First 496 Bus: Start of Service
The first 496 of the day from every stop on the route
Up early for a flight or an early shift? The first 496 bus of the day leaves Harold Wood Station at 05:30 towards Queen's Hospital (Mon-Fri). The tables below show the scheduled first 496 departure from every stop, in each direction, for each day of the week. Stop names link to the full 496 timetable with every departure of the day.
To Queen's Hospital
| Stop | Mon-Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harold Wood Station C | 05:30 | 05:30 | 06:30 |
| Harold Wood Library E | 05:31 | 05:31 | 06:31 |
| Firham Park Avenue CS | 05:32 | 05:32 | 06:32 |
| David Drive CR | 05:33 | 05:33 | 06:33 |
| Halidon Rise CP | 05:34 | 05:34 | 06:34 |
| Colchester Road HT | 05:35 | 05:35 | 06:35 |
| Fairford Way PA | 05:36 | 05:36 | 06:36 |
| Dagnam Park Square DJ | 05:37 | 05:37 | 06:37 |
| Sheffield Drive DK | 05:38 | 05:38 | 06:38 |
| Settle Road DL | 05:38 | 05:38 | 06:38 |
| Wickford Drive LN | 05:39 | 05:39 | 06:39 |
| Redruth Road LP | 05:40 | 05:40 | 06:40 |
| Petersfield Avenue LR | 05:40 | 05:40 | 06:40 |
| St Neot's Road PC | 05:41 | 05:41 | 06:41 |
| The Petersfield Centre PD | 05:41 | 05:41 | 06:41 |
| Paines Brook Way PE | 05:42 | 05:42 | 06:42 |
| Gooshays Drive PF | 05:43 | 05:43 | 06:43 |
| Dewsbury Road FZ | 05:44 | 05:44 | 06:44 |
| Dulverton Road FG | 05:45 | 05:45 | 06:45 |
| Faringdon Avenue / Chatteris Avenue | 05:46 | 05:46 | 06:46 |
| Faringdon Avenue / Ashton Road | 05:46 | 05:46 | 06:46 |
| Neave Crescent GH | 05:47 | 05:47 | 06:47 |
| Masefield Crescent GF | 05:48 | 05:48 | 06:48 |
| Gallows Corner GE | 05:49 | 05:49 | 06:49 |
| Upper Brentwood Road GQ | 05:50 | 05:50 | 06:50 |
| Western Avenue PH | 05:51 | 05:51 | 06:51 |
| Belgrave Avenue PJ | 05:52 | 05:52 | 06:52 |
| Royal Liberty School PK | 05:53 | 05:53 | 06:53 |
| Gidea Park Station PA | 05:55 | 05:55 | 06:55 |
| The Drill Roundabout AP | 05:57 | 05:57 | 06:57 |
| Witham Road AQ | 05:58 | 05:58 | 06:58 |
| Fairholme Avenue AR | 05:59 | 05:59 | 06:59 |
| Manor Road | 06:00 | 06:00 | 07:00 |
| Albert Road VE | 06:02 | 06:02 | 07:02 |
| Romford Station V | 06:03 | 06:03 | 07:03 |
| Western Road PP | 06:05 | 06:05 | 07:05 |
| Romford Market L | 06:07 | 06:07 | 07:07 |
| North Street D | 06:08 | 06:08 | 07:08 |
| Mawney Road B | 06:09 | 06:09 | 07:09 |
| The Brewery S | 06:10 | 06:10 | 07:10 |
| Queen's Hospital HJ | 06:12 | 06:12 | 07:12 |
To Harold Wood Station
| Stop | Mon-Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queen's Hospital HN | 05:30 | 05:30 | 06:50 |
| The Brewery R | 05:32 | 05:32 | 06:52 |
| Mawney Road A | 05:33 | 05:33 | 06:53 |
| North Street C | 05:34 | 05:34 | 06:54 |
| Romford Market E | 05:35 | 05:35 | 06:55 |
| Mercury Gardens M | 05:37 | 05:37 | 06:57 |
| Western Road QQ | 05:38 | 05:38 | 06:58 |
