Commuter News
Hundreds of thousands of revellers will enjoy free travel in London on New Year’s Eve.
As is tradition for New Year in the capital, all Transport for London (TfL) services, from Tube to buses, will be free from 11.45pm on New Year’s Eve until 4.30am on New Year’s Day.
TfL is also running special all-night services on most Tube lines, though some key London Tube stations will be closed or exit only.
Here, we explain how London’s entire transport network will be affected as people prepare for the big night.
Which Tube lines will be open?
There will be special all-night services on most lines. However, there will be no Piccadilly line service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge.
On most lines, trains will run every two to eight minutes in central London and every five to 15 minutes in outer areas – as well as on branch lines – until 4.30am on New Year’s Day.
The Waterloo and City line will run every three to 10 minutes until about 2.30am, while services won’t be as frequent on some sections of the Central, Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines.
Which Tube stations will be closed or exit only?
- Blackfriars station – between 11.30pm and 4.30pm, open for Tube services only. National Rail trains will not stop
- Chalk Farm – closed from 10pm
- Charing Cross – closed from 7pm
- Covent Garden – exit only from 7pm
- Embankment – closed from 11.30pm until 12.15am
- Lambeth North – closed from 11.30pm
- Leicester Square – exit only from 8pm, closed from 11.30pm
- Piccadilly Circus – closed from 11.30pm
- Southwark – exit only from 11.45pm
- St Paul’s – exit only from 11.45pm
- Westminster – interchange only from 9.30pm
What about London Overground, DLR and TfL Rail?
London Overground
A special all-night London Overground service will run every 15 minutes between between Highbury and Islington and New Cross Gate. There will also be a special service between Willesden Junction and Stratford: trains running about 15 minutes until 2.30am. There will be a special service between Liverpool Street and Enfield Town every 30 minutes until 2.30am, though this won’t stop at Bethnal Green, Cambridge Heath, London Fields or Hackney Downs.
DLR
There will be a special all-night service on the DLR. Trains will run every 15 minutes on all routes between 12.30am and
TfL Rail
TfL Rail trains will run between Paddington and Hayes and Harlington (not stopping at Acton Main Line) about every 30 minutes until 12.30am, then about every 30 minutes until 4.30am when a normal weekday service runs. Between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, there will be no service but replacement buses will run about every 30 minutes between midnight and 5.30am.
A £1.4bn bailout has been announced for Crossrail, as Europe’s biggest infrastructure project is pushed back beyond its launch date of autumn 2019.
London’s £15bn route, to be known as the Elizabeth Line, had originally been due to open this month.
The rescue plan – the third this year – will be used to plug a predicted £2bn hole in the project’s finances.
The scheme will connect major landmarks such as Heathrow Airport and the Canary Wharf business district.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the deal means “Crossrail’s new leadership can get the job done”.
Transport for London (TfL) estimates it will miss out on at least £20m in revenue due to the delay.
Between £1.6bn and £2bn is needed to complete the project, a review by accountancy firm KPMG found.
The scheme is currently running almost £600m over budget, and the previous bailouts have not come without criticism.
The project received a £590m cash injection in July, followed by an “interim” £350m loan announced in October.
It was announced in August that the route was to open nine months after the original scheduled launch of December 2018 to allow more time for testing.
Crossrail said on Monday that the launch had once again been pushed back, and a new “robust and deliverable schedule” would be announced later.
Elizabeth Line trains are already operating between Shenfield and Liverpool Street, and between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington.
When open, the project will help ease London’s chronic congestion.
Trains will run from Reading and Heathrow in the west through 13 miles of new tunnels to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east, when fully operational.
Crossrail says the new line will connect Paddington to Canary Wharf in 17 minutes and described the 10-year project as “hugely complex”.
An estimated 200m passengers will use the new underground line annually, increasing central London rail capacity by 10% – the largest increase since World War Two.
As Christmas approaches, London becomes busier with shoppers and party-goers. Between Sunday 23 December 2018 and Tuesday 1 January 2019, most of our services will be running. There will be some service changes and planned work on parts of the public transport and road networks.
