Docklands Light Rail

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is an automated light metro system opened in 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London. It reaches north to Stratford, south to Lewisham, west to Tower Gateway and Bank in the City, and east to Beckton, London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal.
The system uses minimal staffing on trains and at major interchange stations; the four below-​ground stations are staffed to comply with underground station fire and safety requirements.

Ah, my sweet, sweet, DLR. When I made the leap from West to East London, I was introduced to the magical flying carpet ride that is the DLR.
The Docklands Light Railway runs from Bank and branches out to Stratford, Lewisham, Beckton, and Woolwich Arsenal. If you live along the main artery, trains comes every 2 – 3 minutes. The trains themselves are bright, clean, and much newer than most of the trains on the underground. Speaking of underground, the DLR just sails through the air, giving you great views of Canary Wharf along the way.
With the exception of Stratford and a handful of other stops, DLR stations are open and breezy. There are no entry gates, which means you don’t get those terrible queues during rush hour.
Trains are rarely delayed — I think something like 98% or 99% of them are on time, and the core of the line is rarely down for the dreaded ‘planned engineering works’.

I’m going to make this review as concise & brilliant as the DLR. So, straight to the bullet points…
–Trains every 2 – 3 mins.
–Much wider cars so no need for people to get so intimate
–Trains run throughout the night during alleged snowfalls to ensure next day service
–Cleaner than the underground
–Signs posted where you can see to alert of platform or station issues
–Visible Passenger Service Agents on & off the trains
–Access to areas outside of Zone 1 (halleluah!)
–Huge windows allow you to see the city & less of a confined feeling
–Windows that open for ventilation
–Working heating system in the winter
–Wheelchair sections
–Notices of works in progress or in the future and performance statistics posted on trains and platforms
The DLR is excellent!

Because its so much cleaner than the usual underground, it gets me to work on time and it’s like the frequency of an underground, with trains every 2 minutes. And it bypasses zone 1, so I pay less to Boris on my Oyster. Also I’m lucky enough to alight at the end station going into work, and it’s not ridiculous crowded like the jubilee line where rush hour is MADNESS. DLR is its much more relaxed cousin, no pushing, queueing. Just gotta avoid the vom patches sometimes on the canary wharf platform, because some city boy has got too happy at happy hour. (What a champion.)
My only problem, the zap in and zap out counters are not gated so, early mornings and tired evenings means REMEMBER to zap in and zap out, or you have to run back down the stairs and it’s just a pain.

A million times more pleasant than the tube, but prone to hiccups.

2012 review #196:
Halfway through our trip, we had to go to the outer edges of the city, and were staying near the end of the DLR line. At first, I thought we were going to be completely isolated from the city and therefore just sit in our room and stare at each other the whole time. However, the DLR luckily was easy and quick enough that we used it quite a lot.
Our first night we took it to Greenwich, and the DLR does have several different paths, so if you’re not familiar with the area, definitely have a look at the maps on the train. The only confusion we had was that we took a train that terminated at Canning Town– a stop in the middle of the DLR line. It was a bit odd but luckily we caught another train just a few minutes later. There is ample signage, and most of the stops are small enough that you can quickly navigate to another train platform if you realize you’re in the wrong spot. Once on the train, it’s often empty, the seats are new and clean, and you get great outdoor views of the city, and the new Shard building.
We also ended up venturing all the way back to the city one day, and the DLR was one of the easiest parts. Having it connect with the tube at Bank is great, and basically meant we had a completely straight shot. There are a couple places where you have to make sure you’re on the right train, or you might go a completely different path than you want, but other than that it’s pretty fool proof. Watch out for the Oyster card readers at these stations– they are not turnstiles like in the tube stations, but are small kiosks the size of standing ashtrays that are throughout the station. Almost missed that the first time.
Amazed that a journey through zones 1 – 3 still only cost £2.6. For the travelers who want to check out Greenwich, or have to stay in the eastern part of the city, or go to London City Airport or ExCel, definitely use the DLR.

