The Central line Hanger Lane station opened on 30 June 1947. The ticket hall and entrance form the core of the Hanger Lane Gyratory system. To enter, passengers must follow the  pedestrian subways.

Hanger Lane’s name is derived from its site at Hanger Hill, which was recorded as early as 1710. Before this, in 1393, the site was called le Hangrewode, meaning ‘wooded hill’.