The Night Tube is brilliant when it runs — and it doesn’t run nearly as often as people assume. It operates on five lines, on Friday and Saturday nights only, and not on every branch. This guide explains what runs, what doesn’t, and why you should always check TfL live before relying on it, especially for an airport run.
Key takeaways
- Five lines: Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria — plus the Overground’s Windrush line.
- Friday and Saturday nights only — not Sunday to Thursday.
- Roughly every 10–20 minutes, at off-peak fares.
- Not every branch runs — the Piccadilly line serves Heathrow T5 but not the T4 loop.
- Engineering works frequently suspend sections, including the Heathrow branch — check TfL before you travel.
01 / LINESWhich lines run
The Night Tube runs on five Underground lines: the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria. The London Overground also runs a night service on the Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate.
Everything else — the Bakerloo, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Waterloo & City lines — does not run overnight. If your route home needs one of those, the Night Tube won’t help you.
02 / WHENWhich nights, and how often
Only Friday and Saturday nights. There is no separate “start time” — the normal evening service simply carries straight on through the night until the usual morning service begins. Trains run roughly every 10 to 20 minutes depending on the line and hour, at off-peak fares.
Sunday to Thursday, there is no Night Tube at all: the last trains go at around midnight, and the network shuts until the early morning.
03 / BRANCHESThe catch: not every branch runs
This is the part that catches people out. Night Tube doesn’t cover every branch of every line. On the Piccadilly line, for example, trains run between Cockfosters and Heathrow Terminal 5 — but there is no service on the Terminal 4 loop. The Northern line runs via Charing Cross, not Bank. The Central line misses several outer sections.
So “the Piccadilly line runs all night” is true, and also not the whole truth. Check your specific station.
The important warning. Sections of the Night Tube are regularly suspended for engineering works — including, at times, the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly line. TfL publishes these closures in advance, and they change week to week. Always check TfL’s live status before you travel, and never assume the Night Tube will get you to a flight.
04 / CHECKHow to check whether it’s running tonight
We deliberately don’t publish a timetable here, because any timetable we published would go out of date. Instead, check the TfL website or app for live Tube status and planned closures on the night you’re travelling. That is the authoritative source; we are not.
05 / RUSHXOWhen the Tube isn’t the answer
The Night Tube is excellent for a night out. It is a poor bet for an airport run: it’s weekend-only, doesn’t cover every branch, gets suspended for engineering, and leaves you hauling luggage through stations at 3am. For a flight — especially a pre-dawn departure Sunday to Thursday, when there is no Tube at all — a pre-booked, fixed-fare car is the reliable option. Rushxo runs 24/7, every night of the week, with no late-night surcharge.
FAQFrequently asked questions
Is there a Night Tube tonight?
Only if it’s a Friday or Saturday night — the Night Tube doesn’t run Sunday to Thursday. Even then, sections are regularly suspended for engineering works, so check TfL’s live status before you travel.
Which lines run the Night Tube?
Five: the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines, plus the London Overground’s Windrush line. The Bakerloo, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Waterloo & City lines do not run overnight.
Does the Night Tube go to Heathrow?
The Piccadilly line Night Tube runs to Heathrow Terminal 5 on Friday and Saturday nights, but there’s no service on the Terminal 4 loop — and the Heathrow branch is periodically closed for engineering works, including during Night Tube hours. Check TfL live before relying on it for a flight.
What time does the Night Tube run?
It runs straight through the night on Friday and Saturday — the normal evening service simply continues until the usual morning service, with trains roughly every 10 to 20 minutes.
When does the Tube stop on other nights?
Sunday to Thursday there’s no Night Tube — last trains typically go around midnight and the network closes until early morning. Night buses run every night, but they’re slow with luggage.
Can I rely on the Night Tube to catch a flight?
We’d strongly advise against it. It’s weekend-only, doesn’t serve every branch, is regularly disrupted by engineering works, and means carrying luggage through stations at night. For a flight, a pre-booked 24/7 car is far more reliable.
Time Matters
Book a 24/7 car — every night, not just weekends
Fixed fares confirmed before you ride. Local licensed drivers, flight tracking, 24/7 human support — and no surge, ever.