Travel changes and information
Between Saturday 22 December 2018 and Tuesday 1 January 2019, planned works and service changes may affect your journey.
Key service changes will include:
- No services on Christmas Day except for Santander Cycles, Dial-a-Ride (for registered members only), Taxi and Private Hire and coaches which are available throughout the Christmas period
- No London Overground, TfL Rail or Thames Clippers services on Boxing Day
- Dial-a-Ride services will run throughout the Christmas season (for registered members), but are limited on certain days and are subject to different booking dates
- Changes to frequency and timetable of most services during this period
Free travel
There will be free travel on TfL services from 23:45 on New Year’s Eve until 04.30 on New Year’s Day (except on Thames Clippers and Emirates Air Line ).
Information
Check before you travel and plan ahead using our travel tools. See:
- The latest status updates for Tube, rail, DLR and Trams
- Status updates for roads
- Plan a journey, which can help you plan your route by public transport, cycling or walking
- Nearby, which uses your current location or a postcode or address of your choice and places you on a map, showing you Tube, bus, river, London Overground, DLR, TfL Rail and Santander Cycles locations around you
- @TfLTrafficNews as well as the TfL Travelbot on Facebook Messenger
- Our email updates
Daily travel advice
Find out more about travelling on the following days:
- Sunday 23 December
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
- Thursday 27 December
- Friday 28 December
- Saturday 29 December
- Sunday 30 December
- New Year’s Eve
- New Year’s Day
- Wednesday 2 January
Updates
All information is subject to change. We’ll be updating this page regularly with more detail of what’s running over Christmas and New Year.
A strike is planned on the Central and Waterloo & City lines on the evening of Friday 21 December and all day on Saturday 22 December.
Last updated Monday 17 December at 09:30
A strike is planned on the Central and Waterloo & City lines. If it goes ahead, we expect that there will be no Central and Waterloo & City line service from approx. 21:00 Friday 21 December and all day Saturday 22 December. Services on the Central line will resume from approx. midnight on Saturday 22 December for the Night Tube. Waterloo & City line services will resume on Monday 24 December.
Other TfL services will run as normal, but will be busy. Roads will be busier than usual.
There is also a strike planned on the Bakerloo line on Boxing Day, Wednesday 26 December. If this goes ahead, it will affect stations on the southern part of the line. We will provide more information on this in the near future.
Use our travel tools
Check before you travel and plan ahead using our travel tools. Keep up-to-date with the latest service information. See:
- This web page, which will be regularly updated
- TfL Twitter accounts, including @TfLTravelAlerts, @centralline, @wlooandcityline, @TfLBusAlerts and @TfLTrafficNews as well as the TfL Travelbot on Facebook Messenger
- Plan a journey, which can help you plan your route by public transport, cycling or walking
- Check the latest status updates
- Nearby, which uses your current location or a postcode or address of your choice and places you on a map, showing you Tube, bus, river, London Overground, DLR, TfL Rail and Santander Cycles locations around you
- Our email updates
Tube
We advise people to use alternative routes on Tube, rail and bus services throughout the strike.
There are very limited or no Central and Waterloo & City line services throughout the strike.
Interchange stations along the Central and Waterloo & City lines are much busier than usual.
These stations are particularly busy during Saturday and at times may need to close temporarily to prevent overcrowding: Stratford, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Bank, Liverpool Street, Woodford, Mile End, Leytonstone, White City, Ealing Broadway, Oxford Circus, Notting Hill Gate.
We also expect these stations to be busier than usual: Ilford (TfL Rail), Chadwell Heath (TfL Rail), Canning Town (Jubilee line), Shepherd’s Bush (London Overground), Highams Park (London Overground), Victoria (Victoria, Circle, District lines and Southern and Southeastern).
Services on other lines will run normally, but are likely to be busier than usual and you may have to wait to board a train.
Our Tube walking map shows average walking times between stations in zones 1-3.
Buses
We are running extra buses during the strike. Buses are likely to be very busy – allow more time for your journey.
For up to date information on bus services follow @TfLBusAlerts on Twitter or check out our central London bus and walking map. You can also download bus maps by area of London.
