The District line is the only London Underground line to cross the River Thames by a dedicated railway bridge.
The line crosses the Thames on the bridge between Kew Gardens and Richmond, where the route shares the crossing with London Overground services. This makes the District line unusual because most Underground river crossings use tunnels beneath the Thames rather than a railway bridge.
The District line is one of the oldest parts of the Underground network. It opened in stages from the 1860s and became a major east-west route through central and west London. Its services reach locations including Wimbledon, Richmond, Ealing Broadway, Upminster and Edgware Road.
The line’s surface sections and broad network can make it look different from the deep-level Tube routes. “District line” refers to the Underground service, even though some parts of its infrastructure are shared with other railway operators.