The ultimate guide for travelling on the Tube in a heatwave
Summer has finally hit the UK, with hot weather that will see the mercury climb as high as 30°C. It's so hot, in fact, that the previous record of 40°C, in July 2022, could be under threat.
As much as we love a bit of heat and sunshine, it makes for some pretty sticky conditions when it comes to the morning and evening commute – with temperatures soaring on the Tube as well as above ground.
To avoid a sweltering journey that sees you arrive at your destination drenched in sweat, you might want to opt for a route that will keep you as cool as possible.
But which Tube lines have air conditioning? And which other train and transport services offer it?
Only a handful of London Underground lines currently have air conditioning, and they are as follows: Circle
Hammersmith & City
District
Metropolitan
Elizabeth
The good news is that the Piccadilly Line set to join the ranks of those lines with air con as its new trains come into service this year.
The Bakerloo Line, Waterloo and City Line, and Central Line will also be getting air conditioned trains in the future but you might have to wait a while – particularly for the Central Line.
Speaking on a Twitter post in 2019, Central Line head of fleet Steve Lammin said: 'We've improved ventilation systems on the current fleet.
'New trains are coming in early 2030, under the Deep Tube Upgrade Program which will be delivered with full air cooling systems.'
Dates for the new Bakerloo and Waterloo and City Line trains have not been confirmed, and there are no plans for any upgrades to the Jubilee, Northern or Victoria Lines.
Previous reports suggested the Bakerloo Line is the hottest of all during warm weather, but in August 2024 TFL revealed the Victoria Line had the hottest average temperature of 28.2°C – although this rose to 30°C between June and October.
This was closely followed by the Central Line, with an average temperature of 26.7°C..
The Central Line is one of the hottest tube lines because of its age and depth beneath the ground.
It is one of the oldest Underground routes in London and was opened as The Central Railway in 1900 with early extensions carried out in 1920 and in the 1940s.
The line is a deep-level tube which means it is at least 20 metres underground and travels through two small tunnels to reach each station.
This compact space and lack of ventilation stops the heat generated from dispersing and therefore keeps it contained. More Trending
The old design of the tunnels also makes it difficult to create enough extra ventilation to have much of an effect.
If you want to avoid a sweaty journey on the Tube, you can try any of the following transport services running throughout the capital, all of which are air-conditioned: Overground
Northern City
Thameslink
Trams
If you really can't avoid a non-air-conditioned route in hot weather, Transport For London offers the following tips on its website to make your journey easier. Carry water with you at all times
Don't board a train or bus if you feel unwell
If you feel unwell, please get off at the next stop and contact a member of staff at the next station or speak to the bus driver
Where possible, consider retiming journeys to less busy times
Passengers are also advised only to travel if absolutely necessary when temperatures rocket past the 40°C mark. Switch up your journey: As well as choosing different public transport, you could opt for a 'Boris Bike' in London, or similar cycle sharing scheme in your area. Why not make the most of the sun? Bring a fan: Whether you go analogue or electric, a handheld fan will save your life on a busy commute. Hack your clothes: If you have to wear a suit or something heavy, stick it in your bag before you get into the office. On the journey itself, look for clothes that are made of breathable fabrics like cotton and linen. Stay hydrated: As we've mentioned, it's important to drink plenty of water.
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Telegraph
20-06-2025
- Telegraph
Are London commuters treated worse than cattle in hot weather? I took the Tube to find out
Whether you're commuting to work or simply travelling around London, on even a relatively mild summer's day it's practically a guarantee that you'll arrive at your destination drenched in sweat. The hottest temperature ever recorded on London's Tube is a matter of some debate. During the 2006 heatwave, unsubstantiated reports of 47C made headlines. During the 2022 heatwave, Transport for London (TfL) advised customers to only travel if absolutely necessary, and reporters recorded temperatures over 40C on the Tube. According to TfL's own stats, the highest temperature recorded in 2024 was a comparatively cool 31.1C on the Victoria line in August. Yet, for context, regulations prohibit the moving of farm animals if temperatures exceed 30C. Truly, today's commuters are treated worse than cattle. But just how bad can it get? With the mercury already at 26C outside, and armed with a Tommee Tippee baby room thermometer, I jumped on the Tube just after the morning rush hour in central London to find out. Which is the hottest Tube line? Starting at Tottenham Court Road at 9.30am, I hopped straight on the Central line to Oxford Circus. It is infamous amongst Londoners for being the stickiest of all the Underground's lines, and according to TfL's data in 2024 it was in fact only the second hottest (behind the Victoria line), with stations reaching a peak of 30.6C. On the train, my thermometer beat this comfortably. Central line: 31.7C From Oxford Circus, I raced up to Warren Street on the TfL's 'official' hottest route: the Victoria line. It's worth emphasising that TfL only records temperatures at stations, rather than the trains themselves, with highs of 31.1C recorded. My on-train reading was much warmer. Victoria line: 33.6C The Northern line is considered one of the Underground's 'Deep' lines (Hampstead lies 58.5m below ground level) so consequently ventilation isn't always great. My journey avoided plumbing those depths while spiriting me from Warren Street back to Tottenham Court Road, but it was still hot, hot, hot. Northern line: 32.4C From the baking to the merely simmering, the journey from Tottenham Court Road to Bond Street via London's newest stretch of underground railway, the Elizabeth line, really shows the difference that air conditioning can make. Elizabeth line: 25.8C By the time I boarded the Jubilee line from Bond