This new service runs only on the weekends and to start will only be available on a few well-traveled Victoria and Central lines.
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Roughly 50,000 people are expected to use the Night Tube service each weekend, with the number growing to 200,000 by the Autumn when the service extends to the Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines.
Extended hours should also help the city’s nighttime economy grow by about 15% to almost 30 billion pounds ($39.5 million) a year by 2030.
“At a time of economic uncertainty – particularly following the Brexit vote – this is a welcome boost to London’s economy”, government-backed London First and consultants EY said in a report.
“This is about offering access to people who work in London throughout the night as well as those who enjoy the entertainment of London as well”, said Steve Griffiths, chief operating officer for the Night Tube.
Speaking as the train made its way towards north London, Mr Khan told the Press Association: “You can feel the buzz, you can feel the vibe”.
In fact, according to the same report, London’s “24-hour economy” could contribute close to £30 billion ($39.2 billion) to the United Kingdom capital each year by the year 2030, and support as much as 790,000 jobs.
Mayor Khan said 100 British Transport Police (BTP) officers will be patrolling stations and trains on Night Tube services as part of a package for extra security on all-night trains.
He has recorded welcome messages which will be played over the public address system at Oxford Circus, which will be the busiest Night Tube station.
The night tube had several delays since its first inception three years ago from funding and strikes from unions, as staff demanded higher pay and had safety concerns.
Sadiq Khan was on the first Victoria line service in the early hours of the morning, which left from Brixton at 12.34am.
All of this will help open up London’s night-time economy to new opportunities – benefitting theatres, live music venues, restaurants and more. He performs an original poem he has written about the launch of the Night Tube and its potential to change the lives of Londoners.
Exciting news for London travellers and weekend revelers – the tube is going to be running extra long hours over weekends.
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Full network coverage is being phased in, but for now trains will run every 10 minutes on the full Victoria line and on the Central line between White City and Leytonstone.
