 million passengers using the station in 2019.^[8]

The station is named after the nearbyFinsbury Park, one of the oldest of London'sVictorian parks, opening in 1869.^[9]

The interchange consists of aNational Rail station, aLondon Underground station and two bus stations, all interconnected. The main entrances are by the eastern bus station on Station Place. The National Rail ticket office here lies between one entrance marked by the Underground roundel symbol and the other which is marked by the National Rail symbol; the latter provides direct access to the main line platforms. A new, larger western entrance by Wells Terrace and Goodwin Place opened in December 2019, as part of the upgrade of the station.^[8] There is also a narrow side entrance to the south on theA503 Seven Sisters Road (open during peak times only. The complex is located inLondon fare zone 2.

London Buses routes4,19,29,106,153,210,236,253,254,259,W3,W7, night routesN19,N29,N253,N279, serve the station.^[10][11]

Finsbury Park is on the route of theEast Coast Main Line from King's Cross to the north of England and Scotland. The southern section of this was built in stages during the 1840s and early 1850s by theGreat Northern Railway (GNR). Tracks were first laid through Finsbury Park in 1850 to the GNR's temporary terminus atMaiden Lane just north of the permanent terminus at King's Cross (which opened in 1852).^[12] The first station at Finsbury Park opened on 1 July 1861 and was originally namedSeven Sisters Road (Holloway).^[13]

Soon after the first station opened, theEdgware, Highgate and London Railway (EH&LR) began construction of a line from Finsbury Park toEdgware. The GNR took over the EH&LR shortly before its opening on 22 August 1867.^[14] The station was given its current nameFinsbury Park on 15 November 1869.^[15] The Edgware branch platforms were on each side of the main tracks. The southbound ("up") track of the branch crossed over the main line by a bridge on its way into the station.

TheGreat Northern & City Railway (GN&CR) was an underground railway planned to provide a tunnel link between Finsbury Park andMoorgate in theCity of London as an alternative London terminus for GNR trains. The tunnels were constructed with a largediameter to accommodate this service but a dispute between the two companies prevented the GN&CR connecting its tunnels to the GNR platforms. The GN&CR tunnels, instead, terminated beneath the main line station without a connection to the surface and the line operated as a shuttle between Finsbury Park and Moorgate. The line opened on 14 February 1904 and on 1 September 1913, it was taken over by theMetropolitan Railway.^[16]

TheGreat Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (GNP&BR) (now London Underground's Piccadilly line) opened on 15 December 1906 byDavid Lloyd George, then President of the Board of Trade, between Finsbury Park andHammersmith in west London.^[17] The tube railway originated as theGreat Northern and Strand Railway (GN&SR) in 1899 and was initially supported by the GNR as a means of relieving congestion on its main line into King's Cross by constructing a tube line under the GNR's tracks fromAlexandra Palace to King's Cross and then to theStrand.^[18] The GN&SR was taken over in 1901 by a consortium led byCharles Yerkes before any work had been carried out and the section north of Finsbury Park was cancelled. The GN&SR was merged with theBrompton and Piccadilly Circus Railway to form the GNP&BR.^[19] It was constructed with the smaller-diameter tube tunnels common to other underground railways being constructed in London at that time. Its platforms were constructed by the GNR parallel with the GN&CR's platforms beneath the main line station.^[20]

The transport interchange at Finsbury Park had long been recognised as a severe bottle-neck for passengers heading north from central London and calls had been regularly made to improve the situation by extending northwards one of the two underground lines serving the station. Until the mid-1920s this had been resisted by the GNR and its successor the LNER as a threat to its suburban passenger traffic, but mounting pressure finally forced the LNER to relinquish its veto and lift its objections to the Underground making an extension.

With financial support from the government, the Underground began construction of anextension of the Piccadilly line northwards toCockfosters and the first section, toArnos Grove, opened on 19 September 1932. The route was opened fully on 31 July 1933.^[21]

By 1935 the GNR had become part of theLondon and North Eastern Railway (LNER). In 1935 London Underground announced itsNew Works Programme. This included plans to take over the steam-operated LNER branch lines from Finsbury Park to Edgware,High Barnet andAlexandra Palace – collectively known as the "Northern Heights" lines. These routes were to be joined to the Northern City Line by the construction of new tracks from Drayton Park to the surface at Finsbury Park as had originally been intended by the GN&CR. Trains would then have been able to run from any of the three LNER termini to Moorgate. The Northern City Line tunnels from Drayton Park to Finsbury Park would have been taken out of use. A separate connection betweenArchway Underground station (then named Highgate) andEast Finchley station was also planned, including a new Underground station below the then-existing surface station at Highgate.

In early 1939 London Underground announced that the Drayton Park to Alexandra Palace route would begin operation in autumn 1940 and the branch was transferred to the control of the Northern line. The start of theSecond World War caused the postponement and eventual cancellation of this and much of the other plans, leaving operations at Finsbury Park unchanged. The surface connection between Drayton Park and Finsbury Park was abandoned and the Northern City Line continued to run between Moorgate and Finsbury Park in tunnel. Traffic on the Highgate and Alexandra Palace branch diminished and it was closed to passengers in 1954 although it was retained for freight to Edgware and stock movements to Highgate Depot.

