Finchley Central station was built by the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway (EH&LR) and was originally opened as Finchley and Hendon on 22 August 1867 by the Great Northern Railway (GNR) (which had taken over the EH&LR) in what was then rural Middlesex. The station was on a line that ran from Finsbury Park to Edgware via Highgate. A branch line from this station was constructed by the GNR to High Barnet and opened on 1 April 1872. The station was renamed several times: to Finchley on 1 February 1872; Finchley (Church End) on 1 February 1894; and it was given its current name Finchley Central on 1 April 1940. The station was first served by electric Northern line trains on 14 April 1940.
The two entrances are connected by a footbridge over the tracks from which stairs and lifts lead down to the platforms. Because the station only has one ticket hall, but two entrances, it does not have fully gated access. At the Station Road entrance, there is just a pair of Oyster card validators. The station has three platforms. Platform 3 is served by southbound trains. The other two are served by northbound trains, platform 1 mainly for trains terminating at Finchley Central or going to Mill Hill East, platform 2 mainly for trains going on to High Barnet. Platforms 1/2 are on the same island platform and platform 3 is on a side platform.
Connections: London Buses routes 82, 125, 143, 326, 382 and 460 and night routes N13 and N20 serve the station.