National Rail
National Rail services will run as normal but may be busier than usual.
London Overground, TfL Rail and DLR
London Overground, TfL Rail and DLR services will operate normally. TfL Rail services via Ilford are expected to be extremely busy and London Overground services from Chingford will be very busy.
Walking
Our Tube walking map shows average walking times between stations in zones 1-3. Find out more about walking in London and planning a walking route.
Cycling
During the strikes, Santander Cycle Hire hubs are operating as normal.
During the strike period, you can use the Santander Cycles promo code CYCLEHIRE18. This will give you free 24 hour access and, if you keep all journeys under 30 minutes, no extra ride charges will apply. Find out more.
Find out more about cycling in London, including the locations of Cycle Superhighways and Quietways. Follow @SantanderCycles on Twitter for the latest updates.
Download the free Santander Cycles from the App Store or Google Play.
Driving and the Congestion Charge
Roads will be busier than usual. TfL will be delaying or removing road works on London’s major roads wherever possible.
The Congesion Charge does not apply during the strike because it starts after 18:00 on Friday, and there’s no Congestion Charge on Saturday.
Get the latest updates on how London roads are operating and follow @TfLTrafficNews on Twitter.
Events
These events are taking place:
- Friday and Saturday – Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park, central London
- Saturday – West Ham vs Watford, the London Stadium, east London
Stations nearby will be busier than usual, especially those which have a Central line interchange.
On Saturday, Stratford station will operate differently to manage football crowds.
Tickets
- Buses, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail will accept Tube single and return tickets and National Rail cross-London tickets on reasonable alternative routes
- Greater Anglia will accept Tube single/return tickets on services to/from Shenfield. They have also agreed to accept 60+ Oyster photocards and Freedom Passes on this route before 09:30.
- Travelcards will be accepted on other services as usual (within the zones of the tickets)
- Pay as you go users will be charged the fare for the services used. Customers should be advised to check their fares online with our single fare finder.
- You can top-up your pay as you go credit or buy a Travelcard using the TfL Oyster app, online or at one of our many Oyster Ticket Stops
- Refunds will generally not be made, although Customer Services will consider any requests on an individual basis
Bakerloo line strike – 26 December 2018
A strike is planned on the Bakerloo line. If it goes ahead, some zone 1 Bakerloo line stations will be closed but a normal service is expected to run from approx. 05:00 on Wednesday 26 December (Boxing Day), for the whole day.
We will provide more information on this in the coming days.
Europe’s biggest infrastructure project will help ease London’s chronic congestion by connecting major landmarks such as Heathrow Airport and the Canary Wharf business district.
The route, to be known as the Elizabeth line, had been due to open in December, but will now be launched in autumn 2019 “to ensure a safe and reliable railway”, transport officials said.
It is running almost £600m over budget.
When fully operational, trains will run from Reading and Heathrow in the west through 13 miles of new tunnels to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.
It will operate as three separate services – as previously planned.
Crossrail says the new line will connect Paddington to Canary Wharf in 17 minutes.
An estimated 200m passengers will use the new undergound line annually, increasing central London rail capacity by 10% – the largest increase since World War Two.
Crossrail Limited described the 10-year project as “hugely complex”.
It said “further time” was required for testing, and that contractors needed to complete work in the central tunnels and to develop “railways systems software”.
Transport for London (TfL) said more time was needed “to ensure a safe and reliable railway for customers from day one of passenger service”.
Lord Adonis, the former Transport Secretary, accused Crossrail of “trying to smuggle out a really serious failure on the biggest infrastructure project affecting the country” when parliament isn’t sitting.
He said: “There’s no excuse for what has happened on this project, and people need to be held to account.”
I have lost count of the times that Crossrail executives said to me the project would be delivered “on time and on budget”.
Today that disappeared in a puff of smoke, and there is no doubt this is a blow for Crossrail.
I’m told it wasn’t one specific problem. There were issues with three different signalling systems and also delays to the station fit outs.
They simply ran out of time. This will also hit TfL’s finances which was relying on Crossrail to increase its fare take.
