The Night Tube marks 10 years with 81,000 journeys a night, but no station in Richmond borough. Here is how to get home after 1am, checked November 2026.
The Night Tube has reached 10 years without a stop in Richmond borough, even as more than 81,000 journeys are made on it on an average night. Transport for London (TfL) marked the anniversary on Thursday 5 November with a report with Time Out, called London After Dark.
Its headline figure is that 88 per cent of Londoners questioned have stayed out later because they knew public transport was running. The Night Tube itself does not reach Richmond, Kew or Twickenham.
It runs on five lines: the Central, Victoria, Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly. Richmond and Kew Gardens stations are on the District line, alongside the Mildmay line of the Overground.
When the last train has gone
TfL’s published timetable gives the last direct District line trains to Richmond:
- From Embankment: 00:36 on Monday to Saturday nights, 00:01 on Sunday nights
- From Hammersmith: 01:01 on Monday to Saturday nights, 00:21 on Sunday nights
After that, TfL’s journey planner sends people to the Piccadilly line, which does run through Friday and Saturday nights, and then on to a bus. We asked it for the first option after 2.30am on Saturday 5 December, leaving from Piccadilly Circus. The times below include walking and waiting.
| Going to | Leave | Arrive | Time | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnes | 02:31 | 03:10 | 39 min | 14 bus to Putney Bridge, then N72 |
| Richmond | 02:33 | 03:20 | 47 min | Piccadilly to South Ealing, then N65 |
| Kew Gardens (Victoria Gate) | 02:33 | 03:20 | 47 min | Piccadilly to South Ealing, then N65 |
| Mortlake | 02:33 | 03:31 | 58 min | Piccadilly to South Ealing, N65 to Richmond, then N22 |
| Twickenham | 02:43 | 03:47 | 64 min | Piccadilly to Hounslow East, then 281 |
| Hampton | 02:53 | 04:06 | 73 min | Piccadilly to Hounslow East, then 111 |
| Teddington | 03:33 | 04:59 | 86 min | Piccadilly to Hounslow East, 281 to Twickenham, then the first South Western Railway train |
| Whitton | 03:23 | 05:10 | 107 min | Piccadilly to Hounslow East, 111, H25 to Feltham, then South Western Railway |
These are planned services for one night, taken from TfL’s journey planner. Check again before you travel, because engineering work can change them.
What the report found
Time Out and TfL studied around 200 Londoners from Time Out’s own research community for a week in September. They collected surveys, diaries, creative tasks and personal stories, and interviewed six people from the night-time economy. So the percentages describe that group rather than a poll of all Londoners.
TfL’s main findings from the research:
- 88 per cent have stayed out later because they knew public transport was running
- 77 per cent say knowing how they will get home matters when deciding where to go
- 55 per cent think great nights out are increasingly spread across the capital, rather than concentrated in the centre
The report follows a separate Time Out analysis that put London first among 26 European capitals for nightlife and public transport combined, ahead of Vienna and Paris. It drew on 5,848 responses in 23 languages. People rated their own city on a five-point scale, and the two scores were weighted equally.
Ten years in numbers
The first Night Tube ran on the Central and Victoria lines on 19 August 2016. The Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines followed later that year. TfL gives these figures:
- More than 50,000 journeys on the first night
- More than 81,000 journeys on an average night now, with Saturdays typically busier than Fridays
- More than 67 million customers carried on Night Tube and Night Overground services since 2016
- 50 Night Tube stations with step-free access
What they said
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “For the past decade, the Night Tube has been a defining feature of London as a world-leading 24-hour city, helping Londoners and visitors enjoy everything our great capital has to offer, and supporting our vital workers and businesses to boost our night-time economy.”
He added: “This report really brings to life how The Night Tube connects Londoners and visitors with our city’s incredible cultural offering, helping people discover new venues and events in new parts of the capital while ensuring they can travel home safely and affordably at any hour.”
Claire Mann, TfL’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “London at night has changed significantly over the past decade, and the Night Tube has evolved alongside it, helping people travel to work, meet friends and enjoy everything the capital has to offer after dark.”
“Ten years on, we’re proud of the role the Night Tube plays in supporting London’s businesses, workers, visitors and world-leading cultural scene.”
Coral Anderson, co-owner and managing director of Swift Bars, said: “When people know they can get home easily, they’re more likely to explore a new neighbourhood, stay for another drink and make the most of everything London has to offer.”
Ed Richardson, programme director for transport at BusinessLDN, said: “Reliable late-night transport is essential to a thriving 24-hour city, giving Londoners and visitors the confidence to enjoy everything London has to offer. Keeping the city moving after dark will be key to helping its night-time economy continue to thrive.”
What it means for you
Plan the night around one of two things: the last District line train, or a bus.
- Staying in town until midnight or so? The direct District line from Embankment still works on most nights, up to 00:36. Sunday night is earlier, at 00:01.
- Going to Teddington or Whitton? Allow the longest. The planner’s first options reach them at 04:59 and 05:10.
Later than that, these night routes run through the borough:
- N22: Oxford Circus to Fulwell, through Barnes, Richmond and Twickenham
- N33: Hammersmith to Fulwell, through Barnes, East Sheen, Twickenham and Teddington
- N65: Ealing Broadway to Chessington, through Kew, Richmond and Ham
For daytime services, see our page on trains from Richmond to London. For current closures, see roadworks and travel in Richmond.
TfL’s release is on its newsroom. Time Out offers the full report as a download.
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