The\u00a0capital\u2019s extensive travel\u00a0network wouldn\u2019t be what it is today if it didn\u2019t regularly upgrade and adapt (mostly for the better, sometimes for the worse). So, here are all the price changes, upgrades and new vehicles to expect across London\u2019s transport in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Major changes coming to London transport in 2026
\nPedicab\u00a0regulations\u00a0<\/p>\n
Transport for London has been on a mission to crackdown on London\u2019s neon flashing, ABBA-blasting rickshaws for nearly two years. It\u2019s hoping to finally enforce new rules, which include annual inspections, a ban on speakers and regulated fares, in early 2026. Read more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Congestion charge increase\u00a0<\/p>\n For the first time since 2020, London\u2019s congestion charge\u00a0has gone up.\u00a0As of January 2, the fee\u00a0has increased by \u00a33 (20 percent) from \u00a315 to \u00a318 per day. It\u2019s be enforced between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and 12pm and 6pm on the weekend. The 100 percent discount for electric car drivers also no longer applies.\u00a0Read more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tube fares increase<\/p>\n All London tube and train fares will go up by an average of 5.8 percent in March, which is above the rate of inflation. That means that\u00a0the cost of a single zone 1 to zone 2 ticket would rise from \u00a33.50 go \u00a33.70 during peak hours and \u00a32.90 to \u00a33.10 off-peak. A zone 1 to zone 6 journey could go up from \u00a35.80 to \u00a36.15, and from \u00a33.80 to \u00a34.05 off-peak. Read more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Northern line closures\u00a0<\/p>\n From January 12 until late May, the Northern line Bank branch between Camden Town and Kennington (which includes King\u2019s Cross St Pancras, Angel, Old Street, Moorgate, Bank, London Bridge, Borough\u00a0and Elephant & Castle)\u00a0is shut every Monday to Thursday after 10pm to allow for\u00a0essential track replacement work. Read more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Piccadilly line closures\u00a0<\/p>\n A couple of stations along the Piccadilly line are shutting for several months from January so that TfL can carry out essential repairs. Southgate station<\/a>\u00a0is\u00a0exit only from\u00a0January 5 2026 until approximately the middle of March while Baron\u2019s Court station<\/a> will close its eastbound platforms from January 19 2026 until early June and its westbound platforms\u00a0from mid-July until the end of 2026.<\/p>\n Launch of driverless taxis\u00a0<\/p>\n Yes, you read that right \u2013 London is getting self-drive cabs in 2026.\u00a0Waymo\u2019s has confirmed that its self-driving Jaguar I-Pace vehicles will arrive in 20 London boroughs next year<\/a>\u00a0as part of extensive trails, though it hasn\u2019t said when the public will be able to try them out for themselves.\u00a0Chinese AI company Baidu also plans to begin testing\u00a0its driverless vehicles on London\u2019s roads in 2026<\/a> in collaboration with Lyft and Uber, pending regulatory approval.<\/p>\n New fleet of DLR trains\u00a0<\/p>\n The roll out of the DLR\u2019s shiny new fleet of trains began back in October. Its old trains are expected to be fully replaced by more modern, higher-capacity vehicles by the end of 2026. The new fleet is air conditioned with bigger walk-through carriages, charging points, three wheelchair spaces for better accessibility, live travel information and 10 percent more capacity compared to the previous trains. Read more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n New Piccadilly line trains\u00a0<\/p>\n We\u2019ve\u00a0been waiting on new Piccadilly line trains for a heck of a long time. Four years, to be precise. They were originally due to be launch at the end of 2025 but in the summer TfL announced that the rollout\u00a0would be delayed until \u2018the second half of 2026\u2019<\/a>. Just like the DLR\u2019s new fleet, the replacement trains will have\u00a0walk-through, air-conditioned carriages and 10 percent more capacity. They\u2019ll also boast double doorways, have real-time digital displays and on-board CCTV and be lighter, more energy efficient and a smoother ride for passengers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Two new Superloop routes\u00a0<\/p>\n TfL started introducing\u00a0the\u00a0speedy Superloop bus routes in 2023. There are now\u00a010 different routes serving outer London, and two more are set to join the network in 2026. At the beginning of the year, the\u00a0SL11\u00a0will replace the 472 between North Greenwich and Abbey Wood via Thamesmead. It\u2019ll follow the same route but\u00a0with far fewer stops and will connect to the SL3 in Abbey Wood, connecting passengers to Woolwich, Charlton and North Greenwich.\u00a0After that, TfL will launch the SL12 connecting\u00a0Gants Hill and Rainham via Ilford and Romford. Read more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n New north London cycle route\u00a0<\/p>\n Enfield Council has revealed a plan to create a safe walking and cycling link between Palmers Green and New Southgate next year. If the proposals are approved, the area\u2019s busy roads like Alderman Hill, Wilmer Way and Bowes Road would see segregated cycle lanes built, while the rest of the routes would be \u2018on-carriageway\u2019, which means a cycle lane would be marked but not segregated from the rest of the traffic. Read more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Major upgrade to\u00a0TfL Cycles<\/p>\n Following the renewal of its contract with Serco, TfL has said it hopes to\u00a0make some significant improvements to its army of Santander Cycle e-bikes in 2026. It plans to launch a new cycling app, introduce a QR code bike release system (similar to what Lime already uses) and to introduce the UK\u2019s first in-dock charging system for e-bikes across terminals in the capital, meaning you\u2019ll never have to find a bike without charge again. The terminals will also be modernised to become more accessible and user-friendly. Read more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Oxford Street pedestrianisation\u00a0<\/p>\n The permanent pedestrian of Oxford Street hasn\u2019t been confirmed yet, but the Mayor of London seems determined to make it happen. If plans are approved,\u00a0TfL hopes that delivery of the scheme could start in the second half of 2026. It would initially focus on diverting the bus and traffic routes that currently serve the street. You can see how\u00a0plans have proposed to do that here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke \u2013 from news and reviews to events and trends. Just\u00a0<\/strong>follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Pedicab](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767027973_594_image.webp.webp\")
\nPhotograph: Alena Veasey \/ Shutterstock.com
<\/p>\n![\"Congestion](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768300900_556_image.webp.webp\")
\nPhotograph: Shutterstock
<\/p>\n![\"Waymo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767027978_961_image.webp.webp\")
\nPhotograph: Shutterstock
<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767027979_70_image.webp.webp\")
\nPhotograph: TfL
<\/p>\n![\"Superloop](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767027980_551_image.webp.webp\")
\nPhotograph: Altaf Shah \/ Shutterstock.com
<\/p>\n![\"View](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767027981_796_image.webp.webp\")
\nPhotograph: William Barton \/ Shutterstock
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