This flagship project – the biggest construction project in Europe – just lost some of its lustre.
The Federation of Small Business (FSB) said it was “extremely disappointed with the news”.
London Policy Chair of the FSB, Sue Terpilowski, said: “Small businesses, particularly in central London, have been preparing for a December roll out of the new infrastructure and to be told on a Friday in August that the date has now changed is simply not good enough.”
A spokesman for Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the delay is “obviously disappointing.
“It is essential that a safe and reliable railway operates from day one, and this has to be the top priority.”
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Simon Wright, Crossrail chief executive, said: “The Elizabeth line is one of the most complex and challenging infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the UK and is now in its final stages.
“We have made huge progress with the delivery of this incredible project but we need further time to complete the testing of the new railway.
“We are working around the clock with our supply chain and Transport for London to complete and commission the Elizabeth line.”
Elizabeth line trains are already operating between Shenfield and Liverpool Street, and between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington.
TfL Rail improvements
TfL Rail has taken over the former Heathrow Connect service between Paddington and Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3, 4 & 5, as well as the GWR stopping services between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington.
All stations are now staffed from the first train to the last and if you need assistance there is no need to pre-book – staff will be on hand to help you
Fares between Paddington and Heathrow
The single adult pay as you go fare between Paddington and Heathrow is £10.20 during peak hours (06:30 – 09:30, and 16:00 – 19:00, Monday to Friday). At all other times the single adult pay as you go fare is £10.10.
Use contactless, Oyster or a Visitor Oyster card to travel to and from Heathrow airport on TfL Rail and you may also benefit from daily capping.
Station improvements
Improvement work at TfL Rail stations is continuing. Step-free access will be available at all stations, and all ticket halls are being rebuilt or refurbished, with improved lighting, CCTV and customer information.
These stations will make up the western and eastern ends of the Elizabeth line.
Paddington to Heathrow
We are continuing the work to improve stations between Paddington and Heathrow.
Acton Main line
Network Rail’s improvement work is due to finish in December 2019.
The work includes:
- A new, bright, spacious ticket hall
- Two new lifts and a new footbridge providing step-free access to platforms
- New ticket gates and ticket office
- Improved information, CCTV and lighting
Burnham
Network Rail is improving customer information, CCTV and lighting at this station. Work is due to finish in December 2019.
Ealing Broadway
Network Rail’s improvement work is due to finish in December 2019.
The work includes:
- A new, larger entrance and ticket hall
- Four new lifts providing step-free access
- New staircases to platforms 1 and 2/3
- New ticket gates and ticket office
- New customer toilets and retail space
- Improved decoration, information, CCTV and lighting
Hanwell
Our improvement work will continue until December 2019. It includes:
- Two new lifts providing step free access to platforms
- Refurbished entrances and subway
Network Rail will also be providing:
- Refurbished toilets
- Improved customer Information
- Improved CCTV and lightning
Hayes & Harlington
Network Rail’s improvement work is due to finish in December 2019.
The work includes:
- A new, more spacious ticket hall
- Four new lifts and a new footbridge providing step-free access to platforms
- New waiting room on platforms 4/5
- New ticket gates and ticket office
- Improved decoration, information, CCTV and lighting
Iver
Our improvement work will continue until December 2019. It includes:
- Three new lifts providing step free access to all platforms
- New entrance, including new ticket hall, ticket office and ticket gates
Network rail is also improving customer information, CCTV and lighting.
During this work please use the temporary walking route to reach the ticket office and footbridge
Langley
Our improvement work will continue until December 2019. It includes:
- Three new lifts and a new footbridge providing step-free access to all platforms
- A new ticket hall, ticket office and ticket gates
Network rail is also improving customer information, CCTV and lighting.
Southhall
Network Rail’s improvement work is due to finish in December 2019.
The work includes:
- A new ticket hall
- Three new lifts and a new footbridge providing step free access to platforms
- New ticket halls and ticket office
- Improved informaiton, CCTV and lighting
Taplow
Our improvement work will continue until December 2019. It includes:
- Two new lifts and a footbridge providing step-free access to platforms 2/3 and 4
- Refurbished ticket hall and ticket office
- Refurbished waiting rooms and toilets
Network rail is also improving customer information, CCTV and lighting.