Aaaaah the DLR — is it a train; is it a monorail or is it a rollercoaster?! Well actually a mixture of all three really! My friend makes us sit upfront and there’s a section of the track near Lewisham and Canary Wharf — and when you go through the tunnel at Cutty Sark — where it does feel a little runaway train /​theme parkish and it’s so fun and because the trains are driverless, this adds to the excitement and makes you feel like you’re in some futuristic sci-​fi film!
I quite simply love the DLR. Why you may ask? I would reply with the following: because it’s clean; efficient and punctual; user friendly; spacious and with a good mix of seating and standing areas; the staff are helpful and friendly and the views you get of South East & East London; Docklands and the City are fantastic.
The DLR allows you to venture into parts of London you may not, as a local or tourist, normally encounter and explore and they will hopefully be one of the saving graces of the Olympics. Beware of travelling on them along with commuters during rush hour — especially around Bank and Canary Wharf as this is like battling through Oxford Street on a Saturday: painful; stressful and unless necessary not worth the hassle.
Daydreaming (I’ve spent many a journey doing this whilst riding the rails)
Lively (did you not see my comparison with a rollercoaster?!)
Remarkable (there is no driver!!)

This is the no colour line.
This is a quiet and efficient line that goes about its business without fuss.
If you don’t like trains without a driver then you probably don’t want to take this one.
When you leave Bank and first see light (sometimes sunny, sometimes not), you can look back and see the Gherkin. Ride a few more minutes and Canary Wharf comes into view.
Very useful little line on the East side of London.

I had absolutely no problems taking DLR from London City AIrport to the Underground. It’s integrated with the TFL system; I simply used my Oyster card as I would on the Underground. It’s clean and there was plenty of space for my huge luggage onboard.

I love you.

Dweena: «What is it you like so much about this Docklands Light Rail?
Me: «it’s, just feels right to me.
Dweena: Come on baby. As wordy as you are at times, you gotta give me more then… it feels right.
Me: This train is like you and…
Dweena: «I know! It’s because the Docklands Light Rail reminds you of our Light Rail back home, right?
Me: «Not totally. Well-​Maybe, yeah that kinda has a little sumthin-​sumthin to do with it.
Dweena: «Like you always say when I come with it like that. That sounds like a weak-​ass answer to me!
Me: (laughing).
Dweena: «Come on now, tell me.
Me: «It was three… almost four years ago we were strolling around London, chillin, having fun and then stumbled into the DLR.
It kinda reminded me of the Hudson-​Bergen Light Rail back home, but that’s not the reason.
I said, come on lets see where it goes. You, being always up for adventure, replied why not. The train was smooth and cool, clean and automated which was nice, but that’s not the reason either.
We sat there riding and talking, and looking and laughing like how we do whenever we are together. Trying to deciding where we wanted to get off and explore, all while people watching at the same time. More then anything else, we were enjoying being with each other. So we took it to the end then on the return got off at a few stops, explored, got back on and rode some more, then got off again, whenever the mood hit us…
But that’s also not the reason.
And yes, on one of those, come on let’s get off here times, we found Merchants Restaurant and Gallery our favourite spot. And MRG is bagin… but it’s not the reason either.
I think most people who ride DLR probably think, there’s nothing special about this train. And for them that might be right. but for me, the reason I like it so much is because of YOU.
See we rode it on our third date. While on that ride is when I realised that being with you, sitting next to you, across from you, regardless of where we go, somewhere, anywhere… no mater what we do really, as long as I’m with you is where I always want to be.
So It’s not the train ma, it’s us.
And being with you that day felt more right to me then I have ever felt in my life.
Fast forward three years to now… And I’m still feelin that very same way. Just as I did, back then.
Nah-​Mean!
Dweena: (with tears welling up in her eyes), grabbed me and kissed me.
Done

The DLR is efficient, clean and smooth. So many things that the regular Underground can’t be thanks to it’s 150 year old tunnels and rather ancient trains. The only bummer is that it doesn’t go nearly far enough to the West side of London. You East-​enders don’t know how good you have it!
Parts of it are almost like riding the monorail at Disney World. Clear views of the city when you’re above ground through big glass windows. The trains don’t have onboard drivers, which can be a little weird and takes getting used to.

Way too clean to be a part of the TFL. Really. It almost feels like someone cleans them. It may also be because they are filled with light from large windows so that you can watch the scenery whizzing past rather than trying to avert your eyes from looking at the dodgy character who always seems to sit across from you on the Tube.
The DLR was my way to get from, well, any place else in London to Greenwich. And it always made me wish that everyplace else had the DLR because it always ran smooth, I was never left crushed in the aisle whilst 1 more person tried to cram themselves through the door.
And what is this thing with arriving when the board says it will arrive? Brilliant.