London Underground had for many years been planning a new route across central London to relieve pressure on the central sections of the Piccadilly and Northern lines. In the early 1960s the plans were consolidated into a single plan for the Victoria line. The route of the new line was designed to provide the maximum number of interchanges with other Underground andBritish Rail lines as possible, and Finsbury Park was an ideal candidate for this.^[22] The plan called for the reconfiguration of the four underground platforms used by the Northern City Line and the Piccadilly line. To allow the construction works necessary for the provision ofcross-platform interchanges between the Piccadilly and the Victoria lines the Northern City service to Finsbury Park was ended on 3 October 1964.^[23] After this date trains from Moorgate ran only as far as Drayton Park.^[24]

The Northern City platforms became the southbound platforms for both the Piccadilly and Victoria lines which were connected to the previously dead-end tunnels to the north of the platforms. The old southbound Piccadilly line platform then became the Victoria line northbound platform, with the northbound Piccadilly line platform unchanged. New connecting tunnels were constructed. There are cross-over connections between each pair of northbound and southbound tunnels to enable stock transfers, given that the Victoria line is otherwise completely self-contained.^{[citation needed]}

The first section of the Victoria line, including Finsbury Park, opened betweenWalthamstow Central andHighbury & Islington on 1 September 1968.^[25] When theVictoria line was built in the 1960s, the walls in Finsbury Park station were decorated with mosaics of duelling pistols,^[26] which can still be seen. This was based on a mistaken identification of Finsbury Park withFinsbury Fields, which was used by Londoners since medieval times for archery and sports, and also associated with 18th-century duels and one of the first hot air balloon flights. Finsbury Fields was close to the present-dayFinsbury Square, 3 miles (5 km) south.^[27] At the same time the long entrance subways and the Wells Terrace booking hall (at the bus station end) were rebuilt to a high standard.^{[citation needed]}

v t e Finsbury Park to Highbury & Islington to Dalston
Legend
East Coast Main Line Finsbury Park Junctions with Canonbury Curve andNorthern City Line towardsKing's Cross Bridge toEmirates Stadium Drayton Park Victoria line Canonbury Curve North London line Highbury & Islington Victoria line Northern City Line Canonbury Dalston Junction Dalston Kingsland East London line North London line

London Underground continued to use the Edgware branch occasionally for stock movements between its depot at Highgate and Finsbury Park until September 1970. The tracks were removed in 1971 and the platforms at Finsbury Park which served this line were demolished; their location is now the pedestrian access to the eastern station entrance. The bridge over Stroud Green Road which carried the tracks was removed. The abutment walls remain.^{[citation needed]}

In 1976, part of the abandoned Northern Heights plan was completed in reverse. TheNorthern City Line, which had originally run to the underground part of the station, was transferred fromLondon Underground toBritish Rail. An unfinished surface connection betweenDrayton Park and Finsbury Park begun as part of the "Northern Heights" project was completed to make it possible to bring trains to the surface at Finsbury Park and run through trains from Moorgate on to the north. The service commenced operation on 8 November 1976.^{[citation needed]}

In the late 2010s, the station was upgraded and refurbished throughout, including the provision of step free access, ticket barriers and a new, larger western entrance to the bus station, Goodwin Street and Wells Terrace.^[28][29]

Step free access to both thePiccadilly andVictoria lines, as well as to platforms 1&2 and 5&6 of the National Rail station was completed in January 2019.^[30][28][31] The new western entrance was constructed in collaboration withTelford Homes, the developer of "City North" - a residential and commercial development adjacent to the station. This new, larger entrance opened in December 2019,^[8] replacing an older entrance constructed in the 1970s, which closed in July 2016 as part of the City North development works.^[32] A project to make the remaining platforms (3, 4, 7 & 8) step-free began in July 2021 and was completed in April 2023.^[33][34]

On 9 November 1959, a freight train ran away and collided with an empty coaching-stock train. The collision occurred on a bridge over a road, severely damaging the bridge.^[35]

On 8 May 1974, musicianGraham Bond died after getting run over by aPiccadilly line train at the station.^[36]

On 17 December 1992, Jonathan Zito wasstabbed to death in the station.^[37]

The above-groundNational Rail station, which has a separate ticket office to the Underground station, is managed and served byGreat Northern. Trains fromMoorgate andKing's Cross form inner suburban services toStevenage viaHertford North andWelwyn Garden City and outer suburban services start from Kings Cross towardsPeterborough andCambridge. Inner suburban service formerly did not serve the Moorgate branch at night and at weekends, being diverted to London Kings Cross instead. There are currently six platforms but only five tracks, as platforms 6 and 7 share a track (though platform 6 is no longer separately numbered or utilised). The platforms were renumbered on 19 May 2013 to prepare for two new up platforms, with all existing numbers increased by 2. Typically, platform 1 is used by southbound suburban services to Moorgate, platform 2 by southbound regional services to King's Cross and southbound Thameslink services, platform 7 (and occasionally also platform 5) by northbound regional services from King's Cross and northbound Thameslink Services, and platform 8 by northbound suburban services from Moorgate.