During this work, please use the temporary footbridge to reach platforms.
West Drayton
Network Rail’s improvement work is due to finish in December 2019.
The work includes:
- Three new lifts and extended footbridge providing step-free access to platforms
- A new entrance, improved customer information
- Improved CCTV and lighting
We are also making improvements to the station which will be finished by summer 2018 and include refurbishing the existing ticket hall, ticket office, waiting rooms and toilets.
West Ealing
Network Rail’s improvement work is due to finish in December 2019.
The work includes:
- A new ticket hall
- Two new lifts providing step free access to all platforms
- A new footbridge and stairs
- New ticket gates and ticket office
- Improved information, CCTV and lighting
Liverpool Street to Shenfield
Much of the work currently taking place is done at evenings and weekends when trains are not running. Thank you for your patience during all of this work.
Work at several stations is now complete – see what we’ve done so far.
Brentwood station
New seating on platforms is due in summer 2018.
Chadwell Heath station
Our improvements include refurbishing and redecorating platform buildings, canopies and the waiting room. We are also putting in new platform shelters and seating. Work is due to finish in summer 2018.
Forest Gate station
- Three new lifts offering step-free access from the street to all platforms
- Refurbished footbridge and ticket hall with new ticket gates and ticket machines
- Improved lighting, CCTV and PA systems, help points and customer information
- Longer and refurbished platforms for the new trains
- New platform seating and a refurbished waiting room
Network Rail’s work to upgrade the station is expected to be complete in summer 2018.
During this work, access to the platforms will be via the side entrance on Forest Lane and a temporary footbridge until summer 2018. To avoid the additional stairs, use bus routes 25 or 86 from stop F to Ilford or from stop E to Stratford. Or speak to a member of staff for advice.
While the ticket office is closed, please use the temporary ticket office outside the station entrance on Woodgrange Road. Alternatively, use contactless payment or nearby Oyster ticket stops.
Gidea Park station
- Three new lifts providing step-free access from the street to all platforms
- Refurbished footbridge and ticket hall with new ticket gates and ticket machines
- Improved lighting, CCTV and PA systems, help points and customer information
- Longer and refurbished platforms for the new trains
- New platform seating and a refurbished waiting room
Network Rail’s work to upgrade the station is expected to be complete in summer 2018.
Once Network Rail finishes refurbishing the footbridge and installing the lift, customers will have step-free access to all platforms.
Goodmayes station
- Three new lifts providing step-free access from the street to all platforms
- Refurbished ticket hall with new ticket gates and ticket machines
- Improved lighting, CCTV and PA systems, help points and customer information
- Longer and refurbished platforms for the new trains
- New platform seating and a refurbished waiting room
Network Rail’s work to upgrade the station is expected to be complete in summer 2018.
During this work, please use the temporary ticket office outside the station entrance on Goodmayes Road. Alternatively, use contactless payment or nearby Oyster ticket stops.
Improvements we’re making until summer 2018 include refurbishing and redecorating platform buildings and canopies. We will also put in new platform shelters and seating.
Harold Wood station
Improvements currently in progress include:
- Three new lifts providing step-free access from the street to all platforms
- Refurbished ticket hall with new ticket gates and ticket machines
- Improved lighting, CCTV and PA systems, Help points and customer information
- Longer and refurbished platforms for the new trains
- New platform seating and a refurbished waiting room
Network Rail’s work to upgrade the station is expected to be complete in summer 2018.
Until then, access to trains and tickets continues to be via the car park entrance on Station Road only.
Please take care on the extra 32 stairs, or take an eastbound train to Brentwood and change there to a westbound train. Alternatively, speak to a member of staff for advice.
During this time, there will be 81 car park spaces available. Season ticket holders and disabled space users can use alternative spaces. Other users may find it easier to use the car park at nearby Brentwood station.
