Tube station closures in 2026 are primarily driven by severe staff shortages, Transport for London (TfL) says. Other factors include, union disputes over pensions/pay, essential station upgrades, urgent maintenance needs, and passenger flow management (e.g., to prevent overcrowding).
Our network includes 272 functioning Tube stations, but at least another 40 Overground and Underground stations exist that are no longer used for travel. Closed for a variety of reasons, from low passenger numbers to re-routing, these stations have had interesting histories.
How much do Tube workers currently earn? According to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, the current fixed salary for a Tube driver is £68,096, as of October 2024. With overtime and shift allowances – which are common due to unsocial hours – this can reach £70,000-£80,000 annually for many.
Due to resource and space constraints, there are no current plans to extend the provision of toilets to those stations that do not already have them. However, information on the nearest public toilet is available at all stations.
Why are there so many Tube stations north of the Thames (and so few south)?
What is the most dodgy area in London?
The area with the roughest reputation in London is Westminster, recording the highest crime rate of 432 crimes per 1,000 people in the year ending December 2024—though this is likely skewed by massive daytime footfall from tourists, which inflates the crime-per-resident ratio.
Sudbury and Harrow Road station, with a paltry 18,680 entries and exits between March 2023 and March 2024. Located in the city's Brent Borough, only four trains stop at the station every day, headed to either London Marylebone, West Ruislip and Gerrards Cross.
London Underground History (1863) – The World's First Subway System. The London Underground, or Tube in London, is the oldest transport system of its kind in the world. It opened on the 10th of January 1863 with steam locomotives.
Yes, if you're a London resident aged 60 or over, you can get free travel on the London Underground and most other public transport in London with a 60+ London Oyster photocard, which you can apply for online from Transport for London. This pass provides free travel on buses, Tube, DLR, Overground, Elizabeth line, and some National Rail services within London, though you must live in a London borough to qualify.
If you ever find yourself at Elton and Orston railway station, it's almost certain that you will be the only person there. The Nottinghamshire railway station has been dubbed the “loneliest” in the country after it recorded just 68 entries and exits through its gates in 2023 and 2024.
What is the only station on the London Underground with a station in its name?
In December 2015, TfL confirmed that the station would be named "Battersea Power Station". This means it is the only station on the Underground with the word "station" in its official name.
The deepest underground station in London is Hampstead on the Northern Line, with its platforms located about 58.5 meters (192 feet) below ground level, primarily because it sits at the top of a steep hill, leading to a very deep station and the longest spiral staircase on the network.
Along its entire network of 249 miles, there are in the region of 40 abandoned or relocated stations on the London Underground. Some of these are subsurface and some are above ground, some have vanished without trace whereas others are almost intact.
1. King's Cross St Pancras. Located in North London, King's Cross St Pancras is one of London's most well-known tube stations. An interchange for 6 different underground lines, it offers rail access to places across the UK and beyond with the Eurostar travelling to many European cities.
The union wants a pay rise, a longterm shift towards a 32-hour working week in the name of reducing fatigue, plus progress on cheaper travel passes for staff who want to use the rest of the rail network.
Train drivers can expect to begin with an average starting salary of £30,000, with the highest salaries often exceeding £65,000. Train driver salaries can also differ between commercial or freight roles.
Tube drivers have some of the highest-paid starting salaries in the public sector. Resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, start on between £38,831 and £44,439, according to the latest NHS figures – nearly half (53 per cent) of the starting salary of a qualified Tube driver.
