A few years back, TfL broke the news that it had acquired some sleek and futuristic-looking new trains for the London Underground. Initially due to hit the Piccadilly line, the trains were recently spotted in action on the tracks for the very first time.
Whereabouts in London, I hear you ask? Nowhere: because that would be too easy, wouldn’t it? Nope, these new Tubes are clearly enjoying their interailing pass, as they get tested on the tracks in Austria. 50% of the models are being made in Vienna (with the others constructed in Goole, Yorkshire), and they’re now running free – as free as the wind blows – for the first time.
While these new beauties are still a while away from pelting into Leicester Square, we’re not far off now, with the 94 Siemens Mobility Ltd models earmarked to start running in 2025. Eagle-eyed Secrets Of The Underground presenter Tim Dunn first spotted the images floating around on Reddit, and shared them via his Twitter page.
Not every day one gets to catch a quintessentially London sight in Austria, is it? View the painted carriages basking in all their glory, roundels glowing in the Viennese summer – ready for Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy to step right on before sunrise.
An up-close look
Transport for London also revealed a closer look at the new trains, They also teased the impending London drop of the trains with some details on what we can expect.
These futuristic-looking babies promise a number of new features, with TfL boasting the following:
🚇 Increased capacity by 10%
🚇 Walk-through, air-conditioned carriages
🚇 Improved accessibility
🚇 More energy efficient
In c.2025, you’ll be able to ride these babies way out yonder into the outer zones (6) of London on the Piccadilly line. There’s even talk of a potential view to extending their services onto the Bakerloo, Central, and Waterloo & City lines.
For now, catching sight of these swanky models means a trip to the Austrian capital, but once the testing is complete, they’ll be on a one-way ticket to the big smoke.