West Hampstead is situated between Childs Hill to the north, Frognal and Hampstead to the north-east, Swiss Cottage to the east, and South Hampstead to the south. Until the late 19th century, the locale was a small village called West End. Modern West Hampstead emerged with the arrival of the railways, and the transformation of the area from farm land to housing estates. In 1879, the Metropolitan Railway adopted the name West Hampstead for its station on West End Lane, the main road through the area. Its motivation seemed to be to avoid confusion with the main retail area in central London, which was also known as the West End.
West Hampstead’s proximity to the Metropolitan line at Finchley Road and its own Jubilee line stop (West Hampstead), together with a high concentration of bars and restaurants, means that the area is a popular leisure destination for people who live in the north-western part of London. West End Lane itself is home to a number of cafes, bakeries and small shops, creating a “village” atmosphere during the day. In addition to the aforementioned London Underground links, West Hampstead is also served by West Hampstead railway station and West Hampstead Thameslink railway station.
West Hampstead is situated between Childs Hill to the north, Frognal and Hampstead to the north-east, Swiss Cottage to the east, and South Hampstead to the south. Until the late 19th century, the locale was a small village called West End. Modern West Hampstead emerged with the arrival of the railways, and the transformation of the area from farm land to housing estates. In 1879, the Metropolitan Railway adopted the name West Hampstead for its station on West End Lane, the main road through the area. Its motivation seemed to be to avoid confusion with the main retail area in central London, which was also known as the West End.
There are three railway stations named West Hampstead all within close proximity, as well as a number of other tube stations in the area. Numerous local bus routes also pass through the district.
Tube: West Hampstead tube station, on the Jubilee line. Nearby is Finchley Road tube station, on the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines.
Trains: West Hampstead Thameslink station on First Capital Connect, and West Hampstead Overground station on the North London Line.
Buses: 139 (West Hampstead to Waterloo via Oxford Street, 24 hours), 328 (Golders Green to Chelsea via Notting Hill), and C11 (Brent Cross Shopping Centre to Archway via Hampstead Heath).
