London’s transport commissioner, Mike Brown, said: “The night tube is going to be a massive benefit for our half a million and more customers who use the Tube after 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays”.
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There is a network of night buses available – but they often run behind schedule, and are far slower than the “Tube”. City leaders hope the new service will make the British capital a truly 24-hour city on the weekends and bolster its economy.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched London’s first ever weekend Night Tube service – a truly exciting moment for London.
His predecessor, Boris Johnson, announced in September 2014 that the service would begin on September 12 2015, with Transport for London (TfL) promoting the benefits at last year’s Rugby World Cup.
Twenty-four-hour service is finally beginning in London’s Underground subway system Friday evening, almost a year after it was originally planned to go into effect.
Joseph Tung Yao-chung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council, said the round-the clock underground services were good news for Hong Kong visitors.
“The routes will go hand-in-hand with the Night Tube to help Londoners get to and from their front door throughout the night”.
The driver of the first train said the service was “great for London” and insisted he would be able to adjust to his gruelling new schedule.
London was on Friday, set to start the first all-night underground rail services for 150 years.
“I’m really pleased that 100 days or so after becoming the mayor we’ve got that right”, Khan said.
“Many of London’s central commuting zones may have been historically out of reach for renters and hopeful buyers, but the Night Tube opens up new possibilities for many Londoners”.
In a move bound to please revellers, shift-workers and insomniacs, two lines will run trains through to 0530 in the morning, with others due to follow.
“We expect a nice mix of people who enjoy the fantastic night life of the city, but it’s also a lot about giving people mobility”.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who took the first night Tube from Brixton, said you could feel “the buzz” as he met passengers.
It’s finally here: the Night Tube is starting this weekend.
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And while younger Londoners cheered the opportunity to stay out later, others were more subdued.