Street to Westminster I was starting to get used to the heat. Jubilee line trains are some of the smallest physically so there is very little room for ventilation or air conditioning units to be installed. Jubilee line: 31.3C The modern 'walk-through' District and Circle lines, like the Elizabeth line, are blessed with air conditioning. However, as they are only partially overground, they suffer from 'solar gain' where the trains and tracks heat up due to the sun when it's hot outside. On my journey from Westminster to Embankment, I could still feel the heat. District line: 30.4C Bakerloo line trains date back to 1972 and are therefore the oldest rolling stock still in active service on any railway line in Britain. I feared temperatures would be excessive, especially when I saw the swathe of newspapers placed over the ventilation within my carriage, but it turned out the Bakerloo was relatively cool. Bakerloo line: 30.9C With new air-conditioned trains coming into service on the Piccadilly line from the end of 2025, it should rapidly cool down in the coming years. Just as well, as my journey from Piccadilly Circus to Green Park saw me recording the hottest temperatures on my Tube odyssey. Piccadilly line: 34.2C The average temperature of my morning's travel was 31.3C, which, given that I was travelling before midday, is alarmingly hot. It's certainly warm enough for TfL to activate its hot weather plan: warnings that passengers should carry a bottle of water at all times could be heard frequently on my journey. Why does the Tube get so hot? A report by Rail Engineering in 2007 found that the vast majority of the heat is caused by the friction of the trains braking on the tracks. During the 2022 heatwave, trains were ordered to run more slowly to mitigate the release of braking heat. Once the underground gets hot, it stays hot. The clay into which the underground tunnels were dug acts as a heat sink, absorbing around 80 per cent of the heat generated. Scientists have estimated that when the tunnels were first dug, that clay would have been about 14C, and it is now 19-26C. 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BBC News
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Metro
18-06-2025
- Metro
The ultimate guide for travelling on the Tube in a heatwave
Summer has finally hit the UK, with hot weather that will see the mercury climb as high as 30°C. It's so hot, in fact, that the previous record of 40°C, in July 2022, could be under threat. As much as we love a bit of heat and sunshine, it makes for some pretty sticky conditions when it comes to the morning and evening commute – with temperatures soaring on the Tube as well as above ground. To avoid a sweltering journey that sees you arrive at your destination drenched in sweat, you might want to opt for a route that will keep you as cool as possible. But which Tube lines have air conditioning? And which other train and transport services offer it? Only a handful of London Underground lines currently have air conditioning, and they are as follows: Circle Hammersmith & City District Metropolitan Elizabeth The good news is that the Piccadilly Line set to join the ranks of those lines with air con as its new trains come into service this year. The Bakerloo Line, Waterloo and City Line, and Central Line will also be getting air conditioned trains in the future but you might have to wait a while – particularly for the Central Line. Speaking on a Twitter post in 2019, Central Line head of fleet Steve Lammin said: 'We've improved ventilation systems on the current fleet. 'New trains are coming in early 2030, under the Deep Tube Upgrade Program which will be delivered with full air cooling systems.' Dates for the new Bakerloo and Waterloo and City Line trains have not been confirmed, and there are no plans for any upgrades to the Jubilee, Northern or Victoria Lines. Previous reports suggested the Bakerloo Line is the hottest of all during warm weather, but in August 2024 TFL revealed the Victoria Line had the hottest average temperature of 28.2°C – although this rose to 30°C between June and October. This was closely followed by the Central Line, with an average temperature of 26.7°C.. The Central Line is one of the hottest tube lines because of its age and depth beneath the ground. It is one of the oldest Underground routes in London and was opened as The Central Railway in 1900 with early extensions carried out in 1920 and in the 1940s. The line is a deep-level tube which means it is at least 20 metres underground and travels through two small tunnels to reach each station. This compact space and lack of ventilation stops the heat generated from dispersing and therefore keeps it contained. More Trending The old design of the tunnels also makes it difficult to create enough extra ventilation to have much of an effect. If you want to avoid a sweaty journey on the Tube, you can try any of the following transport services running throughout the capital, all of which are air-conditioned: Overground Northern City Thameslink Trams If you really can't avoid a non-air-conditioned route in hot weather, Transport For London offers the following tips on its website to make your journey easier. Carry water with you at all times Don't board a train or bus if you feel unwell If you feel unwell, please get off at the next stop and contact a member of staff at the next station or speak to the bus driver Where possible, consider retiming journeys to less busy times Passengers are also advised only to travel if absolutely necessary when temperatures rocket past the 40°C mark. Switch up your journey: As well as choosing different public transport, you could opt for a 'Boris Bike' in London, or similar cycle sharing scheme in your area. Why not make the most of the sun? Bring a fan: Whether you go analogue or electric, a handheld fan will save your life on a busy commute. Hack your clothes: If you have to wear a suit or something heavy, stick it in your bag before you get into the office. On the journey itself, look for clothes that are made of breathable fabrics like cotton and linen. Stay hydrated: As we've mentioned, it's important to drink plenty of water. Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Share your views in the comments below MORE: I love living in London — but it sucks in the summer MORE: Another e-bike brand is set to launch in London this summer MORE: Dad left 'in misery' after ceiling collapses three times in London home