Fast, user friendly (no joke), you get to see great views of the docklands area and most of all = NO FUNNY BUSINESS
Tres bien

I haven’t really made up my mind about the DLR, but generally I’ve been pleased, so I’ll start at a 3 with some room to improve.
I think my rating might increase simply based on the fact that although it’s an outdoor transportation system, the trains are actually heated, which is nice. Definitely better than the cluster-​f-​tube.
The good…
–heated trains in the winter!
–less crowds than the tube
–less likely to die from being under a train than the tube
–generally on time
–super convenient if you live in the East End
The eh and meh…
–kind of pokey and slow
–when the trains don’t arrive on time, the conductors can’t tell you what’s going on, ’cause they are not actually operating the trains (a little odd)
–that damn train that terminates at Crossharbour, every time I’m going to Lewisham
–Canary Wharf (not really the DLR’s fault, but a bit of a crazy crowded cluster hell during rush hour)
–disruption of service schedule, as noted below
Overall, I’d say yay to the DLR, but in light of the recent train breakdowns this week and disruption of service every other weekend and during the entire winter break, I’m reserving a high Unilocal praise for now.

The DLR is everything the SLUT wanted to be… speedy, cost effective, punctual, exceptionally helpful in getting from point A to B to C…
(Those of you from Seattle who have taken the painfully pointless 1.3 mile ride on the SLUT, or the South Lake Union Trolley, will understand when I say that the acronym is the only thing worth talking about.)
Anyway, this is certainly not the case with the DLR, and riding from Bank to the Docklands in a train that Willy Wonka may have designed is not only quick and convenient, but fun! Large windows provide fantastic views throughout the ride, and for front-​sitting freaks like myself, you’ll be amply rewarded with a captain’s view as these trains are all operated automatically without a driver. Seriously, they went and got all George Jetson on us, and I must say — I’m a huge fan.
Sure the ride could be smoother, and sure the DLR could be less crowded, but that’s what Seattle said, and they got a SLUT.

Docklands Light Railway is the perfect way to get from our friend’s East End flat into what I can only think of as «London Proper» …or maybe «more traversed London» would be a better description
Coming every few minutes, we found DLR always conveneint & accessible to take us to either Bank or Tower Gateway Tube Stations to get into the heart of London
Too bad we only got to ride them for such a short distance since these trains were less crowded, smoother ride & easier access

Before the extension of the Jubilee line to Stratford, the Docklands Light Railway was constructed to provide public transport to the south east London area and to City Airport.
The sleek driver-​less trains are all automatic, which can seem a little eerie or futuristic, depending on your love or suspicion of technology! The large windows and above-​ground tracks give some great views of the Docklands area
The Tube is great considering its Victorian engineering but the DLR and tram systems in London are much prettier

If London were the theme of a Disneyland ride, the DLR would be it. The windows are massive, the carriage moves slowly enough so the kiddies won’t be too scared, and the conductor sits amongst the lowly passengers and personally scans their travelcards! So enjoy the modern feel of the carriage, the stations, not to mention step free access. Once the journey begins you travel in tunnels, out of tunnels, close enough to touch skyscrapers and smell the Thames!

I like the DLR — but have a few comments (as always) to add about it…
Before I do the negatives, the positives (of which there are way more of) — its pretty clean, effiecent, punctual, not over crowded and overall a nice way to travel around south east London.
The things that annoy me are actually quite entertaining — for instance —
1) When boarding, just take a step back and watch people press the button to open the door. One gentle press is normally enough — but no, not Londoners — they don’t have many buttons to press — so when it comes to the DLR button pushing event — it turns into something out of a arcade game (like track and field) — hammering the button as quickly as possible (does’nt make it open any faster sir). Stand back — watch the button pushing and listen out for the clicking — it will have you in stiches!
2) People who decide that even though there is 1000 more people that it should have on it, they will still board the DLR and read their financial times (yes the biggest paper in the world!) why? well because they work in Canary Wharf and are better than the rest of us. (Controversial perhaps?)
3) The lifts. Some of the DLR stations have lifts — i’m sure not all of them do — and not all of them are bad — but why do they all (or, let me re-​phrase that, all the ones i’ve dared to go in) smell of pee? There are a lot of DLR workers — all it takes is a twice daily clean, throw some bleach down or something — I hope by 2012 and the 10,000’s of people that will be riding on the DLR and need lift access don’t take the lift to be welcomed by a on the spot sports persons drug test deposited in the lift — urghh
apart from that its sweet!
:-)