Ilford station
Network Rail is currently planning a major station rebuild for Ilford. It intends to put a build contractor in place and start getting the site ready by the end of 2018. The work should be complete by the end of 2019 when the Elizabeth line fully opens.
In the meantime, until summer 2018, we are making improvements which include refurbishing and redecorating platform buildings and canopies. We will also put in new platform shelters and seating.
Manor Park station
We’re making improvements which include footbridge and lift works. Step-free access and improved walking routes will be available after summer 2018.
Until then please follow signs and staff directions to trains by way of the temporary footbridge.
Take care on the additional 78 stairs.
To avoid the additional stairs, please take bus route 86 from stop F on Romford Road to Stratford station, or route W19 from stop B (opposite the station) to Ilford station. You can also speak to a member of staff for advice.
Maryland station
Our improvement work will continue until summer 2018 and include:
- Three new lifts providing step-free access
- New entrance doors and ticket machines
- New accessible customer toilet and retail space
- Improved decoration internally and externally
Romford station
Network Rail is carrying out a major station rebuild for Romford which is due to be complete by December 2019, and includes:
- Main entrance widened
- New Northern line entrance
- New lift to platform 1/2
- New southern entrance
- Lifts to ticket hall and platforms 3/4 and 5
- Refurbished ticket hall
A new platform is due to be finished by summer 2018.
Seven Kings station
Work to install a footbridge and three new lifts for step-free access to all platforms is taking place until summer 2018.
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1 of 1Goodmayes station
New trains
New trains are being introduced between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. Watch a video about the new trains.
Network Rail is carrying out work to move some platform edges at TfL Rail stations to make way for the new, more spacious trains.
While this work takes place, and until all the new trains are running, the step and gap between the train and the platform will be larger in some places. Platform surfaces may also be uneven. Please take extra care when getting on or off the train.
Elizabeth line
TfL Rail services become part of the Elizabeth line when it starts launching in stages from December 2018. This line will use the tunnels and stations being built by Crossrail Ltd.
Our vehicles have a range of features designed to make it easier to travel including priority seating. If you are using a priority seat and you don’t need it, please be ready to offer it to someone who does.
Priority seats
All buses, Tubes, trains and trams have clearly marked priority seats for anyone who needs them. If one isn’t available, ask if someone will give up a seat.
You can apply for a Please Offer Me a Seat badge and card or a Baby on Board badge to help you get a seat if you need one.
Wheelchair spaces
Most vehicles have designated wheelchair spaces. Every bus has one and most train services have at least two, which you can find by looking for the wheelchair symbol on the outside of the carriage or using the level access boarding point.
All taxis and an increasing number of minicabs are wheelchair accessible. To find out more, see step-free access and avoiding stairs.
Some boats can accommodate wheelchairs. Check with the operator before travelling. Some river services can make extra space available for groups of wheelchair users travelling together, if they are informed in advance.
All wheelchair spaces are at least large enough for a ‘reference’ wheelchair of 700mm x 1200mm.
Audio/visual information
Audible and visible information is provided extensively across our network.
Low floor access
All buses are able to kneel to reduce the step-up. Drivers are expected to pull in close to the kerb. If you need low-floor access and the driver has not already knelt the vehicle, just ask.
While there is a step and gap onto most Tube and Overground trains, we are introducing more low-floor trains, including on the Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City, Circle and District lines.
Most taxis have an intermediate step and a seat that swivels out to make it easier to get in. Ask the driver if you want to use either of these.
Safety and security
Your safety is important to us, and crime is at its lowest ever levels on London’s transport network.
CCTV is used extensively across stations, piers, all buses and many trains. Find out how we use CCTV.
Passenger alarms on trains can be used to contact the driver in an emergency. They are found next to doors and wheelchair spaces.
Help points are available on most platforms and in all ticket halls. They can be used to contact staff in an emergency, or to ask for help or information.
If you feel unsafe or experience any incidents of crime (including hate crime) or antisocial behavior talk to our staff or the police.
There are pink card readers at some Tube and London Overground stations. They tell us which route you’ve taken so we can charge you the right fare. Some routes are cheaper than others, such as those which don’t include travel in Zone 1.
