[title]
Though we all love to complain about it, Londoners couldn’t function without the city’s huge public transport network.
The Underground has been dutifully ferrying us across the capital since 1863 and in a recent Time Out survey, locals gave it an impressive 86 percent approval rating – making it one of the highest-rated public transport networks in the world. That’s not to mention the Overground, the swanky Elizabeth line, our 675 bus routes (which at £1.75 are the cheapest in the UK) and the more than 30,000 Lime bikes ready and waiting to take us from A to B.
The capital’s extensive travel network wouldn’t be what it is today if it didn’t regularly upgrade and adapt (mostly for the better, sometimes for the worse). So, here are all the price changes, upgrades and new vehicles to expect across London’s transport in 2026.
Major changes coming to London transport in 2026
Pedicab regulations
Transport for London has been on a mission to crackdown on London’s neon flashing, ABBA-blasting rickshaws for nearly two years. It’s hoping to finally enforce new rules, which include annual inspections, a ban on speakers and regulated fares, in early 2026. Read more here.
Congestion charge increase
For the first time since 2020, London’s congestion charge will go up. From January 2, the fee will increase by £3 (20 percent) from £15 to £18 per day. It’ll be enforced between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and 12pm and 6pm on the weekend. The 100 percent discount for electric car drivers will also no longer apply. Read more here.
Tube fares increase
All London tube and train fares will go up by an average of 5.8 percent in March, which is above the rate of inflation. That means that the cost of a single zone 1 to zone 2 ticket would rise from £3.50 go £3.70 during peak hours and £2.90 to £3.10 off-peak. A zone 1 to zone 6 journey could go up from £5.80 to £6.15, and from £3.80 to £4.05 off-peak. Read more here.
Northern line closures
From January 12 until late May, the Northern line Bank branch between Camden Town and Kennington (which includes King’s Cross St Pancras, Angel, Old Street, Moorgate, Bank, London Bridge, Borough and Elephant & Castle) will shut every Monday to Thursday after 10pm to allow for essential track replacement work. Read more here.
Piccadilly line closures
A couple of stations along the Piccadilly line are shutting for several months from January so that TfL can carry out essential repairs. Southgate station will be exit only from January 5 2026 until approximately the middle of March while Baron’s Court station will close its eastbound platforms from January 19 2026 until early June and its westbound platforms from mid-July until the end of 2026.
Launch of driverless taxis
Yes, you read that right – London is getting self-drive cabs in 2026. Waymo’s has confirmed that its self-driving Jaguar I-Pace vehicles will arrive in 20 London boroughs next year as part of extensive trails, though it hasn’t said when the public will be able to try them out for themselves. Chinese AI company Baidu also plans to begin testing its driverless vehicles on London’s roads in 2026 in collaboration with Lyft and Uber, pending regulatory approval.
New fleet of DLR trains
The roll out of the DLR’s shiny new fleet of trains began back in October. Its old trains are expected to be fully replaced by more modern, higher-capacity vehicles by the end of 2026. The new fleet is air conditioned with bigger walk-through carriages, charging points, three wheelchair spaces for better accessibility, live travel information and 10 percent more capacity compared to the previous trains. Read more here.
New Piccadilly line trains
We’ve been waiting on new Piccadilly line trains for a heck of a long time. Four years, to be precise. They were originally due to be launch at the end of 2025 but in the summer TfL announced that the rollout would be delayed until ‘the second half of 2026’. Just like the DLR’s new fleet, the replacement trains will have walk-through, air-conditioned carriages and 10 percent more capacity. They’ll also boast double doorways, have real-time digital displays and on-board CCTV and be lighter, more energy efficient and a smoother ride for passengers.
Two new Superloop routes
TfL started introducing the speedy Superloop bus routes in 2023. There are now 10 different routes serving outer London, and two more are set to join the network in 2026. At the beginning of the year, the SL11 will replace the 472 between North Greenwich and Abbey Wood via Thamesmead. It’ll follow the same route but with far fewer stops and will connect to the SL3 in Abbey Wood, connecting passengers to Woolwich, Charlton and North Greenwich. After that, TfL will launch the SL12 connecting Gants Hill and Rainham via Ilford and Romford. Read more here.
New north London cycle route
Enfield Council has revealed a plan to create a safe walking and cycling link between Palmers Green and New Southgate next year. If the proposals are approved, the area’s busy roads like Alderman Hill, Wilmer Way and Bowes Road would see segregated cycle lanes built, while the rest of the routes would be ‘on-carriageway’, which means a cycle lane would be marked but not segregated from the rest of the traffic. Read more here.
Major upgrade to TfL Cycles
Following the renewal of its contract with Serco, TfL has said it hopes to make some significant improvements to its army of Santander Cycle e-bikes in 2026. It plans to launch a new cycling app, introduce a QR code bike release system (similar to what Lime already uses) and to introduce the UK’s first in-dock charging system for e-bikes across terminals in the capital, meaning you’ll never have to find a bike without charge again. The terminals will also be modernised to become more accessible and user-friendly. Read more here.
Oxford Street pedestrianisation
The permanent pedestrian of Oxford Street hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the Mayor of London seems determined to make it happen. If plans are approved, TfL hopes that delivery of the scheme could start in the second half of 2026. It would initially focus on diverting the bus and traffic routes that currently serve the street. You can see how plans have proposed to do that here.
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.