London’s pioneering Piccadilly Line will be turning 120 years old later this year. And having been paying its dues for well over a century, the distinguished dark blue line will be marking the monumental milestone with a rather mighty makeover.
A fleet of 94 state-of-the-art-trains are mere moments away from chugging into passenger service. But in preparation for these swanky new vehicles hitting the track, Transport for London has announced that the line will face a number of fairly significant closures over the coming months. And we’re here to clue you up on those closures, so you don’t get caught out.
When will the Piccadilly Line be closed?
There will be closures taking place on the navy blue line until well into 2027, but a fairly major one will be affecting the capital city next week. From Wednesday, October 28 to Friday, October 30, there will be no services running between Cockfosters to Uxbridge – which is pretty much the entire line aside from the branch that heads out to Heathrow Airport.
Next weekend, however, the entire line will be out of action – including services to Heathrow. Next weekend is, of course, Halloween weekend. So, it’s certainly worth keeping these closures in mind when making your plans, as there’s truly nothing spookier than being stranded in full fancy dress. There will be no services at all from Friday night (October 30) until the end of Sunday (November 1). If you need to get to Heathrow Airport during that period, you can hop on the Elizabeth Line or a Heathrow Express service.
When are the future Piccadilly Line closures taking place?
Whilst Transport for London prepares for the new-and-improved trains, there will be intermittent closures affecting the Piccadilly Line. The confirmed closures are as follows:
- October 28-30 – no service between Cockfosters and Uxbridge
- October 30 (Night Tube) – no service on the entire line
- October 31-November 1 – no service on the entire line
- November 20 (Night Tube) – no service between Hammersmith and Heathrow and Uxbridge
- November 21-22 – no service between Hammersmith and Heathrow and Uxbridge
- January 16-17 – no service between Acton Town and Uxbridge
- January 29 (Night Tube) – no service between Hammersmith and Heathrow
- January 30-31 – no service between Acton Town and Heathrow or Rayners Lane and Uxbridge
- February 26 (Night Tube) – no service between King’s Cross St Pancras and Cockfosters
- February 27-28 – no service between Wood Green and Cockfosters or Rayners Lane and Uxbridge
- March 5 (Night Tube) – no service between Cockfosters and Heathrow
- March 6-7 – no service between Cockfosters and Heathrow
- March 19 (Night Tube) – no service between Hammersmith and Heathrow
- March 20-21 – no service between Acton Town and Heathrow or Rayners Lane and Uxbridge
- March 26-29 – no service between Acton Town and Heathrow or Rayners Lane and Uxbridge
The Piccadilly Line upgrade
Whilst tube line closures are undeniably inconvenient, it’s highly likely that these ones will be worth it. Over £3 billion has been invested into this highly-anticipated upgrade – and Londoners will start to see the nifty new trains enter service between December 2026 and June 2027.
The new trains will boast walk-through carriages, wider doors, enhanced digital displays, and improved step-free access. They’ll also be decked out with air conditioning, thus marking the first time that a deep-level tube line in London will have lovely, cool carriages. During the upcoming closures, upgrade preparation and routine maintenance will be taking place on the track.
As always, keep your eye on the TfL website before you travel, plan ahead, and allow extra time for your journeys.