If you’re using pay as you go or have a Travelcard that doesn’t include Zone 1 and changing trains during your journey at one of the stations listed below, you should touch your Oyster card on a pink card reader to pay the right fare.
There are pink card readers on, or in between, London Overground platforms at:
- Blackhorse Road
- Canada Water
- Clapham Junction
- Gospel Oak
- Gunnersbury
- Hackney Central/Hackney Downs
- Highbury & Islington
- Kensington (Olympia)
- Richmond
- Stratford
- Surrey Quays
- West Brompton
- Whitechapel
- Willesden Junction
There are pink card readers on the Tube platforms at:
- Rayners Lane
- Wimbledon
Pink card readers are on or in between the platforms where you change trains. If there isn’t a pink card reader where you change trains, it means you don’t need to use one.
Touch in and out on the yellow card readers as normal at the beginning and end of your journeys.
If you don’t touch on a pink card reader:
- You might pay a higher pay as you go fare – for example, you might pay for a journey that includes Zone 1, even if you haven’t travelled through it
- If you’re using a Travelcard which does not include Zone 1, you might be charged an extension fare, which will then be deducted from your pay as you go credit
To see whether you need to touch on a pink card reader during your journey, or if you can take a cheaper route, use the single fare finder.
The new official Congestion Charge app helps you pay your Congestion Charge and T-Charge effortlessly.
You can also use the app to:
- Manage your account
- Check if a postcode is in the Congestion Charge Zone
- Save your vehicle details for future use
- See your payment history
- Pay a Penalty Charge Notice
If you already have an Auto Pay account you can also:
- Add and remove vehicles from your account
- View payment card details
- View your outstanding Auto Pay balance
It’s available to download for free at both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
The new London Overground Night Service is being extended to Highbury & Islington from Friday 23 February. The service will run on weekends between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate.
On Friday 23 February, the current London Overground Night Service will be extended to Highbury & Islington and Canonbury stations.
The 24 hour services will operate on Friday and Saturday nights between New Cross Gate and Highbury & Islington. Services will not be stopping at Whitechapel until further notice.
The extended service will allow customers to connect with the Victoria line Night Tube at Highbury & Islington for the first time, and continue to provide an interchange at Canada Water on the Jubilee line as well as many night bus routes.
Standard off-peak fares will be charged and Day Travelcards cover journeys made until 04.29 the next day. Daily capping on Oyster and contactless payments also apply.
Find out more about London Overground Night Service
The new service
- The London Overground Night Service runs Friday and Saturday nights into the early hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings
- Services currently run between New Cross Gate and Dalston Junction
- They will be extended to Highbury & Islington from Friday 23 February
- From Friday 23 February, customers will be able to connect to the Victoria line via the Night Tube at Highbury & Islington
- Night Service will not call at Whitechapel until Crossrail works are complete
- We will keep this page up to date with the latest information about the service
Fares
Fares on the London Overground night service are off-peak. Travelcards are valid on the day of issue (using the date printed on the card), and for journeys starting before 04:30 the following day.
For example, if you buy a Day Travelcard at 11:00 on Friday, you can use it until 04:29 on the following Saturday. Daily capping on Oyster cards and contactless payment cards also applies.
Accessibility
Step-free accessibility at London Overground stations is the same as during the day service.
Night Tube connections
The London Overground Night Service connects with the Night Tube network at Canada Water on the Jubilee line. From Friday 23 February, you will also be able to connect to the Victoria line from Highbury & Islington.
Night buses
All London Overground Night Service stations except Shadwell and Wapping have connecting night buses.
Night bus maps are available – just enter the area you are interested in to see where night buses are available.
Noise and disturbance
We are taking measures to reduce noise impact for local people. These include using modern floating track to absorb vibration from trains in tunnels; maintaining rails in the best possible condition; and using rail damping technology and remotely controlled track greasing devices.
Anyone affected by noise from the Night Overground service should contact TfL’s 24/7 Customer Service centre on 0343 222 1234. Everyone is guaranteed a personal response and a speedy investigation of their issue.