East of the station, the main overland railway goes through a tunnel underneath the site occupied by the National Maritime Museum, towards Maze Hill railway station. Northwards, the DLR dips under the Thames to emerge on the Isle of Dogs; in the opposite direction, it rises on a concrete viaduct to follow the River Ravensbourne upstream from Deptford Creek towards Lewisham.
The London and Greenwich Railway is reputed to be the world's first suburban railway (1836-38), designed by former army engineer George Landmann, and promoted by entrepreneur George Walter. Greenwich was linked by a massive brick-built railway viaduct with 878 arches, first to a station in Spa Road, Bermondsey and later to London Bridge. The service opened on 8 February 1836 from Deptford, and on 29 December that year from Greenwich. Greenwich's handsome station building was designed by George Smith (architect) in 1840, making it one of the oldest original station buildings in the world.