In 2018, as part of theThameslink Programme, Finsbury Park was linked to theThameslink network via anew tunnel which connects the Great Northern Route to the lines intoSt Pancras. This has enabled through services to run fromCambridge and Peterborough via Finsbury Park andLondon Bridge toGatwick Airport, Horsham andBrighton.^[38][39]

Currently, not all trains labelled on the train as 'Thameslink' actually travel through the Thameslink core, as many serve King's Cross instead. During the week, and on Saturdays, there are currently four trains an hour off peak in each direction through the core to/from Finsbury Park; two between Peterborough and Horsham and two between Brighton and Cambridge.^[40] There are also an extra two trains per hour from Welwyn Garden City to Sevenoaks at peak times during the week.^[41] On Sundays, there is only one train per hour in each direction, between Brighton and Cambridge. An hourly Peterborough to King's Cross service operates instead of the Horsham service for stations north of Stevenage.

The introduction of Thameslink services at Finsbury Park was part of theThameslink Programme, and in the connected 'RailPlan 2020' consultation, it was stated that they also planned to start a two trains per hour service from Cambridge to Maidstone East via Finsbury Park from December 2019,^[42] however this service does not yet exist.

In February 2008 Network Rail published its East Coast Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy (ECMLRUS).^[43] This recommended improvements to the tracks able to carry passenger trains between Alexandra Palace Station and Finsbury Park. In March 2009 Network Rail published its CP4 Delivery Plan 2009, which involved the bringing back into service of an abandoned southbound platform; this plan was confirmed in a June 2010 update to the plan.^[44] Regular use of this new platform, Platform 1, commenced at the December 2013 timetable change. and since that date regular use of platform 3 has ceased, with platforms 1 and 2 now used instead. Since the December 2015 timetable change, the Northern City line to Moorgate operates through until end of service during the week and at weekends, rather than diverting to Kings Cross at weekends.^[45]

British Transport Police maintain a presence at Finsbury Park and have a police station at the Wells Terrace entrance.^[46]

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Drayton Park or London King's Cross		Great Northern Northern City Line andKings Cross to Cambridge		Harringay or Alexandra Palace
St Pancras International		Thameslink Thameslink		Stevenage or or New Southgate
	Disused railways
London King's Cross Terminus		British Railways Eastern Region Edgware, Highgate & London		Stroud Green
King's Cross Suburban (northbound) or King's Cross York Road (southbound)		British Rail Eastern Region City Widened Lines		Harringay
	Historical railways
Holloway & Caledonian Road Line open, station closed		Great Northern Railway East Coast Main Line		Harringay Line and station open
Holloway & Caledonian Road Line open, station closed		Great Northern Railway East Coast Main Line		Stroud Green Line open, station closed

TheLondon Underground station is served by thePiccadilly andVictoria lines. Although thought of as a 'deep-level' tube station, Finsbury Park has no escalators as its lines are less than 6 m (20 ft) below street level.

Access to the Piccadilly and Victoria line platforms was previously by staircase only, reached via two narrow passages that prevented the installation of ticket barriers. As part of the upgrade of the station in the 2010s, ticket barriers were installed at both the eastern and western entrances to the station, as well as the provision of step free access throughout the station.^[47]

Preceding station	London Underground			Following station
Arsenal towardsUxbridge,Rayners Lane orHeathrow Airport (Terminal 4 orTerminal 5)		Piccadilly line		Manor House towardsCockfosters orArnos Grove
Highbury & Islington towardsBrixton		Victoria line		Seven Sisters towardsWalthamstow Central
Former Service
Preceding station	London Underground			Following station
Terminus		Metropolitan line Northern City Branch (1913-39)		Drayton Park towardsMoorgate
		Northern line Northern City branch (1939-64)
Abandoned Plans
Preceding station	London Underground			Following station
Gillespie Road towardsStrand		Great Northern & Strand		Harringay towardsWood Green
Stroud Green towardsBushey Heath,High Barnet orAlexandra Palace		Northern line Northern Heights Plan		Drayton Park towardsMoorgate

Wikimedia Commons has media related toFinsbury Park station.

• London Transport Museum Photographic Archive
  • Seven Sisters Road entrance to underground station, 1909
  • Wells Terrace entrance, 1925
  • Ticket office, 1934, when the Northern City Line was still operated by theMetropolitan line
  • LNER Station, 1935

• Rail transport stations in London fare zone 2
• DfT Category C2 stations
• Piccadilly line stations
• Victoria line stations
• London Underground Night Tube stations
• Railway stations in the London Borough of Islington
• Tube stations in the London Borough of Islington
• Former Great Northern Railway stations
• Former Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway stations
• Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1861
• Former Great Northern and City Railway stations
• Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1904
• Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1964
• Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1965
• Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1906
• Railway stations served by Govia Thameslink Railway
• 1861 establishments in England
• Unopened Northern Heights extension stations
• Northern City Line

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