Loading Page...

How does DLR train work?

The DLR is operated by 149 high-floor bi-directional single-articulated electric multiple units (EMUs). Each car has four double doors on each side, and two or three cars make up a train.



The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in London is a sophisticated automated transit system that operates without traditional drivers in the front cab. Instead, the trains are controlled by a central computer system that manages acceleration, braking, and station stops via high-frequency radio signals and track sensors. Despite being "driverless," every train has a Passenger Service Agent (PSA) on board. The PSA's role is to verify tickets, operate the doors at stations, and take manual control of the train using a hidden panel if there is a technical fault or emergency. Because there is no driver's cabin, the front and back of the train feature large windows, allowing passengers to sit at the very front and "drive" the train through the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf. The system is fully integrated with London's Oyster and contactless payment network, and all stations are step-free, making it one of the most accessible and technologically advanced light rail networks in the world.

People Also Ask

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a driverless train network that serves parts of east and south-east London.

MORE DETAILS

The DLR isn't really driverless 'While our trains are mostly automated, a passenger service agent like me drives them to and from the depot and has to operate them manually if they break down. There are hidden controls at the front, where everyone wants to sit.

MORE DETAILS

Pay as you go You don't have to work out the cost of your journey in advance. You can pay as you go using contactless (card or device), an Oyster card or a Visitor Oyster card. It also offers great value as pay as you go is cheaper than buying single tickets and you get daily and weekly capping.

MORE DETAILS

It's more than 50% cheaper than buying a paper Travelcard or single tickets with cash. Oyster cards have a daily price cap – once you reach this limit, you won't pay for any additional journeys (excluding Thames Clippers River Bus where there is no capping).

MORE DETAILS

One user replied with a simple explanation for the wobbling: “The DLR is wobbly because of the type of wheels that are used. The wheels are angled against the tracks and don't meet at the tracks at a right angle.”

MORE DETAILS

Missed Tap Off Cost If you don't have a default set on your card and you forget to tap off at the end of your trip, you'll be charged the fare to the last stop on the train line or bus route and with your fare type and any applicable loyalty discounts applied.

MORE DETAILS

Anyone with a contactless debit or credit card can use it to pay for travel in London. It's ideal if you don't have or want an Oyster card. Or if you run out of pay as you go credit on your Oyster card.

MORE DETAILS