| Romford Station W | 05:41 | 05:41 | 07:01 |
| Albert Road VG | 05:42 | 05:42 | 07:02 |
| Manor Road | 05:44 | 05:44 | 07:04 |
| Fairholme Avenue AS | 05:44 | 05:44 | 07:04 |
| Margaret Road AT | 05:45 | 05:45 | 07:05 |
| The Drill Roundabout AV | 05:47 | 05:47 | 07:07 |
| Gidea Park Station PB | 05:48 | 05:48 | 07:08 |
| Durham Avenue PC | 05:49 | 05:49 | 07:09 |
| Royal Liberty School PD | 05:50 | 05:50 | 07:10 |
| Belgrave Avenue PE | 05:51 | 05:51 | 07:11 |
| Western Avenue PF | 05:52 | 05:52 | 07:12 |
| Upper Brentwood Road GN | 05:53 | 05:53 | 07:13 |
| Gallows Corner GL | 05:55 | 05:55 | 07:15 |
| Neave Crescent GJ | 05:56 | 05:56 | 07:16 |
| Ashton Road | 05:57 | 05:57 | 07:17 |
| Spilsby Road | 05:58 | 05:58 | 07:18 |
| Chatteris Avenue | 05:58 | 05:58 | 07:18 |
| Dulverton Road FH | 05:59 | 05:59 | 07:19 |
| Dewsbury Road FX | 06:00 | 06:00 | 07:20 |
| Gooshays Drive PH | 06:01 | 06:01 | 07:21 |
| Paines Brook Way PJ | 06:02 | 06:02 | 07:22 |
| The Petersfield Centre PK | 06:02 | 06:02 | 07:22 |
| Leamington Close LQ | 06:03 | 06:03 | 07:23 |
| Redruth Road LS | 06:04 | 06:04 | 07:24 |
| Settle Road DE | 06:05 | 06:05 | 07:25 |
| Sheffield Drive DF | 06:06 | 06:06 | 07:26 |
| Stratton Road DH | 06:06 | 06:06 | 07:26 |
| Fairford Way PP | 06:07 | 06:07 | 07:27 |
| Colchester Road HS | 06:08 | 06:08 | 07:28 |
| Halidon Rise CW | 06:09 | 06:09 | 07:29 |
| David Drive CV | 06:10 | 06:10 | 07:30 |
| Firham Park Avenue CU | 06:11 | 06:11 | 07:31 |
| Harold Wood Library D | 06:12 | 06:12 | 07:32 |
| Harold Wood Station B | 06:13 | 06:13 | 07:33 |
Times are TfL's scheduled first departures from each stop in the given direction; the final stop's time is an arrival. Columns cover the days shown in their heading, and the highlighted column is today. On busy mornings buses can run a few minutes later than scheduled, so allow a small buffer if the first bus matters for a connection.
First 496 bus FAQs
What time is the first 496 bus?
The first 496 bus leaves Harold Wood Station at 05:30 towards Queen's Hospital (Mon-Fri). From Queen's Hospital the first bus is at 05:30. Use the tables above for the first bus from any stop on the route.
What time is the first 496 bus on a Sunday?
On Sundays the first 496 bus leaves Harold Wood Station at 06:30. Sunday service usually starts later than on weekdays, so check the Sun column above for your stop.
Where does the first 496 bus start from?
The 496 starts from Harold Wood Station and runs to Queen's Hospital, and in the other direction from Queen's Hospital. Buses reach stops along the route a few minutes after leaving the start, and the tables above show the scheduled first departure at every stop.
Planning the other end of the day?
See every 496 departure and the last bus from your stop, or check live arrivals while you wait.
Full 496 timetable → Live 496 arrivals →