Night Tube marks 10 years of keeping London moving after dark

Transport for London (TfL) and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, are celebrating 10 years of the Night Tube powering London’s vital £139bn night-time economy and keeping the capital moving around the clock.

Since the Mayor launched the inaugural service on 19 August 2016, the Night Tube and Night Overground* have carried more than 67 million customers – enough people to fill Wembley Stadium more than 744 times. This has supported jobs, businesses and cultural venues while improving connectivity across the capital and strengthening London’s reputation as a vibrant 24-hour city.

The Night Tube has connected people to the diverse cultural experiences found across London's neighbourhoods, helping audiences discover venues, events and communities throughout the capital. It has also made London's cultural life more accessible to people from all backgrounds through affordable overnight travel. 

More than 50,000 journeys were made on the first night of operation, demonstrating immediate demand for overnight Tube services. Since then, Night Tube and Night Overground services have become an integral part of London's success as a 24-hour city, helping people get to work, enjoy the capital's cultural and hospitality offer and travel home safely and conveniently.

Demand has grown steadily since the pandemic, with TfL seeing an average of more than 81,000 Night Tube journeys per night, with Saturday nights outperforming Friday nights most weekends. Night Tube also supports major events beyond the capital, with more than 170,000 Night Tube journeys estimated on the evening of 11 July - one of the highest on record outside of New Year’s Eve - as England beat Norway in extra time in the Men’s Fifa World Cup Quarter Final. This figure is more than double a standard Saturday evening for Night Tube services, showing the impact of late-night events on services.

Other events to have a significant impact on Night Tube ridership over recent years include Halloween falling on a Friday evening in 2025 with 123,000 estimated journeys, which is more than double compared to an average Friday evening. Outside of New Year’s Eve, the busiest nights for Night Tube services are typically first weekend in December as London’s and visitors enjoy the capital’s festive season or events like late night major boxing matches and late-night dance festivals. 

Night services are particularly important to London's night-time workforce. Around 1.3 million people work during the night in the capital across sectors including healthcare, hospitality, transport, culture and entertainment. By providing reliable overnight travel, Night Tube and Night Overground help thousands of Londoners get to and from work while supporting the businesses and venues that keep the city running around the clock. 

The Night Tube has also made London more accessible after dark, cutting average journey times by around 20 minutes, with some journeys reduced by more than an hour. This has transformed access to music, theatre, clubs and restaurants, enabling people to spend more time enjoying everything the capital has to offer while giving businesses greater confidence to invest in London's evening and night-time economy. 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "Travelling on the first-ever Night Tube is one of my favourite memories as Mayor. Through a decade of late nights and early starts, airport journeys and epic trips, morning shifts and nights out that go on for as long as you like, the Night Tube has become a defining feature of London as a world-leading 24/7 city.

"Helping people travel safely and affordably at all hours provides a vital boost for our night-time economy, supporting local businesses across the capital and keeping London moving around the clock. With more than 67 million journeys clocked up already and many more to come, the Night Tube gives Londoners and visitors even more reasons to get out and enjoy everything our great city has to offer. 

"I’m incredibly proud that the capital is home to this world-leading service and I look forward to seeing the Night Tube continue to unlock economic benefits and open up new opportunities as we build a better London for everyone.”

Andy Lord, London's Transport Commissioner, said: "The Night Tube has become much more than a transport service. For millions of people, it is a vital connection to work, leisure and home, while supporting businesses, venues and London's world-leading night-time economy, which attracts visitors from around the world. Behind every Night Tube journey is someone getting to or from work, returning home safely, or making the most of everything the capital has to offer after dark. The Night Tube also supports London's ambitions to grow sustainably by encouraging public transport use and reducing reliance on private car journeys. 

"As London continues to grow and adapt, Night Tube and Night Overground remain central to the city's future, helping people travel when they need to, supporting businesses to thrive and ensuring the capital remains open day and night." 

Angela Hartnett OBE, chef director at Murano London, said: "The Night Tube has made a real difference to the people who keep London's restaurants running long after midnight. Ten years on, and I still think about that conversation with my team at Murano that started it all — asking them what would make their lives better, and hearing 'transport' again and again. I'm proud to have played a small part in bringing it to life."

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, said: “The tenth anniversary of the Night Tube is an important milestone and a powerful reminder that a successful 24-hour economy needs 24-hour infrastructure. London’s night-time economy is powered by people, with around 1.3 million working at night across hospitality, entertainment, culture, healthcare, security and transport. For many, the Night Tube is essential infrastructure, helping them get to work and home safely, reliably and affordably.

"More than 67 million journeys over the past decade demonstrate both the demand for late-night transport and its importance to London’s economic and cultural vitality. It connects workers with jobs, audiences with venues and communities with the extraordinary experiences London offers after dark. If London is serious about strengthening its position as a leading global 24-hour city, we must continue investing in the transport infrastructure that makes that possible. The Night Tube is fundamental to driving growth, supporting businesses and ensuring London remains competitive, accessible and truly open around the clock."

Sarah Walker, Women's Night Safety Charter Project Manager for the Safer Business Network, said: “The Night Tube has played an important role in helping women feel safer and more confident when travelling across London at night. Providing safe, reliable and accessible public transport is vital to creating a capital where women and girls can travel, socialise and enjoy London without fear. It offers greater choice, reassurance and connectivity, helping people to get home safely while supporting a more inclusive and welcoming night-time economy. The Women’s Night Safety Charter complements this by bringing businesses, transport providers and partners together to take practical action, promote a culture of safety and ensure that women and girls feel supported throughout their journey.”

Allen Simpson, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: "London is home to some of the best nightlife in the world. The Night Tube has been instrumental in better enabling both Londoners and visitors to take advantage of our world-class night time economy, while also helping the people working in hospitality that make those experiences happen travel safely to and from work. 

"The Night Tube has seen remarkable growth over the past 10 years, benefitting everyone in the capital, and I look forward to seeing how it continues to develop over the next decade.”

Ros Morgan, Chief Executive of Heart of London Business Alliance, said: "The Night Tube has been a game-changer for London’s night-time economy. It is a critical part of the infrastructure that keeps our capital moving after dark, connecting millions of people with jobs, culture, entertainment and each other.

“For the West End, its impact has been enormous. Our world-class theatres, restaurants, bars, casinos and music venues depend on people being able to travel safely, affordably and reliably late into the night. The Night Tube makes that possible.

“It drives footfall, supports jobs and gives Londoners and visitors the freedom to enjoy more of our extraordinary city for longer.

“London is one of the world’s great 24-hour cities. The Night Tube is fundamental to that success and to the continued growth of our night-time economy."

To celebrate the 10th anniversary, TfL has unveiled a special commemorative poster celebrating Night Tube's contribution to London's thriving night-time economy and cultural life. Customers can also enter three competitions to win prizes, including a Tube-themed party for up to six people at Cahoots bar featuring live music, DJ entertainment and money to spend on food and drink. There are three pairs of tickets to a late-night performance at London's iconic jazz club, Ronnie Scott's and the opportunity for five people to win copies of the new Night Tube poster via a Metro competition. The prizes showcase, entertainment and cultural experiences that continue to benefit from London's overnight transport network, demonstrating the Night Tube's role in keeping the capital connected after dark.

TfL is also partnering with six business improvement districts in London whose night time businesses benefit from the Night Tube. Better Bankside, Brixton BID, New West End Company, Team London Bridge, The Fitzrovia Partnership and Vauxhall One, which feature a large number of famous venues across London including Brixton Village, Boom Battle Bar and Six-by-Nico, will all share stories on how the Night Tube has supported their various night time venues with their local communities.