What is the DLR?
The Docklands Light Railway is a driverless, light-metro network serving east and south-east London — Canary Wharf, the Royal Docks, Stratford, Greenwich and Lewisham. It opened in 1987 to regenerate the Docklands and now carries roughly 120 million passengers a year.
How it differs from the Tube
- Driverless trains with front-row seats behind a panoramic window.
- Mostly elevated — you ride above the streets, not under them.
- Smaller carriages, fewer doors, often busier per square metre at peak.
- Same TfL fares and zones — Oyster and contactless work seamlessly.
When to use the DLR
- Anywhere in Canary Wharf, Greenwich, the O2 (North Greenwich is Jubilee, but Cutty Sark DLR is closer), London City Airport, ExCeL.
- For sightseeing — the elevated route past the Thames Barrier and into the Docks is one of London's most scenic public-transport rides.
When the Tube wins
- Faster end-to-end across central London.
- Higher capacity — fewer crush-loads at peak.
- Direct access to West End, Soho, Westminster, museums.
Bottom line
DLR is the right tool inside east London and for the airport / O2 / ExCeL. For pretty much everything else, take the Tube.